Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org.

I'm me and Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with conflicting strategic goals in the Middle East emerging from the war in Gaza,

as the Biden administration and the Iranian regime both seem to be trying to avoid a wider war,

while Netanyahu and some IDF leaders want to provoke Hezbollah as an excuse to go after Iran for which they need U.S. help,

so they are trying to drag the U.S. into a regional conflict.

Joining us is Dr. Trita Parsi, the Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Stakecraft,

who has served as a professor of international relations at

Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University,

and he's the co-founder and former president of the National Iranian American Council.

His books include Tretcherous Alliance, The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel, and the United States,

and losing an enemy, Obama, Iran,

and the triumph of diplomacy. Then we'll look into the surprising pragmatism coming from the new

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was offering up a clean, continuing resolution to fund some of the

government through January the 19th and the rest through February the 2nd.

In going against the House Freedom Caucus, Tuesday's vote will require a two-thirds majority

with democratic support, something that even former Speaker McCarthy did not entertain.

Joining us is Craig Holman, who serves as public citizens Capitol Hill lobbyist on ethics

lobbying and campaign finance rules. Previously, he was a senior policy analyst at the Brennan

Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law. Then finally, we will speak with Richard

Bruffaut, a professor of legislation at Columbia Law School,

where he previously served as vice dean at three different times during his career.

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