Episode 54 - “Syria, nah” w/ Hart Uhl

Infinity License

The US withdrawal from Syria is possibly the ultimate Trump maneuver: overdue yet radically impulsive, populist yet prosecuted by the worst elites in the country. Joined by Mid-East expert Hart Uhl, we walk through the American presence in Syria and discuss the pros and cons of sunsetting the era of unfettered adventure in Middle Eastern regime change. 6m: Trump / GOP willingness to fight in the Middle East 15m: Hart’s experience in Cairo in 2011, the US influence 21m: Comparing the failure of the Arab Spring to the failed dream of Web 2.0 29m: Why did General Mattis quit? 34m: Exactly what promise to the Kurds are we reneging on? 46: Why this is the ultimate Trump maneuver 52m: A series of super-easy quick fire questions about American proxy power in the Middle East Intro / Outro: Buzzcocks - "Why Can't I Touch It?"