By Al-Monitor
The podcast currently has 134 episodes available.
As the coronavirus crisis continues to grip the world, the markets have been on the shakiest ground yet since the 2008 economic recession - especially with regards to the price of oil. In the last few years, Saudi Arabia and Russia have developed a special relationship to stabilize oil prices in the face of growing competition from the Americans, who for the first time has begun to outpace both countries in terms of production. But when demand for oil began to fall precipitously in the face of COVID-19, the relationship ended in a messy way. Phil and Cooper break down the bad breakup and how it’s affected economies worldwide.
Extra Listening
Episode #114, Double Double, Oil and Trouble (9/27/2019): Exploring the special relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
Music: Elman - “Антигерой” (Spotify)
Phil and Cooper record their first remote podcast due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on recent political intrigue in Israel. After three rounds of elections, there may finally be a successful attempt at forming a new Israeli government, with opposition leader Benny Gantz having been tasked with building a coalition. But sitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has his own ideas, and he’s using the coronavirus outbreak as a political cudgel. Al-Monitor contributor Ben Caspit joins us remotely from Israel to discuss this and more.
Netanyahu's chief rival promises 'broad' government 'within a few days' (Elizabeth Hagedorn)
Extra Listening:
Episode #78, Honey I Shrunk My Coalition (11/29/2018): Phil, Cooper, and Danny Zaken discuss Netanyahu’s political majority falling apart after the departure of Avigdor Liberman along with threats of other cabinet members leaving.
Episode #95, Breaking Benjamin (4/12/2019): The first round of elections are called by Netanyahu in an attempt to hold onto power in the face of impending indictments.
Episode #101, Panic! At The Knesset (6/7/2019): Netanyahu fails at forming a majority government and calls snap elections for September.
Episode #113, Déjà-Yahu (9/20/2019): The second round of Israeli elections in 2019 show Gantz barely leading Netanyahu, but always signals another political stalemate.
Episode #120, Gantz Hardly Wait (12/6/2019): After failing to form a majority government for a second time, a third round of elections are called in Israel.
Music: Reines Girls - “We’ll Stay Friends” ( Spotify)
Iran held parliamentary elections at the end of February, resulting in a serious swing to the right, with conservative Principlist politicians sweeping the majority of seats from the sitting Reformists. How did this happen, and why are the results unsurprising? Also, the dreaded coronavirus has made Iran the third largest epicenter of the outbreak - how has the Iranian government been responding to the crisis, and how has it spread so quickly? Phil and Cooper discuss this and more with Ali Ahmadi, a geopolitical analyst based in Tehran.
Extra Listening:
Episode #123, Off the Brink (1/10/20): The Trump administration pulls off a targeted killing of the IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, raising tensions between the US and Iran.
Music: Radio Tehran - “Hamesheh” ( Spotify | Apple Music)
An update on Syria this week; Turkey is lashing out at a Syrian government offensive across the border in the Idlib province, a key Syrian territory of which Turkey has controlled parts of for several years - territory that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is looking to now regain. Why is Turkey so interested in this land, and what’s been the humanitarian cost of these battles over it? Phil and Cooper speak with Turkey Pulse contributor Diego Cupolo from Istanbul, and receive first-hand accounts from Syria Pulse contributor Mohammad al-Khateib from Idlib.
Waves of displacement continue amid Idlib escalation (Mohammed al-Khatieb)
Turkey, Syrian regime at last exit before all-out confrontation (Metin Gurcan)
Turkey's hands tied as Syrian army makes gains in Idlib (Fehim Tastekin)
Erdogan vies for leverage in Syria's Idlib as Turkish troops reinforce positions (Diego Cupolo)
Extra Listening:
Episode #67, Deep Cuts (8/30/2018): Tensions rise in the Idlib province of Syria due to Turkey’s plan to invade.
Episode #110, The Not-So-Safe Zone (8/22/2019): The US and Turkey agree to a buffer zone along the Turkey-Syria border to prevent any military operations against the Kurds.
Music: Bu Kolthoum - “Jouwana” ( Spotify | Apple Music)
So Trump released the final installment of his Israel-Palestine peace plan. But we’ve heard this song before - last year in Bahrain, when his son-in-law Jared Kushner announced an underwhelming “economic peace plan” for propping up Palestine. Those plans fell on deaf ears - so what’s in this new proposal, and what’s in it for both sides of the conflict? Phil and Cooper speak with Al-Monitor columnist and former Israeli peace negotiator Yossi Beilin and Al-Monitor Palestine Pulse columnist Daoud Kuttab to understand the effects of these political gestures from the Trump Administration.
Extra Listening:
Music: Hassan el Shafei - “Galbek Ween” (Spotify | Apple Music)
Protests in Iraq and Lebanon. Censorship in Egypt and Iran. Growing conservatism in Turkey. All of these events are catalysts - both good and bad - for artists in the Middle East. In a change of pace, Phil and Cooper speak with Nazlan Ertan, Al-Monitor’s Culture Editor, to talk about how recent uprisings have provided a special opportunity for protest art, and how governments utilize art and culture to transform their image or instill national pride.
How artistic freedom of expression shrinks in 'new' Egypt (Shahira Amin)
Artists splash Iraqi protests with vivid imagery (Gilgamesh Nabeel)
'Eggupation' breeds revolutionary thinking in Beirut (Euan Ward)
Lebanon's revolutionary art flourishes despite culture sector strike (Nicholas Frakes)
Joker jumps from screen to streets of global revolutions (Nicholas Frakes)
Iran's top cultural event jeopardized by artist boycotts (Saeid Jafari)
The Istanbul Archaeological Museums return, piece by piece (Giuseppe Mancini)
Istanbul's Arter ‘pushing boundaries' of Turkey's art scene (Ayla Jean Yackley)
Music: Cairokee - “Kan Lak Ma’aya” (ft. Umm Kulthum) ( Spotify | Apple Music)
Oman’s leader, Sultan Qaboos, died last week after ruling the country for 50 years. Qaboos is considered the father of modern Oman, so Phil and Cooper explore his life, the coup d’etat that changed his destiny, and the social and economic realities for Omanis under his rule. And what do we know about his successor? Al-Monitor Gulf Pulse contributor Karen Young joins the podcast to lend her expertise on the overlooked Gulf nation and more.
What’s next for Oman following Sultan Qaboos’ death? (Kristian Ulrichsen)
Sell-off in Oman reveals privatization with regional characteristics (Karen Young)
Russia eyes Oman as mediator for regional crises (Kirill Semenov)
Oman minister describes role as 'facilitator' of diplomacy in turbulent region
Oman’s humanitarian aid to Yemen also pragmatic (Sebastian Castelier)
Extra Listening:
Episode #9, Qatar? I Hardly Know Her (6/7/2017): A group of Gulf countries and Egypt place a controversial embargo on Qatar for supporting terrorism and having diplomatic relations with Iran.
Music: Sal Davis - “Sultan Qaboos Song” ( YouTube)
We’re back from holiday break and you probably have a lot of questions: Who was Qasem Soleimani? Why was he assassinated? Will the US and Iran de-escalate these tensions, and what can we expect to happen next? Phil and Cooper deep dive into the last several days of serious escalations between the two countries, answering these questions and more.
What Iran lost with Soleimani’s killing (Ali Hashem)
Soleimani’s assassination unites Iranians (Rohollah Faghihi)
US position in Iraq in jeopardy after strikes (Jack Detsch)
Pro-Iranian militias behind US Embassy attack in Baghdad (Ali Mamouri)
US allies, Democrats express concerns after assassination of Iran’s Soleimani (Laura Rozen)
Iranian missiles strike coalition installations in Iraq (Jack Detsch)
Extra Listening:
Episode #52, JCP-No-Way (5/10/2018): Trump withdraws from the Iran Nuclear Deal.
Episode #64, The Sound of Sanctions (8/10/2018): Phil and Cooper discuss the first round of Trump’s new sanctions on Iran.
Episode #76, The Sound of Sanctions, Part II (11/7/2018): Phil and Cooper speak with Barbara Slavin about the second round of new sanctions, and how they’ve already affected Iran’s economy.
Episode #99, Under Pressure (5/17/2019): Tensions between the US and Iran with threats of military action.
Episode #119, If You Smell What Iraq is Cooking (11/21/2019): Growing protests in Iraq spark concern in the region.
Music: Arash - “Temptation” ( Spotify | Apple Music)
It’s that time of year, folks, whether you’re trying to find the cheapest apple pie in the grocery store or battling parents for the last Turboman doll at a toy store, Phil and Cooper have a show for you! What’s on the horizon for the Middle East in the new year? What about Congress, and the presidential elections? And how about some year-end predictions from some of Al-Monitor’s columnists and contributors? Also, John McLaughlin rises again, and more surprises!
Be sure to check out Al-Monitor’s Election 2020 Coverage by Bryant Harris!
Music: Jean-Marie Riachi - “Jingle Bells” ( Spotify | Apple Music)
We’ve recently covered the protests in Lebanon and Iraq - two countries where Iran remains highly influential. But Iran has been dealing with demonstrations of their own, triggered by a series of austerity measures to try and take pressure off their already-strained economy. What were these measures? What demands have the protesters called for? And will these events have any effect on the political career of their president, Hassan Rouhani? Phil and Cooper discuss this and more, along with Al-Monitor Iran Pulse contributor Sarbas Nazari.
Reduction in Iran's gasoline subsidy sparks anti-government protests
Tehran says protests subsiding as internet blackout drags on
Will Iran’s 50% gas price hike pay off for the economy? (Bijan Khajehpour)
How Iran's protests could impact foreign policy (Hamidreza Azizi)
How Iran's hard-liners tried to ride wave of protests (Rohollah Faghihi)
Extra Listening:
Episode #52, JCP-No-Way (5/10/2018): Trump withdraws from the Iran Nuclear Deal.
Episode #64, The Sound of Sanctions (8/10/2018): Phil and Cooper discuss the first round of Trump’s new sanctions on Iran.
Episode #76, The Sound of Sanctions, Part II (11/7/2018): Phil and Cooper speak with Barbara Slavin about the second round of new sanctions, and how they’ve already affected Iran’s economy.
Episode #99, Under Pressure (5/17/2019): Tensions between the US and Iran with threats of military action.
Music: Leila Forouhar - “Jolene” ( Spotify | Apple Music)
The podcast currently has 134 episodes available.