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Mar 2022
23m 15s

Syria Was Putin’s Testing Ground

Slate Podcasts
About this episode

Russia’s indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets in Ukraine is eerily reminiscent of its involvement in the war in Syria, where the goal was to crush civilian morale amid an uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. How did top global powers allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to be successful in Syria? Are there signs that he’ll enjoy similar success now, in Ukraine? 

Guest: William Wechsler, senior director of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council.

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