Iran, Hezballah, and Hamas: Tehran’s War against the West by Proxy? November 19, 2008

Host: Hudson Institute. Since revelations of Iran’s nuclear intentions became public in 2002, the U.S. and its allies have remained focused on the question of what a nuclear Iran would mean for the Middle East. Given the monumental concerns derived from the prospect of a nuclear Iran, less attention has been paid to Iran’s two key proxies, Hamas and Hezballah. Both terrorist organizations have been instrumental in attempting to destabilize the Levant in the past few years, whether by undermining the democratically elected Lebanese government through violent tactics or by attacking Israel. The questions that emerge are: How does Iranian backing for these two groups relate to their recent actions in the region? Does it represent a greater Iranian strategy in the Levant? What do Iran, Hezballah, and Hamas ultimately hope to achieve? Can Hamas or Hezballah be expected to become moderate by coming to power? To address these and related questions, Hudson Institute’s Center for Middle East Policy, directed by Meyrav Wurmser, will host a conference featuring a series of panel discussions.

Official Website: http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=hudson_upcoming_events&id=627