Roger Bennett and Tommy Vietor take a look at the history of Saudi Arabia, US-Saudi relations, and the Kingdom’s path to becoming a geopolitical force. They trace the unlikely rise of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman from a lowly place in the royal hierarchy to de facto leader of the country, and examine his record of enacting major social reforms while brutally cracking down on critics and rivals. Guests Ben Hubbard, Sarah Leah Whitson, and Khalid Al Jabri provide insight through stories about the infamous lock-up at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and the disappearance of even the family members of MBS’ political rivals. And finally, they unpack what MBS’ massive investment into soccer means for the global game. Listen to the second episode of this four-part series to find out.
Please don’t bomb Iran
Threats from Iran and the time Ben met the Queen
Venezuela, Libya and the Russian navy's beluga whale
ISIS in Sri Lanka, cruelty to Cuba, Ukrainian elections
Assange arrested, Bernie's foreign policy, Bowe Bergdahl and Afghanistan
Israeli elections, Iran under fire and the IRA's history
Democracy resurgent in Europe(?) and Israeli elections
Brexit, fighting in Gaza, ISIS defeated(?) and eliminating nukes
White supremacists radicalized online
Brexit and is Dick Cheney good now? (no)
Antisemitism, the NSA, Khashoggi, then Fmr Dep Secretary of State Bill Burns
BONUS POD: North Korea summit
Trump's North Korea summit v.2, Venezuela, international LGBT rights
How former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon views the world
Ilhan Omar’s tweets spark a debate about anti-semitism
544 days in an Iranian prison
Who is President of Venezuela?
Brexit breakdown
Owned by Russia but itching to bomb Iran
New year, same problems
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