It has been thirteen years since Bashar al-Assad triggered a civil war which would kill hundreds of thousands of people and devastate Syria. Recent events have shown just how far his rule has shattered the nation. Today Alastair and Rory are joined by former CIA Syria Analyst David McCloskey and host of Goalhanger’s latest podcast, The Rest Is Classified to ... Show More
Yesterday
David Blunkett on Blindness, Adversity and Why Politicians Give Up Too Easily
To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com This week, Alastair sits down with someone who – in his opinion – is the most persevilient person in politics, Lord David Blunkett. Blind since birth, he lost his father at the age of 12 and grew up ... Show More
22m 46s
Oct 30
584. Why Is Trump Losing Voters and Will Texas Turn Blue?
Why are these US midterms so important, and what has Rory been seeing on the ground in Ohio? Could the Democrats really flip Texas, and is Trump alienating the Hispanic voters that were crucial to his 2024 victory? If the Republicans lose control of Congress, will Trump accept th ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 28
583. Is Burnham’s Budget Too Safe and How Brazil Defied Trump
With the UK’s new Chancellor, John Healey, announcing his first budget and Kemi Badenoch asking him, “is that it?”, how will the public judge his plans? With Lula making an historic return to Brazil’s presidency, was it the strength of his campaign or Bolsonaro Jr’s electoral gaf ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
The Middle East After Assad
After rebels took Syria’s capital, President Bashar Al-Assad fled Damascus for Russia, ending his brutal 24-year reign. His ouster marks the beginning of a new, uncertain phase for a country that’s been ravaged by 13 years of civil war. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s ... Show More
15m 28s
Mar 2025
What is behind the clashes in Syria?
<p>With hundreds dead after days of fighting between armed supporters of former leader Bashar al-Assad and government forces, the worst violence since al-Assad's fall, Syrians are grappling with how to move forward. Days ahead of the 14th anniversary of Syria's uprising, the coun ... Show More
24m 2s
Jul 2019
Syria: The Rise and Fallout of the House of Assad with Sam Dagher
<p>After eight years of civil war in Syria, with hundreds of thousands of its citizens dead and millions more fleeing the country, one question looms large: how did things get so bad? During those early days of peaceful protest, what prompted a shoot-to-kill order from the highes ... Show More
20m 46s
Dec 2024
48. CIA, Afghanistan, and The Rest Is Classified
In 2021, US troops withdrew from Afghanistan, ending a conflict that had been brutally fought for almost 20 years. While the news dominated the headlines, fewer may have heard the story of when the CIA first entered Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11. Today Katty and Anthony ar ... Show More
10m 19s
Feb 2020
One of the worst crises of Syria’s civil war
Zack, Jenn, and Alex talk about perhaps the single worst humanitarian crisis in Syria’s civil war — the ongoing situation in Idlib, where 3 million people are trapped in a province under assault by Bashar al-Assad and his allies. They explain how we got to this point, why the sit ... Show More
43m 2s