The Middle East, America's involvement in the region, dates back to the days of George

Washington, long before an oil boom and subsequent wars redefine the political map. But these days things are different. The U.S. has largely

withdrawn its boots on the ground. Israel has a host of new relatively friendly neighbors,

and of course the Iran nuclear deal is more or less dead. It's a far cry

from the situation Joe Biden left four years ago as vice president. This

approach for some was the right one, an unorthodox style that netted some wins and

kept America's enemies at bay. For others it squandered US influence. Now as

President Biden's chance once again to shift U.S. policy, yet the question remains.

For the last four years, did America get the Middle East right?

Arguing for the motion for the last four years America got the Middle East right

is Mary Beth Long former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

She is the first woman ever appointed as chair of NATO's high-level group, the highest

level responsible for NATO's nuclear policy. Her partner, Danny Denone,

former Israeli Deputy Defense Minister, and Ambassador the United Nations, currently Chairman of the

World Liqueud, a global organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism.

Their opponents arguing against the motion, Dr. Justine Rosenthal, former editor and chief of the national interest, and executive editor of Newsweek magazine. Rosenthal served as director of the Council on Global Terrorism, and is a former director of the Council on Global Terrorism and is a former

director at the Council on Foreign Relations. Her debate partner, Michael Ware,

former Time magazine Baghdad Bureau Chief and CNN Correspondent, among the

few Western journalists to live full-time in Iraq

for several years during the US-led war.

They both produced the Emmy-nominated HBO film Only The Dead See the End of War. They are also intelligent. made it and now we're going to go straight into it beginning with round one and round one is

comprised of opening statements from each debater in turn. Our motion is

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