Despite numerous assurances early on that the conflict with Iran would be a short one, it has now stretched on for nearly seven months with few signs that there will be a clear and sustainable end to the hostilities. While some aspects of the conflict, including its duration, were clearly foreseeable, others have been less so.
In the Rockland Public Library’s Community Room on Thursday, Christopher Barr will help to untangle both the predictable and unpredictable knock-on effects of the Trump administration’s war with Iran by putting it in the context of broader and longer-running conflicts in the Middle East, including those in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. He will also discuss the roles played and challenges faced by the administration and Congress, as well as U.S. allies and partners and adversaries alike.
Barr is the president of the World Affairs Council of Maine, supporting the council’s work to connect Maine and the world through dialogue, education and civic engagement with engaging programming and public diplomacy. Previously, he served on the professional staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2013–2025 where he covered the Middle East and North Africa, nonproliferation, international financial institutions and public diplomacy. He lives in Yarmouth with his wife, two sons and a (mostly) Labrador mix.
The event is at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1. All are welcome to attend in person or via Zoom. The Rockland Public Library is located at 80 Union St. in Rockland. Email Jeannie Sullivan at [email protected] to receive the Zoom link.
To learn more about the World Affairs Council of Maine, go to wacmaine.org.
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