POINT COUNTERPOINT - a new miniseries for The Beirut Banyan podcast.

An exchange on political affairs impacting Lebanon and the Middle East, from a unique vantage point in Beirut.

Co-hosted by Bashshar Haydar (professor of philosophy at AUB) and Michael Young (senior editor at Carnegie’s Middle East Center and editor of Diwan) - Beirut-based analysts sharing their nuanced perspectives while honing in on particular disagreements.

Moderated by Ronnie Chatah.

Episode 1 hones in on two issues: (1) Western double standards vis-a-vis foreign policy and humanitarian intervention, and (2) the question of criticism during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Stay tuned for more episodes later this summer.

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Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:05 (Part 1) Western double standards

7:06 Liberal democracy

13:14 Nationalism

18:20 Intervention

24:05 Public opinion

30:33 Massacres & double standards

38:18 (Part 2) Question of criticism & Hamas

42:38 Justification vs political objectives

48:48 Accountability

52:28 Hamas calculations

56:55 US engagement