Podcast appearances and mentions of Saddam Hussein

September 30, 2026After more than two decades, the deaths of countless Iraqi civilians and more than 4,500 US troops, the wounding of more than 30,000 US military personnel, and a cost of more than $2.8 trillion, the US has pulled out the last of its forces from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq, A small contingent of advisors had remained after the US and Iraq agreed to a withdrawal plan in 2024, At that time, Iran seemed to be on the ropes, but Trump's war on Iran has strengthened the country's hand in the region, The invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on the belief that Iraq's Saddam Hussein was destabilizing the Middle East, Although Saddam had not been involved in the 9/11 attack, officials from the George W Bush administration pushed the idea that the terrorists were affiliated with Iraq, The administration warned that Saddam Hussein was amassing weapons of mass destruction and when Secretary of State Colin Powell warned in a speech at the UN that Iraq had chemical WMDs and the resources to create nuclear weapons, people were convinced it was true. Later the evidence was discredited, but enough countries backed an invasion that in March 2003 American troops invaded with the intention of overthrowing the government, Saddam's forces crumbled and by May the US had set up a transitional government and Bush had declared “Mission Accomplished,” But it wasn't, Now the United States is entering the eighth month of a war on Iran that Trump apparently began with the same cowboy mentality as Bush carried into the war in Iraq, And Pete Hegseth is celebrating his transformation of the military and its “patriotic cowboys.” To read this letter, click here:Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyYou can also find Heather at:YouTubeBlueskyInstagramFacebookThreadsTikTok Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

In this solo episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we examine the American withdrawal from Iraq – the product of Trump's war with Iran, and a strategic defeat of historic proportions.Iraq has been enormously important to the United States since the end of the Cold War. It has served multiple strategic, foreign policy and domestic purposes. Its loss – the effective expulsion of American power from the country – is an epic disaster unfolding in slow motion. It doesn't look like the British retreat from Afghanistan in the 1840s, but it is a catastrophe nonetheless.The war against Iran has achieved the opposite of everything it intended. It has cost America its bases in the Persian Gulf. It has empowered the Houthi rebels in Yemen and threatened control of the Red Sea. It has surrendered the Straits of Hormuz. It has alienated the Gulf states and the Saudis. And now it has forced a strategic withdrawal from Iraq.We trace the long history of American involvement in Iraq – from the use of Saddam Hussein as a bulwark against revolutionary Iran and the Soviet Union, through the first Gulf War and the brutal sanctions regime that followed, to the catastrophic invasion of 2003. We examine the decision not to overthrow Saddam in 1991, the disbandment of the Iraqi army, the failure to understand Iraq's ethnic and religious divisions, and the looting of the National Museum – met with Rumsfeld's infamous remark that "freedom is messy."Drawing on John Gray's critique of liberal interventionism, we consider the argument that there are things worse than tyranny – and that what replaced Saddam's Leviathan was anarchy, a condition that elements of the American right seemed actively to welcome.The withdrawal from Iraq is not the orderly dismantling of empire. It is a rout – and what replaces American influence will almost certainly be Iranian. Trump has defeated his own country.Topics covered:The American withdrawal from IraqThe war against Iran and its strategic consequencesIraq as a Cold War client stateThe first Gulf War and the sanctions regimeThe 2003 invasion and its catastrophic aftermathThe disbandment of the Iraqi armyThe looting of the National MuseumJohn Gray on tyranny and anarchyThe rise of Iranian influence in IraqIf you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us – we are migrating from Patreon to Substack. Details in the show notes.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein more than two decades ago, the US has had a near-continuous military presence in Iraq... until now.The last troops have been withdrawn, ending a process started by Joe Biden and endorsed by Donald Trump. But the timing of the departure has been questioned - with the US still at war with Iran.According to Iraqi security experts, the withdrawal could give Tehran and its proxies free rein, while also risking a comeback from the Islamic State terror group.So, why have Americans decided to leave Iraq now? And what will it mean for the future of the country - and stability of the wider region?Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's military analyst Robert Clark, who served in the British military in Iraq and Afghanistan.There is more exclusive analysis and content on the conflict in the Middle East on the new Sky News Defence Insider app.Sky News Defence Insider is a subscription app designed for audiences seeking deeper insight into defence, security and global affairs.Download and subscribe here. Paid subscription required for full access. UK only. 18+. T&Cs apply.

Les États-Unis quittent définitivement l'Irak et mettent fin à une présence militaire qui avait commencé en 2003, avec le renversement de Saddam Hussein. Les forces militaires américaines s'étaient retirées d'Irak en 2011, avant d'y revenir en 2014 pour lutter contre le groupe État islamique. L'Irak salue l'ouverture d'une nouvelle ère de "souveraineté". Ce retrait s'effectue dans un contexte de guerre avec l'Iran et d'embrasement au Yémen.

EE.UU. tiene previsto retirar las tropas que aún mantiene en Irak este 30 de septiembre, poniendo fin a una presencia militar que comenzó con la invasión en 2003 que derrocó a Saddam Hussein.

The last remaining US troops have left Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion to oust Saddam Hussein. After years of conflict and instability, Iraq is entering a new phase without US forces on the ground. Is the Iraqi government ready? And who stands to gain from the US withdrawal? In this episode: Ahmed Rushdi, President of the House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation Kenneth Katzman, Senior Fellow at The Soufan Center Abdullah AlShayji, Professor at Kuwait University Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Every war has its battles for the cities and in 2003 as US forces, aided predominantly by the United Kingdom, invaded Saddam Hussein's Iraq, planners in Washington knew that at some point their troops would have to go into the Iraqi capital of Baghdad if they were to ever oust the middle eastern dictator and his government as was the mission objective of Operation Iraqi Freedom. No one was under any illusions that Baghdad would be a tough nut to crack and despite the technological advantage enjoyed by US forces, years of operational experience from Vietnam to Somalia told US commanders that in the end it would largely be down to the skill andfighting spirit of the infantry. This is the story of the Fall of Baghdad. Welcome to Wars of the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day Break | The Media Shake-Up Nobody Saw Coming --- 00:00 - Monologue 19:15 – John R. Lott Jr., President of the Crime Prevention Research Center and former senior advisor for research and statistics at the U.S. Department of Justice. Lott discusses the fiscal and public-safety arguments surrounding efforts to delay the deportation of noncitizens convicted of crimes. He examines detention, incarceration, court, and other taxpayer costs involved in immigration enforcement. 28:14 – Danielle Buck, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Partnerships at Patriot Mobile. Buck discusses the Concerned Women for America and Young Women for America Summit in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of women gathered for leadership training and civic engagement. She also highlights Patriot Mobile's partnership with SoldierStrong, including donating its placement on Ty Dillon's No. 10 NASCAR car to spotlight veterans and the SoldierSuit robotic exoskeleton. Visit PatriotMobile.com and use promo code GRUBER for a free month of service. 38:24 - Monologue Featuring Ivey Gruber 47:26 – Bishop Daniel, President of GFA World. Bishop Daniel discusses the role churches and Christians can play in putting their faith into action and becoming more engaged in their communities. He also provides an update from Nepal, where local Christian missionaries are working to reach communities affected by a devastating natural disaster. 57:37 – Ken Buck, former five-term Congressman from Colorado, attorney, and author of Crushed: Big Tech's War on Free Speech. Buck discusses the growth of democratic socialist candidates and the broader debate over socialism, free markets, and individual liberty in American politics. 1:06:37 – Dennis Lennox, political commentator and Republican public affairs consultant. Lennox discusses Michigan's 2026 elections and argues that contests beyond the high-profile U.S. Senate race between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed could have major consequences for state government and policy. Michigan voters are also choosing a new governor in the November 3 election. 1:16:47 - Monologue 1:25:37 – Katie Heid, News Director for Michigan News Source. Heid delivers the Michigan Rundown, beginning with a federal lawsuit alleging that Dearborn favored Islamic observances over Christian and Jewish ones, allegations the city denies. She also discusses President Trump reaffirming his endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed's response, along with the arrest in Metro Detroit of a man federal investigators allege was a high-ranking Iraqi intelligence officer during the Saddam Hussein era. 1:35:47 – Kyle Haustveit, Under Secretary of Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Haustveit discusses energy reliability as electricity demand grows, particularly from artificial intelligence and data centers. He also examines the relationship between abundant energy, grid infrastructure, and continued growth in American manufacturing. 1:44:44 – Ivey Gruber, President of the Michigan Talk Network. Gruber joins Steve to discuss the unusually quiet hurricane season before turning to technology designed to help people spend less time on their phones. They also explore research into music, cognitive health, and whether staying musically engaged could play a role in healthy aging. --- Check out our podcast, 'Forgotten America'... Episode 24 is live NOW at Steve Gruber on YouTube! Link below: https://youtu.be/UrGZQdE62jA

Somar är tillbaka och det har inte hänt så mycket sen valnatten. Det är fortfarande en låsning i regeringsbildningen. Och varför gjorde Vänsterpartiet bort sig när de inte backade upp Mohamed Ali (V) i Borlänge, när de sa att de inte visste vem han var? Dessutom: Somar bråkade med Fredrik Kärrholm (M) när han säger att invandrarväljarna hade gjort Saddam Hussein avundsjuk. Men många av dem flydde just Saddam och offrade sina liv för demokrati.Medverkande:Somar Al Naher, politisk redaktörHenrik Jalalian, politisk redaktör

Le dernier grand procès des guerres de l'ex-Yougoslavie, combattants de la liberté pour les uns, criminels de guerre pour les autres. Les anciens dirigeants du Kosovo, ceux qui ont combattu la dictature de Milosevic et porté en fait l'indépendance viennent d'être condamnés par un tribunal spécial à La Haye. Figure de proue, Hashim Thaçi, ex-président du Kosovo, 25 ans de prison pour des crimes de guerre. Marie-Charlotte Roupie, en seconde partie, nous parlera de la métamorphose de Bagdad.  Héros ou criminels, les leaders de l'UCK face aux juges Les Kosovars attendent avec appréhension et indignation le verdict du procès des anciens dirigeants de l'UÇK, l'Armée de libération de leur Pays. Verdict attendu après-demain, (16 septembre 2026), vingt-sept ans après le conflit au Kosovo. C'est le dernier grand procès lié aux guerres qui ont déchiré l'ex-Yougoslavie. La perspective de voir condamnés à La Haye, jusqu'à 45 ans de prison, 4 leaders qui ont mis fin à l'oppression du régime Milosevic, a permis l'indépendance et dirigé le jeune État, entraine bien des tensions depuis des mois... Voici un état de l'opinion des Kosovars avant l'été. Un Grand reportage de Louis Seiller qui s'entretient avec Jacques Allix. Bagdad change de visage  La ville de Bagdad s'est transformée au fil des ans. Il y a eu la chute du régime de Saddam Hussein, des guerres successives qui ont endommagé la capitale irakienne ; des murs de béton qui se sont dressés partout. Mais depuis la fin de l'État islamique, en 2017, une période d'accalmie relative permet à la ville de reprendre des couleurs. Une nouvelle métamorphose qui modifie jusqu'à la relation entre les habitants et leur ville. Un Grand reportage de Marie-Charlotte Roupie qui s'entretient avec Jacques Allix.

La ville de Bagdad s'est transformée au fil des ans. Il y a eu la chute du régime de Saddam Hussein, des guerres successives qui ont endommagé la capitale irakienne ; des murs de béton qui se sont dressés partout. Mais depuis la fin de l'État islamique, en 2017, une période d'accalmie relative permet à la ville de reprendre des couleurs. Une nouvelle métamorphose qui modifie jusqu'à la relation entre les habitants et leur ville. « Bagdad change de visage », un Grand reportage de Marie-Charlotte Roupie.

Los atentados del 11 de septiembre, de los que se acaban de cumplir 25 años, acabaron con la vida de casi 3.000 personas en el World Trade Center de Nueva York y el Pentágono de Washington. A eso habría que sumar los muertos del vuelo 93 de United que se estrelló en Pensilvania. Otras 3.000 murieron después por causas relacionadas con los atentados. Fue el mayor atentado de la historia de Estados Unidos, pero eso no basta para explicar que aquel martes de septiembre suponga la línea divisoria entre dos épocas. Lo decisivo no fue el ataque en sí, sino lo que los sucesivos gobiernos de Estados Unidos decidieron hacer y lo que dejaron de hacer mientras estaban ocupados en cobrarse la venganza. Hubo, efectivamente, un fallo de inteligencia, pero de ese escenario ya se había advertido. Lo que falló fue la voluntad de tomárselo en serio. Eso se corrigió deprisa y a un precio altísimo. Lo que nunca se corrigió fue el fallo de proporción. Al Qaeda era en 2001 una organización pequeña, con un historial de poco más de 200 muertos en las embajadas de Kenia y Tanzania y 17 en un destructor, el Cole, que atacaron con una lancha suicida un año antes en la costa de Yemen. Al Qaeda tenía recursos para un único gran golpe, pero ningún plan para el día siguiente. La respuesta militar inicial fue fulminante en Afganistán, el régimen talibán cayó en ocho semanas. Los terroristas se refugiaron en las montañas de Tora Bora, pero los recursos para atraparles se desviaron a Irak, un país ajeno al 11-S. El pecado intelectual fue una confusión deliberada de categorías, la de meter en el mismo saco a talibanes, a Al Qaeda y al gobierno de Saddam Hussein. Esa amalgama cerró la puerta a un acuerdo con los afganos mientras aún era posible y transformó una operación contra un grupo concreto en una guerra contra supuestos Estados patrocinadores que constituían el eje del mal. Se consiguió lo contrario de lo que se buscaba. Ocupar un gran país musulmán resolvió a favor de Bin Laden el viejo debate entre enemigo cercano y el lejano, Irak se transformó en una fábrica de yihadistas con Abu Ghraib, Camp Bucca y Guantánamo como combustible. Todo eso salió carísimo, tanto en términos humanos como económicos. El objetivo central se cumplió, porque no ha habido otro gran atentado en suelo estadounidense, pero Europa los ha ido coleccionando desde entonces. El mayor daño está en lo que no se hizo. Tres meses después de los atentados, el 11 de diciembre, China ingresó en la OMC con un entusiasta apoyo estadounidense. Sus exportaciones se dispararon y esa fortaleza económica la han terminado convirtiendo en poderío político y estratégico. En lo que Estados Unidos especializaba su ejército para librar guerras asimétricas, los chinos construían uno concebido para competir con un rival de su nivel. Rusia, por su parte, aprovechó la distracción estadounidense para una ola expansiva que ha ido de Georgia hasta Ucrania. Hoy la amenaza ha cambiado de forma. Internet, el cifrado, la impresión 3D, los drones, las criptomonedas y la inteligencia artificial han bajado la barrera de entrada, aunque, eso sí, los atentados reales siguen siendo apuñalamientos, atropellos y tiroteos. La lección final que debería aprenderse es que un fallo de inteligencia cuesta un atentado, pero un fallo en la respuesta puede costar un siglo. En La ContraRéplica: 0:00 Introducción 4:09 El 11-S y la gran distracción 37:51 El caso Plus Ultra 44:06 El 11-S y el 7-O · Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lacontracronica · “Contra el pesimismo”… https://amzn.to/4m1RX2R · “Hispanos. Breve historia de los pueblos de habla hispana”… https://amzn.to/428js1G · “La ContraHistoria del comunismo”… https://amzn.to/39QP2KE · “La ContraHistoria de España. Auge, caída y vuelta a empezar de un país en 28 episodios”… https://amzn.to/3kXcZ6i · “Contra la Revolución Francesa”… https://amzn.to/4aF0LpZ · “Lutero, Calvino y Trento, la Reforma que no fue”… https://amzn.to/3shKOlK Apoya La Contra en: · Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/diazvillanueva · iVoox... https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-contracronica_sq_f1267769_1.html · Paypal... https://www.paypal.me/diazvillanueva Sígueme en: · Web... https://diazvillanueva.com · Twitter... https://twitter.com/diazvillanueva · Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/fernandodiazvillanueva1/ · Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/diazvillanueva · Linkedin… https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-villanueva-7303865/ · Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/147276463@N05/?/ · Pinterest... https://www.pinterest.com/fernandodiazvillanueva Encuentra mis libros en: · Amazon... https://www.amazon.es/Fernando-Diaz-Villanueva/e/B00J2ASBXM #FernandoDiazVillanueva #11s #911 Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

The Peter Boyles Show - September 12, 2026 HR 4: Peter Boyles opens the phones for a wide-ranging hour centered on the lingering questions surrounding 9/11, Osama bin Laden, Saudi Arabia and the wars that followed. Peter and callers debate what motivated the attacks, whether Americans have ever been told the full truth, and the controversial decisions surrounding Saddam Hussein and bin Laden. The conversation also digs into George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, the Iraq War and the loss of the national unity that followed 9/11.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Shannon, FBI Agents Who Finger Printed Saddam Hussein, Remembering 9-11-01 | 9-11-26See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veinticinco años después de los atentados del 11 de septiembre, la llamada guerra contra el terrorismo sigue marcando la política internacional. Las invasiones de Afganistán e Irak, el fracaso de las acusaciones sobre armas de destrucción masiva y el avance de la islamofobia dejaron consecuencias que aún persisten.¿Qué narrativas se construyeron para justificar esas guerras y quiénes se beneficiaron de ellas? Lo analizamos en El Debate de France 24.

Why were 400 civilians allowed to fly into a war zone as Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait? What really happened to them when they were held as hostages? And why has the British government fought for so long to keep it all a secret?Stephen Davis is an investigative journalist who has been following a story, within a story, within a story for more than 30 years.It starts on 2 August, 1990 when a British Airways plane landed in Kuwait for a scheduled stopover.There were nearly 400 passengers and crew on board, mostly British, who had no idea they were flying straight into Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.Instead of refuelling and then carrying on to Madras, the people on board were taken into Iraqi custody, ferried to various hotels and strategic locations around Kuwait, and then Baghdad, deployed as human shields in an unfurling international conflict.Used like chess pieces by Saddam Hussein's men, their experiences would scar them for the rest of their lives, but eventually they would point the finger at their own government's role in their fate.Because Flight 149 should never have landed in Kuwait, and the reasons why it was allowed to fly into a war zone were covered up for more than three decades.Stephen's sources pointed him to a secret British black ops mission that embedded nine operatives on that same civilian flight.The Secret History of Flight 149 is published by Bonnier Books UK.Around 100 passengers and crew of Flight 149 are suing the UK Government and British Airways for “deliberately endangering” them, claiming they knew Iraq had invaded Kuwait before the plane landed.A preliminary hearing was held last November in the High Court in London. Both sides are still battling over procedural issues before a full trial can begin.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores the Middle East, geopolitics, President Bush, Gulf War, Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, invasion, oil, world economy, Margaret Thatcher, spies, MI6, CIA, conspiracies, cover ups, investigations, lawsuits, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Sabre, Dick Cheney, Saudi Arabia, Republican Guard, modern history, modern conflicts, 9/11, terrorism, rise of terrorism.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.

Originally aired: MAY 1, 2018The National Intel Report with John Stadtmiller, May 1, 2018 HOUR 1 Iran, Israel, Nuclear Weapons, Trump, Netanyahu, Gaza, Saddam Hussein, Syria & Assad, “TREMENDOUS WEAPONS”, Lies & Propaganda Warfare, PSYOPS, and the cycle continues… Interested in the 2nd hour of this National Intel Report with John Stadtmiller, May 1, 2018 broadcast? Click below: The National Intel Report with John Stadtmiller, May 1, 2018 Hour 2

Subscribe today to listen to this entire 20-minute episode (or preview 6 minutes). Subscribers enjoy all of our bonus content, early access, and ad-free listening. Some 23 years after the U.S. invaded Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, the country's stability and sovereignty remain compromised. Washington continues to demand that Baghdad disarm powerful, Iran-backed Shia militias — a promise the new Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi made during his July visit to the Oval Office. The war over the Strait of Hormuz is exerting even more pressure on Iraq's delicate balancing act. Here to explain Iraq's difficult geopolitical position and internal politics is Adam Weinstein, the deputy director of the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Subscribe today to support our important work! Subscriptions begin at only $5 per month. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Baghdad Shuffle is a crime thriller set against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, but much of the world behind it comes directly from author Josh Bates's own experience as a Marine. Bates was serving as a Marine infantry officer when his unit pushed north from Kuwait into Iraq and eventually into Baghdad. What stayed with him was not only the combat, but the chaos that followed the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime—the looting, criminal activity, money left behind, and Marines suddenly dealing with situations far outside conventional warfare. One episode in particular, a Baghdad bank robbery involving thieves trying to breach a vault with RPGs, became part of the inspiration for the story he would eventually write. Although the novel is fiction, Bates says much of the Iraq section grew out of things he actually experienced during the initial push to Baghdad and the period that followed. He estimates that roughly 85 to 90 percent of the events informing the first act happened to him in some form, then were condensed and reshaped for the story. We'll talk with Josh about his Marine Corps career, his experiences during the invasion of Iraq, and how those memories eventually became the foundation for a novel. We'll also discuss the mix of military experience, crime, humor, and absurdity that shaped The Baghdad Shuffle, and why he wanted the book to reflect the perspective of the young Marines who actually lived through those early days of the war. Josh Bates is a retired Marine infantry and intelligence officer, podcaster, and author. The Baghdad Shuffle is his first novel.

On April 19, 1995, an enormous bomb in a rental truck was parked outside of a Federal office building in Oklahoma City. At 9:02 AM, the homemade bomb exploded. It literally destroyed the front third of that building and killed 168 people (19 were children). The terrorists were 2 U.S. Army veterans. Find out why they did it and how they were caught - along with an explanation of the militia movement of the 1990s. 

July 2003, a joint task force built around Delta Force operators and the 101st Airborne converged on a villa in Mosul where Saddam Hussein's two sons had been hiding since the fall of Baghdad. What followed was a six-hour gunfight against a fortified position that ended with both men dead and one of the most wanted target sets of the entire war eliminated. This episode breaks down the intelligence tip that started it, the assault that went sideways fast, and what this operation teaches about the brutal math of urban direct action.

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'th Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. The party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al-Assad it was an odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism which grew to be a defining political force in the Arab World.In this third episode, Sam and Edgar discuss how the Syrian Ba'th came to be controlled by the Assad-family, which in turn ruled Syria for more than half a century. How did the Assads come to power and what policies defined their rule?This is a trailer, the full episode is available for exclusively for our Patreon subscribers at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Concha takes a hammer to the week's most unserious political and cultural moments. From Sean Hannity cornering a Democratic Socialists of America co-chair who cannot define a single tax rate, to Hillary Clinton's bitter "public therapy tour" comparing the White House to Saddam Hussein's palaces, Joe exposes the progressive ideas failing in real-time. He dissects AOC's moderate rebrand, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's falling approval ratings and his wife's denied police escort to high-risk travel zones, and a Michigan politician's bizarre crusade linking American football to historical oppression.

 “He's not a trustworthy witness to his own story. Everything is ten times bigger and better than it really was — except when he was accused of crimes, in which case he can't really remember anymore.” — Joby Warrick on Carlos the Jackal Yesterday, WOLA's Adam Isacson and John Walsh described how the US government has appropriated the term “narco-terrorism” to justify their Latin American killing spree. Today, we talk the real thing. Pulitzer Prize-winning Joby Warrick has a new book out about the rise and fall of Carlos the Jackal, who he calls the “original super-terrorist.” So who was Carlos the Jackal? Originally he was named by his Venezuelan Marxist father Ilich in homage to Lenin. Then he renamed himself Carlos, borrowing from a fake passport the French police happened to find in 1975. While The Jackal came from the London Guardian after reporters spotted Frederick Forsyth's best-seller on the bookshelf of his London safe house. Ilich (i.e. Carlos) loved it. Anything for attention. Especially from the capitalist media. His career, as a proxy Palestinian terrorist, was equally audacious. His solo debut, at 24, was the attempted London assassination of Marks & Spencer chairman Joseph Sieff. Two years later, Carlos waltzed into OPEC headquarters in Vienna and kidnapped most of the world's oil ministers, a terrorist heist that, Warrick reveals, was financed by Muammar Gaddafi. Then all of Carlos' yesterdays — and there are many, as Warrick discovers when he interviews him in his French jail. He spent twenty years on the run, mostly barely camouflaged in faded Eastern European hotels. The Mossad didn't even consider him worth assassinating. By the eighties he had become a gun for hire who'd stopped attacking Israelis. And at 75, in his convent-turned-prison outside Paris, the world's original super-terrorist cooks his own meals, repeats old leftist slogans, and misremembers everything except his innocence. In spite of his pathetic fate, Carlos matters because, as Warrick notes, the Jackal model is back in fashion. Russia and Iran now hire petty crooks on Telegram for a few hundred dollars to firebomb synagogues or assassinate dissidents. Gaza's tragic hopelessness echoes the post-1967 conditions that bred the first wave of Palestinian terror. Social media is now infested with wannabe violent influencers. The day of the Jackal, then, is not only our history but also our future. Five Takeaways •       Interview with the Jackal. Warrick negotiated for over a year — with Carlos, then with a French government determined he not be glorified, since his gravest crimes were against French citizens — for roughly ninety minutes in March 2025, no recorder, no camera, notebook only. The prison is a converted sixteenth-century convent outside Paris where the Nazis once tortured members of the Resistance; inside it, Carlos remains the big man on campus — guards call him Carlos, not Ilich, and he keeps a large cell, cooks his own meals, and browses the internet. At 75 he is natty, polyglot, charming — and stooped, forgetful, repeating himself into what Warrick calls a fog of old memories. As a witness he is worthless: everything ten times bigger and better than it was, except the crimes, which he suddenly cannot recall.•       Ilich, Carlos, Jackal: An Accidental Brand. His ardent-Marxist father named his three sons Vladimir, Ilich, and Lenin, after the founder of the Soviet Union. “Carlos” came from a fake passport — Carlos Martinez — that French police happened to seize in 1975; the pudgy dark-glasses photo the world memorized was a passport fake he remains embarrassed by. “The Jackal” was coined by the British tabloids after reporters prowling his London safe house spotted Forsyth's The Day of the Jackal on the bookshelf. He embraced all of it: a true believer whose slogans still pour out in prison, welded to a massive ego that always placed Carlos at the center of the revolution. Had Instagram existed, Warrick agrees, he'd have used it — the pre-digital influencer, with the world's press as his platform.•       From Five Bullets to Kidnapping OPEC. His 1970 baptism of fire in the Black September fighting hardened him past the point of return; his solo test, at 24, was the attempted assassination of Marks & Spencer chairman Joseph Sieff — an old gun, five bullets, a jam, and a bullet deflected by the victim's teeth (“good old Milk Marketing Board,” Sieff told the BBC from his hospital bed). The masterpiece came in December 1975: a 26-year-old walks into OPEC's Vienna headquarters mid-conference, takes the world's oil ministers hostage, extracts a plane and a ransom, and flies them to North Africa — the most audacious terrorist act Warrick can name. The book's scoop settles who sponsored it: not Saddam Hussein, as biographers and a 2010 docudrama claimed, but Muammar Gaddafi — the autocrat pioneering the criminal proxy with no return address.•       Twenty Years, No Capture — and a Mossad Pass. The world's most wanted man spent two decades in comfort: Budapest his favorite hideout (good meals, nice hotels — Carlos insisted on top-flight everything), the Hungarians, East Germans, and Romanians almost proud to host their superstar guest, Assad's Syria always available. The run ended only when the Bloc fell and the Arab states tired of him; the French and Americans finally tracked him to Khartoum in 1994. The great deflation is the Mossad: they never bothered with him. His mentor Wadi Haddad — the true operational genius — they hunted and killed; Carlos, by then a mercenary who'd stopped attacking Israelis, simply fell down the priority list. The world's most fearsome terrorist wasn't worth Israel's effort.•       The Return of Violent Chaos. Warrick's closing argument, and the reason this history is news: the Gaddafi model has been rediscovered. Russia and Iran now hire criminals — recruited on Telegram, paid a few hundred dollars in crypto — to throw grenades into synagogues, set fires, and assassinate dissidents: hundreds of incidents already, most under the radar, none traceable to Moscow or Tehran. The modern Carlos works for whoever pays; ideology has left the business entirely. Gaza's hopelessness, meanwhile, mirrors the post-1967 despair that launched the first international terror wave — and we are not prepared. As for America's own extrajudicial turn, from drone war to boat strikes: “There's no precedent... it is a grave change for us as Americans. Very troubling to me.” About the Guest Joby Warrick is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and veteran national security correspondent for The Washington Post. His books include The Triple Agent, Red Line, and Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos, the World's First Super-Terrorist (Scribner, August 18, 2026), built on newly declassified archives, secret police files, and a rare interview with Carlos himself, is out next week.

In this episode of Faces of the Gulf War, we explore the life of James Baker, from his early years in Texas and career in law to becoming one of the most influential diplomats in American history. Discover the secretary of state who built an international coalition against Saddam Hussein and the diplomacy that helped shape the Gulf War. For More from the 80s and 90s visit Web: the80sand90s.com    Instagram: @The80sand90sCom  YouTube: The 80s and 90s Overlooked If you enjoy this episode, don't keep it a secret, tell a friend and/or share it on social media so others can experience it as well.

What separates lasting winners from everyone chasing the next trend? This week, we dig into why specialization may be the biggest edge in venture investing as crypto, AI, and traditional finance increasingly converge. We discuss venture mandates, stablecoin competition, Circle's earnings, Cloudflare's agent wallets, and why reputation compounds faster than capital. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 04:05 Crypto Venture Expands Beyond Crypto 09:20 Can Crypto Funds Go Generalist? 16:06 The Hidden Cost Of Dilution 22:43 Crypto Venture Enters Hard Mode 28:39 Ads (Peaq) 29:25 Cloudflare Bets On Agent Wallets 41:04 Is Circle Stock Mispriced? 53:04 Western Union Goes Onchain 01:02:13 Watches And Content Picks 01:09:01 Amazon Discovery Rewrites History 01:11:29 DAS Asia And London Preview Robots will soon outnumber humans onchain. peaqOS turns them into a new trusted liquid asset class, with yield tied to real-world workloads. It gives robots all they need to do business on any chain — and lets humans earn from automation. Explore the Machine Economy: https://peaq.xyz FOLLOW THE SHOW › Empire – https://x.com/theempirepod › Jason – https://x.com/jasonyanowitz › Santi – https://x.com/santiagoroel › Rob – https://x.com/HadickM › Telegram – https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh › Blockworks – https://x.com/Blockworks EVENTS › Join us at Digital Asset Summit 2026 Asia October 7th & Digital Asset 2026 London November 10-11th https://blockworks.com/events DISCLAIMER Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only. Any views expressed are opinions, not financial advice. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.

Agradece a este podcast tantas horas de entretenimiento y disfruta de episodios exclusivos como éste. ¡Apóyale en iVoox! Desde 1945 Estados Unidos ha intervenido en numerosas guerras y casi todas las ha perdido o las ha dejado en un desagradable empate, quizá también la actual con Irán, donde todavía no ha logrado ninguno de los objetivos declarados por el Gobierno de Trump. La lista habla por sí misma. La de Corea acabó en tablas, Vietnam fue una derrota clara, y lo mismo cabe decir de Irak en 2003 y de los veinte años que junto a sus aliados de la OTAN pasó en Afganistán, dos décadas y un dineral gastado para huir a la carrera en agosto de 2021. De la de Kosovo en 1999 se suele hablar como una victoria, pero lo cierto es que Serbia obtuvo al final mejores condiciones que las ofrecidas antes de los combates. La única excepción fue la guerra del Golfo de 1991. El fracaso no se explica por falta de dinero, potencia de fuego ni valentía de sus soldados, porque de todo eso van sobrados. Las razones son estratégicas y estructurales. Estados Unidos libra guerras que escoge librar allá donde no se despacha nada especialmente grave para sus intereses nacionales, pero los objetivos que se ponen suelen ser muy ambiciosos. Esos objetivos a menudo pasan por rehacer otros países a su imagen y semejanza. Sus enemigos, en cambio, se juegan la supervivencia o la independencia, de modo que están mucho más dispuestos al sacrificio. En las guerras asimétricas el débil no vence en el campo de batalla, sino evitando ser aniquilado hasta que el fuerte concluye que seguir metido en eso no le compensa. Esto explica buena parte de la historia bélica de Estados Unidos desde el final de la segunda guerra mundial. China frenó en Corea lo que veía como amenaza existencial, el nacionalismo comunista venció en Vietnam, y Saddam Hussein no suponía una amenaza en 2003 cuando se puso en marcha la Operación Libertad Iraquí. Unos años antes, en la guerra del Golfo, todo funcionó bien porque los objetivos bélicos coincidieron con los intereses nacionales, Bush padre terminó rápido y no tomó Bagdad. La cuestión es que una superpotencia tan absoluta no encuentra intereses vitales que justifiquen grandes sacrificios, aunque precisamente por eso, porque son muy poderosos, tengan propensión a intervenir en cualquier parte. Su problema siempre ha sido elegir las guerras y los objetivos equivocados. Si ese problema persiste es porque la élite que maneja la política exterior en Washington se resiste a rendir cuentas y aprender de sus errores. Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Agradece a este podcast tantas horas de entretenimiento y disfruta de episodios exclusivos como éste. ¡Apóyale en iVoox! Desde 1945 Estados Unidos ha intervenido en numerosas guerras y casi todas las ha perdido o las ha dejado en un desagradable empate, quizá también la actual con Irán, donde todavía no ha logrado ninguno de los objetivos declarados por el Gobierno de Trump. La lista habla por sí misma. La de Corea acabó en tablas, Vietnam fue una derrota clara, y lo mismo cabe decir de Irak en 2003 y de los veinte años que junto a sus aliados de la OTAN pasó en Afganistán, dos décadas y un dineral gastado para huir a la carrera en agosto de 2021. De la de Kosovo en 1999 se suele hablar como una victoria, pero lo cierto es que Serbia obtuvo al final mejores condiciones que las ofrecidas antes de los combates. La única excepción fue la guerra del Golfo de 1991. El fracaso no se explica por falta de dinero, potencia de fuego ni valentía de sus soldados, porque de todo eso van sobrados. Las razones son estratégicas y estructurales. Estados Unidos libra guerras que escoge librar allá donde no se despacha nada especialmente grave para sus intereses nacionales, pero los objetivos que se ponen suelen ser muy ambiciosos. Esos objetivos a menudo pasan por rehacer otros países a su imagen y semejanza. Sus enemigos, en cambio, se juegan la supervivencia o la independencia, de modo que están mucho más dispuestos al sacrificio. En las guerras asimétricas el débil no vence en el campo de batalla, sino evitando ser aniquilado hasta que el fuerte concluye que seguir metido en eso no le compensa. Esto explica buena parte de la historia bélica de Estados Unidos desde el final de la segunda guerra mundial. China frenó en Corea lo que veía como amenaza existencial, el nacionalismo comunista venció en Vietnam, y Saddam Hussein no suponía una amenaza en 2003 cuando se puso en marcha la Operación Libertad Iraquí. Unos años antes, en la guerra del Golfo, todo funcionó bien porque los objetivos bélicos coincidieron con los intereses nacionales, Bush padre terminó rápido y no tomó Bagdad. La cuestión es que una superpotencia tan absoluta no encuentra intereses vitales que justifiquen grandes sacrificios, aunque precisamente por eso, porque son muy poderosos, tengan propensión a intervenir en cualquier parte. Su problema siempre ha sido elegir las guerras y los objetivos equivocados. Si ese problema persiste es porque la élite que maneja la política exterior en Washington se resiste a rendir cuentas y aprender de sus errores. Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'ath Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. It was the party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al Assad – dictators who betrayed the party's founding fathers. An odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism, the Ba'ath went from a relatively obscure group of schoolteachers to the defining political force in the Arab World.In this second episode, Sam and Edgar discuss the party's failed union with Nasser's Egypt, the militarisation of the movement and the disastrous Six Day War with Israel.This is a trailer, the full episode is available for exclusively for our Patreon subscribers at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

60 Minutes announced a batch of new hires to replace a number of staffers fired by CBS network commissar Bari Weiss, with the most prominent addition being longtime conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat (Washington Post, 7/28/26). 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton—brought in by Weiss from Vanity Fair—called Douthat “one of the preeminent public intellectuals in America today, a thinker of uncommon rigor and a journalist of deep empathy.” FAIR has been chronicling Douthat for a while now. Here’s some of the outstanding examples we’ve catalogued of his “empathy” and “rigor.” That Silly Commentariat Ross Douthat was far from alone (Extra!, 6/16) in his confidence that “Donald Trump isn't going to be the Republican nominee” in 2016, as he declared in the (New York Times (1/7/16). Douthat was a bit more confident than most in the accuracy of his crystal ball: “The entire commentariat is going to feel a little silly when Marco Rubio wins every Republican primary,” he predicted on Twitter (9/25/15). Defending ‘Juan Crow’ ICE agents killing Alex Pretti (Texas Public Radio, 2/1/26). Ross Douthat (5/2/10) criticized those who were “impugning the motives” of an Arizona immigration law that has been denounced as a “Nazi” or “near-fascist” law, a “police state” intervention, an imitation of “apartheid,” a “Juan Crow” regime that only a bigot could possibly support. But the Arizona law, Douthat argued, was just a response to the federal government's failure to “regain…control of its southern border. There is a widespread pretense that this has been tried and found to be impossible, when really it's been found difficult and left untried.” Real “control,” he suggested, would involve “enforcement measures that will inevitably be criticized as draconian: some kind of tamper-proof Social Security card, most likely, and then more physical walls along our southern border.” As FAIR noted at the time, actually trying to purge some 11 million residents from the country would involve measures that would be draconian by any standard. Douthat wrote that his vision of “control” would require “shared sacrifice from Americans accustomed to benefiting from cheap labor”—an acknowledgement that forcing millions of workers out of our economy would be serious hardship for those who remain. “You can see why our leaders would rather duck the problem.” Douthat wrote. As FAIR (5/3/10) responded at the time, “Yes, you can see why politicians don't want to destroy the lives of millions of people in order to worsen the economic condition of hundreds of millions.” We Need More Babies—No, Not Those Babies Ross Douthat (New York Times, 3/27/21). Ross Douthat has long been obsessed with the so-called “baby bust” (FAIR.org, 2/7/23). The columnist (1/21/23) argued that those worried about climate change are naively missing the real threat: a “population bust” that will result in “a zero-sum struggle between a swollen retired population and the overburdened young.” It's highly debatable that a population bust is even an economic problem—and it's certainly not an unsolvable one (CEPR, 1/17/23). But assuming the primacy of a population crisis allows Douthat to upsell his conservative wishlist: namely, reducing entitlements for the aging and ending abortion (New York Times, 1/21/23, 12/14/22). The global population is actually expected to continue growing for at least another 25 to 50 years, as Douthat acknowledged when he noted that the population of Africa could triple by the end of the century. But Douthat sees Black and brown people not as solutions, but as part of the problem. If “even a fraction of this population” migrates, he warned, the balance between successful assimilation on the one hand, and destabilization and backlash on the other, will help decide whether the age of demographic decline ends in revitalization or collapse. His baby bust obsession is clearly grounded in xenophobia and white nationalist anxieties.  In Europe, he argued (10/1/22): The preferred centrist solution to both economic stagnation and demographic diminishment, mass immigration, has contributed to Balkanization, crime and native backlash—even in a progressive bastion like Sweden. He was even more blunt in a column (10/20/18) headlined “Fear of a Black Continent”—subtitled “Why European elites are worrying about African babies.” In it, Douthat warned of the dangers of increasing African migration to Europe, but said that  attempts to slow the African birthrate would be “cruel”—so, instead, anyone who hopes for something other than destabilization and disaster from the Eurafrican encounter should hope for a countervailing trend, in which Europeans themselves begin to have more children. If that sounds like eugenics, that’s because it is. Pelosi’s World—and Ours “Pondering what [Democratic House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi and her compatriots are rejecting gives us a pretty good sense of what they're for,” Ross Douthat (11/14/10) wrote. Part of that nightmare vision was “a world where the Social Security retirement age never budges, no matter how high average life expectancy climbs.” Douthat seemed unaware that the “retirement age” had already been rising when he wrote that for seven years; since 2003, every year-long cohort of retirees has had to wait two more months  to reach what’s called “full retirement age.” These “budges” continued until 2026, with the “full” retirement age now 67 (FAIR.org, 11/15/10). Get the Iraq War Wrong the Right Way Matt Damon in Green Zone. Offering a critique of the Iraq War drama Green Zone, Ross Douthat (3/14/10) offered a “narrative of the Iraq invasion, properly told,” that ended with: And you had Saddam Hussein himself, the dictator in his labyrinth, apparently convinced that pretending to have WMD was the best way to keep his grip on power. This was based on the popular but evidence-free notion that Saddam Hussein fooled the US into thinking he still had chemical and biological weapons (Extra!, 1–2/04, 5–6/04). As FAIR (3/15/10) wrote, “Needless to say, when you're complaining that a fictional film isn't factual enough, you want to make sure that your facts aren't fictional.” (As a college student, Douthat was also wrong about the Iraq invasion in real time, writing in the Harvard Salient—2/14/02—that Saddam Hussein “is busy trying to acquire a nuclear bomb, to supplement his extensive collection of biological and chemical weaponry.”) Repeal Roe and We’ll Stop Killing Doctors Dr. George Tiller Ross Douthat (6/8/09) blamed the murder of Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider, on Roe v. Wade: “By enshrining a near-absolute right to abortion in the Constitution, the pro-choice side has ensured that the hard cases are more controversial than they otherwise would be,” he wrote: One reason there's so much fierce argument about the latest of late-term abortions—Should there be a health exemption? A fetal deformity exemption? How broad should those exemptions be? —is that Americans aren't permitted to debate anything else. Douthat offered what he presented as a compromise: “If abortion were returned to the democratic process, this landscape would change dramatically,” because arguments about whether and how to restrict abortions in the second trimester—as many advanced democracies already do—would replace protests over the scope of third-trimester medical exemptions. What would women gain from losing their bodily autonomy? The result would be laws with more respect for human life, a culture less inflamed by a small number of tragic cases—and a political debate, God willing, unmarred by crimes like George Tiller's murder. As FAIR (6/12/09) noted, Douthat’s compromise was: Allow states to criminalize abortion, and anti-abortion fanatics will stop murdering doctors. ‘A Little More State Regulation’ KFF (4/27/26) Ross Douthat (4/2/21) maintained that “abortion foes actually have good reason to feel unsettled and uncertain rather than triumphant” about the  6–3 majority Republicans had installed for them on the Supreme Court: It's extremely easy to imagine the end of Roe leading to a little more state regulation over all (mostly limitations in the second trimester, along the lines of many European countries), but then for the few states that go further to find themselves boycotted and besieged, leaving the goal of ending abortion nationwide as far away as ever. When Douthat wrote that, ten states had trigger laws that would ban abortion the moment Roe was overturned (FAIR.org, 5/19/21). As of 2026, 17 states have near-total bans on abortion. Homophobia Not a ‘Structural System of Oppression’ xkcd (10/8/14) In a column urging the courts to stay out of the “difficult and personal” decision as to whether or not to discriminate against gay couples, Douthat dismissed the obvious parallel to discrimination against interracial marriage (New York Times, 4/4/15): This isn't a structural system of oppression, a society-wide conspiracy like Jim Crow; we're talking about a handful of shops across the country. It seems possible, and reasonable, to live and let live. Not a “structural system of oppression”? Same-sex sexual activity was illegal in every state until 1962, and the Supreme Court upheld such bans in 1986 as reflecting “millennia of moral teaching.” When the Supreme Court struck down the criminalization of gay sexuality in 2003, 13 states still had anti-“sodomy” laws on the books. During the Cold War, the US government purged thousands of gay men and lesbians from the military and other government posts because, as a 1950 Senate report had it, “those who engage in overt acts of perversion lack the emotional stability of normal persons.” Only in 2011 could gays and lesbians begin to serve openly in the armed forces.This is what FAIR (4/6/15) described as “a concerted, structural, systemic effort going back generations to marginalize and punish homosexuality”—brushed aside by Douthat as “a handful of shops across the country.” Pope Benedict ‘Looking Good’ While Covering Up Child Abuse Pope Benedict Ross Douthat (4/11/10) cited the reporting of Jason Berry (National Catholic Reporter, 4/6/10), who criticized Pope John Paul II for his support of Marcial Maciel Degollado, a child molester who founded the influential Legion of Christ. But Douthat spun it as a positive story about John Paul’s successor: Only one churchman comes out of Berry's story looking good: Joseph Ratzinger. Berry recounts how Ratzinger lectured to a group of Legionary priests, and was subsequently handed an envelope of money “for his charitable use.” The cardinal “was tough as nails in a very cordial way,” a witness said, and turned the money down…. It was Ratzinger who re-opened the long-dormant investigation into Maciel's conduct in 2004, just days after John Paul II had honored the Legionaries in a Vatican ceremony. It was Ratzinger, as Pope Benedict, who banished Maciel to a monastery and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into his order. The problem with this testimonial is that Ratzinger was first informed about Maciel's pattern of abuse in 1994. The cardinal’s reported response: Maciel’s case was a “touchy problem” due to the “benefits” he had brought to the Vatican. “One can't put on trial such a close friend of the pope as Marcial Maciel,” Ratzinger was later quoted. “It was Ratzinger who persuaded John Paul, in 2001, to centralize the church's haphazard system for handling sex abuse allegations in his office,” Douthat wrote, offering this as evidence of Ratzinger’s zeal to persecute child-abusing priests. Unmentioned was the letter Ratzinger wrote in 2001 threatening to excommunicate any bishop who discussed abuse cases outside of the church's legal system (Extra!, 7–8/08; FAIR.org, 5/13/08). Nor did Douthat cite Ratzinger’s assertion that attention to clerical molestation amounted to a conspiracy against the Catholic Church (Zenit, 12/3/02): “I am personally convinced that the constant presence in the press of the sins of Catholic priests, especially in the United States, is a planned campaign.”

Welcome to this special series on the history of the Ba'ath Party which ruled Syria and Iraq for decades. It was the party of Saddam Hussein and Bashar al Assad – dictators who betrayed the party's founding fathers. An odd concoction of Arab Nationalism, Socialism, Nativism and Quasi-Fascism, the Ba'ath went from a relatively obscure group of schoolteachers to the defining political force in the Arab World. In this first episode, Sam and Edgar discuss the party's beginnings as well as its rise to power. This episode is available for free – the next three episodes in the series will be available at https://www.patreon.com/kalampodcastFollow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kalampodcast/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  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

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

The opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and history, offering scholars unprecedented access to the inner workings of one of the world's most impenetrable autocracies. Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives: Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities (Stanford University Press, 2026) edited by Dr. Lisa Blaydes and Dr. Samuel Helfont brings together leading scholars to take stock of what we have learned from over a decade of research using the Ba'thist archives, contributing to a new understanding of Iraq's history, with wider implications for understanding authoritarianism in general. The contributors show how research in these unique archives challenges previous assumptions about Ba'thist Iraq and the workings of authoritarian regimes. Their chapters provide fresh insights into how Saddam Hussein's regime functioned both at the elite level and through everyday bureaucratic practices, shedding light on state power, social relations, and international politics of the Middle East. The volume also critically reflects on the ethical questions posed by the archives, including their origins, the impact of their removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Rich in empirical detail yet framed by cutting-edge theoretical questions, this book demonstrates how the Iraqi archives have reshaped debates about authoritarianism, governance, repression, and state-society relations well beyond the Iraqi case. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

July 16, 2026In an exchange between Jay Clayton, Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, and Senator Jon Ossoff, Clayton would not answer the question of who won the 2020 election, All the claims that Trump won the 2020 election have collapsed in court, but Trump loyalists cannot say that out loud without losing Trump's favor, Todd Blanche, the nominee for Attorney General slipped and acknowledged that he is still acting as though he is Trump's personal attorney, Treasury Secretary Bessen announced that a commemorative coin with Trump's likeness will be released in a move reminiscent of the likes of Idi Amin and Saddam Hussein, Trump is building a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, without permission from Congress or any review panel, The problem with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool appears to have been caused by problems with how the lining was installed, The US may attack Iran's infrastructure, Iranian leaders are looking to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait - the other main route, with the Strait of Hormuz, for oil exports from the Middle East, Fires and food-borne illnesses continue to plague much of the country, Trump is losing the support even of many Republicans.  Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ-Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribeYou can also find me:Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe

July 17th 2026 Yuriy recalls meeting a Kurdish sheikh in Iraq about 10 years earlier, a lifelong warrior who had fought ISIS, Al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein's army, and rival Kurdish clans, and who said he “shot people because he couldn't shoot an ideology.” When pressed on how such different enemies shared one ideology, the sheikh explained that the common thread was tyranny—systems that turn people into obedient pawns—while slogans like Arab socialism or an Islamic state were merely appealing “wrapping paper.” Yuriy says he often thinks of this conversation because it helps explain Ukraine's fight today: Ukrainians are shooting Russians drawn to “senseless, bloody tyranny,” since the only alternative is submission and the spread of that brutality westward; resisting tyranny is the thin line protecting ordinary democratic life. 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 July 17. About 10 years ago in Iraq, I met a Kurdish sheikh- the head of a large, warlike clan scattered across the northern mountains. The sheikh, who was already in his 70s at the time, looked like a character from an adventure novel or a supporting figure in Lawrence of Arabia: a neatly trimmed white beard, a small turban, loose Middle Eastern robes fluttering in the wind. Even his weapon resembled Lawrence's- a British rifle dating back to the First World War. The sheikh had spent his entire life at war. He had grown up in war. His children had grown up in war. He had outlived two of his sons, both killed by his enemies. His grandchildren were growing up in the war as well. He seemed to make no distinction between his past and present enemies: ISIS, Al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein's army, or the leaders of rival Kurdish clans. To him, they were all the same. "I shoot people because I can't shoot an ideology," he told me. Their ideology is hostile to us, and so everyone who embraces it is our enemy. His explanation surprised me. After all, Saddam Hussein's secular quasi-fascist Ba'ath Party and ISIS stood for entirely different things, and the ideology of rival Kurdish clans had nothing in common with either Saddam's regime or jihadists. So I pressed him, asking what exactly he meant when he spoke about this single ideology shared by all his enemies. The sheikh's men, with whom we were sitting around an enormous table in his house, a table holding nothing but coffee and bottled water, looked at me as though I were a fool, someone who failed to grasp the obvious. The sheikh, however, seemed perfectly happy to explain himself to a foreigner. "Look," the sheikh said, "they all have one ideology, tyranny. They want people to do whatever they're told, to be nothing but dumb pawns. Building Arab socialism like Saddam did or an Islamic state like ISIS, that's just wrapping paper meant to appeal to people. People fall easily for deceptive things behind which tyranny hides. That's why I fought my whole life. Tyranny will always find a way to be appealing." I don't know why, but I find myself recalling this conversation quite often. It seems to me that it explains a lot about us in Ukraine too, and about you as well- those living in a still peaceful West. What I mean is that, like the Kurdish sheikh who shot people because he could not shoot an ideology, we are now shooting Russians to whom their senseless, bloody tyranny seems very appealing. We may like it or not, but the only alternative is to submit to that brutal tyranny, to merge into it, to become part of it. And to move farther west along with it. And so our hatred of tyranny, our refusal to submit to it, that is the main thing defending the democratic world, the thin red line running between the savage mass of murderers and rapists on one side and ordinary, peaceful life on the other.

This groundbreaking book chronicles the little-understood evolution of the neoconservative movement—from its birth as a rogue insurgency in the Nixon White House through its ascent to full and controversial control of America's foreign policy in the Bush years. In eye-opening detail, The Forty Years War documents the neocons' four-decade campaign to seize the reins of American foreign policy: the undermining of Richard Nixon's outreach to the Communist bloc nations; the success at halting détente during the Ford and Carter years; the uneasy but effectual alliance with Ronald Reagan; and the determined, and ultimately successful, campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein—no matter the cost.Drawing upon recently declassified documents, hundreds of hours of interviews, and long-obscured White House tapes, The Forty Years War delves into the political and intellectual development of some of the most fascinating political figures of the last four decades. It describes the complex, three-way relationship of Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Alexander Haig, and unravels the actions of Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul Wolfowitz over the course of seven presidencies. And it reveals the role of the mysterious Pentagon official Fritz Kraemer, a monocle-wearing German expatriate whose unshakable faith in military power, distrust of diplomacy, moralistic faith in American goodness, and warnings against "provocative weakness" made him the hidden geopolitical godfather of the neocon movement. The authors' insights into Kraemer's influence on the neocons—will change the public understanding of the conduct of government in our time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

This groundbreaking book chronicles the little-understood evolution of the neoconservative movement—from its birth as a rogue insurgency in the Nixon White House through its ascent to full and controversial control of America's foreign policy in the Bush years. In eye-opening detail, The Forty Years War documents the neocons' four-decade campaign to seize the reins of American foreign policy: the undermining of Richard Nixon's outreach to the Communist bloc nations; the success at halting détente during the Ford and Carter years; the uneasy but effectual alliance with Ronald Reagan; and the determined, and ultimately successful, campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein—no matter the cost.Drawing upon recently declassified documents, hundreds of hours of interviews, and long-obscured White House tapes, The Forty Years War delves into the political and intellectual development of some of the most fascinating political figures of the last four decades. It describes the complex, three-way relationship of Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Alexander Haig, and unravels the actions of Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Paul Wolfowitz over the course of seven presidencies. And it reveals the role of the mysterious Pentagon official Fritz Kraemer, a monocle-wearing German expatriate whose unshakable faith in military power, distrust of diplomacy, moralistic faith in American goodness, and warnings against "provocative weakness" made him the hidden geopolitical godfather of the neocon movement. The authors' insights into Kraemer's influence on the neocons—will change the public understanding of the conduct of government in our time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

For 24 years, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq with an iron fist—silencing dissent through torture, execution, and the infamous Republican Guard. But in 2003, the regime that seemed untouchable came crashing down in just three weeks. Today we trace the final days of one of history's most brutal dictators: from the shock and awe of Baghdad to Saddam's humiliating capture in a spider hole near Tikrit. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fight me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠war of the barons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Travel to Estonia with me here Travel to China with me here Check out other trips with me here Check out my merch here Check out our sister podcast the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mystery of Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Coffee Collab With The Lore Lodge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COFFEE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bonus episodes as well as ad-free episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Submit your relatives on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between August 2, 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and February 28, 1991, when the First Gulf War came to an end, the world watched one of the defining conflicts of the late twentieth century unfold live on television. We remember the images, but how well do we remember the people behind them? Hosted by Milo Denison, Faces of the Gulf War is a limited podcast series exploring the lives of the military leaders, politicians, and dictators who shaped the conflict. Each episode focuses on one person, tracing the events that brought them to the First Gulf War and the decisions they made once they got there. From Norman Schwarzkopf and George H. W. Bush to Margaret Thatcher, Colin Powell, Saddam Hussein, and many others, discover the stories behind the faces that shaped that conflict. Faces of the Gulf War is a limited series presented by The 80s and 90s Uncensored. For More from the 80s and 90s visit Web: the80sand90s.com    Instagram: @The80sand90sCom  YouTube: The 80s and 90s Overlooked If you enjoy this episode, don't keep it a secret, tell a friend and/or share it on social media so others can experience it as well.  

In honor of the World Cup, Robert tells our guest, Molly Conger the wild story of the worst team owner in FIFA History, who also happened to be Saddam Hussein's oldest son.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saddam Hussein with nothing. Born to a poor peasant family in a mud-brick village. Abandoned by his father before he was born. Raised by an abusive uncle who beat him daily. By thirty, he was an assassin. By forty, he controlled one of the world's most oil-rich nations. By fifty, he was called the "Butcher of Baghdad." How does someone climb from absolute obscurity to absolute power? How do you build a dictatorship in a world that's supposed to have moved on from strongmen and tyrants? Today we're going back to the beginning. From Saddam's brutal childhood to the 1968 Ba'athist coup. From his CIA connections to the 1979 purge that cemented his reign of terror. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fight me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠war of the barons⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Travel to Estonia with me here Travel to China with me here Check out other trips with me here Check out my merch here Check out our sister podcast the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mystery of Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Coffee Collab With The Lore Lodge ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COFFEE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bonus episodes as well as ad-free episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Submit your relatives on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We got him! POLL: What's your take on the capture of Saddam Hussein? Jorge is on vacation.

This episode is a re-release; it originally aired November 29, 2015. Women's rights activist and international humanitarian Zainab Salbi discusses her dedication to helping women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives. An Iraqi-American, Zainab talks about growing up in Saddam Hussein's inner circle, leading a life of privilege and luxury but also one of fear and terror. When she was 19 years old, Zainab left Iraq for an arranged marriage in the United States, which turned out to be abusive, forcing her to leave the marriage and start a new life. She later founded Women for Women International, a grassroots humanitarian and development organization dedicated to serving female survivors of war. Zainab talks about following her calling and what she's learned about humanity through her advocacy work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://www.patreon.com/raykump Support the show + get bonus episodes every week.Ray talks about the start of summer, the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices, the Washington Reflecting Pool, a strange Saddam Hussein book order, Pope Leo's warnings about AI, Catholic power politics, He-Man, the World Cup, grilling, summer projects, giant ant movies, and The Butterfly Effect.

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2018: They fought for the Iranian revolution – and then for Saddam Hussein. The US and UK once condemned them. But now their opposition to Tehran has made them favourites of Trump White House hardliners By Arron Merat. Read by Lucy Scott. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

President Trump says a deal with Iran to end the war is scheduled to be signed on Sunday. His comments echo those of the Pakistani Prime Minister, who's mediating talks between the sides. This has been disputed by an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, who ruled out signing a memorandum of understanding this soon. Also on this podcast: we report from the occupied West Bank, after international condemnation of ongoing Jewish settler attacks against Palestinians. Switzerland votes whether to cap its population at 10 million. And a new documentary about the chefs who cooked for brutal dictators such as Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot and Idi Amin. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: Trump speaks to reporters Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

Today's Headlines: The Traitor Fund is effectively dead for now — the DOJ said it "disagrees strongly" but will abide by the court's ruling, which is the closest thing to a clean win we've gotten in a while. Trump's America 250 birthday celebration continues to implode, with a competing Power to the People Festival announced for October 3rd featuring Springsteen, Joan Baez, and Dave Matthews, while the UFC fight at the White House is still on but now requires attending service members to meet a waist-to-height ratio under .55, and the National Park Service is spending $5 million on a no-bid contract to gold-plate four bronze horse statues near the Lincoln Memorial, which is giving Saddam Hussein's living room. Trump reportedly told Netanyahu on a bad phone call that "you're fucking crazy, you'd be in prison if it weren't for me, everybody hates Israel because of this" — accurate — and Netanyahu pulled back on planned Beirut strikes, with Lebanon's parliament speaker saying Hezbollah is ready for a full ceasefire with Israel, though the US bombed Iranian drone sites yesterday and a cargo ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, so "ceasefire" continues to mean whatever anyone needs it to mean. Florida's attorney general sued OpenAI and Sam Altman for marketing ChatGPT without adequately warning of its dangers, citing its alleged role in mass shootings, suicide encouragement, and helping a murder suspect dispose of bodies — and Anthropic filed its IPO the same day at a $965 billion valuation, because timing is everything. And finally, a second man named Dan Sullivan entered the Alaska Senate race against incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan with no policies and no party affiliation, just a stated goal of unseating the other Dan Sullivan, which is either a Democratic ploy or the most chaotic campaign launch of the cycle. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Trump reconsidering $1.8 billion fund, AP source says, as Justice Department temporarily pauses it Rolling Stone: Tom Morello Announces Power to the People Festival With Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, More NBC News: No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event Ts-horse-statues Axios: "You're fucking crazy": Trump fumes at Netanyahu in call on Lebanon Axios: Lebanese official told U.S. that Hezbollah ready for full ceasefire with Israel AP News: US bombs Iran, downs missiles fired at bases in Kuwait Axios: Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over ChatGPT - Axios Tampa Bay CNBC: Anthropic confidentially files IPO prospectus with SEC, prepping Wall Street for landmark AI deal NYT: Senator Dan Sullivan Has a New Challenger in Alaska Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices