DeepSummary
The podcast episode begins with a discussion of the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup in Iran that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed the Shah as an absolutist ruler to ensure continued US access to Iranian oil. The hosts provide historical context on the events leading up to the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis, as well as the US involvement in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
The conversation then shifts to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq under false pretenses, the power vacuum that emerged, and the rise of sectarian militias backed by Iran. The hosts detail the ethnic violence and displacement of minorities like Assyrians and Yazidis, as well as the role of Kurdish forces in occupying minority lands after defeating ISIS.
Finally, the recent assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani is discussed, with the hosts questioning the US justification and examining the implications for US-Iran tensions and the broader conflict in Iraq. The hosts emphasize the need for the US to withdraw from the region and allow Iraqis to determine their own future.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The US has a long history of imperialist intervention and meddling in the affairs of Iran and Iraq, often through coups, backing dictators, and proxy wars.
- Marginalized ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq like Assyrians and Yazidis have suffered immensely from the violence, displacement and oppression resulting from these conflicts.
- The rationale provided by the US for recent escalations like the assassination of Soleimani is viewed as dubious and a pretext for continued illegal occupation of Iraq.
- There is a call for the complete withdrawal of US and Iranian forces from Iraq to allow Iraqis to determine their own future without foreign domination.
- The hosts advocate solidarity with the working classes across nations rather than siding with the ruling billionaire class engaged in imperialist adventurism.
- Economic sanctions are criticized as a form of warfare that primarily harms civilians rather than being an effective political tool.
- Historical context and nuanced perspectives from those directly impacted are deemed crucial when discussing complex geopolitical issues in the Middle East.
- Anti-war movements need to directly challenge the military-industrial complex and war profiteers rather than just staging protests.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Sorry, are Iraqis in your way? How about we leave?“ by Zoe
- “You have more in common with the working class of Iran than you do with american billionaires.“ by Kellyn
- “Imagine being born in 1990 and still being alive. That's been your life.“ by Zoe
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Episode Information
Season of the Bitch
Season of the Bitch
1/17/20