The Deep Dive with Andy Heintz

This is Part 2 of my interview with author and political writer Robin Yassin-Kassab. For those of you who missed the first episode, Robin is the co-author along with Leila al-Shami of of the excellent, important and deeply moving book Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War. He is also author of the novel The Road From Damascus. Robin's writings have appeared in the Guardian, The New Arab, Al Jazeera and the New Humanitarian. In this episode, Robin and I discussed common misconceptions about the Syrian revolution and why it failed to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad; how the working and middle class Syrian suburb of Daraya, known for it's delicious grapes, became a symbol of the Syrian revolution; what grassroot democratic movements from below have inspired Robin ;and why he considers himself to be anti-fascist and anti-genocide. Robin's principled support for universal rights and consistent opposition to crimes against humanity and genocide no matter who is the victim and who is the oppressor is as vital as ever in a world where global politics is too often tainted by selective outrage, intentional amnesia and double standards. This interview was conducted June 14, 2024.

Writer and author Robin Yassin-Kassab talks with me about how U.S. support for Israel in Gaza further undermines an international order already struggling under the weight of its own double standards and internal contradictions. Robin and I also discuss the perils of selective outrage and how it has undermined the principles of universalism, and led to paralysis and complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity in places like Syria and Gaza. Robin also discusses the legacy of the Syrian Revolution including some of the main figures whose courage, creativity, and decency embodied the revolution's emancipatory character and democratic potential. Robin and Leila Al-Shami are co-authors of the book Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War. Robin is the author of the novel The Road from Damascus. Robin's articles have appeared in The Guardian, The New Arab, Foreign Policy and other publications. He co-edits www.pulsemedia.org and blogs and www.qunfuz.com.