CONFLICTED

By Message Heard

An ex-Al Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy and a former monk turned filmmaker, have been embedded at the heart of conflicts in the Middle East. Together Aimen Dean and Thomas Small unpack the realities of w... more

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FAQs about CONFLICTED:

How many episodes does CONFLICTED have?

The podcast currently has 216 episodes available.

CONFLICTED episodes:

July 14, 2026Ben Hodges: Russia Can Be Defeated
In this latest Conflicted Conversation, Thomas talks with retired US lieutenant general Ben Hodges, former commanding general of US Army Europe. Drawing on his experience at the heart of NATO’s military leadership, Hodges explains:
His proposed path to Ukrainian victory

Ukraine’s deep strikes on Russian oil and gas infrastructure

Ukraine’s campaign to isolate and recover Crimea

Why Hodges overestimated the speed of Ukraine’s victory

The risk of Russia using nuclear weapons in Ukraine

America’s failure to define clear political objectives in war

Ukraine’s emergence as a European defence-industrial centre

Why Western armies have been slow to learn from Ukraine

Pentagon procurement and the military-industrial complex

The NATO summit in Ankara and support for Ukraine

The damage Trump has done to trust between NATO allies

The geopolitical importance of Ukraine to Europe and the United States

Why the Kremlin fears a successful democratic Ukraine
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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51min
July 10, 2026 Syria Turns Another Corner (Conflicted Revisited)
As Aimen works hard to uncover the truth of what's going on in the region now that the MoU has been torn to shreds — or so it seems — and in recognition of Syria being taken off the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, we are rerunning this episode from last year where Aimen tells the story of his nephew who joined the jihad against the Assad regime.
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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...more
51min
July 07, 2026Guns, Greed and the Making of Modernity
In this Conflicted Conversation, Thomas discusses the true foundations of modernity with Clifton Crais, author of The Killing Age: How Violence Made the Modern World.
Clifton explains:
The Mortecene as an alternative to the Anthropocene

Why global violence accelerated after 1750

How firearms destabilised traditional political orders

The role of credit and debt in expanding slavery

Global complicity beyond a simple West-versus-rest narrative

The industrial destruction of whales, elephants and bison

Vodun and other religious responses to predatory power

What muskets can teach us about drones and AI
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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...more
59min
July 03, 2026Undiscovered: The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
In this special episode, we bring you an exclusive audio episode of ‘Undiscovered’ the new YouTube-first documentary series from Conflicted’s executive producer and Message Heard founder, Jake Warren.
Jake sits down with the legendary journalist Robert Young Pelton to discuss the infamous battle of Qala-i-Jangi, which he experienced first hand, and how it changed the war on terror forever.
In this episode they discuss:
How Robert became a journalist and documentarian

Robert’s documentary ‘Heavy D and The Boys’

Meeting and spending time with General Dostum

The rumours and myths about General Dostum

Being an eyewitness to the battle of Qala-i-Jangi

Finding John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban

The death of CIA officer Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann

Where the US went wrong in Afghanistan
Find Robert on X: https://x.com/RYP__
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_robert_young_pelton_
And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmfzgtljwtgY1IgXt2YGiFg

Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Ross Field.

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...more
37min
June 30, 2026The Bastard Children of Neoliberalism
In this Conflicted Conversation, Thomas sweats his way through a personally revealing exchange with Quinn Slobodian, Professor of International History at Boston University and the author of Hayek’s Bastards: The Neoliberal Roots of the Populist Right.
Quinn explains:
Friedrich Hayek’s “knowledge problem” and his defence of markets over central planning.

Hayek’s later theory of cultural evolution, inherited institutions, and the limits of universal market society.

The split between “cultural Austrians” at George Mason University and “racial Austrians” around the Mises Institute.

Murray Rothbard’s move from courting anti-war hippies to building alliances with paleoconservatives and racial nationalists.

Hans-Hermann Hoppe, anarcho-capitalism, secession, and racially homogeneous private communities.

The Bell Curve, Charles Murray, IQ research, and the politics of scientific claims about race and inequality.

The difference between ideas that are empirically false and ideas rejected because they are morally disturbing.

The post-Cold War transformation of neoliberal enemies from communism to environmentalism, affirmative action, feminism, and welfare.

The divide between neoconservatives and paleoconservatives over US foreign policy, nationalism, and the Iraq War.

Whether Hayek’s Bastards reveals a major genealogy of the modern Far Right—or exaggerates the influence of a provocative fringe.
Visit Quinn’s website: www.quinnslobodian.com
Find Quinn on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/quinnslobodian.com
And on Substack: https://zeithistoriker.substack.com

Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
...more
1h 4min
June 25, 2026The Middle East’s AI Arms Race
As the Middle East wakes up to an unnerving new normal following the signing of the M.O.U., Aimen and Thomas turn their attention to something truly cutting edge: the AI Arms Race that is rapidly transforming the Gulf into the front lines of a truly global U.S.-China confrontation.
Aimen and Thomas discuss:
Iran’s drone attacks on Gulf data centres.

AI in missile defence and military targeting.

The physical infrastructure behind cloud computing.

Cheap Gulf energy and rapid data-centre construction.

The UAE–Saudi competition for AI leadership.

Sheikh Tahnoon, G42 and MGX.

Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN strategy.

The US–China global AI rivalry.

Israel’s cybersecurity and military-AI role.

Whether AI-generated art can be genuinely creative.
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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...more
57min
June 23, 2026The Betrayal of the Iranian People
In this Conflicted Conversation, Yeganeh Torbati, the Iran correspondent for the New York Times, discusses her excellent new book Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran.
Yeganeh explains how:
The 1979 revolution promised justice but created clerical authoritarianism.

Islamic law was subordinated to preservation of the supreme leader.

Institutions created to help the poor became engines of economic corruption.

The IRGC became a military-economic oligarchy.

Khatami-era reformism failed by refusing to challenge the constitutional source of authoritarian power.

Ahmadinejad promised to overthrow corrupt elites but merely installed new ones.

Rouhani promised economic normalization but enabled even greater corruption.

The destruction of all sources of organized opposition left protesters exposed to overwhelming violence.

Foreign powers encouraged expectations they did not possess the strategy or commitment to fulfil.

Iranian society continues to resist socially and culturally, making the future unstable rather than settled.
Find Yeganeh on X: https://x.com/yjtorbati
And on Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/yjtorbatireports

Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

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...more
1h 10min
June 18, 2026Video Games: The Global Battleground of Modern Politics
In this Conflicted Conversation, George Osborn draws on his excellent new book Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence to reveal the hidden political power of video games.
Once dismissed as a niche hobby, gaming has become one of the largest social environments ever created: a vast digital third space where billions of people form identities, build communities, and increasingly encounter politics — often aligned with authoritarian agendas.
George explains:
The history of video games: from arcades to global digital networks

How gaming helped drive the modern technology revolution

Why video games became the ‘third spaces’ of the internet age

Steam, online gaming, and the rise of digital communities

How China controls and regulates gaming culture

Saudi Arabia's investment strategy in gaming and esports

Russia, information warfare, and influence operations in gaming

Gamergate and the politicisation of gaming communities

Steve Bannon, online culture, and the rise of populist politics
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find George on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/georgeosborn.bsky.social
And on Instagram: www.instagram.com/george_e_osborn
And his Newsletter: www.videogamesindustrymemo.com

Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
...more
1h 39min
June 17, 2026Memorandum of Misunderstanding
In the wake of the recently published Memorandum of Understanding between the White House and the Iranian regime, Aimen and Thomas explore what the MoU means and reflect on everything they got wrong about the Iran War.
They discuss:
How the MoU is a strategic lifeline for the Islamic Republic

How it legitimises Iran’s proxy network, from Hezbollah to the Houthis

How billions in frozen Iranian funds have already been released through Qatar — with American approval

How the proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran has corruption written all over it

How it enshrines the principle that Iran can charge for access to the Strait of Hormuz

Whether Netanyahu lured Trump into a war he did not fully understand

The collapse of the Abraham Accords' vision for a new Middle East

If Conflicted itself has misread Trump, populism, and the future of American power
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
...more
1h 14min
June 11, 2026Israel’s Road to Endless War
Elizabeth Tsurkov returns for another Conflicted Conversation. This time, the conversation turns to Israel after October 7th. Elizabeth traces her own political journey from the Israeli right to a hard-won humanism, then explains how Israel’s old security doctrine collapsed — and why the new one may lead not to safety, but to permanent war.
Elizabeth and Thomas discuss:
Israel’s security doctrine after 7 October

Israel’s shift from deterrence to pre-emption

Why deterrence without a political endgame failed

Gaza, Hamas and the limits of military victory

Hezbollah, Lebanon and Israel’s buffer-zone strategy

Israel’s new "buffer zone" security perimeter

Iran’s missile threat and Israel’s war with Tehran

The Abraham Accords, IMEC and bypassing Palestine

Why real Israeli fears may be producing the wrong answers
Join the Conflicted Community here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Elizabeth's personal website: ⁠https://elizabeth-tsurkov.net/en/⁠
Find Elizabeth on X: ⁠https://x.com/LizHurra⁠
Find Elizabeth on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-tsurkov-79491b15/⁠

Find us on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
And Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/conflictedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Thomas Small.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
...more
1h 20min

FAQs about CONFLICTED:

How many episodes does CONFLICTED have?

The podcast currently has 216 episodes available.

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