From Hormuz to Suez: the chokepoints of global power

2026-06-25 · 51 min · 11 entities

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mentioned Society & Culture concept

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mentioned Documentary concept

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mentioned the chokepoints of global power concept

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From Hormuz to Suez: the chokepoints of global power
discusses Society & Culture concept

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discusses Documentary concept

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mentioned Blood and Sand: Suez book

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mentioned Inside the Danger Zone: The U book

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hosted by NPR company

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mentioned History website

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discusses History website

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Episode description as stored

Oil may dominate the headlines about the Middle East, but the real power often flows through water. Three narrow passages - the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb – shape how the world moves. In times of crisis, they've become chokepoints, disrupting global trade, rattling markets, and shifting the balance of power way beyond the region. In this episode, three stories from these waterways… how they've helped define the modern Middle East and, as we've seen recently with Hormuz, the economic currents that affect us all. Guests: Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, and Eisenhower's Campaign for Peace Harold Lee Wise, author of Inside the Danger Zone: The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf, 1987-1988 Farea Al-Muslimi, Yemen and Gulf researcher at Chatham House in London Support shows like Throughline with NPR+. Sign up today at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy