Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast

045 - Will The Gulf States Make It?

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:25:00 +0100

We recorded this episode in the middle of one of the most consequential moments in the history of this region. In this episode, we ask the question on everyone's mind: "Do the Gulf States Have a Future?" Not in the next news cycle, but in the next generation.

We look at what the current war on Iran has exposed: the structural fragilities of these states, their rentier economies, their tiny citizen populations, and their deep dependence on migrant labour.

And we talk about why states under duress don't reform - they just become more of what they already are. Also, if you're watching this on YouTube - KULNA is our new editorial platform for longform thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next. Visit the link below to support us: kulna.co

044 - The Logic of Endless War

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0100

It's been four years since our last episode — and we're back with something bigger.

In this episode, recorded before the ceasefire announcement, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash break down the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran - a war that looks irrational from Washington, but it starts to make sense as an Israeli-driven war the United States was pulled into.

We trace the settler-colonial psychology behind Israeli strategic thinking, how October 7th shattered the illusion of a managed conflict with the Palestinians, and why Israel is now locked into open-ended war with no off-ramp — driven not by one leader but by a broad political consensus and a fear that the window of unconditional American support is closing.

We also look at Iran's regime resilience, why external attack tends to strengthen rather than weaken the IRGC's grip, and what a prolonged war means for Gulf economies built on foreign labour and energy rents. No clear positive outcome is on the horizon, and regional escalation remains a serious risk.

This episode also marks the beginning of something new. The Arab Tyrant Manual is becoming part of Kulna — a new editorial platform for long thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next.

Links

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043 - Ukraine is Dividing the Gulf States from the West

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:00:00 +0100

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused global energy prices to spike, the US looked to its traditional gulf partners to increase supply. However, Mohamed bin Zayed and Mohamed bin Salman chose not to - refusing President Joe Biden's calls and even raising prices, whilst making overt gestures of support for Putin.

In this episode, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss how the war in Ukraine has pushed a wedge between the US and its traditionally-close gulf allies, and what this means for the future of the Middle East.

Episode timetags:

02:40 - The economic context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

04:40 - Alternative sources of energy & autocracies

08:00 - The gulf oil producers are acting differently

09:30 - Why Saudi's reaction is a bad idea

12:30 - Changing dictatorships through economic engagement

14:00 - Europe's reaction to war & the dictators' underestimations

18:20 - The shift in relationships from unconditional to transactional

21:00 - MBS taking political changes personally

23:55 - The Atlantic interview, disinformation, and MBS' continued self-owns

27:30 - US security guarantee isn't in doubt, but it's not enough

33:25 - The failure of dictatorship as a management system

38:10 - Is Saudi Arabia maximising profit for its national budget?

Support the Arab Tyrant Manual on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi

Our other podcast, Intergalactic Tarboush: http://tarboush.co/

042 - Working for Libyan Accountability, with Elham Saudi

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 16:01:00 +0100

In this episode, Ahmed Gatnash speaks to Elham Saudi, co-founder and director of Lawyers for Justice in Libya, about the fight for accountability and how human rights defenders can work towards accountability in areas that are ordinarily pushed to the sidelines.

Elham can be found on Twitter (@elham_lfjl) and at libyanjustice.org (@LibyanJustice). They publish the Libya Matters podcast, and created the Ali Nouh fund, which provides emergency assistance to human rights defenders who are at risk due to their work. You can donate to the fund here: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/15937#!/DonationDetails

Support the Arab Tyrant Manual on Patreon, where you can find a bonus clip from this conversation: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi

041 - Authors' Retrospective of the The Middle East Crisis Factory

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed interview each other about their own book, The Middle East Crisis Factory. They discuss the origin and context of the book, detail various struggles that were overcome through the writing process, and share their reflections on the project 12 months on from its publication.

Buy The Middle East Crisis Factory: https://menacrisisfactory.com/

Support the Arab Tyrant Manual on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi

Our other podcast, Intergalactic Tarboush: http://tarboush.co/

Episode timetags:

03:15 - What was your motivation in writing the book?

13:40 - Were you trying to influence policy?

19:35 - Why was this difficult to write for you?

20:20 - A quick summary of the "Vicious Triangle"

29:40 - What do you like about the book and what did you dislike?

34:50 - Which part of the book was most important to you?

38:15 - What would you do differently if you wrote it again?

40:00 - Who do you want this book to be read by?

41:50 - What do you want the reader to walk away having understood?

45:30 - If this book is the start of a conversation, what would you want that conversation to be?

49:00 - What worries you about this book, as the author?

040 - The Middle East Crisis Factory: an Interview on Gaslit Nation

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0100

This is a repost of an interview on the Gaslit Nation podcast, hosted by Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa. Iyad discusses the origin of the Middle East Crisis Factory book, the context of the Middle East's struggle for democracy in the world, and how that shapes the work of Kawaakibi Foundation.

Find the Gaslit Nation podcast online: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/ and on Twitter: @sarahkendzior, @AndreaChalupa and @gaslitnation

Buy The Middle East Crisis Factory: https://menacrisisfactory.com/

Support the Arab Tyrant Manual on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi

039 - The Changing Activism Paradigm

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:56:00 +0100

Iyad and Ahmed discuss human rights and political activism around the world, and why it seems to fail so often.

Follow us on Twitter @ArabTyrantMan, and join our Patreon to support our work and gain access to exclusive clips and pre-release episodes: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi

Episode Time tags:

2:00 – Feelings of pointlessness in human rights activism

4:30 – "Folk politics"

6:00 – Trump, pandemic & a new phase in geopolitics

10:00 – How do we continue human rights work into the future

16:30 – Creating solutions & tools

20:00 – Incrementalism vs radical change

26:00 – Centring people, not policy

31:30 – Outdated outlooks & ineptitude

36:00 – Climate change as a global crisis

41:00 – Changing politics & spheres of influence

43:00 – Legal challenges, boycotts & sanctions

50:00 – Establishing a theory of change

56:00 – Raising awareness vs creating change

59:00 – Thinking systemically rather than specifically

1:01:00 – Demonstrating leadership in human rights

038 - Changing Horizons

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0100

A continuation of the previous episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss new changes in world politics, human rights activism and the podcast!

Follow us on Twitter @ArabTyrantMan and join our Patreon to support our work and gain access to exclusive clips and pre-release episodes.

Episode timestamps:

0:30 - The growth of Arab Tyrant Manual

5:00 - Overhauling the western democratic paradigm

10:00 - Evolving from defensive human rights work into active powerbuilding

14:30 - Understanding & targeting trauma in the MENA

17:20 - The scope of ATM; looking back, looking forward

21:00 - Updates on podcast releases and publications

23:00 - Redefining 'long-term' objectives

27:10 - Developments in our content; shifting to visual media

29:20 - A message of gratitude to our audience

037 - The Podcast Returns

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0100

Iyad and Ahmed kickstart the podcast again after a long hiatus - with updates on various developments at the Kawaakibi Foundation, in their personal lives and in global human rights.

Follow us on Twitter @ArabTyrantMan and join our Patreon to support our work and gain access to exclusive clips and pre-release episodes.

Episode timestamps:

0:30 - Intro to episode

1:30 - Changes to ATM, plus Intergalactic Tarboush, a new podcast!

3:00 - Why we went off the radar - being hunted by MBS

7:55 - New book - 'The Middle East Crisis Factory'

8:45 - Personal updates - graduating PTSD

10:00 - Growing from small team to organisation - financial sustainability

15:15 - Changes in global politics - Trump, Israel, Sudan

23:55 - Mohammad Bin Salman and changes in perception

25:15 - US withdrawal from the Middle East

32:00 - Updates on China - socioeconomics and power

33:00 - Looking forward - global crises and revolutions - maintaining momentum

036 - What does Justice For Jamal Khashoggi look like?

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:55:41 +0100

Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss the release of the ODNI report confirming US intelligence's conclusion that MBS directly ordered the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Now that two years of gaslighting by the Trump administration are finally over, we can turn to the important question: what does justice for Jamal look like? Iyad's article in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/26/saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-mbs-biden-freedom-of-expression/?arc404=true Find us on Twitter at @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash and @arabtyrantman. Support our work: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

035 - The Xinjiang Victims Database, with Gene Bunin

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:15:10 +0100

In this episode, Ahmed talks to Gene Bunin, founder of the Xinjiang Victims Database - a unique initiative to track the crimes being committed against individuals in the western region of China and investigate the fate of those missing. Find the database online at: https://shahit.biz/ https://twitter.com/shahitbiz Find us on Twitter at @gatnash and @arabtyrantman. Support our work: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

034 - Reflections on the podcast, US elections and the future...

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 23:48:28 +0100

Ahmed Gatnash and Iyad El-Baghdadi reflect about the podcast, how far it's come, and plans for the future, as well as discussing Joe Biden's election victory and Trump's defeat, and what they mean for the MENA region and the global struggle for human rights. Support our work on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

033 - The Left's Tribal Anti-Imperialism

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 02:21:41 +0100

In September, Ahmed spoke to Joey Ayoub, Lebanese writer and researcher, about tankies, genocide denial, red-brown alliances and the uncomfortable affinity between large parts of the political left and authoritarianism. Find Joey on Twitter @joeyayoub, and us at @gatnash and @arabtyrantman. Support our work: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi For full show notes, including all mentioned articles and links, go to: https://arabtyrantmanual.com/atm-033-the-lefts-tribal-anti-imperialism/

032 - Lebanon vs Sectarian Warlord Oligarchy

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:15:03 +0100

Ahmed talks to Timour Azhari and Joey Ayoub about the massive popular movement against the entire political order which has rocked Lebanon for over 2 weeks. It has led to the end of the government already, but can it achieve the real goal - total systemic change? Catch our guests on Twitter: https://twitter.com/timourazhari https://twitter.com/joeyayoub Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/kawaakibi

031 - Lessons from Egypt's latest protests

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 15:16:07 +0100

Ahmed Gatnash speaks about the recent protests in Egypt, which surprised almost everyone but show that the lessons of 2011 have still not been fully absorbed. For a text version of the article: https://arabtyrantmanual.com/9-lessons-from-egypt/ Support our work: https://www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

030 - Is Your Phone Safe? Inside Saudi's Phone Hacking Scandal

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 16:41:36 +0100

Human Rights Foundation and Arab Tyrant Manual present this panel from this year's Oslo Freedom Forum, in which Iyad el-Baghdadi and Karen Attiah discuss the Saudi government's use of surveillance software. They go into detail on Jamal Khashoggi and his legacy, as well as the hack of Jeff Bezos and what activists can do to keep safe. Support us for more: patreon.com/kawaakibi You can find our partners the Human Rights Foundation here: hrf.org

029 - Art vs Repression, from Egypt to Hong Kong - with Amr Waked & Denise Ho

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:35:50 +0100

Celebrities are notoriously shy of politics, advised to stay neutral for the sake of their careers. But what do you do when you can no longer be silent? Denise Ho, a singer and actress from Hong Kong, and Amr Waked, an Egyptian actor, discuss their journeys into activism, what it meant for their careers, the regimes they fight against and how their art plays a role. Denise and Amr can be found on Twitter (@hoccgoomusic and @amrwaked). Support us: http://patreon.com/kawaakibi

028 - In the Mirror: What Went Wrong with the Arab Spring?

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 18:46:26 +0100

At the Oslo Freedom Forum last year, 7 activists from the Arab region found ourselves in a room together. This is the discussion which followed - on identity, exile, activism, trauma and healing, whether the Arab Spring failed, and different visions of what the future holds. It was nuanced and surprisingly self-critical, but there was no cynicism or defeatism in the room - just the maturity of taking the long term view, as we recalibrate for the future. Mentioned in this episode: Asma's OFF speech https://oslofreedomforum.com/talks/what-happened-to-libyas-revolution Wael Ghonim's OFF speech https://oslofreedomforum.com/talks/the-future-of-egypt Ahmed's blog on what the OFF means to us https://www.patreon.com/posts/27117847 Remember, listener support is our main source of backing and it means far more to us than any institutional grant ever could, because it enables us to stay independent as activists and unbeholden to anything but our principles. Make your pledge: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

027 - Iyad's Statement on Saudi Threats

Mon, 20 May 2019 17:06:19 +0100

This episode is a recording of Iyad El-Baghdadi's recent press conference, in which he speaks about the recent revelations from intelligence agencies that the Saudi government potentially poses a threat to his life. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/07/cia-warns-arab-activist-of-potential-threat-from-saudi-arabia You can find a video version of the press conference and a transcript here: https://arabtyrantmanual.com/videos/iyad-el-baghdadis-statement-in-press-conference-about-saudi-threats/ If they want to kill us, we must be doing something right. Our NGO is small and volunteer-driven, but incredibly impactful, and every dollar of your help counts - our audience are our primary funders, and that helps us stay independent. To support us, go to patreon.com/kawaakibi or donate on Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=efUnmQWmPsjyUiQtW6_QDVckQg_jsZermMDSmq_kxR6ViZjTri_Ur_JZKdF2arTv-hmDo0

026 - The Power of Nonviolence, with Jamila Raqib

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:45:50 +0100

What is the purpose of nonviolence? What are its limits? Surely it couldn't work against someone as brutal as the Nazis...could it? In this episode, Iyad and Ahmed speak to Jamila Raqib, Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution - an organisation dedicated to advance the worldwide study and strategic use of nonviolent action. She tells us about working with Professor Gene Sharp, what issues are on the cutting edge of nonviolence, and future problems for nonviolent movements. You can find Jamila on Twitter @JamilaRaqib. If you enjoyed this episode, we have plans for a lot more on this topic. Support us on Patreon and be the first to hear about them! www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

025 - Bombs, Ballots and Bullets: the Battle for Libya's Future

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 21:53:21 +0100

Ahmed Gatnash (@gatnash) discusses Libya with Nadine Dahan (@NadineDahan), a journalist and independent analyst focussed on Libya, human rights and transitional justice in the MENA region. As well as analysing the current crisis, started by Haftar's attempt to invade the capital Tripoli, they also provide a run-down of what's happened Libya since 2011 and how it came to be this bad - armed militias, terrorist groups, coups, rival parliaments, allegations of slavery, a dozen international parties and a UN-sponsored diplomatic reconciliation initiative. Support us on Patreon, where you can also access a bonus recording discussing disinformation on traditional and social media in Libya: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

024 - Why There Are Few Ex-Presidents in Africa

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:54:59 +0100

Abderrahmane Weddady, the brother of regular Arab Tyrant Manual contributor Nasser Weddady, has been charged with "spreading fake news" and jailed pending trial in his home country of Mauritania. His crime? Revealing a massive Ponzi scheme which cost 7000 families their homes, and uncovering direct links to the president's family. In this episode, Nasser tells us about his brother and what he uncovered. For updates to the case, follow Nasser on Twitter - @weddady. You can also find out more from his writing on our website: https://arabtyrantmanual.com/articles/a-medieval-trial-for-whistleblowers/ Our podcast depends on our listeners' support - help us keep doing what we do, amplifying voices of liberty and human rights in the region and beyond: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

023 - Raed Fares: The Man Who Built a Civil Society in a War Zone

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 14:12:38 +0100

On Friday, November 23nd, Raed Fares was assassinated in northern Syria by masked gunmen suspected of being affiliated with al-Qaeda. This episode features an interview we recorded with him at the Oslo Freedom Forum in 2017, in which he told us what the Syrian revolution meant to him, and why he would not give up hope. Raed will be remembered forever as a visionary, and this interview shows why. You can find a video version of the interview on our website, with a transcript (coming soon) in English and Arabic: https://arabtyrantmanual.com/videos/interview-with-raed-fares-the-man-who-built-a-civil-society-in-a-warzone%E2%80%8B/ Raed Fares' Oslo Freedom Forum speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlWt-kI7_LQ You can also read Iyad's obituary of Raed in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/11/27/remembering-raed-fares-who-believed-that-syria-would-be-saved-by-its-people/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.befa532c3304

022 - Fauré Must Go!

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 13:50:30 +0100

In Togo, protests are gathering steam against the 50-year rule of the Gnassingbé family. In this episode, Farida Nabourema, a blogger and human rights activist who has been a fearless critic of corruption, dictatorship and colonialism, tells Iyad and Ahmed about the Fauré Must Go movement. We may call this the Arab Tyrant Manual, but that certainly doesn't limit it to Arabs as this episode shows. Follow Farida on Twitter @Farida_N, and find us there too - @gatnash and @iyad_elbaghdadi. Join the discussion on #ArabTyrantManual and support us by sharing this episode, or contributing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

021 - Is There a Light at the End of 2019's Tunnel?

Sat, 23 Feb 2019 23:03:17 +0100

Ahmed and Iyad do a roundup of major news from 2018, and discuss the outlook for the world in 2019. Where were we vindicated over the last year? Which countries will have popular uprisings this year? Why are Arab countries normalising relations with Assad again after 8 years of brutality? What are the big corruption scandals we're anticipating? And is there a light at the end of the tunnel after repression? Mentioned in this episode: - Iyad's Oslo Freedom Forum speech https://youtu.be/a2cIm-a_sfc - The crazy animation of Saudi Arabia attacking Iran, disseminated by accounts linked to the government https://youtu.be/9selhGBPdek Get access to bonus recordings, exclusive updates on our work and more by supporting us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

020 - Sudan, Mother of Arab Revolutions

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 15:22:45 +0100

Sudan is in the middle of an uprising. That alone is notable, but Sudan is also one of the most fascinating and under-studied countries in the region, and has had more successful uprisings than any other country in the MENA region. In this episode, Ahmed @gatnash and @Anas_Abdalla take a historical dive into all the steps that have led to this juncture, from the lightest to the dark - from independence and through the coups, uprisings and civil wars. Ahmed's follow recommendations on Twitter: @YousraElbagir @BSonblast @MujtabaaMusaa (Arabic @NesrineMalik @khalidalbaih @idris_razan @ReemWrites Hashtags: #SudanUprising, #Sudan_revolts Hatim al-Tai's comprehensive timeline on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Sudan/comments/a86v88/revolution_of_the_hungry%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B9_news_and/ Support our podcast, and get access to over an hour of deleted material from this discussion: https://www.patreon.com/kawaakibi

019 - The Kawaakibi Foundation Story

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 14:53:28 +0100

In this very special episode, we go through the history of our project from the early days of the Arab Spring through to the present. Our project is a child of the Arab spring, and if you're interested in the evolution of resistance, this is a must listen. On this New Year's Eve we're also taking a big step forward in launching our Patreon, which we hope will allow us to scale up, institutionalise, expand our team and become more regular. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kawaakibi Transcript: https://kawaakibi.org/ourstory/

018 - The End Of Arab History

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 18:55:01 +0100

Ahmed and Iyad discuss the aftermath of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and current narratives around authoritarianism in the Middle East. Has Mohammed Bin Salman won? Is the Arab spring over? Is the current state of repression in the Arab world a sustainable "new normal"? Mentioned in the episode: The Arab Winter is Coming - Hassan Hassan https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/11/where-us-middle-east/574747/ The Next Arab Uprising - Marwan Muasher https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2018-10-15/next-arab-uprising The Final Speech from The Great Dictator - Charlie Chaplin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GY1Xg6X20&vl=en

017 - Where is Jamal Khashoggi?

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 13:35:59 +0100

Jamal Khashoggi, the veteran Saudi journalist and former royal advisor, is missing and presumed kidnapped. He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. In this episode we replay a conversation Jamal had with Ahmed, Iyad and Nasser at the Oslo Freedom Forum earlier this year to understand more about Jamal and why this might be happening. More information from the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/where-is-jamal-khashoggi/2018/10/04/2681e000-c7f7-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html?utm_term=.4f7df6f64fcb A link to the UpFront episode with Mehdi Hasan from the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGRak6QvDp8

016 - Mauritania's Democratic Tipping Point?

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 17:38:27 +0100

Where in the world could you find out that your deceased grandfather voted in a constitutional referendum 3 years after he died? In this episode, Ahmed and Nasser discuss the recent elections in Mauritania, in which an empowered opposition threaten to undo President Ould Abdelaziz' hopes for a constitutional amendment to allow himself third turn. Nasser's (extremely long) Twitter thread, on which this episode was based, makes for good side-reading: https://twitter.com/weddady/status/1035887360913956864 Tweet your thoughts to us on #ArabTyrantManual, or @gatnash and @weddady Music for this episode is from the album Moorish Music From Mauritania by Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba(1990) Thumbnail image: ballot boxes from a voting bureau in Mauritania's vast interior being transported, a reminder to those who have the luxury of a functioning democracy not to take their votes for granted. Photo credit: unknown. Errata: There are 184 seats of parliament, not 147 as stated.

015 - How Gary Lineker Once Helped an Innocent Iranian Prisoner

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 18:01:50 +0100

How do you get one of the world's most beloved ex-footballers to speak out about an innocent political prisoner in Iran? In this episode (part 2 of a 2-part show), Iyad El-Baghdadi and Maryam Nayeb Yazdi talk about a campaign they ran for Arash Sadeghi, and what activists can learn from it. Maryam can be found on Twitter at @MaryamNayebYazd. Iyad and Ahmed can be found at @iyad_elbaghdadi and @gatnash. Tweet us, or join the conversation on #ArabTyrantMan.

014 - Inside the Iran Bubble, with Maryam Nayeb Yazdi

Sat, 18 Aug 2018 19:50:16 +0100

In this episode (part 1 of another 2-part show), Iyad El-Baghdadi (Twitter: @iyad_elbaghdadi) interviews Maryam Nayeb Yazdi (Twitter: @MaryamNayebYazd), a Canadian-Iranian human rights activist, about her journey into activism, and she tells us more about the country since 2009. Maryam has joined the team of HRANA, who publicise human rights news from Iran, and you should follow them too - their Twitter account is @HRANA_English Stay tuned for part 2 in the next few days.

013 - Can Debate Save the Arab World?

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 23:10:58 +0100

A discussion between Belabbes Benkredda, Founding Director of the Munathara Initiative, and Iyad El-Baghdadi, Nasser Weddady and Ahmed Gatnash, on the public sphere, what teaching young people to debate can do for the world, and how to normalise civilised exchange of ideas and evaluation of them on their merits. Belabbes is currently Senior Research Scholar at Yale Law School's Information Society Project, and can be found on Twitter (@AbuLavinia). The Munathara Initiative (@Munathara) can be found at http://www.munathara.com/

012 - The Absentee Landlord of Cambodia's Internet?

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 23:01:05 +0100

Part 2 of the conversation with Buzzfeed News' Megha Rajagopalan, continuing the discussion on China but also touching on the effects of Facebook on various South Asian countries like Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, including amplifying communal violence, and inadvertently empowering autocrats. The BBC video mentioned near the end of the episode: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1HdCIW2Xtk You can find Megha on Twitter (@Meghara), and you should also check out her reporting on the issues mentioned at Buzzfeed: www.buzzfeed.com/meghara Listen to her Oslo Freedom Forum talk here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V03v0jc88Qo

011 - China: The Police State of the Future

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 21:23:49 +0100

Part 1 of a meandering conversation between Ahmed and Megha Rajagopalan, BuzzFeed News' China bureau chief and Asia correspondent, about surveillance and censorship in China - the high-tech police state they've built, WeChat and other tech companies, Chinese memes, the effect it's having on other south Asian countries, as well as comparisons and contrasts to Arab states. You can find Megha on Twitter @Meghara: https://twitter.com/meghara And you should also check out her reporting on the issues mentioned at Buzzfeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/meghara Listen to her Oslo Freedom Forum talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V03v0jc88Qo AP News article mentioned on Uighur fighting in Syria: https://apnews.com/79d6a427b26f4eeab226571956dd256e BBC on facial recognition https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-china-42248056/in-your-face-china-s-all-seeing-state Economist profile: https://www.economist.com/briefing/2018/05/31/china-has-turned-xinjiang-into-a-police-state-like-no-other

010 - Dictators and Development Statistics

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 19:49:15 +0100

We attended the Oslo Freedom Forum last month. Ahmed (@Gatnash) sat down with Alex Gladstein (@Gladstein) to get an introduction to the forum, and speak about their goals and some of their achievements, as well as some of Alex's research on dictatorships use of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and other development statistics. You can follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gladstein Some of his writings on the UN SDGs and other development statistics: https://qz.com/1299149/how-the-uns-sustainable-development-goals-undermine-democracy/ https://newrepublic.com/article/148133/dictators-love-development-statistics Check out talks from the Oslo Freedom Forum here: https://oslofreedomforum.com

009 - The Catch-22 of Arab Economic Reform

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 07:46:13 +0100

In this conversation, Ahmed and Nasser discuss the Catch-22 of economic reform in the Arab World - the conflicting pressures on regional governments from established business interests and burgeoning youth populations create a true 'rock and a hard place' and allow us to understand much better the situation in Jordan, as well as the economic reforms in Saudi Arabia and possibly even predict what's going to happen in other countries.

Alert: The Saudi Regime Declares War on Women's Rights Activism

Mon, 21 May 2018 22:12:37 +0100

An emergency episode about the 9 women's rights activists arrested in Saudi Arabia in the last week. They are: Dr Eman al-Nafjan, Loujain al-Hathloul, Dr Aisha al-Mana', Dr Madeha Al-Ajroush, Professor Aziza Al-Yousef, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Modaimeegh, Mohammad Al-Rabea and Abdulaziz Al-Mesha’al. You can find out more about them here, courtesy of Al-Qst, the Saudi human rights abuses monitoring organisation: https://alqst.org/eng/top-names-in-saudi-human-rights-movement/ Find out more about the Saudi "reforms" and what they mean for activism here: https://soundcloud.com/arabtyrantmanual/episode-001 Thanks to Sahar al-Faifi for joining us at short notice, and the activists who helped behind the scenes because they couldn't publicly. Follow us on Twitter for updates: @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash, @ArabTyrantMan

007 - Inside the UAE-Saudi Alliance

Sun, 29 Apr 2018 20:20:43 +0100

In this experimental episode format, Iyad gives his take on the dynamics of the UAE-Saudi alliance and the possibility of fractures appearing. Let us know your thoughts, and join the conversation on #ArabTyrantManual

006 - The Arab World Won't Fix Itself

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 17:36:03 +0100

A wide-ranging conversation in which Ahmed Gatnash and guest Nasser Weddady, touching on American air strikes on Syria, coup-proofing, Syrian regime relations with Nazis, emergent models of digital surveillance in China and the gulf, the Arab league, the perks of allying with authoritarian regimes and the long-term prospects of the Arab world. Find us on twitter at @Gatnash and @Weddady, and join the conversation on #ArabTyrantManual

005 - Nonviolence

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 21:33:14 +0100

Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss nonviolent resistance to oppression - realistic mechanism of change or idealistic and ineffective? What is it, and how does it apply to different struggles today? Got any thoughts or questions? Tweet us @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash. #ArabTyrantManual

004 -Scholars and Tyrants

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 16:39:08 +0100

Ahmed and Iyad talk about #globalpeace17 and Muslim scholars who legitimise and support tyrants. Why they do so, and what does this mean both for the Muslim world and for Islam? People mentioned in this episode: Womens rights activists Loujain alhathloul and Masyaa Al Amoudi (@LoujainHathloul and @maysaaX), Salman al-Odah (@salman_alodah), Hassan Farhan al-Maliki (@HsnFrhanALmalki), Mustafa Akyol (@AkyolinEnglish) and Emad Effat. Join the discussion on Twitter #ArabTyrantManual or tweet us @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash.

003 - Iran Protests

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:22:14 +0100

Ahmed and Iyad discuss the protests in Iran, what they're about, and what they mean for the future. Mentioned in this episode: Jamal Khashoggi's article on Saudi's response: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/01/03/why-saudi-arabias-crown-prince-should-be-worried-about-irans-protests/?utm_term=.ac5f657069b0 And Iran activist Maryam Nayeb Yazdi: https://twitter.com/maryamnayebyazd Got any thoughts or questions? Tweet us: https://twitter.com/iyad_elbaghdadi https://twitter.com/gatnash #arabtyrantmanual

002 – Saudi Reforms (Part 2)

Sat, 02 Dec 2017 14:11:48 +0100

In episode 2, Ahmed and Iyad continue the discussion on Saudi Arabia. Obama's legacy, what's behind it's regional rivalry with Iran, and how can their historical differences tell us more about their wordviews. How can we fix the crises we're in at the moment? Got any thoughts or questions? Tweet us @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash. #ArabTyrantManual

001 – Saudi Reforms (Part 1)

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:36:45 +0100

In our first episode, Iyad and Ahmed discuss the recent events in Saudi Arabia, and what Mohammed bin Salman's reforms mean in context. Got any thoughts? Tweet us @iyad_elbaghdadi, @gatnash. #ArabTyrantManual