Podcasts about Basra

Send us a textMatt Okuhara joined the Territorial Army at 18. After just a few weeks of training he was called up for service in Iraq.Details of Matt's book, Basra and Back: "Basra and Back follows Salamanca Company, a unit of British infantry deployed to Iraq as part of the peacekeeping effort after the 2003 invasion, known as Operation TELIC. Drawn from units in southwest England, Salamanca Company wasted no time in assuming its duties, providing security to the coalition's provisional government and navigating the tense, dusty streets of Basra City. Insurgents had infiltrated the city, sowing discord among the population already grappling with shortages of essential resources like food, water, fuel, and electricity. The soldiers understood the gravity of the situation and braced themselves for civil unrest and worse, knowing their deployment would lead them into even more dangerous territory. For six months in 2004, the officers and men of The Rifle Volunteers found themselves as reservists on the frontline. Now that the war had been won, it was time to win the peace. Told through the eyes of Matthew Okuhara, a young soldier called into regular service, Basra and Back gives a true and overlooked account of the UK's military reserve at war. Narrated with an abstract sense of humour, Matthew is initially out of place but eventually discovers his role as the unit medic within ‘3 Platoon'. The book also covers the military history of reserve soldiers during the War on Terror, with the deployment of so many volunteers marking a historic moment for the British Army, as was the first time in nearly half a century that a formed unit of reservists is deployed in a ground holding role since the Suez Crisis: an experiment that created a strategy that continued in military deployments for years to come."You can order it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Basra-Back-Memoir-Unlikely-Infantryman/dp/1036129659If you're interested in being a guest on the podcast, please contact us on:instagram: @veteranstateofmind email: info@vsompodcast.comGeraint's books are available at: www.geraintjonesmedia.com and https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Geraint-Jones/author/B06XTKLWBMSupport the show

In Part 3 of Episode 256 of the Mike Drop Podcast, hosted by Mike Ritland, Navy SEAL veteran Kevin Kent continues his unfiltered recounting of high-stakes operations and his unexpected transition into Hollywood. This segment dives into the gritty details of Iraq deployments, from textbook raids gone awry—like hitting the wrong house marked by a faulty blue chem light—to intense firefights in Abu Bali, where Kevin unloads 400 rounds from a 46 gun in a chaotic ambush. He shares vivid stories of hauling bodies wrapped in carpets, mistakenly crossing into Syria, and a surreal encounter with Iranian soldiers on a river op in Basra. The episode also explores Kevin's post-military career, sparked by his twins' acting gigs, leading to technical advising on major films like Transformers and The Last Ship under mentor Harry Humphries. From navigating Hollywood's feast-or-famine nature to launching the Liberty Risk podcast with fellow veterans, Kevin's journey highlights the camaraderie, chaos, and adaptability of a SEAL turned storyteller. Perfect for fans of raw military tales and behind-the-scenes Hollywood insights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Auto-generated transcript: My brothers and sisters, listen to this. We continue with the list of the checklist that Ibrahim A.A. gave to the people of Basra when they asked him why their dua is not accepted. And we are on the sixth of the ten reasons that he gave. And he, in the sixth reason,… Continue reading Why are duas not accepted? – #3

Auto-generated transcript: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen. Ya Ikhwan al Kiram, my dear respected brothers, sisters, elders. We are on the fourth of the pieces of advice that were given by Ibrahim A.S. to the people of Basra when they asked him why their duas are not accepted. We live in a time today… Continue reading Why are duas not accepted?

This week, I'm joined by content creator and fashion girly Basra Ajeh, and we're talking all things fashion, Love Island US and dating the group. We get into how she entered the content game, her love for fashion, and of course, a Love Island debrief. We also ask the real question: should we normalise changing who we want to date after seeing the whole line-up?Follow Basra on Social MediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbasra/FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bittersweet.podcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bittersweetpodcast?_t=8ZGljL6gKbB&_r=1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bittersweet.podcastSEND US YOUR DILEMMAS/CONFESSIONShttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/168FiA-d _CSssHGNDiH3-KF1HHPzEGXHX50Yo-VDGUY/edit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Auto-generated transcript: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Alhamdulillah. My respected brothers, sisters, elders, you are on the second point of the piece of advice that the great scholar Ibrahim Azam al-Hathul Ali gave to the people of Basra. They asked him, why is it that we supplicate to Allah? Why is it that we make dua? But we find… Continue reading The Treasure and the Key – #1

Auto-generated transcript: My brothers and sisters, the fourth thing that Ibrahim said to the people of Basra as being the reason for them and for their duas not being accepted. He said, you claim to be enemies of shaitan, but you align with him. SubhanAllah, see the beauty of this and see where Allah have… Continue reading Why is dua not accepted – 6

Auto-generated transcript: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen. Wa Salatu wa Salamu Ala Ashrafil Anbiya wal Mursaleen. Muhammad wa Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Ala Alihi wa Sahbihi Salam. Tasliman Kaseeran Kaseera. Homma Baadu. My brothers and sisters, we are looking at the list of reasons that Ibrahim Adhem, Rahmatullah Ali, gave to the people of Basra, the… Continue reading Why is dua not accepted – 2

This episode explores part of the story of St John Philby, father to Kim and eventually advisor to King Ibn Saud. Philby was one of the few administrators that the British government and its colonial government in India could find who understood Arabia and Mesopotamia. In 1915 as British fortunes against the Ottoman Empire took a turn for the worst, Philby was sent to Basra to reorganise the city's finances after the retreat of the Turks. He would eventually help to organise the financial administration of the 1916 Arab Revolt.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, Jennifer Jean and Hanaa Ahmad Jabr have been exchanging poems from Mosul to Massachusetts and back, and they're now collected into a book, Where Do You Live? with translations by Wadaq Qais and Tamara Al-Attiya. They join us for a special episode at a special time (12pm ET). Dr. Hanaa Ahmad Jabr was born in Mosul, Iraq. She is a prize-winning poet and short story writer who has participated in critical conferences and international poetry festivals. She has a PhD of Philosophy in Arabic Literature. Her books include the poetry collections I Draw My Sorrow from His Collar, and two books of criticism: The Dialectic of Poetry and Prose in Modernist Poetry, and The Poetics of the Prose Poem. Additionally, she's released a children's book: Sultan and Shanidar. Hanaa teaches at the University of Mosul. Jennifer Jean first appeared in episode 76 of the Rattlecast. Her poetry collections include VOZ, Object Lesson, and The Fool. Her resource book is Object Lesson: a Guide to Writing Poetry and she's the editor of the forthcoming anthology Other Paths for Shahrazad: a Bilingual Anthology of Poetry by Arab Women (Tupelo Press, 2026). Jennifer is an organizer for the Her Story Is collective, a faculty member at Solstice MFA, and a senior program manager at the Fine Arts Work Center. Wadaq Qais was born in Basra, Iraq. She received a degree in accounting in 2021. Later, she found her true calling in the Translation Department at the University of Basra, College of the Arts, where she is completing her studies. Reading provided her a gateway to other worlds, allowing her to broaden her perspective and expertise in the disciplines of both literary and business translation. For more information, visit: https://www.arrowsmithpress.com/hanaa-ahmad-jabr-jennifer-jean As always, we'll also include the live Prompt Lines for responses to our weekly prompt. A Zoom link will be provided in the chat window during the show before that segment begins. For links to all the past episodes, visit: https://www.rattle.com/rattlecast/ This Week's Prompt: Write a poem set in a garden you've only been to once before and include a metaphor. Next Week's Prompt: Write a postcard poem to someone that would be very surprised to hear from you. The Rattlecast livestreams on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, then becomes an audio podcast. Find it on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Rābiʻa al-ʻAdawiyya al-Qaysiyya or Rabiʿa al-Basri (717-801 C.E.) is a highly regarded Sufi saint born in Basra, Iraq. Oral traditions and later written records suggest that she was also a poet. She is thought to be one of the first female Sufi saints and a key figure in developing Ishq-e-Haqeeqi or “divine love,” a central tenet in Sufism. For Further Reading: Rabia al Basri - Science and Nonduality (SAND) Biographical encyclopaedia of Sufis: Basri, Hazrat Rabia al-Adwiyya [O my Lord] | The Poetry Foundation Rabi'a From Narrative to Myth: The Many Faces of Islam's Most Famous Woman Saint, Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya This month, we’re talking about Word Weavers — people who coined terms, popularized words, and even created entirely new languages. These activists, writers, artists, and scholars used language to shape ideas and give voice to experiences that once had no name. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should. Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. Follow Wonder Media Network: Website Instagram Twitter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join General Sir Nick Carter, the United Kingdom's former Chief of the Defence Staff, and Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster, as they discuss the future of warfare through the lens of conflicts in Israel, Ukraine, and Africa. Drawing on his extensive military career - serving in Western Germany, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, General Carter provides his thoughts on the Trump administration's approach to the conflict in Ukraine, Putin's ambitions in Europe, and Russia and China's revanchist power in Africa. He discusses how conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Europe are connected to the looming crisis in the Indo-Pacific associated with China's revanchist agenda, as well as the US-UK relationship and whether he is optimistic for the future prospects of the Free World. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS General Sir Nick Carter served as the United Kingdom's Chief of the Defence Staff from 2018 to 2021, where he led the British Armed Forces as the most senior uniformed military advisor to the British Prime Minister. General Carter previously served in Western Germany during the end of the Cold War, Northern Ireland during The Troubles, and in Bosnia and Kosovo during NATO peacekeeping operations. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan, including command of regional command south in Kandahar.  He also commanded British forces in Basra, Iraq. H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.