This captivating discussion dives into the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and its lasting influence on global jihadism. It explores the life of Abdullah Azzam, the ideologue who inspired many to join the fight. The complex interplay of tradition and modernity in Afghan society is scrutinized, along with the rise of militant groups. Key battles and the myth-making surrounding figures like Osama bin Laden reveal the intricate dynamics of the jihadist narrative. The podcast uncovers the pivotal roles of international politics and cultural factors during this tumultuous period.

In our previous episode on the Iranian revolution, we left the Ayatollah Khomeini sitting high and mighty in Tehran. Little did he know, next door in Baghdad, an Arab strongman nursed revolutionary, expansionary ambitions of his own: Saddam Hussein, the Lion of the Arabs and Defender of the Eastern Gate, the ultimate symbol of corrupt and tyrannical dictatorship. Taking up where we left off back in episode 9, with Iraq reeling from the bloody 1958 coup that replaced the Hashemite monarchy with a military dictatorship, this episode describes Saddam’s blood-soaked rise to power and his tragic and ultimately futile decision to invade Iran, thus inaugurating the 20th century’s bloodiest and costliest conventional war.Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve reached the Iranian Revolution of 1979! The great showdown! The watershed moment when the tensions which we’ve been tracing—between reform and reaction, modernism and tradition—erupted into sweeping rejection of the Western model of modernity and its replacement with something apocalyptic, something both ancient and strikingly new: a Shi’a Islamic Republic. It was out with the Shah, in with the Ayatollah; and the consequences have been without parallel—for the Middle East, and the world.Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the fascinating world of OPEC, a major player in global oil politics since 1960. Discover how the organization navigates geopolitical tensions and shapes economies. Hear about the contrasting experiences of life in Saudi Arabia versus Venezuela, and explore historical turns like the Yom Kippur War and its impact on oil diplomacy. The discussion touches on the complexities of oil wealth, its societal effects, and raises philosophical questions about materialism and asceticism in an oil-driven world.

Circling back to the Arab world after a brief excursus further afield, this episode of Conflicted takes up the themes of sectarian strife and political radicalism and applies them to the country that has perhaps been most affected by the Clash of Civilizations: Lebanon. What is Lebanon? Who are the Lebanese? Why did the country crack up in 1975? Answering these questions and more, the episode climaxes with what must be the fastest, most breathless description of the Lebanese Civil War ever attempted!Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having flitted around the edges of the Ottoman Empire for most of this season, now we’re going straight to the jugular: the heart of that empire, the city of Istanbul (or Constantinople, if you prefer). In this episode of Conflicted, we tell the thrilling story of the epic historic conflict between two peoples, Turks and Greeks, practising two faiths, Islam and Orthodox Christianity, a conflict still manifest today, most painfully on the divided island of Cyprus. The invasion of Cyprus by Turkish troops in 1974 was yet another egg in the face of the declining British empire, one of the defining events of the Cold War period, and a living witness to the ongoing clash of civilizations in the Middle East.Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the tumultuous history of the Indian subcontinent, focusing on the Partition and its key figures like Gandhi and Jinnah. Delve into the geopolitical complexities surrounding Kashmir, uncovering myths and revealing the land's strategic importance. Discover the rich cultural exchanges influenced by the Mughal Empire, and how colonial policies shaped communal identities. The ongoing crisis in Kashmir is contrasted with its breathtaking landscapes, highlighting both beauty and conflict, while potential solutions for peace are discussed.

Now that we’ve told the story of the rise and fall of Nasserism, we turn to Libya and its handsome and charismatic dictator, Col. Muammar Gaddafi. Believing himself to have inherited Nasser’s mantle of Arab leadership, Gaddafi’s brazen narcissistic insanity is the stuff of legend, and Aimen’s got a caravan-load of funny anecdotes to illustrate just how nuts he was. But more seriously, Gaddafi symbolizes the tragic turn toward unhinged dictatorship which much of the Arab world underwent in the second half of the Cold War. Gaddafi, Assad, Saleh, Mubarak, Ben Ali, and of course Saddam Hussein—they all stalked the Middle East like undead zombies of Nasser, a nightmare from which the Arab world is still recovering.Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve finally reached the climax of the Cold War in the Middle East: the 6-Day War of 1967 and its dramatic sequel, the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The outcomes of both wars are well known; less so the political machinations leading up to them. We’ll do our best to take you behind the scenes of the corridors of power and into the minds of Arab and Israeli leaders. No one wanted war, yet war arrived. Why? These two wars were transformative: Nasserism was out and radicalism was in, and in the ongoing clash of civilisations in the Middle East, a new and improved player emerged from the wreckage of war: radical Islamism.Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month.Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflictedAnd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflictedJoin the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.levellr.com/conflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the intriguing world of the Hashemite dynasty, tracing its roots from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day politics. Discover the ideological clash between monarchism and republication amid ongoing tensions over the Temple Mount. Explore the complex identity of Iraq through the lens of sociologist Ali Alwardi and the tumultuous journey to independence. Learn about key figures like Nuri al-Said and the aftermath of the assassination of King Abdullah I, revealing the profound impact on Arab nationalism and the evolving landscape of the region.