What Happened to Syria?

2023 Christmas Special (aka “Don’t Cut Aid to Syria! And other countries!”)

Merry Christmas!

Sadly, the World Food Program has had their funding cut by 60 percent.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-scale-down-operations-syria-donors-gather-brussels-ahead-major-conference

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/tight-funding-forces-wfp-reduce-food-assistance-syrian-refugees-jordan-including-camps

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/venezuela-situation

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/dr-congo-emergency

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/a-record-6-9-million-people-have-been-displaced-in-congos-growing-conflict-the-u-n-says

 

https://www.iom.int/news/record-high-displacement-drc-nearly-7-million

 

https://www.cfr.org/blog/catastrophic-displacement-democratic-republic-congo

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/syria-emergency

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/ukraine-emergency

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency 

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/afghanistan-emergency 

 

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/how-many-refugees/2/ 

 

https://www.kiva.org/blog/where-do-refugees-come-from-and-where-do-they-go 

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272999/refugees-by-source-country/ 

 

https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/forced-to-flee-top-countries-refugees-coming-from

 

https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/

 

https://concernusa.org/news/largest-refugee-crises/

 

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230620-key-figures-record-high-numbers-of-refugees-and-displaced-people-worldwide 

 

https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-44-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-Jerusalem?__cf_chl_tk=jT9ELr.V5lDgrzvo7UkBg1AN_dvJ8Gin0VBYa_LtOR4-1703204552-0-gaNycGzNIVA

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-tent-city-rafah-bombardment-sheets-buckets-rcna129543

 

https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-facts

 

https://www.unhcr.org/us/emergencies/rohingya-emergency 

 

https://www.wfp.org/news/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-face-grim-choices-more-cuts-food-assistance-imminent 

 

Episode 15 (Full) - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011)

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades. This prompts Bashar al-Assad to authorize a campaign of repression across Syria, among the earliest of his crimes against humanity.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/). Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

Episode 15D - Seven Million Protestors

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

Also, we are currently listed among the Top Five Syria-related podcasts on Feedspot.com https://podcasts.feedspot.com/syria_podcasts/. Check us out there and help us get up to the #1 spot. 

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

Episode 15C - Crimes Against Humanity

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

Sources / Quotes:

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

Episode 15B - Ibrahim Qashoush’s Revolutionary Song

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

 

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

 

Sources / Quotes:

 

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

 

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

 

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

 

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

 

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

 

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

 

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

 

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

 

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student 

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html 

 

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI 

 

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 

 

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 

 

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

Episode 15A - Lost Legitimacy

We're breaking up Episode 15 - Crimes Against Humanity (June 24 to July 31, 2011) into four smaller episodes before putting out the full thing.

 

The Assad regime starts to crack under the pressure of increasingly large, passionate, cross-sectarian protests. Millions of people are taking to the streets and voicing dissent for the first time in their lives, putting the regime's legitimacy in doubt for the first time in decades.

 

Sources / Quotes:

 

Civil War in Syria by Baczko, et. al

 

The Impossible Revolution by Yassin al-Haj Saleh

 

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled by Dr. Wendy Pearlman

 

Assad or We Burn the Country by Sam Dagher

 

Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War by Robin Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami

 

A Woman in the Crossfire by Samar Yazbek

 

Syria by Dr. David Lesch

 

Shatter the Nations by Mike Giglio

 

“Syrian Revolution Song,” The Arabic Student 

http://www.thearabicstudent.com/2012/02/syrian-revolution-song.html 

 

Syrian Revolutionary Dabke - YouTube (“Yalla Erhal ya Bashar” by Ibrahim Qashoush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI 

 

“Amnesty accuses Syria of crimes against humanity,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14032765 

 

“Syria: Assad no longer legitimate, says Clinton,” BBC News 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14115762 

 

“At least 30 killed in factional fighting in Syria” by Mariam Karouney and Oliver Holmes, Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-syria-idUKTRE76F26V20110718?edition-redirect=uk

2022 Christmas Special (This Podcast is Still Alive)

Explaining the absence and examining the Syrian refugee crisis, as well as the situation for refugees across the world in 2022.

Sources / Quotes:

“Boat carrying Syrian refugees lands in Southern Italy,” Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-italy-boat-idUSBRE8780L720120809 

 

“Syria Refugee Crisis Explained,” The UN Refugee Agency

https://www.unrefugees.org/news/syria-refugee-crisis-explained/#:~:text=More%20than%206.8%20million%20Syrians,in%20T%C3%BCrkiye%2C%20Lebanon%20and%20Jordan. 

 

“Eleven years on, mounting challenges push many displaced Syrians to the brink,” The UN Refugee Agency

https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/briefing/2022/3/623055174/eleven-years-mounting-challenges-push-displaced-syrians-brink.html 

 

“You’re Going to Your Death: Violations Against Syrian Refugees Returning to Syria,” Amnesty International

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/4583/2021/en/ 

 

“Afghanistan: How many refugees are there and where will they go?” BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58283177 

 

“Displacement, humanitarian needs surging inside Afghanistan and across region,” UN News

https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1111532 

 

“What is Next For Afghans Who Fled to the United States?” Rescue.org

https://www.rescue.org/article/what-next-afghans-who-fled-united-states 

 

“Floods, fighting, and famine: Inside South Sudan’s triple crisis,” by Sam Mednick, The New Humanitarian

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2021/2/8/floods-fighting-famine-south-sudan-crisis 

 

“The Incredible Story of Task Force Pineapple,” History in Five, YouTube.com 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV2CFvzewrA

 

“Irpin’s Bridge of Death,” by Oz Katerji, New Lines Magazine

https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/irpins-bridge-of-death/ 

 

UNLOCKED - BONUS EPISODE 15 - Calluses on the Soul: Bernd Debusmann reflects on war reporting in Lebanon and Syria

Bernd Debusmann was a young Reuters bureau chief when Lebanon imploded into civil war and anarchy in the 1970s, during which Syria and Hafez al-Assad became intimately involved the conflict.

 

This talented and daring journalist took to war-torn Beirut like a duck to water, risking his life to interview combatants on all sides and civilians caught in the cross-fire, eventually running afoul of the Assad regime for reporting on their intervention in Lebanon and atrocities committed in Syria.

 

This prompted Syrian intelligence officers to threaten his life. Several Western journalists fled Lebanon after receiving similar death threats, but Bernd stubbornly refused to be intimidated. The Assad regime then resorted to, "censorship by bullet" and attempted to assassinate him in 1980. 

 

Bernd survived and still walks around with a bullet in his back, to this day. And that wasn't even the first time he got shot in Lebanon.

 

You won't want to miss this incredible interview with a man who frequently put his life on the line to inform the public and now shares valuable insight on a bygone era. The Lebanese Civil War and Syria's role in the conflict are largely forgotten today, but their long-term consequences reverberate into the present day.

2021 Christmas Special - The First Refugees

We're starting a new holiday tradition, an episode focused on refugees and other humanitarian issues in Syria.

 

As early as 2011, tens of thousands of people were forced to flee the country. Today, more than six million displaced Syrians are demonized by hateful individuals and political movements all over the world.

 

Mesud (@MaybeMesud on Twitter) describes how he and his family were forced to leave Aleppo and the challenges they faced not only during the journey but also while establishing a new life in Turkey.

 

Sources

“Nearly 10,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey,” Yahoo! News

https://web.archive.org/web/20110623163253/https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110617/wl_mideast_afp/syriaviolenceturkeyrefugees_20110617130011

 

Music licensing

Fragments by Nomyn https://soundcloud.com/nomyn

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-fragments

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/ndyyIhwojys

 

Ultimate Metal by Loyalty Freak

Creative Commons - CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Loyalty_Freak_Music/HYPER_METAL_/Loyalty_Freak_Music_-_HYPER_METAL__-_08_ULTIMATE_METAL

Episode 14 - Community Revolution

How do you organize a leaderless movement?

 

The Syrian Revolution was a decentralized movement of localized cells, but enterprising activists still managed to coordinate with each other and reach out to the outside world.

 

We examine how the Local Coordination Committees attempted to create a post-Assad government before speaking to a civil society activist who still resides in Syria. We also speak with Ahmad, an engineer and civil society activist who has spent the last ten years enduring horror after horror and tragedy after tragedy in order to establish a Free Syria.

 

Ahmad is the first guest to call us directly from Syria, where he is currently hiding from both the regime and jihadists. He doesn't have anything good to say about either one, for what it's worth. 

 

Sources

“How the Syrian Revolution was Organized - And How it Unraveled,” by Zaina Erhaim, New Lines Magazine

Syria by Samer N. Abboud

"U.S. Secretly backed Syrian opposition groups, cables released by WikiLeaks show," by Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-secretly-backed-syrian-opposition-groups-cables-released-by-wikileaks-show/2011/04/14/AF1p9hwD_story.html

 

Music Licensing

Fragments by Nomyn https://soundcloud.com/nomyn

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-fragments

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/ndyyIhwojys

 

"Emotional Sad Piano Music" by Mattia Cupelli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JYHk_D5A44

 

"Yalla Erhal Ya Bashar" by Ibrahim Qashoush

 

"Jannah, Jannah, Jannah," sung by Abdul-Baset al-Sarout