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Our Man in the Middle East

Jeremy Bowen presents a personal history of the Middle East.

Radio 4,25 episodes

Episodes

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Part 25: Through a Glass Darkly
Jeremy Bowen looks at some of the lessons of the past 25 years.
30 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 24: Cruelty Without Borders
BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen looks back on the rise and fall of Islamic State.
29 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 23: The New Sultan
Jeremy Bowen on Turkey's dramatic changes under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
28 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 22: Oil and Water
Jeremy Bowen analyses the conflict in Yemen and the role of Saudi Arabia.
27 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 21: A Mini World War
Jeremy Bowen considers the many complex layers of war in Syria.
26 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 20: Crossing the Line
Jeremy Bowen on the dramatic eruption of opposition to the Assad regime in Syria.
23 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 19: Unfollow the Leader
The overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, remembered by Jeremy Bowen.
22 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 18: The Revolving Revolution
The popular revolution in Egypt during the Arab Spring, remembered by Jeremy Bowen.
21 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 17: A Flash of Nail Varnish
Reflections on Iran and its place in the Middle East by Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen.
20 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 16: A Taste of Fire and Smoke
The impact of religious divisions across the Middle East, witnessed by Jeremy Bowen.
19 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 15: Missiles and the Ballot Box
Jeremy Bowen looks back over 25 years, covering one of the world's most troubled regions.
16 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 14: Guns and Olive Branches
Jeremy Bowen looks back over the life of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
15 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 13: The Unravelling
Jeremy Bowen reflects on Iraq's descent into chaos after the US invasion in 2003.
14 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 12: The Drums of War
The invasion of Iraq and its fallout, as reported by Jeremy Bowen.
13 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 11: A Strike to the Heart
The impact of 9/11, recalled by Jeremy Bowen in his personal history of the Middle East.
12 Jun 2017,15 mins
Part 10: The Nearness of Death
Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East correspondent, remembers the day he came under fire.
26 May 2017,15 mins
Part 9: A Blunt Instrument
The impact of sanctions in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, witnessed by Jeremy Bowen.
25 May 2017,15 mins
Part 8: The Final Frontier
Jeremy Bowen is in Baghdad as the west sends bomber planes to punish Saddam Hussein.
24 May 2017,15 mins
Part 7: Death on the Nile
Jeremy Bowen finds himself in Sudan on the trail of Osama bin Laden.
23 May 2017,15 mins
Part 6: Crossing the Divide
How a gas container explains the divide between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
22 May 2017,15 mins
Part 5: Recipe for Disaster
The assassination of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, remembered by Jeremy Bowen.
19 May 2017,15 mins
Part 4: Jerusalem
The allure and political challenge of the Holy City, as experienced by Jeremy Bowen.
18 May 2017,15 mins
Part 3: Retreat to the Mountains
The story of the Kurds of Iraq, told by BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen.
17 May 2017,15 mins
Part 2: All Flesh Is Grass
BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen recalls the devastation of the first Gulf war.
16 May 2017,15 mins
Part 1: The Giant Awakens
BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen begins a personal history of this troubled region.
15 May 2017,15 mins