ISIS establishes a jihadist caliphate across Syria and Iraq. Iran pursues its nuclear ambitions. Syria remains mired in a terrible civil war, exacting a toll on the civilian population and region. In this podcast, Senior Fellow  () offers his views on these and related developments, the Obama administration’s response to them, and what he believes is the “great white whale” of President Obama’s Middle East strategy. Although he says that Obama’s initiatives in the region have failed, he explains what the president can do to put together a coalition of like-minded powers to act as a counterweight to the ISIS threat. Doran also offers candid thoughts on why “academia is a profoundly conformist place,” how he made the transition from that world to government and then to a think tank, and why he wanted to be a Middle East scholar in the first place. Plus, highlights from a , and what Russia's foreign policy moves indicate about Vladimir Putin's view on the global order.  Show Notes: • "" (Doran's article in Foreign Affairs, January/February 2002)•   (Brookings event in which Doran made the Sarah Palin reference)• "" (Brookings Essay by Suzanne Maloney)• "" (article by Doran)• "" (Big Bets/Black Swans memo by Doran)• "" (for Doran's Captain Ahab reference)• "" (David Remnick's interview with the president) Send feedback or questions for podcast guests to .