Podcasts about Iraq

n this gripping episode of The ToosDay Crue, hosts Jake and Stephen welcome U.S. Air Force Veteran D. Logan, whose journey takes him from growing up in a controlling cult on Chicago's South Side to surviving combat tours in Iraq, to ultimately rebuilding his life with purpose. Logan's story is one of trauma, resilience, and transformation. After facing anxiety, depression, and brokenness post-service, he made the powerful decision to stop waiting for rescue and take command of his life. Today, he's a live television director, speaker, and coach, on a mission to help others break free from trauma, false identities, and limiting beliefs.

Joseph Fontenot gave up a rising career in music to enlist in the Army, only to be thrust into unexpected combat roles in Iraq and Afghanistan. He discusses his experiences while deployed, injuries that aren't always physical, and the challenge of finding direction and building a meaningful life after returning home. Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Follow Joseph Fontenot on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2335103330160442 Follow Joseph Fontenot on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephfontenot74/ Follow Joseph Fontenot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-j-fontenot-322a8088/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

In 2017, journalist Nick McKenzie heard rumours of executions and cover-ups inside Australia's most elite military unit. For the next eight years, Nick waged an epic battle for the truth to be acknowledged about Ben Roberts-Smith VC.Along with his colleague Chris Masters, Nick began an investigation which hinged on Australia's most famous, and most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, who served in the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) from 2003 - 2013.By following the story, they were plunged into the defamation trial of the century.His fight examined evidence of bullying, intimidation, war crimes and murder, and took him across Australia and to Afghanistan.As he unearthed secrets Ben Roberts-Smith had thought he'd long ago buried, Nick had to deal with death threats, and powerful forces intent on destroying his career.He also witnessed attempts to silence brave SAS soldiers, who had witnessed their famous comrade commit unspeakable acts.For years Nick waged an epic battle for the truth to be acknowledged.Earlier this year, Ben Roberts-Smith lost an appeal against a defamation judgement, which found he committed war crimes.Further informationCrossing the Line is published by Hachette.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores war, Afghanistan, the SAS, war crimes, allegations of war crimes, legal history, Australia's military history, Andrew Hastie, ADF, Iraq, Nine, Fairfax, Kerry Stokes, Seven, Media,  Anthony Besanko, Brereton Report, AFP, Federal Police, phone tapping, Mick Keelty, Federal Court, truth defence, David Wroe, peer pressure, military life, camaraderie, life at war, civil versus criminal court.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Comedy Saved Me Podcast - Episode Show Notes Guest: Thom Tran Episode Description In this powerful episode of Comedy Saved Me, host Lynn Hoffman sits down with multi-talented veteran, comedian, musician, and activist Thom Tran for an inspiring conversation about resilience, healing, and finding purpose through laughter. Thom’s journey from combat soldier to comedy stage is nothing short of remarkable. After enlisting in the U.S. Army at just 18 years old, Thom served as a Communications and Civil Affairs Sergeant within the Army’s Special Operations Community. His military career came to an abrupt end in 2003 when a sniper’s bullet struck the back of his skull during combat operations in Iraq, just four days after crossing the border. Despite his injuries, Thom bandaged himself up and completed his 12-month tour—a testament to his incredible strength and dedication. Following his medical retirement in 2005, Thom discovered that comedy didn’t just change his life—it saved it. He channeled his experiences into stand-up comedy, eventually creating The GIs of Comedy Tour in 2010, a groundbreaking comedic troupe that has performed across the United States and in nearly two dozen countries, bringing healing laughter to military and civilian audiences alike. Lynn and Thom dive deep into how humor became his lifeline, the challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life, and his mission to help other veterans through the transformative power of comedy. Special thanks to Dr. Ron Hirshberg and General Jack Hammond from Home Base for their support of our podcasts and for introducing us to Thom. For information on their amazing work go to https://homebase.org This episode is a testament to the healing power of laughter and the resilience of the human spirit—a must-listen for anyone who believes in the transformative power of comedy. Show Notes Guest: Thom Tran - Veteran, Comedian, Musician, Actor & Activist Key Topics Discussed: • Thom’s early military enlistment at 18 and service in Army Special Operations • Combat injury in Iraq in 2003 and the long road to medical retirement • How comedy became a lifesaving force in his post-military life • Creating The GIs of Comedy Tour and its impact on military communities • Performing for audiences around the world and raising over $50,000 for military families • The healing power of laughter for trauma survivors • Transitioning from soldier to entertainer • Building a career in LA comedy clubs and broadcast radio • Recent recognition at comedy festivals and future projects About Thom Tran: Thom Tran is a Los Angeles-based comedian, musician, and U.S. military veteran who transformed personal trauma into purpose through comedy. After a combat injury ended his Army Special Operations career in 2005, Thom discovered stand-up comedy and never looked back. In 2010, he founded The GIs of Comedy Tour, which has performed internationally and raised significant funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. His work has been featured on Netflix’s “Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy,” and he recently completed a decade-long career as a radio traffic anchor for KNX News. In 2025, he was named to the SLO Comedy Festival “Best of The Fest” and selected as a “Next Wave Top 5 Comics to Watch” at the Blue Whale Comedy Festival. Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

During his recent visit to Australia, Ninab Toma, a member of the political bureau of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, spoke with SBS Assyrian about the challenges confronting the Assyrian nation and the ADM, particularly in managing its affairs in northern Iraq and within the Kurdistan Region.

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

In 2007, Tim Weiner published the book Legacy of Ashes. It was a history of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. As a university student in Italy, I bought the book as soon as it came out. The second non-fiction book I ever bought in English. The book was riveting. It kickstarted my interest in the CIA and covert operations. Now, Tim Weiner has published a sequel to Legacy of Ashes. His new book is called The Mission: the CIA in the 21st Century (Mariner Books, 2025). It is a gripping and revelatory history of the from the late 1990s to the present. It ranges from 9/11 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to today's battles with Russia and China--and with the President of the United States.  At the turn of the century, the Central Intelligence Agency was in crisis. The end of the Cold War had robbed the agency of its mission. More than thirty overseas stations and bases had been shuttered, and scores that remained had been severely cut back. Many countries where surveillance was once deemed crucial went uncovered. Essential intelligence wasn't being collected. At the dawn of the information age, the CIA's officers and analysts worked with outmoded technology, struggling to distinguish the clear signals of significant facts from the cacophony of background noise.  Then came September 11th, 2001. After the attacks, the CIA transformed itself into a lethal paramilitary force, running secret prisons and brutal interrogations, mounting deadly drone attacks, and all but abandoning its core missions of espionage and counterespionage. The consequences were grave: the deaths of scores of its recruited foreign agents, the theft of its personnel files by Chinese spies, the penetration of its computer networks by Russian intelligence and American hackers, and the tragedies of Afghanistan and Iraq. A new generation of spies now must fight the hardest targets--Moscow, Beijing, Tehran--while confronting a president who has attacked the CIA as a subversive force.  The book reveals how the agency fought to rebuild the espionage powers it lost during the war on terror--and finally succeeded in penetrating the Kremlin. The key message of the book is that the CIA must reclaim its original mission: know thy enemies. This is made even more difficult by the attacks on the intelligence community deployed by the second Trump presidency, from unqualified senior officials to loyalty tests. The fate of the free world hangs in the balance. The Mission includes exclusive on-the-record interviews with six former CIA directors, the top spymaster, thirteen station chiefs, and scores of top operations officers who served undercover for decades and have never spoken to a journalist before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/journalism

In this episode of  @AfterburnPodcast  host John “Rain” Waters sits down with Bob “Bags” Simeone, a former Navy F/A-18 Hornet pilot who flew combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. From low-level strikes over Iraq to night tanking in icing conditions, Bags shares a raw, often hilarious, and deeply personal account of what it was like to be part of America's return to high-end warfare after Vietnam. They dive into what deployment looked like aboard the USS America in the early ‘90s, the challenges of navigating pre-GPS cockpits, and the chaos of coordinating missions in a pre–Link 16 world. Bags recounts everything from near-diverts over Australia to accidentally bombing a Kuwaiti beach house to make Saddam think an amphibious assault was coming.

Send us a textOnes Ready sits down with Morgan Lerette —author of Guns, Girls, and Greed—to talk about life as a Blackwater mercenary during the chaos of Iraq and Afghanistan. From getting recruited as a broke Air Guard kid, to standing on flight lines wondering if forklifts win Bronze Stars, to suddenly pulling convoys through Route Irish with Navy SEALs and Rangers, Morgan lays it all out: the absurd, the grim, and the downright sketchy. We dive into the wild days of unarmored Peugeots with body armor for window panels, hooker stories from Jordan, and the not-so-fun reality of PMCs running missions with zero backup. And just when you're laughing at zebra-striped POW underwear, Morgan drops the hammer on the modern PMC industry moving kids across the border. Buckle up—this one goes from hilarious to horrifying in record time. Part two is going to be even spicier.Best place to get the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D5JMPTMY/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome back to Ones Ready 02:00 – Blackwater mercenary origins and pipeline discounts 05:00 – Morgan's “construction worker” to Air Guard journey 09:00 – Forklift heroes and Bronze Stars 13:00 – How a Security Forces guy landed at Blackwater 18:00 – Fallujah, no backup, and calling Bragg from a Nokia brick 22:00 – Corkscrew flights, Peugeots with steel plates, and sweaty armor 27:00 – Protecting diplomats with “creative” ROE 32:00 – Contractors vs State Department nerds 38:00 – QRF reality: escort service and car bomb season 42:00 – The flashbang fail and Iraqi cell-jammer pranks 44:00 – Guns, Girls, Greed—why Morgan's book pissed off Blackwater 47:00 – Hooker tales and Harvard economics majors 49:00 – Custer's Battles and the Wild West of PMCs 53:00 – The ugly truth: PMCs moving kids at the border 58:00 – Durable goods, cartels, and why trafficking beats drugs 1:02:00 – Why foreign-funded PMCs are a ticking time bomb 1:04:00 – Zebra-striped underwear POW story to close it out

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comJohn is a journalist, media consultant, old friend, and George W Bush's cousin. He's worked for NBC News as a political analyst and the Boston Globe as a columnist. In 2016, he launched a morning brief called “News Items” for News Corp, and later it became the Wall Street Journal CEO Council's morning newsletter. News Items jumped to Substack in 2019 (and Dishheads can subscribe now for 33% off). John also co-hosts two podcasts — one with Joe Klein (“Night Owls”) and the other with Richard Haas (“Alternate Shots”).For two clips of our convo — on the nail-biting Bush-Gore race that John was involved in, and Trump's mental decline — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: born and raised in Concord; his political awakening at 15 watching the whole '68 Dem convention with a fever in bed; his fascination with Nixon; the Southern Strategy; Garry Wills' book Nixon Agonistes; Kevin Phillips and populism; Nixon parallels with Trump — except shame; Roger Ailes starting Fox News; Matt Drudge; John's uncle HW Bush; HW as a person; the contrasts with his son Dubya; the trauma of 9/11; Iraq as a war of choice — the wrong one; Rumsfeld; Jeb Bush in 2016; the AI race; Geoffrey Hinton (“the godfather of AI”); John's optimism about China; tension with Taiwan; Israel's settlements; Bibi's humiliation of Obama; Huckabee as ambassador; the tariff case going to SCOTUS; the Senate caving to Trump; McConnell failing to bar Trump; the genius of his demagoguery; the Kirk assassination; Brexit; immigration under Boris; Reform's newfound dominance; the huge protest in London last week; Kirk's popularity in Europe; the AfD; Trump's war on speech; a Trump-Mamdani showdown; Epstein and Peter Mandelson; and grasping for reasons to be cheerful.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Wesley Yang on the trans question, Michael Wolff on Epstein, Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober, Michel Paradis on Ike, Charles Murray on finding religion, David Ignatius on the Trump effect globally, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

Truth Be Told with Booker Scott – Jeremy Harrell, a disabled veteran and founder of Veterans Club Inc., shares his journey from serving in Iraq to facing prosecution by the Biden DOJ. Battling PTSD, he builds a nonprofit to support fellow veterans, only to be indicted over disability benefits. Now, he speaks out and appeals to President Trump for a pardon...

Tune into the fourth installment of AJC's latest limited podcast series, Architects of Peace. Go behind the scenes of the decades-long diplomacy and quiet negotiations that made the Abraham Accords possible, bringing Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and later Morocco, together in historic peace agreements.  From cockpits to kitchens to concert halls, the Abraham Accords are inspiring unexpected partnerships. In the fourth episode of AJC's limited series, four “partners of peace” share how these historic agreements are reshaping their lives and work. Hear from El Mehdi Boudra of the Mimouna Association on building people-to-people ties; producer Gili Masami on creating a groundbreaking Israeli–Emirati song; pilot Karim Taissir on flying between Casablanca and Tel Aviv while leading Symphionette, a Moroccan orchestra celebrating Andalusian music; and chef Gal Ben Moshe, the first Israeli chef to ever cook in Dubai on his dream of opening a restaurant in the UAE. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode lineup: El Mehdi Boudra (4:00) Gili Masami (11:10) Karim Taissir (16:14) Gal Ben Moshe (21:59) Read the transcript: https://www.ajc.org/news/podcast/partners-of-peace-architects-of-peace-episode-4 Resources: AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace - Tune in weekly for new episodes. The Abraham Accords, Explained AJC.org/CNME - Find more on AJC's Center for a New Middle East Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus  People of the Pod Follow Architects of Peace on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace You can reach us at: podcasts@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript: El Mehdi Boudra: All the stereotypes started like getting out and people want to meet with the other. They wanted to discover the beauty of the diversity of Israel. And this is unique in the region, where you have Arabs Muslims, Arab Christians, Druze, Beta Yisrael, Ashkenazi, Sephardic Jews, Jews from India, from all over the world. This beauty of diversity in Israel is very unique for our region. Manya Brachear Pashman: In September 2020, the world saw what had been years – decades – in the making: landmark peace agreements dubbed the Abraham Accords – normalizing relations between Israel and two Arabian Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Later, in December, they were joined by the Kingdom of Morocco.  Five years later, AJC is pulling back the curtain to meet key individuals who built the trust that led to these breakthroughs and turning the spotlight on some of the results. Introducing: the Architects of Peace. ILTV correspondent: Well, hello, shalom, salaam. For the first time since the historic normalization deal between Israel and the UAE, an Israeli and an Emirati have teamed up to make music. [Ahlan Bik plays] The signs have been everywhere. On stages in Jerusalem and in recording studios in Abu Dhabi. [Camera sounds]. On a catwalk in Tel Aviv during Fashion Week and on the covers of Israeli and Arab magazines. [Kitchen sounds]. In the kitchens of gourmet restaurants where Israeli and Emirati chefs exchanged recipes. Just days after the announcement of the Abraham Accords, Emirati ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan formally ended the UAE's nearly 50-year boycott of Israel. Though commerce and cooperation had taken place between the countries under the radar for years, the boycott's official end transformed the fields of water, renewable energy, health, cybersecurity, and tourism.  In 2023, Israel and the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to advance economic cooperation, and by 2024, commerce between the UAE and Israel grew to $3.2 billion. Trade between Bahrain and Israel surged 740% in one year. As one of the world's most water-stressed countries, Bahrain's Electrical and Water Authority signed an agreement to acquire water desalination technology from Israel's national water company [Mekorot].  Signs of collaboration between Israeli and Arab artists also began to emerge. It was as if a creative energy had been unlocked and a longing to collaborate finally had the freedom to fly. [Airplane take off sounds]. And by the way, people had the freedom to fly too, as commercial airlines sent jets back and forth between Tel Aviv, Casablanca, Abu Dhabi, and Manama.  A gigantic step forward for countries that once did not allow long distance calls to Israel, let alone vacations to the Jewish state. At long last, Israelis, Moroccans, Emiratis, and Bahrainis could finally satisfy their curiosity about one another. This episode features excerpts from four conversations. Not with diplomats or high-level senior officials, but ordinary citizens from the region who have seized opportunities made possible by the Abraham Accords to pursue unprecedented partnerships. For El Medhi Boudra, the Abraham Accords were a dream come true.  As a Muslim college student in 2007 at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, he founded a group dedicated to preserving and teaching the Jewish heritage of his North African home. El Mehdi knew fostering conversations and friendships would be the only way to counter stereotypes and foster a genuine appreciation for all of Morocco's history, including its once-thriving Jewish community of more than 100,000. Five years later, El Mehdi's efforts flourished into a nonprofit called Mimouna, the name of a Moroccan tradition that falls on the day after Passover, when Jewish and Muslim families gather at each other's homes to enjoy cakes and sweets and celebrate the end of the Passover prohibitions. Together.   El Mehdi Boudra: Our work started in the campus to fill this gap between the old generation who talk with nostalgia about Moroccan Jews, and the young generation who don't know nothing about Moroccan Judaism. Then, in the beginning, we focused only on the preservation and educating and the promotion of Jewish heritage within campuses in Morocco. In 2011, we decided to organize the first conference on the Holocaust in the Arab world. Manya Brachear Pashman: So did the Abraham Accords make any difference in the work you were already doing? I mean, I know Mimouna was already a longtime partner with AJC.  El Mehdi Boudra: With Abraham Accords, we thought bigger. We brought young professionals from Morocco and Israel to work together in certain sectors on challenges that our regions are overcoming. Like environment, climate change, water scarcity and innovation, and bring the best minds that we have in Morocco and in Israel to work together. But we included also other participants from Emirates and Bahrain. This was the first one that we started with.  The second was with AJC. We invited also young professionals from United States and France, which was an opportunity to work globally. Because today, we cannot work alone. We need to borrow power from each other. If we have the same vision and the same values, we need to work together.  In Morocco, we say: one hand don't clap. We need both hands. And this is the strategy that we have been doing with AJC, to bring all the partners to make sure that we can succeed in this mission.  We had another people-to-people initiative. This one is with university students. It's called Youth for MENA. It's with an Israeli organization called Noar. And we try to take advantage of the Abraham Accords to make our work visible, impactful, to make the circle much bigger. Israel is a country that is part of this region. And we can have, Israel can offer good things to our region. It can fight against the challenges that we have in our region. And an Israeli is like an Iraqi. We can work all together and try to build a better future for our region at the end of the day. Manya Brachear Pashman: El Mehdi, when you started this initiative did you encounter pushback from other Moroccans? I mean, I understand the Accords lifted some of the restrictions and opened doors, but did it do anything to change attitudes? Or are there detractors still, to the same degree? El Mehdi Boudra: Before the Abraham Accords, it was more challenging to preserve Moroccan Jewish heritage in Morocco. It was easier. To educate about Holocaust. It was also OK. But to do activities with civil society in Israel, it was very challenging. Because, first of all, there is no embassies or offices between Morocco. Then to travel, there is no direct flights.  There is the stereotypes that people have about you going to Israel. With Abraham Accords, we could do that very freely. Everyone was going to Israel, and more than that, there was becoming like a tendency to go to Israel.  Moroccans, they started wanting to spend their vacation in Tel Aviv. They were asking us as an organization. We told them, we are not a tour guide, but we can help you. They wanted to travel to discover the country.  All the stereotypes started like getting out and people want to meet with other. They wanted to discover the beauty of the diversity of Israel. And this is unique in the region where you have  Arab Muslims, Arab Christians, Druze, Beta Israel, Ashkenazi, Sephardic Jews, Jews from India, from all over the world. This beauty of diversity in Israel is very unique for our region.  And it's not granted in this modern time, as you can see in the region. You can see what happened in Iraq, what's happening in Syria, for minorities. Then you know, this gave us hope, and we need this hope in these dark times. Manya Brachear Pashman: Hm, what do you mean? How does Israel's diversity provide hope for the rest of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region?  El Mehdi Boudra: Since the MENA region lost its diversity, we lost a lot. It's not the Christians or the Yazidis or the Jews who left the MENA region who are in bad shape. It's the people of the MENA region who are in bad shape because those people, they immigrated to U.S., to Sweden, they have better lives. But who lost is those countries.  Then us as the majority Muslims in the region, we should reach out to those minorities. We should work closely today with all countries, including Israel, to build a better future for our region. There is no choice. And we should do it very soon, because nothing is granted in life.  And we should take this opportunity of the Abraham Accords as a real opportunity for everyone. It's not an opportunity for Israel or the people who want to have relation with Israel. It's an opportunity for everyone, from Yemen to Morocco. Manya Brachear Pashman: Morocco has had diplomatic relations with Israel in the past, right? Did you worry or do you still worry that the Abraham Accords will fall apart as a result of the Israel Hamas War? El Mehdi Boudra: Yes, yes, to tell you the truth, yes. After the 7th of October and things were going worse and worse. We said, the war will finish and it didn't finish. And I thought that probably with the tensions, the protest, will cut again the relations. But Morocco didn't cut those relations. Morocco strengthened those relations with Israel, and also spoke about the Palestinians' cause in the same time.  Which I'm really proud of my government's decisions to not cut those relations, and we hope to strengthen those relations, because now they are not going in a fast dynamic. We want to go back to the first time when things were going very fastly. When United States signed with the Emirates and Bahrain in September 2020, I was hoping that Morocco will be the first, because Morocco had strong relations with Israel. We had direct relations in the 90s and we cut those relations after the Second Intifada in 2000.  We lost those 21 years. But it's not [too] late now. We are working. The 7th of October happened. Morocco is still having relations with Israel. We are still having the Moroccan government and the Israeli government having strong relations together.  Of course, initiatives to people-to-people are less active because of the war. But you know, the war will finish very soon, we hope, and the hostages will go back to their homes, Inshallah, and we will get back to our lives. And this is the time for us as civil society to do stronger work and to make sure that we didn't lose those two years. [Ahlan Bik plays] Manya Brachear Pashman: Just weeks after the White House signing ceremony on September 15, 2020, Israeli music producer Gili Masami posted a music video on YouTube. The video featured a duet between a former winner of Israel's version of The Voice, Elkana Marziano, and Emirati singer Walid Aljasim.  The song's title? Ahlan Bik, an Arabic greeting translated as “Hello, Friend.” In under three weeks, the video had garnered more than 1.1 million views. Gili Masami: When I saw Bibi Netanyahu and Trump sign this contract, the Abraham Accords, I said, ‘Wow!' Because always my dream was to fly to Dubai. And when I saw this, I said, ‘Oh, this is the time to make some project that I already know how to do.' So I thought to make the first historic collaboration between an Israeli singer and an Emirati singer.  We find this production company, and they say, OK. We did this historic collaboration. And the first thing it was that I invite the Emirati people to Israel. They came here. I take them to visit Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and then I get a call to meet in Gitix Technology Week in the World Trade Center in Dubai. Manya Brachear Pashman: Gitix. That's the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition, one of the world's largest annual tech summits, which met in Dubai that year and invited an Israeli delegation for the first time. Gili Masami: They tell me. ‘Listen, your song, it was big in 200 countries, cover worldwide. We want you to make this show.' I said, OK. We came to Dubai, and then we understand that the production company is the family of Mohammed bin Zayed al Nayhan, the president of UAE. And now we understand why they agree.  The brother of Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheik Issa Ben Zahid Al Nahyan, he had this production company. This singer, it's his singer. And we say, ‘Wow, we get to this so high level, with the government of Dubai.' And then all the doors opened in Dubai.  And then it was the Corona. 200 countries around the world cover this story but we can't do shows because this Corona issue, but we still did it first. Manya Brachear Pashman: The song Ahlan Bik translates to “Hello, Friend.” It was written by Israeli songwriter Doron Medalie. Can you tell our listeners what it's about? Gili Masami: The song Ahlan Bik, it's this song speak about Ibrihim. Because if we go to the Bible, they are cousins. They are cousins. And you know, because of that, we call this Abraham Accords, because of Avraham. And they are sons of Ishmael. Yishmael. And we are sons of Jacob.  So because of that, we are from back in the days. And this is the real cousins. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco. They are the real ones. And this song speak about this connection. Manya Brachear Pashman: After Morocco joined the Abraham Accords, you also put together a collaboration between Elkana and Moroccan singer Sanaa Mohamed. But your connection to UAE continued. You actually moved to Dubai for a year and opened a production company there. I know you're back in Israel now, but have you kept in touch with people there?   Gili Masami: I have a lot of friends in UAE. A lot of friends. I have a production company in UAE too. But every time we have these problems with this war, so we can do nothing. I was taking a lot of groups to Dubai, making tours, parties, shows, and all this stuff, because this war. So we're still friends.  Manya Brachear Pashman: Given this war, do you ever go back and listen to the song Ahlan Bik for inspiration, for hope?  Gili Masami: I don't look about the thinking that way. These things. I know what I did, and this is enough for me. I did history. This is enough for me. I did [a] good thing. This is enough for me. I did the first collaboration, and this is enough for me. Manya Brachear Pashman: Moroccan pilot and music aficionado Karim Taissir also knows the power of music. In 2016, he reached out to Tom Cohen, the founder and conductor of the Jerusalem Orchestra East & West and invited him to Morocco to conduct Symphonyat, an orchestra of 40 musicians from around the world playing Jewish and Arab music from Morocco's past that often has been neglected.  Karim Taissir: In 2015 I contacted Tom via Facebook because of a story happening in Vietnam. I was in a bar. And this bar, the owner, tried to connect with people. And the concept was a YouTube session connected on the speaker of the bar, and they asked people to put some music on from their countries. So when he asked me, I put something played by Tom [Cohen], it was Moroccan music played by the orchestra of Tom. And people said, ‘Wow.'  And I felt the impact of the music, in terms of even, like the ambassador role. So that gave me the idea. Back in Morocco, I contacted him. I told him, ‘Listen, you are doing great music, especially when it comes to Moroccan music, but I want to do it in Morocco. So are you ready to collaborate? And you should tell me, what do you need to create an orchestra that do this, this excellency of music?'  And I don't know why he replied to my message, because, usually he got lots of message from people all over the world, but it was like that. So from that time, I start to look of musician, of all conditions, asked by Tom, and in 2016 in April, we did one week of rehearsals. This was a residence of musician in Casablanca by Royal Foundation Hiba. And this is how it starts. And from that time, we tried every year to organize concerts. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes not. Manya Brachear Pashman: I asked this of El Mehdi too, since you were already doing this kind of bridge building Karim, did the Abraham Accords change anything for you? Karim Taissir: In ‘22 we did the great collaboration. It was a fusion between the two orchestras, under the conductor Tom Cohen in Timna desert [National Park], with the presence of many famous people, politician, and was around like more than 4,000 people, and the President Herzog himself was was there, and we had a little chat for that.  And even the program, it was about peace, since there was Moroccan music, Israeli music, Egyptian music, Greek music, Turkish music. And this was very nice, 18 musicians on the stage. Manya Brachear Pashman: Oh, wow. 18 musicians. You know, the number 18, of course, is very significant, meaningful for the Jewish tradition.  So, this was a combination of Israeli musicians, Moroccan musicians, playing music from across the region. Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Israel. What did that mean for you? In other words, what was the symbolism of that collaboration and of that choice of music? Karim Taissir: Listen, to be honest, it wasn't a surprise for me, the success of collaboration, since there was excellent artists from Israel and from Morocco. But more than that, the fact that Moroccan Muslims and other people with Israeli musicians, they work together every concert, rehearsals.  They became friends, and maybe it was the first time for some musicians, especially in Morocco. I'm not talking only about peace, happiness, between people. It's very easy in our case, because it's people to people. Manya Brachear Pashman: How have those friendships held up under the strain of the Israel-Hamas War? Karim Taissir: Since 7th October, me, for example, I'm still in touch with all musicians from Israel, not only musicians, all my friends from Israel to support. To support them, to ask if they are OK. And they appreciate, I guess, because I guess some of them feel even before they have friends from all over the world. But suddenly it's not the case for us, it's more than friendships, and if I don't care about them, which means it's not true friendships. And especially Tom. Tom is more than more than a brother. And we are looking forward very soon to perform in Israel, in Morocco, very soon. Manya Brachear Pashman: So I should clarify for listeners that Symphonyat is not your full-time job. Professionally you are a pilot for Royal Air Maroc. And a week after that concert in Timna National Park in March 2022, Royal Air Maroc launched direct flights between Casablanca and Tel Aviv. Those flights have been suspended during the war, but did you get to fly that route? Karim Taissir: They call me the Israeli guy since I like very much to be there. Because I was kind of ambassador since I was there before, I'm trying always to explain people, when you will be there, you will discover other things. Before 7th of October, I did many, many, many flights as captain, and now we're waiting, not only me, all my colleagues.  Because really, really–me, I've been in Israel since 2016–but all my colleagues, the first time, it was during those flights. And all of them had a really nice time. Not only by the beauty of the Tel Aviv city, but also they discover Israeli people. So we had really, really, very nice memories from that period, and hoping that very soon we will launch flight. Manya Brachear Pashman: Chef Gal Ben Moshe, the first Israeli chef to earn a Michelin Star for his restaurant in Berlin, remembers the day he got the call to speak at Gulfood 2021, a world food festival in Abu Dhabi. That call led to another call, then another, and then another.  Before he knew it, Chef Gal's three-day trip to the United Arab Emirates had blossomed into a 10-day series: of master classes, panel discussions, catered dinners, and an opportunity to open a restaurant in Dubai. Gal Ben Moshe: Like I said, it wasn't just one dinner, it wasn't just a visit. It's basically from February ‘21 to October ‘23 I think I've been more than six, eight times, in the Emirates. Like almost regularly cooking dinners, doing events, doing conferences. And I cooked in the Dubai Expo when it was there. I did the opening event of the Dubai Expo. And a lot of the things that I did there, again, I love the place. I love the people. I got connected to a lot of people that I really, truly miss. Manya Brachear Pashman: When we first connected, you told me that the Abraham Accords was one of your favorite topics. Why? Gal Ben Moshe: I always felt kind of like, connected to it, because I was the first Israeli chef to ever cook in Dubai. And one of the most influential times of my life, basically going there and being there throughout basically everything from the Abraham Accords up to October 7. To a degree that I was supposed to open a restaurant there on the first of November 2023 which, as you probably know, did not happen in the end.  And I love this place. And I love the idea of the Abraham Accords, and I've had a lot of beautiful moments there, and I've met a lot of amazing people there. And, in a way, talking about it is kind of me missing my friends less. Manya Brachear Pashman: So you were originally invited to speak at Gulfood. What topics did you cover and what was the reception like? Gal Ben Moshe: The journalist that interviewed me, he was a great guy, asked me, ‘OK, so, like, where do you want to cook next?' And I said, ‘If you would ask me six months ago, I would say that I would love to cook in Dubai, but it's not possible.' So having this happened, like, anything can happen, right? Like, if you would tell me in June 2020 that I would be cooking in Dubai in February 2021, I'm not sure I was going to believe you. It was very secretive, very fast, very surprising. And I said, ‘Yeah, you know, I would love to cook in Damascus and Beirut, because it's two places that are basically very influential in the culture of what is the Pan-Arabic kitchen of the Levant. So a lot of the food influence, major culinary influence, comes from basically Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut. Basically, this area is the strongest influence on food. A lot of Jordanians are probably going to be insulted by me saying this, but this is very this is like culinary Mecca, in my opinion.'  And I said it, and somebody from the audience shouted: ‘I'm from Beirut! You can stay at my place!' And I was like, it's just amazing. And the funny thing is, and I always talk about it is, you know, I talk about my vegetable suppliers in Berlin and everything in the Syrian chefs and Palestinian chefs and Lebanese chefs that I met in the Emirates that became friends of mine. And I really have this thing as like, I'm gonna say it is that we have so much in common. It's crazy how much we have in common.  You know, we have this war for the past two years with basically everyone around us. But I think that when we take this thing out of context, out of the politics, out of the region, out of this border dispute or religious dispute, or whatever it is, and we meet each other in different country. We have so much in common, and sometimes, I dare say, more than we have in common with ourselves as an Israeli society. And it's crazy how easy it is for me to strike a conversation and get friendly with the Lebanese or with a Palestinian or with the Syrian if I meet them in Berlin or in Dubai or in New York or in London. Manya Brachear Pashman: I should clarify, you run restaurants in Tel Aviv, but the restaurant that earned a Michelin star in 2020 and held on to it for four years, was Prism in Berlin. Tel Aviv was going to be added to the Michelin Guide in December 2023, but that was put on hold after the start of the Israel-Hamas War. Did your time in the Emirates inspire recipes that perhaps landed on your menu at Prism? Gal Ben Moshe: I was approached by a local journalist that wrote cookbooks and he did a special edition cookbook for 50 years for the Emirates. And he wanted me to contribute a recipe. And I did a dish that ended up being a Prism signature dish for a while, of Camel tartar with caviar, quail yolk, grilled onion, and it was served in this buckwheat tortelet. And at the time, it's a concept dish. So basically, the story is this whole story of Dubai. So you have the camel and the caviar, so between the desert and the sea. And then you have the camel, which basically is the nomadic background of Dubai, with the Bedouin culture and everything, and the caviar, which is this luxurious, futuristic–what Dubai is today. And it was really a dish about the Emirates. And I was invited to cook it afterwards in a state dinner, like with very high-end hotel with very high-end guests.  And basically the chef of the hotel, who's a great guy, is like, sending, writing me an email, like, I'm not going to serve camel. I'm not going to serve camel in this meal. And I was like, but it's the whole story. It's the whole thing. He's like, but what's wrong with Wagyu beef? It's like, we're in Dubai. Wagyu beef is very Dubai. And I was like, not in the way that the camel is in that story. Listen, for a chef working there, it's a playground, it's heaven. People there are super curious about food. They're open-minded. And there's great food there. There's a great food scene there, great chefs working there. I think some of the best restaurants in the world are right now there, and it was amazing. Manya Brachear Pashman: There have been other Israeli chefs who opened their restaurants in Dubai before October 7. I know Chef Eyal Shani opened with North Miznon in a Hilton hotel in Dubai. You recently closed Prism, which really was a mom and pop place in Berlin, and you've now opened a hotel restaurant in Prague. Would you still consider opening a kitchen in Dubai? Gal Ben Moshe: I have not given up on the Emirates in any way. Like I've said, I love it there. I love the people there. I love the atmosphere there. I love the idea of being there. I would say that there is complexities, and I understand much better now, in hindsight of these two years. Of why, basically, October 7 meant that much. I live in Berlin for 13 years, and I work with my vegetable suppliers for the past, I would say nine or eight years. They're Palestinians and Syrians and Lebanese and everything.  And even though October 7 happened and everything that's happened afterwards, we're still very close, and I would still define our relationship as very friendly and very positive. The one thing is that, I don't know, but I think it's because we know each other from before. And I don't know if they would have taken the business of an Israeli chef after October 7. So having known me and that I'm not a symbol for them, but I am an individual.  For them it is easier because we're friends, like we worked together, let's say for five years before October 7. It's not going to change our relationship just because October 7 happened. But I think what I do understand is that sometimes our place in the world is different when it comes to becoming symbols. And there are people who don't know me and don't know who I am or what my opinions are, how I view the world, and then I become just a symbol of being an Israeli chef. And then it's you are this, and nothing you can say at that moment changes it.  So I don't think that me opening a restaurant in Dubai before October 7 was a problem. I do understand that an Israeli chef opening a restaurant in Dubai after October 7 was not necessarily a good thing. I can understand how it's perceived as, in the symbolism kind of way, not a good thing. So I think basically, when this war is over, I think that the friendship is there. I think the connection is there. I think the mutual respect and admiration is there. And I think that there is no reason that it can't grow even further. Manya Brachear Pashman: In our next episode, expected to air after the High Holidays, we discuss how the Abraham Accords have held during one of Israel's most challenging times and posit which Arab countries might be next to join the historic pact.  Atara Lakritz is our producer. T.K. Broderick is our sound engineer. Special thanks to Jason Isaacson, Sean Savage, and the entire AJC team for making this series possible.  You can subscribe to Architects of Peace on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can learn more at AJC.org/ArchitectsofPeace. The views and opinions of our guests don't necessarily reflect the positions of AJC. You can reach us at podcasts@ajc.org. If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to spread the word, and hop onto Apple Podcasts or Spotify to rate us and write a review to help more listeners find us. Music Credits: Middle East : ID: 279780040; Composer: Eric Sutherland אלקנה מרציאנו & Waleed Aljasim - אהלן ביכ | Elkana Marziano AHALAN bik أهلاً بيك Moroccan Suite: Item ID: 125557642; Composer: umberto sangiovanni Medley Ana Glibi Biddi Kwitou / Ma Nebra - Symphonyat with Sanaa Marahati - Casablanca - 2022 Middle East: Item ID: 297982529; Composer: Aditya Mystical Middle East: ID: 212471911; Composer: Vicher  

Celebrated historian Avi Shlaim, once a committed Zionist, reveals the personal and historical journey that led him to reject Zionism. From his childhood as an Arab Jew in Iraq to his response to the genocide in Gaza, Shlaim dismantles long-held myths about Israel's creation. He also exposes how he has been excluded from interviews on mainstream platforms including the BBC in the UK throughout the duration of Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza. -------------------------- Support Palestine Deep Dive from as little as £1 per month: https://www.palestinedeepdive.com/support -------------------------- Avi Shlaim is an historian and author, and is a Emeritus Fellow of St Antonys College and a Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford. Ahmed Alnaouq is a Palestinian journalist from Gaza.

In this repost of a 2024 episode, General Casey shares his extensive experience in military leadership and the importance of integrating defense, diplomacy, and development in foreign aid efforts. He discusses the critical role of foreign aid in conflict prevention and the necessity of collaboration between military and aid organizations. General Casey also provides insights into current global conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine, and emphasizes the need for effective leadership in navigating complex geopolitical landscapes.   RESOURCES: GovDiscovery AI Federal Capture Support: https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/  BIOGRAPHY: General George W. Casey, Jr., enjoyed a 41-year career in the US Army following his graduation from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1970. He is an accomplished soldier and an authority on strategic leadership. As the Army Chief of Staff, he led one of the nation's largest and most complex organizations during one of the most extraordinary periods in our history. He is widely credited with restoring balance to a war-weary Army and leading the transformation to keep it relevant in the 21st Century. Prior to this, from July 2004 to February 2007, he commanded the Multi-National Force – Iraq, a coalition of more than 30 countries, where he guided the Iraq mission through its toughest days. Currently, he lectures internationally on leadership to the leaders of national and multinational corporations and at other business schools. He serves on corporate boards and numerous boards of organizations that support our servicemen and women, our veterans, and their families. He also teaches international relations at the Korbel School in Denver. Gen. Casey has published a book, Strategic Reflections, Operation Iraqi Freedom, July 2004-2007 (October 2012), about his experiences in Iraq, and two articles on leadership: Leading in a VUCA World, Fortune Magazine (March 20, 2014), and Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous: Leadership Lessons from Iraq, Chapter 1, Changing Mindsets to Transform Security, (December 2013).  Gen. Casey holds a master's degree in international relations from University of Denver and served as a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council of the United States, a foreign policy think-tank. He has broad international experience. Born in Japan, he served in operational assignments in Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East. LEARN MORE: Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about working with the U.S. Government by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and GovDiscovery AI. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/  https://www.konektid.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gov-market-growth/ 

CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 9-17-2025 FIRST HOUR 9-915HEADLINE: Global Tensions Escalate: Nuclear Drills, Urban Warfare, and Naval Probes Amidst Shifting Alliances GUEST NAME: Jeff McCausland SUMMARY: Russia conducts tactical nuclear drills with Belarus as drones probe Polish airspace, while Israel engages in difficult urban warfare in Gaza, and the US flexes naval power against Venezuela, all against a backdrop of potential regional miscalculations. Russia's Zapad 2025 includes tactical nuclear training with Belarus, as unidentified drones probe Polish territory. Israel faces six months of challenging urban combat in Gaza, learning from Fallujah. The USconducts naval exercises near Venezuela, potentially aimed at destabilizing Maduro. Regional flashpoints in Syria risk accidental escalation between Turkey and Israel. 1930 POLAND 915-930 CONTINUED HEADLINE: Global Tensions Escalate: Nuclear Drills, Urban Warfare, and Naval Probes Amidst Shifting Alliances GUEST NAME: Jeff McCausland SUMMARY: Russia conducts tactical nuclear drills with Belarus as drones probe Polish airspace,  930-945 HEADLINE: EU Schemes to Fund Ukraine with Frozen Russian Assets, While Oil Prices Fluctuate GUEST NAME: Michael Bernstam SUMMARY: The EU devises a "clever scheme" to fund Ukraine with Russia's frozen assets by converting cash into zero-interest bonds held by Euroclear, effectively confiscating the funds while navigating legal obstacles, as global oil markets remain volatile. The EU and G7 plan to use $170 billion of frozen Russian assets, largely held by Euroclear in Belgium, to fund Ukraine. This "confiscation" involves the European Union issuing zero-interest bonds to Euroclear, allowing cash to be transferred to Ukraine as an unpayable loan. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil prices fluctuate, influenced by sanctions and Trump's calls to stop buying Russian oil. 945-1000 HEADLINE: Challenging Prospect Theory: Increasing Sensitivity to Loss in Human Behavior GUEST NAME: Tim Kane SUMMARY: Professor Tim Kane questions Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory, presenting experiments that suggest humans exhibit increasing sensitivity to loss, rather than diminishing, impacting our understanding of complex rationality beyond financial gambles. Professor Tim Kane challenges Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory, arguing that while losses hurt more than gains, people show increasing sensitivity to successive losses, not diminishing sensitivity. His chocolate experiment demonstrated higher demands to part with each subsequent piece, suggesting a "complex rationality" that differs in non-financial contexts from pure monetary gambles. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 HEADLINE: Nepal's "Gen Z Revolution" Against Corruption and Inequality, Amidst Geopolitical Influence GUEST NAME: Kelly Currie SUMMARY: Nepal faces its biggest governance challenge in decades as disillusioned youth, frustrated by corrupt elites and deep inequality, ignite a "Gen Z revolution" marked by widespread protests, while China and India vie for influence in the poor, landlocked nation. Nepal is grappling with widespread "Gen Z" youth-led protests, marked by violence and targeting government institutions, driven by anger over corrupt elites and severe inequality. An interim government is forming to stabilize the country and organize elections. Meanwhile, Nepal, Asia's second poorest nation, is a growing battleground for influence between China and India. 1015-1030 HEADLINE: China's Deflationary Cycle: A Consequence of Overproduction and Centralized Control GUEST NAME: Anne Stevenson-Yang SUMMARY: China is mired in a fearful deflationary cycle driven by chronic overproduction and a government unable to shift from supply-side investment to stimulating consumption, perpetuating a "race to the bottom" under CCP leadership. China faces widespread deflation, causing consumer uncertainty and stemming from government-backed overproduction. The CCP leadership pours money into factories to meet GDP targets, despite overbuilt infrastructure and property. This "involution," or economy eating itself, continues due to a lack of innovative solutions and reluctance to cede economic control. 1030-1045 HEADLINE: China's Covert Strategic Support for Russia Fuels NATO Border Tensions GUEST NAME: Victoria Coates SUMMARY: China is actively supporting Russia's efforts to destabilize NATO's eastern flank, particularly through the Polish-Belarusian border, by pushing migrants and using proxies. This "partnership without limits," declared by Xi and Putin, aims to keep the United States entangled in European conflicts, preventing a focus on East Asia. Poland, however, remains resolute and is strengthening its defenses. China covertly aids Russia in destabilizing NATO via incidents on the Polish-Belarusian border, pushing migrants and using drones. This "partnership without limits" between Xi and Putin aims to keep the US preoccupied in Europe and the Middle East, preventing a focus on East Asia. Despite this, Poland, led by President Karol Nawrocki, remains resolute, strengthening its defenses and economy. 1045-1100 HEADLINE: China's EV Market Faces Global Headwinds and Domestic Overcapacity GUEST NAME: Alan Tonelson SUMMARY: Despite innovation, China's electric vehicle market, led by BYD, is experiencing production drops, price wars, and significant international pushback due to quality, surveillance fears, and predatory trade practices, exposing a broader economic deflation. China's EV market leader BYD saw production drops amidst price wars and over 150 producers. Global markets, including the US, Japan, Germany, and South Korea, resist Chinese EVs due to surveillance concerns and predatory trade practices. Beijing maintains employment through municipal loans, but widespread overcapacity and deflation are significant challenges. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 HEADLINE: Commodity Prices Surge Amidst Global Demand and UK Political Turmoil GUEST NAME: Simon Constable SUMMARY: While the south of France enjoys a pleasant harvest, global commodity prices for essential metals and select food items are spiking due to high demand and supply constraints, mirroring political unrest and leadership challenges within the UK's Labour Party. Simon Constable reports on rising commodity prices: copper, iron ore, and aluminum are up due to high demand for data centers and supply issues. Coffee prices have spiked by 51%, though cocoa and Brent crude have moderated. In the UK, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer faces internal dissent and "plastic patriotism" protests, with talk of replacing him by early next year. 1115-1130 CONTINUED HEADLINE: Commodity Prices Surge Amidst Global Demand and UK Political Turmoil GUEST NAME: Simon Constable SUMMARY: While the south of France enjoys a pleasant harvest, global commodity prices for 1130-1145 HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence GUEST NAMES: Caleb Weiss and Bill Roggio SUMMARY: The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) has made its first international bust in West Africa, revealing how Islamic State (ISIS) cells, particularly the wealthy ISWAP, are funding global attacks and supporting ISISoperations, including those in Iraq, amidst shifting jihadist strongholds and Western withdrawal from the Sahel. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) revealed its first international operation, dismantling an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in West Africa. This cell, linked to the powerful ISWAP, was financing attacks in Europe and supporting ISIS operations in Iraq. This highlights Africa's growing importance as a hub for the global Islamic State network, amidst a complex regional jihadist landscape. 1145-1200 CONTINUED HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 HEADLINE: Re-evaluating Liberalism: Cass Sunstein's Defense and Critiques of its Manifest Failings GUEST NAME: Peter Berkowitz SUMMARY: Peter Berkowitz analyzes Cass Sunstein's defense of liberalism "under siege," highlighting criticisms from both the new right and the woke left, and arguing that liberalism's own principles, when taken to extremes, contribute to its current pressures. Peter Berkowitz reviews Cass Sunstein's book On Liberalism: In Defense of Freedom, where Sunstein argues liberalism is "under siege" from criticisms on the right (permissiveness, criminality) and left (too weak on inequality, racism). Berkowitz suggests Sunstein mischaracterizes liberalism by overemphasizing "experiments of living" over equal rights, and neglects how liberalism's vices contribute to its challenges. 1215-1230 CONTINUED HEADLINE: Re-evaluating Liberalism: Cass Sunstein's Defense and Critiques of its Manifest Failings 1230-1245 HEADLINE: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman Ambitions: Turkey's Escalating Confrontation with Israel and Regional Power Plays GUEST NAME: Sinan Ciddi SUMMARY: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman ambitions are driving Turkey to increasingly confront Israel through vilifying rhetoric, alleged support for Hamas cells, and a growing military footprint across the Mediterranean and Africa, risking miscalculation and armed conflict in Syria. Erdogan is pursuing Neo-Ottomanism, escalating tensions with Israelthrough vilifying rhetoric and alleged MIT involvement in Hamas plots. Turkey's military expansion, including bases in Somalia and northern Cyprus, and advanced weaponry like drones and hypersonic missiles, positions it to dominate the Mediterranean and challenge Israel. Miscalculation in Syria poses a risk of armed conflict. 1245-100 AM HEADLINE: Erdogan's Neo-Ottoman Ambitions: Turkey's Escalating Confrontation with Israel and Regional Power Plays

HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence GUEST NAMES: Caleb Weiss and Bill Roggio SUMMARY: The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) has made its first international bust in West Africa, revealing how Islamic State (ISIS) cells, particularly the wealthy ISWAP, are funding global attacks and supporting ISISoperations, including those in Iraq, amidst shifting jihadist strongholds and Western withdrawal from the Sahel. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) revealed its first international operation, dismantling an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in West Africa. This cell, linked to the powerful ISWAP, was financing attacks in Europe and supporting ISIS operations in Iraq. This highlights Africa's growing importance as a hub for the global Islamic State network, amidst a complex regional jihadist landscape. 1870 CONGO

CONTINUED HEADLINE: Iraqi Intelligence Uncovers Global Islamic State Network, Highlighting African Hub's Expanding Influence GUEST NAMES: Caleb Weiss and Bill Roggio SUMMARY: The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) has made its first international bust in West Africa, revealing how Islamic State (ISIS) cells, particularly the wealthy ISWAP, are funding global attacks and supporting ISISoperations, including those in Iraq, amidst shifting jihadist strongholds and Western withdrawal from the Sahel. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) revealed its first international operation, dismantling an Islamic State (ISIS) cell in West Africa. This cell, linked to the powerful ISWAP, was financing attacks in Europe and supporting ISIS operations in Iraq. This highlights Africa's growing importance as a hub for the global Islamic State network, amidst a complex regional jihadist landscape. 1901 KITCHENER AND STAFF

It's Thursday, September 18th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Muslim man stabbed Assyrian Christian to death in France An Assyrian Christian was stabbed to death in southern France last week. Forty-five-year-old Ashur Sarnaya had fled to France from Iraq in 2014 during the advance of the Islamic State. He was disabled and used a wheelchair. Sarnaya often did live videos on TikTok, sharing God's word in Arabic. His videos received tens of thousands of views. It was during one of his live videos that someone brutally stabbed him to death. Authorities are investigating the murder. Sarnaya had previously suffered a physical attack earlier this year at the hands of Muslims.  Such attacks are becoming more common in France. There were 400 anti-Christian acts in France between January and June this year. That's up 13% compared to the same period last year. More French deaths than births Speaking of France, the country recorded more deaths than births for the first time in 80 years. France had 650,000 births last year compared to 651,000 deaths.  Steven Mosher, the President of the Population Research Institute, noted, “Bringing in massive numbers of immigrants to replace the current population—which seems to be the French approach—is a ‘solution' that creates more problems—cultural, social, political and religious—than it solves.” Trump defunding research with aborted babies' tissue In the United States, the Trump administration is defunding research that uses tissue from babies murdered in the womb. At issue are 17 grants totaling over $22 million that funded research using human fetal tissue from abortions.  The National Institutes of Health announced it will not renew the Biden-era grants. The government agency stated, “NIH is guided by a commitment [of] valuing human life and ensuring that federally-funded research is conducted responsibly and transparently.”  Trump will send National Guard to Memphis to cut crime President Donald Trump signed an order Monday called “Restoring Law and Order in Memphis.” The memo establishes a task force, including the National Guard, to crack down on crime in Memphis, Tennessee.  Listen to comments from President Trump. TRUMP: “I'm signing a presidential memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force. It's very important because of the crime that's going on, not only in Memphis, but in many cities. We're going to take care of all of them, step by step, just like we did in DC. We have virtually no crime in DC right now.” Memphis has faced record gun violence in recent years. Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee  supported the task force, saying he is “tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back.” Ecclesiastes 8:11 says, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.” Federal Reserve cut interest rate by quarter percent The Federal Reserve  cut its key interest rate yesterday after holding rates steady previously this year. The Fed lowered its benchmark overnight lending rate by a quarter percentage point. That brings it down to the range of 4% to 4.25%. The Fed signaled it will cut the rate two more times this year.   Barna: Only 14% of Americans have biblical view of sin Dr. George Barna released his latest research on the worldview of Americans this week. The study found only 14% of U.S. adults hold a consistently biblical view of sin. The research identified several major misconceptions that millions of Americans have about sin. These misconceptions include the following: sin doesn't come from the heart; feelings outweigh truth; sin isn't life-changing; and sin isn't rebellion against God. Dr. Barna noted, “As a nation, we have generally made peace with all but the most egregious or personally painful sins.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Injured student in school shooting makes miraculous recovery And finally, a Catholic student, who was injured in a recent school shooting, is making a miraculous recovery. Three weeks ago, a shooter opened fire into Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The attacker killed two children and injured at least 17 more people. One of the injured children was 12-year-old Sophia Forchas.  She was shot in the head. After her hospitalization, doctors expected her to become the third fatality from the shooting. However, the hospital recently upgraded her condition from critical to serious.  Sophia's family posted the news last week in an update to a GoFundMe campaign started on behalf of the family. They said, “Her progress to this point is being called miraculous. We are calling it a miracle. … Please continue to keep Sophia in your hearts and prayers. She is a warrior! And she is winning!!”  Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, September 18th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus.

Where do we get our stuff from? This week, Technology Now is diving into the subject of supply chain. We explore what different people along the value chain care about, the types of disruptions modern day supply chains face, and we explore how AI can be integrated into the world of supply chain to mitigate unexpected shocks.This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Aubrey Lovell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations.About Mark Bakker: https://www.hpe.com/uk/en/leadership-bios/mark-bakker.htmlSourcesDoor to Door: The Magnificent, Maddening, Mysterious World of Transportation by Edward Humes. Copyright © 2016 by Edward Humes. Reprinted courtesy of Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.https://www.persee.fr/doc/paleo_0153-9345_2016_num_42_2_5718https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/renfrew-dixon-and-cann-reconstruct-ancient-near-eastern-trade-routesKhalidi, L. et al., 2016, The growth of early social networks: New geochemical results of obsidian from the Ubaid to Chalcolithic Period in Syria, Iraq and the Gulf, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports,Volume 9, Pages 743-757, ISSN 2352-409X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.06.026.Gendron, F., et all., 2019, The evolution of obsidian procurement in ancient Oaxaca, Mexico: New data from the Sistema 7 Venado architectural complex, Monte Albán. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 23. 583-591., Tykot. R. H., 1996, Obsidian Procurement and Distribution in the Central and Western Mediterranean, Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 9.1 (1996) 39-82

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe's venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.Today we welcome Alex Bakir, General Partner at Norrsken Evolve, the new €57M pre-seed fund spun out of the legendary Norrsken family of funds. Together with Johan Attby and Rebecka Löthman Rydå, Alex is doubling down on impact-driven founders building Europe's resilient and sustainable future—with backing from EIF, Saminvest, SmartCap, and operators like Taavet Hinrikus and Sten Tamkivi of Plural.We dive into Alex's journey - with family roots in Iraq and England to Cambridge, the World Bank, Climate Change Capital, and Planet Labs; his lessons from the clean-tech crash of 2008; why resilience is now the lens for Europe's industrial strategy; and how Norrsken Evolve is rethinking fund construction with 80 portfolio companies, automated follow-ons, and a sprint model for founder collaboration.Here's what's covered:01:38 Alex's path: Iraqi–English upbringing, Cambridge climate science, World Bank, first-wave cleantech VC04:30 Lessons from the cleantech crash ('08): macro can kill even great theses07:19 Why this time is different: realism, supply chains, energy security10:31 Fundraising the hard way: €40M → €57M; satellites vs. raising a fund12:36 Mistakes & pivots: from naive global to Europe-first resilience15:50 LP profiling: local anchors + institutional validation (Saminvest, EIF)19:00 The trough of despair & team completion with Rebecka Löthman Rydå22:11 The “funky” model: 80 companies, €250K tickets, no boards, automated follow-ons26:06 Sprint model: six-week in-person collaboration (not a school)31:22 Investment focus: The carbon-free economy, the infrastructure of tomorrow, future of Europe40:57 Founder fit: mission-driven, experienced builders with scars and purpose

US President Donald Trump's foray into the Caucasus is among his most successful so far, says analyst Eric Hacopian of Armenia's CivilNet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager, host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Ted Harrison, Founder and CEO of neuemotion and former Head of Advertiser Production at Twitter (yes, real Twitter). Ted brings a refreshing take on creativity in social media, debunking the myth that inspiration strikes like lightning. Instead, he shares how creative consistency is a skill—one that can be systematized, scaled, and repeated. Whether you're a burned-out content creator or a higher ed social media manager in a creative rut, this episode is full of insights that will reignite your spark.Guest Name: Ted Harrison, Founder/CEO at neuemotionGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Ted Harrison is the Founder and CEO at neuemotion, servicing Fortune 500 clients and beyond, author of Entrepreneurial Creativity: Repeatable Creative Success, and the former Head of Production at Twitter Inc. & X Corp. His past work has ranged from building a 9-figure content business as an "intra"preneur at Twitter, to animation onsite in Iraq, to award-winning Super Bowl commercials, to script coverage for Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jenny Li Fowlerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/https://twitter.com/TheJennyLiAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dangers of Islam: What Every Muslim and Christian Should Know of Islam by Constantine I. NightingdaleWHY SHOULD I READ THIS BOOK?THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU DRAW THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ISLAM, CULTS, AND CHRISTIANITY- Chapter 9 of the Quran labels all those who do not believe in Islam as infidels.- On September 11, 2001, there was an attack on the U.S. by Islamic group Al Quaeda.- Taliban and Al Quaeda are responsible for 74% of all terrorist-related deaths worldwide.- Studies show that 80% of terrorist victims are Muslims.- Are Islamic extremists (Taliban, ISIS, and Al Quaeda) killing their own?- What country is Persia today? Iran.- Sharia Law works differently in each Arab city or country-no consistency!- True or False: When martyred for Islamic faith, you will have seventy-five virgins waiting in Heaven.- The origins of several cults may be traced back to Iraq, the original Babylon.Also included:- The biblical study tools- The seven year tribulation- The second coming of Christ- The Millennial Reign of ChristMy name is Constantine I. Nightingdale. I am the "Endtime" Apostle to the world from Hawaii. My biography is not important. But I praise and glorify the One who sent me-Jesus ChristAMAZONhttps://www.armyofthelord5dr.org/https://www.urlinkpublishing.com/http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/91825cnurl.mp3   

Egypt is shoring up security in the Sinai and mobilizing its forces. State control of weapons is a top priority for Iraq. A US-brokered deal brings relative peace to Sweida. On today's episode of Trending Middle East: State monopoly over weapons a top priority, Iraqi PM says Egypt seeks US guarantees that Israel will not attack exiled Hamas leaders again Sweida tensions subside but troops remain after US-brokered deal in Syria This episode features Hadya Al Alawi, Assistant Foreign Editor; and Nada Maucourant Atallah, Beirut Correspondent. Editor's note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

>Join Jocko Underground< Clay Martin, former Green Beret and author, shares his journey from brutal combat in Iraq to the battles of life after war. He reveals how writing saved him, how visions of an ancestral spirit reshaped his path, and why Barbarian Spirit is a call to purpose and survival for veterans today.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jocko-podcast/exclusive-content

For centuries, the deserts and mountains of the Middle East have been steeped in myth and mystery. From ancient conquerors to modern armies, those who marched into these lands often returned with stories of strange and unexplainable encounters. In more recent times, the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq have become the backdrop for some of the world's most intense conflicts — and with them, unsettling reports from soldiers on the ground. Amidst the dust and darkness of desert warfare, they tell of figures glimpsed through night vision, of shadows moving where no enemy should be, and of confrontations with beings that seemed anything but human. Even today, whispers persist that in these unforgiving landscapes, there may still be… something in the desert. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss Charlie Kirk, NATO article 4 and psyops. Tom Luongo is a former research chemist, amateur dairy goat farmer, libertarian, and economist whose work can be found on Zero Hedge and Newsmax Media. He hosts the Gold Goats ‘n Guns Podcast.LTC Steven Murray is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served as an Information Warfare Officer and Cyber Defense Battalion Commander. With extensive experience in cyber operations and intelligence, he commanded units supporting the United States Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Forces, and the National Security Agency. He was deployed to Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom, earning a Bronze Star, and has held roles such as Chief Information Security Officer for a large medical company. To watch the Full Cornerstone Forum: https://open.substack.com/pub/shaunnewmanpodcastGet your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: SNP@silvergoldbull.comText Grahame: (587) 441-9100Bow Valley Credit UnionBitcoin: www.bowvalleycu.com/en/personal/investing-wealth/bitcoin-gatewayEmail: welcome@BowValleycu.com Use the code “SNP” on all ordersProphet River Links:Website: store.prophetriver.com/Email: SNP@prophetriver.comExpat Money SummitWebsite: ExpatMoneySummit.com

Turkey and the interim Syrian government fiercely oppose Kurdish self-rule. Researcher Meghan Bodette argues that the current dynamics will force them into changing tack, with all sides reaping the benefits of compromise.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cole Grace knows danger up close. In Iraq, he spent his days disarming IEDs and dodging sniper fire. But coming home wasn't the relief he'd expected. Instead, he found himself at war again, trapped in a loop of relentless perfectionism, unexplained chronic pain, and an addiction that crept up quietly, almost unnoticed. In this conversation, Cole opens up about the brutal reality of fighting battles you can't see. He shares how he finally confronted childhood wounds that had intensified his combat trauma and what it took to silence the inner voice that always said he wasn't enough. If you've ever felt stuck in your head, lost in your own pain, or wondered if peace is even possible, this episode is for you. Timestamps: 01:00 - Facing bombs and bullets in Iraq 08:45 - How combat fuels relentless perfectionism 20:30 - Addiction, chronic pain, and medical dead-ends 28:15 - Rewiring trauma without the BS 35:45 - Finding peace after chasing success Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Follow Cole Grace on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@cgrace21 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

Diplomat Grant Dooley was inside the Australian Embassy building in Indonesia when a bomb went off, killing several people. This was just the beginning of a series of devastating events that Grant had to come to terms with years after moving back home to Australia.In 2004, Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, moved to Jakarta with their two young children to start a three-year posting at the Australian Embassy.In September of that year, Grant arrived at the embassy complex for a brief visit. Not long after he entered the building, a bomb went off outside, which partially destroyed the building and killed many people.The Australian Embassy had been the target of an attack plotted by Jemaah Islamiah, a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.Little did Grant know that he and his family had arrived in Indonesia in the middle of a horror show of bombings, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions, which would not end for the next several years.The embassy bombing was followed by the Boxing Day Tsunami, a second Bali bombing, the Garuda plane crash in Yogyakarta and more.Not only was Grant a witness to these events, he was also a first responder to some of them.Further informationBomb Season In Jakarta is published by Affirm Press.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris; executive producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores terrorism, diplomacy, expats, Bali bombings, Sumatra, earthquake, tsunami, Schapelle Corby, Bali 9, drug smuggling, banged up abroad, how to become a diplomat, the real life of diplomats, PTSD, post traumatic stress, Jemaah Islamiyah, jihadist organisation, al-Qaeda, Paddy's pub, Sari Club, Aceh, John Howard, Alexander Downer, Kevin Rudd, Prabowo Subianto, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Joko Widodo, foreign affairs, books, writing, memoir, modern history, Abu Bakar Bashir, 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing, East Timor, South East Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, war.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.” The book has been translated into five languages, was a finalist for a PEN America award and a California Book Award, and spawned a TEDx talk. Vince is currently at work on a new book, “Power Metal”, about how the materials we need for digital technology and renewable energy are causing environmental havoc, political upheaval, mayhem and murder—and how we can do better.Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, no man's lands and disaster zones. He has exposed conditions in California's harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to natural disasters, and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper's, Time, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.Vince's work has been honored by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Columbia, Medill and Missouri Graduate Schools of Journalism, and many other institutions. He has three times been part of a team that won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence, and shared in an Emmy for his work with the PBS TV series SoCal Connected. He is also a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.⁠https://vincebeiser.com/⁠⁠https://nexuspmg.com/

Show SummaryOn today's episode, we're featuring a conversation with Marine Corps Veteran Melissa Hawkins, a retired Sergeant Major and a seasoned Physical Therapist with a specialization in sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, and the tactical athlete. We talk about her work as well as her role as a member of the Advisory Board of MCON, a live event in Las Vegas Nevada from October 23rd to October 26th, 2025Provide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you about the show. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts about the show in this short feedback survey. By doing so, you will be entered to receive a signed copy of one of our host's three books on military and veteran mental health. About Today's GuestMelissa Hawkins' legacy is one of optimizing the human mind, body, and spirit, for greatness. A seasoned Physical Therapist with a specialization in sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, and the tactical athlete, Melissa has spent her entire adult life dedicated to enhancing the human body through injury prevention, rehabilitation, and human performance enhancement.Her career took an extraordinary turn when she served, and subsequently retired from, the Marine Corps Reserve. Her last assignment as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Human Performance Branch allowed her to combine her two careers and play a pivotal role in optimizing the well-being and performance of the men and women of the United States Marine Corps. Her commitment to ensuring that Marines not only operated at their peak physical condition, but also that of mental resilience, cognitive enhancement, and holistic well-being, solidified her reputation as a true advocate for human performance optimization.Continuing her mission to push the boundaries of human capability, Melissa now works with the Optimizing the Human Weapon System program, where she utilizes her expertise to enhance the lethality and capabilities of today's warfighters. Her work in this groundbreaking field is reshaping how we approach the future fight. With a keen understanding of the human body and a commitment to excellence, her tireless efforts continue to impact the lives of servicemen and women, as her commitment to those who serve, remains her top priority.Links Mentioned During the EpisodeMelissa Hawkins on LinkedInMCON Web Site PsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's PsychArmor Resource of the Week is a previous podcast episode talking about MCON, Episode 223. In this episode, we talk with Marine Corps veteran Waco Hoover, an entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience in venture capital, M&A, entertainment, media and live events. We talk about MCON, an annual event that celebrates military culture and includes MCON Health conducted in partnership with PsychArmor. You can find the resource here:  https://psycharmor.org/podcast/waco-hoover-mcon Episode Partner: Are you an organization that engages with or supports the military affiliated community? Would you like to partner with an engaged and dynamic audience of like-minded professionals? Reach out to Inquire about Partnership Opportunities Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on XPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

Yuriy reflects on his three and a half years in the army, recounting experiences of loss, perseverance, and the ongoing conflict that has spanned 1,300 days. He shares personal anecdotes and the emotional toll the prolonged war has taken on him and his country. Send Yuriy your letter of support fightingtherussianbeast@gmail.com  Yuriy's Podbean Patron sign-up to give once or regularly: https://patron.podbean.com/yuriy   Buy Yuriy a coffee here: https://bmc.link/yuriymat  Subscribe to his substack: https://yuriymatsarsky.substack.com/  ----more---- TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)      It is September 16th. I took a long post to try to make sense of what's happening. I've been in the army for over three and a half years. I've buried countless friends and colleagues, and I've watched entire towns perish and enemy bombardments. And there is still no, end in sight. The big war has been going on for over 1,300 days, and before that there was a smaller war confined to a couple of regions in the east of a country. In total, the war has been a region for 11 years. And I constantly think about how it could easily drag on for another 11. I spent a lot of time driving now. Sometimes I have to cover 400-500 miles in a day. You drive and you constantly thinking, constantly recalling stories you'd almost forgotten. For example, I remember how in the first days someone gave me a NATO first eight kit- a very valuable thing even now, but back when it was worth its weight in gold. A few days later, I gave it to a guy who was replacing me at a position before I was sent to rest, that was the first or second week of a big war. I thought it would all be over quickly, so I wouldn't need the kit anymore. I figured I'd return from the rest straight to the civilian life. Why would I need a first aid kit there? It's been 1300 days ago and I still haven't returned. I don't regret giving away the kit. Maybe it saved someone's life. But damn, what a fool I was back then. I believed the end was near. I also remembered a woman in Iraq who escaped from ISIS on the boat with several children, an ordinary peasant widow. She rowed it for nights, hiding in the reeds eating almost nothing, but she made it out. I asked her how she managed. She said 'I did not even want to see was bastards but that's what gave me strength.' Our whole country has been holding on for years, probably only because we don't want to see these bastards crawling over our northern border. But refusal, it seems to me it's the only inexhaustible resource a normal person has. All the other resources: optimism, faith in the future, hope for better days, even tolerance for hours are running out. At least for me. I've become harsh in human root and I increasingly offend people for no reason. I understand it all, but I can't do anything about it. Everything has changed so much. And so have I.

Jeff was joined by State House candidate Nick Capozzi. They discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the rise of political violence in the United States, his time serving in the Army including in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. pullout in Afghanistan, his time working for Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Alaska) and Governor Mike Dunleavy (R - Alaska), and why he is running against Representative Jamie Allard (R - Eagle River). 

Welcome to Dennis Prager’s Timeless Wisdom. Each Monday through Saturday, you’ll hear some of Dennis’s best lectures, talks, and series—with brief commercial breaks. To get the ad-free version of this podcast, and to access the full library of lectures, talks, and shows, visit dennisprager.com. On Today’s Show: Dennis debates liberal rabbi Michael Lerner on many of today’s important issues including their very different views on the failure of Barak’s offer (negotiated by President Clinton) to bring a lasting peace to Israel; what the next generation of Jews must do in order to remain Jewish and whether or not the U.S should invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.comOn this week's ‘We're Not Kidding' Mehdi sits down with an actual superhero. No, not the Incredible Hulk from Marvel's ‘The Avengers' —  he's a pretend super hero. The real-life superhero we're referring to this week is the award-winning Hollywood actor and activist Mark Ruffalo. For over two decades, Mark has been one of the most politically courageous actors in Hollywood, having spoken out against the fracking industry, US imperialism, Donald Trump, and the genocide in Gaza. The two talk about Mark's political evolution, from being raised in a household with three different religions to getting involved in the anti-war movement during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. When discussing Trump's second term and rising fascism here in the US, Mark doesn't mince words when it comes to the tepid opposition from Democratic party leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Mark says, before also launching into a scathing critique of the notoriously pro-Israel House Democrat Ritchie Torres.Finally, Mehdi asks Mark about his years-long advocacy for Palestine and the elaborate “propaganda machine” deployed by Israel and its allies, as Mark is no stranger to being attacked for his pro-Palestine views. Now almost two years into Israel's genocide in Gaza, Mark gets deeply emotional when discussing the human cost of the conflict.SUBSCRIBE TO ZETEO TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AND UNFILTERED JOURNALISM: https://zeteo.com/subscribeWATCH, LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO ‘WE'RE NOT KIDDING' ON SUBSTACK: https://zeteo.com/s/were-not-kidding-with-mehdi-and-friendsFIND ZETEO:Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeteo_newsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeteonewsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeteonewsFIND MEHDI:Substack: https://substack.com/@mehdirhasanTwitter: https://twitter.com/@mehdirhasanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/@mehdirhasanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mehdirhasanCREDITS:Hosted by: Mehdi HasanGuest Host: Mark RuffaloExecutive Producer: Kiran AlviSenior Producer and Editor: Frank CappelloMusic: Andy ClausenDesign: Alicia TatoneMix Engineer: Valentino RiveraTitle Animation: Ehsaan MesghaliSpecial Thanks: Khaleel Rahman

This week on the FATHERS of the FUTURE Podcast, Luke sits down with professional skydiver and former British Special Forces veteran Jules Ratcliff, who has completed over 2,100 jumps and served in combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jules shares his near-death experience for the very first time when a parachute malfunction in June 2024 ripped his leg off mid-air at 4,500 feet. Drawing on his military training, he applied a tourniquet on himself while free-falling, a decision that ultimately saved his life. After being placed in a medically induced coma for six weeks and enduring multiple surgeries, Jules takes us inside his fight to recover and the mindset shifts that carried him forward.In this powerful conversation, Jules opens up about memory loss, the raw emotions of rehab, and the two guiding principles that helped him push through: every day is a step forward, and self-pity has no place in survival. His unwavering faith and gratitude thanking God for allowing his son to still have a father shine through his story of resilience. As Jules continues his long journey of recovery and major surgeries, we invite listeners to support his story and apply the same mindset in their own lives. If you're stuck and need a breakthrough, schedule a call with Luke today at LukeKKayyem.com (https://lukekkayyem.com).

Send us a textIn this episode, Frank chats with Fahad who was born in Iraq, who was invited to a Cubs game for the first time. Hear how his experience went!Support the showFollow us:Twitter @PodcastMistakenInstagram @MistakenIdentityMediaFacebook @MistkenIdentityMediaTik Tok @FrankWalkerIVPatreon (watch our episodes) Mistaken Identity PodcastWebsite PodPageEmail: MistakenIdentityMedia@gmail.com

Rich Diviney stops by to talk about his fatherhood journey. He shares the values he looks to instill into kids as they were growing up. After that we talk about his latest book, Masters of Uncertainty: The Navy SEAL Way to Turn Stress into Success for You and Your Team. In addition we talk about some misconceptions about being a Navy SEAL. Lastly, we finish the interview with the Fatherhood Quick Five.  About Rich Diviney Rich Diviney is a retired Navy SEAL commander. In a career spanning more than twenty years, he completed more than thirteen overseas deployments—eleven of which were to Iraq and Afghanistan—and served as the officer in charge of selection, assessment, and training for a specialized SEAL command. He also spearheaded the creation of the SEALs' “Mind Gym” to train their brains to perform faster, longer, and better, especially in high-stress environments. Since 2017, he has taught classes and delivered keynote speeches about leadership, optimal performance, and high-performing teams to thousands of business, athletic, and military leaders. Make sure you follow Rich on Instagram at @rich_diviney. In addition, purchase Rich's book, Masters of Uncertainty: The Navy SEAL Way to Turn Stress into Success for You and Your Team wherever you purchase your books. About The Art of Fatherhood Podcast  The Art of Fatherhood Podcast follows the journey of fatherhood. Your host, Art Eddy talks with fantastic dads from all around the world where they share their thoughts on fatherhood. You get a unique perspective on fatherhood from guests like Bob Odenkirk, Hank Azaria, Joe Montana, Kevin Smith, Danny Trejo, Jerry Rice, Jeff Foxworthy, Patrick Warburton, Jeff Kinney, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Kyle Busch, Dennis Quaid, Dwight Freeney and many more.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode touches on religious trauma, conversion therapy and grooming. Our friend Anna joins the show to share how she went from being involved in a Christian cult, moving  to Iraq and Libya as a Christian missionary -- to having her sexual re-awakening while living in the Middle East. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/lesbian-chronicles-coming-out-later-in-life--5601514/support.

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

John “Tig” Tiegen is a former U.S. Marine Sergeant and security contractor renowned for his heroic actions during the 2012 Benghazi attacks. Serving with the CIA's Global Response Staff, Tiegen was part of the elite team that defended the U.S. diplomatic compound and CIA Annex against militant assaults on September 11, 2012, saving numerous lives over 13 grueling hours. With over 13 years in high-threat security for Blackwater and government agencies, he has deployed to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. Tiegen co-authored the New York Times bestseller 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi (2014) and served as a consultant for Michael Bay's film adaptation (2016). A sought-after motivational speaker, he shares lessons on leadership, resilience, and teamwork through his organization Beyond the Battlefield, supporting veterans and first responders. He continues advocating for truth, patriotism, and mental health awareness, often speaking at events about overcoming adversity. Tiegen is running for mayor of Colorado Springs. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: ⁠https://betterhelp.com/srs⁠ This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. ⁠https://bunkr.life⁠ – USE CODE SRS Go to https://bunkr.life/SRS and use code “SRS” to get 25% off your family plan. ⁠https://meetfabric.com/shawn⁠ ⁠https://shawnlikesgold.com⁠ ⁠https://helixsleep.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://mypatriotsupply.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://patriotmobile.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://prizepicks.onelink.me/lmeo/srs⁠ ⁠https://rocketmoney.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://ROKA.com⁠ – USE CODE SRS ⁠https://simplisafe.com/srs⁠ ⁠https://ziprecruiter.com/srs John "Tig" Tiegen Links: Linktree - https://linktr.ee/tigtiegen Website - https://tigtiegen.com X - https://x.com/TigTiegen IG - https://www.instagram.com/tigtiegen LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tig-tiegen-6421455 Book (13 Hours) - https://www.amazon.com/13-Hours-Account-Happened-Benghazi/dp/1455582271 Album - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/johntigtiegen/rest-now-brothers-2 YT - https://www.youtube.com/@TheModernPatriotPodcast FB - https://www.facebook.com/TheModernPatriotMedia Campaign - https://tigformayor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Part 2 of Episode 256 on the Mike Drop Podcast, hosted by Mike Ritland, where we dive deep into the unfiltered world of elite military operators. In this gripping continuation, special guest Kevin Kent, a seasoned Navy SEAL veteran with a decade-plus of service in SEAL Team 5, opens up about his journey from BUD/S graduation in 2000 to nine deployments spanning pre- and post-9/11 eras. Listeners will get an raw, insider look at the chaotic camaraderie of checking into the notorious "Hollywood" Team 5, navigating bureaucratic nightmares like unwanted assignments to Yuma and penalty box stints, and the high-stakes evolution of combat ops—from peacetime exercises turning into real-world Gulf boardings to the Wild West intensity of early Iraq invasions. Expect hilarious hazing stories, heart-pounding tales of seizing hydroelectric dams under fire, eerie encounters with radiation silos, and candid reflections on promotions, injuries, and the shifting tides of warfare that shaped a generation of SEALs. If you're into authentic military history, operator mindset, and no-BS storytelling, this episode delivers the goods—perfect for veterans, history buffs, and anyone fascinated by the SEAL ethos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seth Harp (The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces) is an investigative reporter, foreign correspondent, and war veteran. Seth joins the Armchair Expert to discuss being called out of college even though he was anti-war to serve in Iraq, the key differences between Green Berets and other covert special forces, and his circuitous path to becoming an investigative journalist. Seth and Dax talk about whether he believes there are secret military operations that are justifiable, the Fort Bragg murders that kicked off his investigations which became this book, and the massive corruption of the war in the Middle East that rubbed off on its operators. Seth explains how Los Zetas went from US military-trained Mexican forces to the most powerful cartel in the country, the coverup of a drug-fueled “justified” homicide because the perpetrator was Delta Force, and the truth about the origins of the opioid crises and the client-state in Afghanistan. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

>Join Jocko Underground< 00:00 – Intro Symbolism and sacrifice behind the 228th Brigade Combat Team memorial.00:12 – Early Life & Coast Guard Knight's unconventional path into military service and lessons in structure.00:25 – Joining the Guard Transition from law enforcement to Army Guard officer and active duty.00:55 – Ramadi Deployment Preparing for and arriving in one of Iraq's most dangerous cities.01:30 – Hard Lessons Learned Complacency, casualties, and the importance of humility in leadership.02:12 - How to Stay on The Path. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jocko-podcast/exclusive-content