#1312 How Trump managed to make the Middle East more chaotic
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 19 October 2019
⏱️ 78 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date: 10/18/2019
Today we take a look at the recent developments between Turkey and Syria and the role Trump played in allowing Turkey to effectively invade Syria and extend its border.
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
EPISODE SPONSORS: BetterHelp.com/BOTL | Blinkist.com/BEST | Clean Choice Energy
SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content)
SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Trump Abandoned Kurds, Genocide To Follow - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-10-19
Turkey has launched an aerial and ground assault on northern Syria targeting Kurdish-controlled areas. The offensive began Wednesday, just days after President Trump ordered U.S. troops to fall back from their positions on the Turkish-Syrian border.
The U.S. is deeply involved in the region surrounding Syria. Its actions helped lay the groundwork for the current struggle faced by the Kurds.
As Trump gives the green light for a Turkish invasion of Rojava, we ask David Graeber what hope there is left for Syrian Kurds.
Ch. 4: Why We Should Have Solidarity With Rojava - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 10-14-19
Michael discusses Turkey's impending ethnic cleansing of Kurds and Rojava.
As Trump gives the green light for a Turkish invasion of Rojava, we ask David Graeber what hope there is left for Syrian Kurds.
Ch. 6: Wasteland of Corruption with Kamran Matin - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 10-16-19
Jeremy Scahill and Kamran Matin discuss the Kurds, and the corruption of the politics of the era.
What is going on with the Kurds and Turkey and Syria? Michael and Dhene Bajalan break it down.
Ch. 8: Wasteland of Corruption - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 10-16-19
Jeremy Scahill and Kamran Matin discuss the Kurds, and the corruption of the politics of the era.
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 9: The Empathy Tax as a speech pathologist - Alice
Ch. 10: Experience in the workforce - Heather from Texas
Ch. 11: Thoughts on being a logical empath - Quai from North Carolina
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 12: Final comments on the empathy tax, the cease-fire and Trump’s letter
EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE
A Look At The History Of The U.S. Alliance With The Kurds (NPR)
The U.S. Is Now Betraying the Kurds for the Eighth Time (The Intercept)
‘This is not a cease-fire,’ Turkey FM Cavusoglu insists, contradicting Mike Pence on Syria (NBC News)
Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Derailed - The Depot
- Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard
- Cat's Eye - Marble Run
- When We Set Out - Arc and Crecent
- The Spinnet - Castle Danger
- Denzel Sprak - CloudCover
- No Smoking - Sunday at Slims
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Support the show via Patreon
Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more
Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!
Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft
Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft
Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to this episode of the award-winning Best of the Left podcast, in which we shall |
| 0:07.2 | learn about how Trump managed to make the Middle East even more chaotic, and how he's continued |
| 0:13.1 | our country's long tradition of screwing over our allies as soon as they become inconvenient. |
| 0:18.7 | Clips today come from Democracy Now, The Real News, Tisky Sour, The Michael Brooks Show, |
| 0:25.1 | and Intercepted. |
| 0:32.3 | Turkey has launched an area and ground assault on Northern Syria targeting Kurdish-controlled |
| 0:37.7 | areas. The offensive began Wednesday, just days after President Trump ordered US troops to |
| 0:43.3 | fall back from their positions on the Turkish Syrian border. The Syrian Observatory for Human |
| 0:49.0 | Rights reports at least 16 Kurds have been killed so far. Turkey is claiming the death toll |
| 0:55.1 | is far higher. Some of the heaviest fighting has been in the Syrian town of Tel Aviyad. |
| 1:00.4 | Turkish jets and artillery have reportedly hit at least 81 targets east of the Euphrates River. |
| 1:07.1 | The Trump administration has faced widespread criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers |
| 1:13.2 | for abandoning the stateless Kurds who'd helped the US fight ISIS. Turkey is claiming the |
| 1:18.9 | assault is needed to establish a quote, safe zone in Northern Syria, where Turkey could relocate |
| 1:24.8 | Syrian refugees who fled over the past eight years of fighting. But the Kurds see the offensive |
| 1:30.1 | as part of a decade's long attack by Turkey to crush their attempts at greater autonomy. |
| 1:36.2 | Fear is also growing that the Turkish assault could lead to the mass release of ISIS fighters. |
| 1:42.2 | Up until now, the Kurds have been responsible for holding over 10,000 ISIS fighters in their |
| 1:48.0 | families and detention. While President Trump has claimed Turkey will take control of the makeshift |
| 1:53.8 | jails, there's growing concern many former ISIS fighters will be able to escape during the Turkish |
| 1:59.2 | assault. At least one Kurdish prison has already been shelled. The New York Times is reporting the |
| 2:05.2 | US military has moved as many as several dozen Islamic state prisoners to more secure locations. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jay Tomlinson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Jay Tomlinson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.