About This Episode
This week we saw the end of one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships with the swift and unexpected fall of the Assad Regime in Syria. The Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Al Qaeda affiliate that broke with the group years ago, has formed a transitional government that is pledging inclusivity while emphasizing accountability for former regime abuses. Meanwhile, Israel launched extensive airstrikes targeting military assets, while Turkey clashed with US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. And in the midst of a presidential transition, the United States seems solely focused on combating an ISIS resurgence. Matt Kaminski, Catherine Philp, and Gideon Rachman join Ivo Daalder to discuss what may happen in Syria, what it means for the region, and the impact on the US, Russia, Iran, and other outside powers. They’ll also dig into what’s happening in Romania. After first-round elections were annulled last week amid alleged Russian interference, Romanian pro-European parties have now agreed to form coalition government and could run a single candidate next year.
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Editor-at-Large, POLITICO
Matt Kaminski is the cofounder of Politico Europe and former editor in chief in Washington. He’s now writing a column on global affairs for POLITICO.
Diplomatic Correspondent, The London Times
Catherine Philp is one of Britain’s most experienced foreign correspondents, having covered five continents in nearly 20 years at The Times. She has been based in overseas bureaus and reported on conflicts from Afghanistan to Colombia, winning several international press awards.
Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, Financial Times
Gideon Rachman is the Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator at the Financial Times. He joined the FT after a 15-year career at The Economist, which included spells as a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Washington, and Bangkok.
CEO, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Ivo H. Daalder served as the US ambassador to NATO from 2009 to 2013. He joined the Council as president in 2013 and took on the new role of CEO in 2023. Previously, he was a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution and served as director for European affairs on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council. He is the author or editor of 10 books.