It Could Happen Here

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks about the debate in DC on what the role of the US has been in the Middle East, and what it should be. She also talks about what’s missing from these discussions. 

Sources:

https://www.cfr.org/articles/the-u-s-led-middle-east-order-is-over-the-mecca-agreement-proves-it

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/end-american-middle-east-iran-marc-lynch

http://foreignaffairs.com/middle-east/new-old-middle-east-gause

https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/12/the-re-emergence-of-the-palestine-question-in-world-politics/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/29/us-decline-world-order-replacement

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garrison talks with Dr. Kaveh Hoda about the potential risks and benefits of doing outreach to people within the MAHA movement, the partisan makeup of MAHA, and why AOC is privately talking with MAHA influencers. 

Sources:
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/28/poll-maha-health-fractures-kennedy-00972253
https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/maha-health-concerns-resonate-broadly-but-lag-behind-health-care-costs-even-for-maha-voters/
https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-health-tracking-poll-maha-and-the-midterms/
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/09/05/inside-aocs-maha-outreach-01066409
https://www.youtube.com/live/h6fe9CaVZCI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRgeXPsihXI

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James and journalist Jason Dove Mark explain the roadless rule, national forests, and the Trump administration's attempts to strip protections from tens of thousands of acres of public land.

 https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2025-0001-223869 
https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/roadless-rule 
https://morethanjustparks.com/threatened-public-lands-map/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret joins James to discuss a new round of sanctions against, among others, Autistici/Inventati and the internet infrastructure services they provided. 


Sources:
https://www.inventati.org/campaign/press

https://keepitfree.ai/announcements/a/i-shuts-down-stay-human/ 

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0616/ 

https://davidgraeber.org/articles/the-new-anarchists/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To close out Black August, Margaret sits down with Bridget Todd and Hazel Acacia to finish talking about one of the most iconic Trek episodes ever made (S6E13: Far Beyond the Stars of Deep Space Nine)- and you're invited

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file:

• Counterrevolution in Egypt

• What Happened with Milo Yiannopoulos?

• The Death of American Hegemony
• Executive Disorder: Escalation in Iran, Trade War with Canada, Arcade.gov

You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!

Sources/Links:

Counterrevolution in Egypt

• Hossam’s substack - https://barracks.substack.com/
• Hossam’s book - https://www.versobooks.com/products/3225-counterrevolution-in-egypt?srsltid=AfmBOoo0NJfxdpH2uIJsXqXLfdSs10LtMgK9hCiKx7TeLHQO4OzTWF-L

What Happened with Milo Yiannopoulos?

• https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2093428821835796688?s=20
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093387128717951297?s=20
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093491920001749378?s=20
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5pSX84h9K8
• https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/at-gays-for-trump-party-the-former-fringe-celebrates-trumps 
• https://hyperallergic.com/milo-yiannopoulos-manuscript-art/
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/milo-yiannopoulos-deport-milo-twitter-new-sponsor-peadophilia-podcast-altright-a7600641.html
• https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/02/01/yiannopoulos-event-canceled/
• https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/827112633224544256?s=20
• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/milo-yiannopoulos-ex-gay-b1815296.html
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2033500725008081185?s=20
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2046016856184717814?s=20 
• https://www.thebulwark.com/p/maga-celebrating-milo-yiannopoulos-deportation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPcfkSWQjOk

The Death of American Hegemony

• https://www.endnotes.org.uk/issues/issue-2/endnotes-misery-and-debt
• https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/encyclopedia/war-and-military-affairs/alfred-thayer-mahan/
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-promised-economic-d-day-203113113.html

Executive Disorder: Escalation in Iran, Trade War with Canada, Arcade.gov

• nyc.gov/workerpower
• https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/mayor-mamdani-launches-first-in-the-nation-office-of-worker-powe
• https://www.thecityreporter.nyc/2026/09/07/labor-day-mamdani-tony-perlstein-worker-power-unions/
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-clarifies-duty-states-report-known-illegal-aliens-under-welfare-reform
• https://www.justice.gov/olc/media/1459981/dl
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/06/us/politics/nate-hochman-state-dept.html
• https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28606128-irs/
• https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2097018164492095565?s=20
• https://apnews.com/article/germany-power-grid-sabotage-arrest-0a8cbb381c6b6463d56ffb2456fa7d25
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2096657477928448250?s=20
• https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/09/08/lebron-james-linking-up-with-polymarket-in-deal/
• https://x.com/Giannis_An34/status/2019885144358678610
• https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/sydney-sweeney-nude-novig-ad-1236855720/
• https://x.com/KSAmofaEN/status/2097239299938832859
• https://x.com/yementvyem/status/2097025261669675036
• https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2096397091769565468
• https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4591744/centcom-destroys-3-irgc-oil-tankers-after-iran-targets-2-us-navy-warships/
• https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4593050/us-destroys-5-irgc-tankers-after-iran-targets-another-american-warship/
• https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-military-turns-off-ad-trackers-devices-amid-middle-east-targeting-reports-2026-09-04/
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/05/middleeast/iran-us-tanker-kharg-intl
• https://www.anduril.com/dive-ld
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2026/09/08/us-canada-trade-war-tariffs-products-price/91655579007/
• https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2026/09/09/as-canadas-tariffs-take-effect-trumps-trade-war-complicates-gop-election-pitch/
• https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-canada-supreme-court-depression-e5501950e025dbe8df2b7ec662dbe2e4
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/07/economy/trump-carney-canada-us-trade-war
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6xwMIUPHss
• https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/far-right-afd-courts-conservative-support-after-historic-german-state-election-2026-09-07/
• https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/huawei-faces-u-s-criminal-trial-weeks-before-trump-xi-meeting-d5e21663
• http://arcade.gov
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2096764958713274657?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2081553785302716662?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2073434194257023116?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2032115039985881556?s=20
• https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/pokemon-rebukes-white-houses-use-ip-social-media-post-rcna262057?li
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2080079437882622371?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2074251976578060495?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2074270959423348773?s=20
• https://x.com/ParkerMolloy/status/2095981913559191822?s=20
• https://fortune.com/2026/09/02/food-recalls-fda-americans-avoid-food-categories/
• https://www.cartoonbrew.com/politics/white-house-racist-video-games-266259.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc2wSSYFLFv/
• https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DNnYdDJL-dY
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2096659622459240954/photo/1
• https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2094399335748215195?s=20
• https://www.status.news/p/cbs-news-el-sayed-bari-weiss-9-11
• https://x.com/GreatLakes_HQ/status/2097708796231463166?s=20
• https://x.com/Bobby_LaVallley/status/2097341640625025511?s=20
• https://abcnews.com/US/george-pataki-rudy-giuliani-911-families-oppose-mamdanis/story?id=136258067
• https://www.vanityfair.com/story/mamdani-september-11-anniversary
• https://x.com/petersterne/status/2097722275277553968?s=20
• https://sept11documents.cityofnewyork.us/
• https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/25-years-later--mamdani-administration-opens-city-s-9-11-records 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang discuss new prediction market advertising campaigns, a 9/11 themed attack ad against Abdul El-Sayed, the US striking Iranian oil tankers, Trump’s illegal tariffs against Canada, and the White House’s new online arcade with a “Build the Wall” and deportation video game.

Sources:

• nyc.gov/workerpower
• https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/mayor-mamdani-launches-first-in-the-nation-office-of-worker-powe
• https://www.thecityreporter.nyc/2026/09/07/labor-day-mamdani-tony-perlstein-worker-power-unions/
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-clarifies-duty-states-report-known-illegal-aliens-under-welfare-reform
  
• https://www.justice.gov/olc/media/1459981/dl
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/06/us/politics/nate-hochman-state-dept.html
  
• https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28606128-irs/
  
• https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/2097018164492095565?s=20
• https://apnews.com/article/germany-power-grid-sabotage-arrest-0a8cbb381c6b6463d56ffb2456fa7d25
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2096657477928448250?s=20
• https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/09/08/lebron-james-linking-up-with-polymarket-in-deal/
• https://x.com/Giannis_An34/status/2019885144358678610
• https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/sydney-sweeney-nude-novig-ad-1236855720/
• https://x.com/KSAmofaEN/status/2097239299938832859
• https://x.com/yementvyem/status/2097025261669675036
• https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2096397091769565468
• https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4591744/centcom-destroys-3-irgc-oil-tankers-after-iran-targets-2-us-navy-warships/
• https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PUBLIC-RELEASES/Article/4593050/us-destroys-5-irgc-tankers-after-iran-targets-another-american-warship/
• https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-military-turns-off-ad-trackers-devices-amid-middle-east-targeting-reports-2026-09-04/
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/05/middleeast/iran-us-tanker-kharg-intl
• https://www.anduril.com/dive-ld
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2026/09/08/us-canada-trade-war-tariffs-products-price/91655579007/
• https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2026/09/09/as-canadas-tariffs-take-effect-trumps-trade-war-complicates-gop-election-pitch/
• https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-canada-supreme-court-depression-e5501950e025dbe8df2b7ec662dbe2e4
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/07/economy/trump-carney-canada-us-trade-war
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6xwMIUPHss
• https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/far-right-afd-courts-conservative-support-after-historic-german-state-election-2026-09-07/
• https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/huawei-faces-u-s-criminal-trial-weeks-before-trump-xi-meeting-d5e21663
• http://arcade.gov
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2096764958713274657?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2081553785302716662?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2073434194257023116?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2032115039985881556?s=20
• https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/pokemon-rebukes-white-houses-use-ip-social-media-post-rcna262057?li
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2080079437882622371?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2074251976578060495?s=20
• https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2074270959423348773?s=20
• https://x.com/ParkerMolloy/status/2095981913559191822?s=20
• https://fortune.com/2026/09/02/food-recalls-fda-americans-avoid-food-categories/
• https://www.cartoonbrew.com/politics/white-house-racist-video-games-266259.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc2wSSYFLFv/
• https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DNnYdDJL-dY
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2096659622459240954/photo/1
• https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2094399335748215195?s=20
• https://www.status.news/p/cbs-news-el-sayed-bari-weiss-9-11
• https://x.com/GreatLakes_HQ/status/2097708796231463166?s=20
• https://x.com/Bobby_LaVallley/status/2097341640625025511?s=20
• https://abcnews.com/US/george-pataki-rudy-giuliani-911-families-oppose-mamdanis/story?id=136258067
• https://www.vanityfair.com/story/mamdani-september-11-anniversary
• https://x.com/petersterne/status/2097722275277553968?s=20
• https://sept11documents.cityofnewyork.us/
• https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/25-years-later--mamdani-administration-opens-city-s-9-11-records 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia discusses the long arc of the Pax Americana, its roots in the US Navy, and how Trump’s war with Iran has blown it up.

Sources:

• https://www.endnotes.org.uk/issues/issue-2/endnotes-misery-and-debt
• https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/encyclopedia/war-and-military-affairs/alfred-thayer-mahan/
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-promised-economic-d-day-203113113.html

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garrison talks about the former rising star of the alt-right being deported to the UK, the beef between Milo and Laura Loomer, possible issues with his green card, and how his deportation may relate to his ongoing divorce.

Sources:

• https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2093428821835796688?s=20
  
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093387128717951297?s=20
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2093491920001749378?s=20
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5pSX84h9K8
  
• https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rosiegray/at-gays-for-trump-party-the-former-fringe-celebrates-trumps 
• https://hyperallergic.com/milo-yiannopoulos-manuscript-art/
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/milo-yiannopoulos-deport-milo-twitter-new-sponsor-peadophilia-podcast-altright-a7600641.html
  
• https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/02/01/yiannopoulos-event-canceled/
  
• https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/827112633224544256?s=20
  
• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/milo-yiannopoulos-ex-gay-b1815296.html
  
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2033500725008081185?s=20
  
• https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2046016856184717814?s=20 
• https://www.thebulwark.com/p/maga-celebrating-milo-yiannopoulos-deportation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPcfkSWQjOk

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks with Hossam El-Hamalawy, a journalist and socialist from Cairo, who was among the organizers of the 2011 uprising. He has been involved in the labour movement and the fight against police brutality in Egypt for many years, and holds a PhD in political science from Free University of Berlin. Hossam is author of the new book "Counterrevolution in Egypt: Sisi's New Republic".

Sources:

Hossam’s substack - https://barracks.substack.com/

Hossam’s book - https://www.versobooks.com/products/3225-counterrevolution-in-egypt?srsltid=AfmBOoo0NJfxdpH2uIJsXqXLfdSs10LtMgK9hCiKx7TeLHQO4OzTWF-L

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.