Policymakers in Tehran and Moscow are asking who lost Syria in a tectonic rewrite of the Middle East’s geopolitical map that has ousted President Bashar al-Assad ‘s principal backers struggling to limit their losses.

Picking up the pieces-Russia and Iran seek to limit losses in Syria

Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, aka Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, appears to be a man who picks his battles.

Syria may be tired of war, but war may not be tired of Syria

An episode on the fall of the Assad regime and its implications on Syria and Lebanon.

Covering the rapid collapse of the Assad regime, identity formation in the wake of over half a century of minoritarian rule mired by tyranny, where Iran stands in the near future and a wider ambition for the region carried by hope.

With Bashshar Haydar, professor of philosophy at The American University of Beirut.

The Nidaa al Watan article mentioned is accessible here: https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/297082-الهوية-الوطنية-لسوريا-ما-بعد-الأسد

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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:37 Carried by hopes
6:50 Many reasons for Assad’s end
11:31 The last stretch of the regime
20:29 Turkish ambition
24:58 Dictatorial security machine
28:07 Minority rule
31:05 Intervention
38:07 Arab nationalism & myth
41:51 We are people who suffered
48:40 Forced identity
55:00 Political Islam
1:06:51 Druze border villages & Golan Heights
1:08:27 Israeli military measures
1:12:34 The problem of peace & Israel
1:14:02 Back to Lebanon
1:21:55 The Iranian regime moving forward
1:26:23 Less pessimistic than usual

The Fall of the Assad Regime with Bashshar Haydar (Ep.411)

An interview by the gifted Marie Jo Sader, a Paris and Beirut-based independent journalist and 2023 Lokman Slim Prize winner for her investigative work on the circumstances of Lokman Slim's assassination.

A discussion on the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a retrospective on anti-Assad protests that shaped Lebanon in 2005 and wider implications for Lebanon, Syria and the region.

Follow Marie Jo Sader on X [at]mariejosader

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

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Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:22 Decades apart
3:17 Post Syria occupation journey
5:01 Signature elimination
6:59 Political reasons & calculations
8:27 Coordination between Syria & Iran
9:47 The Lebanese 'state'
12:38 Emotions of the moment
15:10 Notions of justice
17:14 Mohamad Chatah today

Decades Apart - An interview by Marie Jo Sader on the End of the Assad Regime

Much like Hezbollah miscalculated with its 15-month-long war of attrition against Israel, Yemen’s Houthi rebels risk being the next target in Israel’s campaign to rewrite the Middle East’s political map.
“We will act with strength, determination, and ingenuity. Even if it takes time, the result will be the same as with other terrorist arms,” said Prime Mi Netanyahu said on Monday.
Some Israelis suggest that to effectively target the Houthis, Israel should simultaneously emasculate Iran, already on the defensive because of the loss of ousted President Bashar al Assad’s Syria, the weakening of Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah, and severe Israeli damage inflicted on the Islamic Republic’s air defenses.


Israel’s Middle East war-Yemen definitely next, maybe Iran too

The editor's choice for 2024 is our 18 September podcast Palestine and a new awakening with the writer and commentator Amal Ghandour. When we spoke with her then 41000 Palestinians had been killed and 96000 wounded. As Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people continues that number has now reached more than 45000 killed and 107000 wounded. The podcast aired before the assassination of the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Israel's invasion of Lebanon where more than 4000 have been killed.

Sign up NOW at ArabDigest.org for free to join the club and start receiving our daily newsletter & weekly podcasts.

Editor's choice: Amal Ghandour

2025 will be headlined by the domestic and global impact of Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency. Key diplomatic and security shifts will occur in the Russia/Ukraine conflict as well as in the Middle East, while geopolitical tensions between the United States and China will intensify, both bilaterally and in the wider Indo-Pacific.

Read the Annual Forecast here: https://newlinesinstitute.org/forecast/2025-annual-forecast/

Global Hotspots: Outlook for 2025

With Donald j. Trump two weeks away from returning to the White House, Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) fear that recent setbacks could open a Pandora’s box.
Israel’s puncturing of Swiss cheese-sized holes in the Iran-backed Axis of Resistance has upended the Islamic Republic’s forward defence strategy, raised questions about the future of the IRGC’s Quds Force, its foreign operations arm, and risks turning Iran into a tradeable geopolitical commodity.

Iran Fears Setback May Open A Pandora’s Box

https://thecommunists.org/2024/11/04/news/platform-dakar-declaration-africa-anti-imperialism/

Dakar declaration: Strengthen the anti-imperialist struggle

https://thecommunists.org/2024/11/20/news/lebanon-gaza-yemen-resistance-stands-firm/

In Lebanon Gaza and Yemen resistance stands firm

https://thecommunists.org/2025/01/01/news/sad-downfall-syrian-government-bashar-al-assad/

The sad downfall of the Syrian government

An episode on a new and unexpected duo: President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam.

Covering the dramatically shifting security climate that brought about rapid political change, Joseph Aoun's leadership and the consensus that ushered in his presidency, Nawaf Salam's clean slate and the majority vote that guaranteed his prime minister-designation, and freeing local governance from the Doha Agreement's forced national unity paralysis.

With Sarah Yassine, architect and political activist.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

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@thebeirutbanyan

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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:45 Joseph Aoun
6:58 Nawaf Salam
10:33 Current climate
17:03 Clean outsider
22:11 Constant pressure
28:25 Majority coalition
32:58 Unlocking the stranglehold
38:05 Dismantling the ‘Blocking Third’
40:58 Freeing the Ministry of Finance
43:01 Continued violence in the South
48:20 Independent voters & the South
57:15 A different Hezbollah

A New Duo with Sarah Yassine (Ep.412)

POINT COUNTERPOINT - Episode 3

An exchange on political affairs impacting Lebanon and the Middle East, with a unique vantage point from Beirut. 

Co-hosted by Michael Young (senior editor at Carnegie’s Middle East Center and editor of Diwan) and Bashshar Haydar (professor of philosophy at AUB) - both Beirut-based analysts sharing their nuanced perspectives while honing in on disagreements.

Episode 3 covers three topics: (1) Nawaf Salam's cabinet formation process, a perception dilemma that has left his allies frustrated and Amal Movement's continued insistence on the Ministry of Finance; (2) the presidency so far, Joseph Aoun's mandate and the security reality dictated by the Israelis with international support that has allowed for the enforcement of 1701; and (3) the upcoming twenty year commemoration of Rafic Hariri's assassination, and how 'Sunni' and 'Shia' politics will play out with a diminished Iranian sphere of influence.

Michael Young's article discussed during this episode:

"Hezbollah Tries Making a Comeback":
https://carnegieendowment.org/middle-east/diwan/2025/01/hezbollah-tries-making-a-comeback?lang=en

Bashshar Haydar's articles referred to can be accessed via his new column in Nidaa al Watan:
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/author/1883-بشار-حيدر

Stay tuned for more episodes.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:
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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:38 Cabinet formation process
15:48 Presidency, security & ceasefire
42:14 Twenty year Rafic Hariri commemoration

Nawaf Salam, Joseph Aoun & Rafic Hariri commemoration with Michael Young & Bashshar Haydar

Recently, Chris led a group of ministry leaders to Israel, where he spoke with several individuals to gain a clear picture of the difficulties so many displaced Israelis have faced. Adrian and Hilton, an Israeli couple, share their story of having been displaced from their home for more than a year, separated from their loved ones and the lives they once lived. Then, Shimrit, marketing director for Kibbutz Ein Gev Holiday Resort, explains her hotel’s commendable work in providing refuge for Israelis in need. May these firsthand stories encourage you to continue praying for Israel and the Jewish people in the midst of their pain.

March 1, 2025 | #2509 - Beyond the Headlines: Stories of Israeli Displacement

Pourquoi GAZA LIBAN...
-un essai de mise en alerte de la population sur un sujet très grave-

Pourquoi Gaza, les bombes, le béton éclaté,
Liban en fumée, les rêves vite emportés,
Cisjordanie sous silence, justice avortée,
Chaque pierre un cri, espoir maltraité.

[Refrain]
Pourquoi tant de haine, des cœurs carbonisés ?
Les horreurs se répètent, le futur paralysé,
Qui tire les ficelles, qui se gave des plaies ?
Pourquoi l'humain s'oublie sous un amas de regrets ?

Israël, les larmes, les murs se dressent,
Hamas dans l'ombre, les flammes en détresse,
Hezbollah répond, les conflits oppressent,
Sous chaque Kalash, une vie qu’on blesse.

Décennies de crimes, les pages noircies,
La paix en exil, espoir raréfié,
Des drapeaux trempés dans la tragédie,
Pour qui, pourquoi ? Le sang jamais essuyé.

[Refrain]
Pourquoi tant de haine, des cœurs carbonisés ?
Les horreurs se répètent, le futur paralysé,
Qui tire les ficelles, qui se gave des plaies ?
Pourquoi l'humain s'oublie sous un amas de regrets ?

Les enfants cherchent des étoiles en cendres,
Les mères pleurent devant les cieux à s'étendre,
Les puissants comptent dans leurs tours d'ivoire,
Pendant qu’on s’étouffe dans ce brouillard noir.

NOTA:
J'ai mixé deux essais de composition avec le même texte.
Cinq logiciels utilisés + l'IA.

(Texte/composition/orchestration/mixage de Thierry LAMIREAU)

LES FAITS:
https://lamireau.blogspot.com/2023/10/guerre-israelhamasgaza-ce-qui-nest-pas.html

http://lesoufflecestmavie.unblog.fr/2020/09/10/radioactivite-larmee-francaise-a-merde-le-4-septembre-2020-thierry-lamireau/

Pourquoi GAZA LIBAN...

Almanar TV | News Intro قناة المنار - الأخبار

Arab Digest editor William Law's guest this week is the Levant expert Dr Lina Khatib. Their conversation focusses on new hope building in Lebanon after the crushing blow Israel delivered to Hezbollah and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. With a new president and a new prime minister in place hope is running high that the country will find the political will to move away from the sectarianism that has inflicted so much damage on the Lebanese people.

Sign up NOW at ArabDigest.org for free to join the club and start receiving our daily newsletter & weekly podcasts.

Lebanon looks forward

https://thecommunists.org/2025/02/16/news/gaza-ceasefire-palestinian-resistance-celebrates-significant-victory/

Gaza Ceasefire 16-02-2025

George Wardini returns to The Beirut Banyan.

We look back to 1983 and discuss similarities in the relative calm Lebanon experienced following Israel's siege of Beirut and expulsion of Arafat from Lebanon.

We also examine post-2024 war developments and security risks related to attempts at disarmament, what the potential of a wider Arab-Israeli peace deal under the Trump administration could mean for Lebanon, the need for the government to make Lebanon's case against Iran's inclinations to hold onto Hezbollah as a proxy militia, and why caution over confrontation remains the preferred mode of governance.

George Wardini is the founder and director of PolyBlog.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:
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@thebeirutbanyan

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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:59 What changed
6:17 Caution vs Confrontation
11:37 Question of disarmament
14:50 Trump & Iran
22:15 “Peace”
28:59 Conflicting message
35:11 Measuring success
38:47 Lebanon’s case
42:27 Current govt support
47:21 Abnormal state
51:09 Network of interests
53:04 Personal evolution

GEORGE WARDINI - Measure of Success (Ep.415)

Amateur de sons ayant parfois travaillé à RADIO FRANCE notamment à l'Atelier de Création Radiophonique de FRANCE CULTURE dans les années 1990.

Marxist analysis of current events and scientific socialist theoretical insights from the CPGB-ML. Get educated and get organised!

New Lines Institute focuses on issues at the intersection of U.S. foreign policy and global geopolitics.

For more on Newlines Institute, please visit our website: www.newlinesinstitute.org

The Friends of Israel Today is a magazine style radio program/podcast made up multiple segments; Bible teaching, Q&A, interviews, and dramatic readings of Zvi Kalisher’s articles, entitled Apples of Gold. We’ve intentionally crafted this program to revolve around God’s Word and how it affects our lives today.

Storytelling and conversations, from Beirut and beyond. Subscribe from your preferred podcast platform. Support us through Paypal or Patreon.

Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Würzburg’s Institute for Fan Culture, and co-host of the New Books in Middle Eastern Studies podcast. James is the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog, a book with the same title as well as Comparative Political Transitions between Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, co-authored with Dr. Teresita Cruz-Del Rosario and  Shifting Sands, Essays on Sports and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa.

Arab Digest is where business leaders and experts on the Middle East and North Africa come together to share analysis and insight about the issues in the region that matter most.
contact email: editor@arabdigest.org

New tracks tagged #Hezbollah