0:00 Intro 3:32 Foreign Policy 19:33 Neutrality 28:16 Fouad Chehab 39:20 Army & Presidency 44:46 France 54:37 United States 1:05:24 Current Protest Movement 1:21:43 Political Violence We're with Jeffrey Karam for Episode 239 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/jRFHlmn8Zmg We discuss 'The Middle East in 1958', that year's impact on Lebanon and relationship to the October Uprising. We also talk about France's relationship to Lebanon, US foreign policy towards the region and ...
Jan 29, 2021•1 hr 48 min
I record a followup to Ep.237: Affo and reflect on tranquility through painless departure, and my relationship and friendship with my grandmother. In memory of Afaf Dabboucy Mikati. 21 December 1932 - 14 January 2021 Click to watch: https://youtu.be/rtyNxexahd4
Jan 19, 2021•35 min
I’m joined by grandmother, Afaf Dabboucy Mikati, for Episode 237 of The Beirut Banyan. For the video edition along with English and Arabic subtitles please click on the following link then CC button: https://youtu.be/K53Ag1A94ZU I love you, tayta. Rest in peace. Afaf Dabboucy Mikati 21 Dec 1932 - 14 Jan 2021 Special thanks to Sara Hamzeh for quickly putting the subtitles together.
Jan 18, 2021•33 min
I share a piece I recently wrote for L'Orient-Le Jour / L'Orient Today on the principles that matter most. Click below to read the articles in French or English: L'Orient-Le Jour: https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1246487/ne-faisons-pas-le-deuil-de-la-justice.html L'Orient Today: https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1247158/we-should-not-mourn-justice.html Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: http...
Jan 14, 2021•14 min
0:00 Intro 3:03 Suspension, Censorship & Principles 9:03 Traditional Media's Evolution 16:10 Determined 23:22 Sensitive Issues 30:37 Calculated Move? 34:29 Cost-Effective 45:00 No Click-Bait 48:54 Built-In Pressure 57:29 Intimidation 1:02:52 Ultimate Burden We're with Diana Moukalled for Episode 235 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/GO_lcr0Vl0Q We discuss Daraj Media, her three-decades long career as a journalist and the current state of freedom of expression in Lebanon,...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 9 min
For Dad. Your heart beats through mine, that day and today. And that, they’ll never take away. Mohamad Chatah 7 March 1951 - 27 December 2013 Music by Marc Codsi. Arabic subtitles by Sara Hamzeh. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JlNzNMRRxwQ
Dec 26, 2020•10 min
A short thank you to everyone who watched and listened to the podcast this year. You kept me together. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/FofmSvL-9EQ One final episode (wrapping up 2020) is set for release on Saturday, 26 December at 5pm Beirut time. A special episode marking a difficult occasion. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and receive a notification upon its release. See you in 2021!
Dec 21, 2020•14 min
0:00 Intro 1:43 End of 2020 5:13 Permanent Change 9:46 Ideals vs Individuals 11:59 Narrative 17:56 March 14 26:53 Violence 32:15 Support vs Silence 43:51 'Possiblist' 1:01:59 Inclusivity & Principles 1:10:51 Bubble We're with Samer Makarem for Episode 233 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/pfClAib3MUM We discuss Minteshreen, permanent changes following the October Uprising, and a 'possiblist' perspective when it comes to political and economic reform. We also talk about p...
Dec 12, 2020•1 hr 24 min
0:00 Intro 4:10 Main Stumbling Block 11:17 Long Term 18:25 Unstable State 26:26 Primary to Breakdown 36:31 Lebanese Position 45:05 Macron Approach 52:26 Immediate Strategy 58:41 State Monopoly 1:06:12 Unicorn We're with Heiko Wimmen for Episode 232 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/2bhBuerTMQk We discuss the recent International Crisis Group briefing, "Avoiding Further Polarization in Lebanon" and reflect on the immediacy of avoiding state collapse. We also address wider iss...
Dec 08, 2020•1 hr 24 min
0:00 Intro 2:54 Purpose 8:00 Gap 15:30 Initial Three Schools 18:01 Big Toys 23:20 Ground Painting 30:58 Shading Canopies 35:32 Urgency We're with Nada Borgi and Sandra Richani for Episode 231 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/_bqb-BLDj9k We discuss their 'Let's Play' Initiative, aiming to restore and design three playgrounds in three different schools destroyed by the August 4 port blasts. Their crowdfunding campaign aims to raise $45,000 by the end of this year. The GoFundM...
Dec 04, 2020•41 min
0:00 Intro 3:12 The Moment 13:28 Entrepreneurial Spirit 16:20 Importance of Lebanon 19:50 Serge Hochar 25:19 Yves Mourad 28:17 Father Joseph Fahed 30:02 Neila Bitar 32:12 Sandro Saadé 35:07 Ramzi Ghosn 37:37 Elizabeth Gilbert 44:41 Identity We're with Michael Karam for Episode 230 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/8O2mRYdS73s We discuss the recently released film 'Wine and War', the wider story of Lebanese wine and entrepreneurial spirit interwoven in our history and identit...
Nov 30, 2020•51 min
0:00 Intro 2:00 Paralyzed 7:28 Stacked Against You 14:44 Fluid 20:04 The Region 25:26 Monetary 32:06 'Revolutionary' 35:44 Neoliberalism 43:43 Organization 51:11 Youth We're with Rima Majed for Episode 229 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JRPZRHl6BWg We discuss her recent Middle East Eye piece, 'Lebanon's unfinished revolution: Where next?' and reflect on the underpinnings of what Rima refers to as sectarian neoliberalism. Our conversation includes domestic and regional con...
Nov 29, 2020•58 min
0:00 Intro 1:16 Independence Day 2020 6:25 Back to 2008 14:50 Gradual Organization 21:00 Claim Power 27:16 Identity 36:34 Life Story 47:32 Phone 56:11 Weapons 1:12:03 Minteshreen 1:19:57 Freedom of Expression 1:27:50 'Bukra' We're with Gino Raidy for Episode 228 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/3K30QInfQAQ We discuss citizen journalism and political activism, and reflect on the current political paralysis and economic crisis engulfing Lebanon. Our conversation includes gras...
Nov 26, 2020•1 hr 39 min
0:00 Intro 2:22 Paralysis 11:01 Utter Incompetence 14:24 Waiting Game 17:13 Balance of Payments 22:35 Public & Private Debt 26:52 Banking Sector 34:18 Public Sector 42:11 Assistance without Reform 45:54 Threat of Violence We're with Amer Bisat for Episode 227 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/tiMYIRS_BbM We discuss his recent Carnegie / Dispatch piece 'The Tragedy of Doing Nothing' and the ongoing political and economic paralysis eroding Lebanese society. Our conversatio...
Nov 21, 2020•59 min
0:00 Intro 1:47 Taboo 4:57 Tipping Point 8:18 Hotline 16:16 Taking Time 19:30 Escape 21:36 Aftermath 27:12 Primary Step 29:40 Positive Change We're with Mia Atoui for Episode 226 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Cx2pM8kPlcE We discuss Embrace and the wider work of raising mental health awareness in Lebanon. Our conversation includes confronting the stigma too often associated with mental health illness, grassroots level work at tacking previously taboo subjects and the ince...
Nov 20, 2020•37 min
0:00 Intro 2:10 The Broad Story 10:09 Anxiety 15:45 Personality 23:20 Vacuum 33:26 US Policy Towards Lebanon 39:30 Memories of My Father We're with Firas Maksad for Ep.225 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/kHLwHcH-WZc We discuss the incoming Biden administration and general trends in US foreign policy over the past twelve years. We compare Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Iran with Obama's JCPOA / Iran nuclear deal, and how a Biden administration may approach Americ...
Nov 18, 2020•44 min
I share encounters with Walid Muallem while living at the Lebanese embassy in Washington, DC. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/sTM_eeEhy-c Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our YouTube channel and stay updated with new releases. Audio-only episodes available on Apple, Spotify, Sounclou...
Nov 17, 2020•17 min
I share my interactions with Robert Fisk for this storytelling episode. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Cc7VCB96eeg Check out the associated article featured in Newlines Magazine: https://newlinesmag.com/argument/robert-fisk-a-conscience-adrift/ Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our Y...
Nov 16, 2020•16 min
0:00 Family Name & Intro 2:26 Personal Interaction with the Story 8:30 Alleviating Minority Concerns 12:16 Part of the Story 16:11 Fundamental Issue 19:08 Corruption 24:46 A System that Doesn't Work 28:10 Perpetual Paralysis 31:27 Mentality 37:46 US Policy Shift 39:30 American Engagement 48:56 Lack of Organization 54:30 Balance We're with Larissa Aoun for Episode 222 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/aYbCNZlLguA We discuss covering the US elections vs the current Lebanes...
Nov 07, 2020•1 hr 4 min
0:00 Intro 3:53 A Potential Return to Beirut? 7:18 A Historic Moment? 11:52 Side Effect to Normalization 15:21 The UAE's Jewish Community 18:00 Peoples & Governments 30:15 Social Media 33:31 The Next Five? 40:00 A Family Tradition We're with Elie Abadie for Episode 221 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss his upcoming move to the UAE as a Senior Rabbi and his hopes to return to Lebanon in the years to come. We talk about the Abraham Accords and whether or not its impact goes between standard gov...
Oct 29, 2020•45 min
0:00 L'Orient Today & Intro 2:40 The Lifeline for Traditional Media 9:03 Subscribers Abroad 13:24 Timing 23:11 Digital-Friendly Content 27:06 Fact-Checking 35:33 Objectivity 47:14 Principles 57:46 Intimidation 1:03:54 Aspirations We're with Michel Helou for Episode 220 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/e6qiNvERtbs We discuss L'Orient-Le Jour's place in the Lebanese media landscape, and the newspaper's evolution with the digital age. Our conversation includes the recent l...
Oct 23, 2020•1 hr 12 min
6:21 One Year Marker 22:35 Appetite for Change 35:31 Prisoner's Dilemma 54:10 Easier to Challenge? 1:06:45 The IRA Example We're with Bashshar Haydar for Episode 219 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JBRahiGFwkA We discuss his recent Center for Global Policy piece 'The Lebanese Predicament' and examine why voters repeatedly elected the same parties and leaders into power. Our conversation looks at the 'prisoner's dilemma' facing Lebanese and the role communal insecurities pl...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr 16 min
0:00 Intro 2:32 Anniversary 4:11 Long-Term Goals & Grassroots Activity 13:07 A Late Stage 18:44 Both Sides Fighting for Survival 22:03 Megaphone Today 26:47 Social Pact Discussion 34:15 A Year from Now We're with Jean Kassir for Episode 218 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/S5gXhJTmHHs We discuss the one-year anniversary of the October 17 Uprising and reflect on accomplishments and setbacks since the protests began. Our conversation includes politics at the grassroots le...
Oct 16, 2020•38 min
0:00 Intro 3:20 Dearborn 22:42 Foundational Flaw 41:47 Fundamental Disagreement 59:55 Force & Pressure 1:05:52 Biden Campaign 1:10:13 Direct or Indirect Support 1:24:48 Coup D'Etat We're with Nicholas Noe for Episode 217 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/A84uohN9HIg We discuss US foreign policy towards Lebanon, and reflect on potential changes should the Biden campaign win the upcoming US elections. We also talk about Hezbollah's political and military role in Lebanon an...
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 30 min
0:00 'Pilgrim' & Intro 6:27 Storytelling 26:53 Our Homes Are Broken 37:18 Betting On The Future 49:18 Paralysis 55:42 Tripoli 1:17:33 Back To Beirut We're with Zeina Hashem Beck for Episode 216 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Jp7RsErQ_Z8 We discuss a shared passion for storytelling, and the emotional inspiration and injury when trying to share Beirut's current pain. We talk about our respective childhoods in Tripoli and our earliest memories during the civil war. We al...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 26 min
0:00 Intro 5:18 Late Summer 2020 10:55 Pissed Off 27:00 Rigorous Argument 46:17 Going Rogue 56:12 Joe Rogan 1:06:29 Self-Publishing 1:25:00 What to Think 1:31:33 Tricksters & Joe Rogan 1:43:88 Sardonically Speaking We're with Mahmoud Rasmi for Episode 215 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JAhxZP_35h0 We discuss taking philosophy - and other academic endeavors - to the marketplace, and examine the benefits and disadvantaged of self-employment and self-publishing. We also ...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr 55 min
0:00 Intro 2:00 Last Chance for Serious Reform 10:23 Affecting Change in Lebanon 18:36 Early 1990s 25:21 Real Possibility for Breakdown 32:15 Can Anything Else Be Done? 37:58 External Players & Reform 45:37 Persistent Pressure We're with Alia Moubayed and Jessica Obeid for Episode 2143 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/YcPGpKJM5Co We discuss key components necessary for reform and compare the current political and economic crisis to the early 1990s as Lebanon emerged fro...
Oct 03, 2020•58 min
0:00 Intro 2:26 Macron's Speech 13:35 Expiration 22:35 Demons 39:33 1970 1:05:21 Financial Incentive Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Y8ixcsXGsvU We're with Joseph Kéchichian for Episode 213 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss his recent Foreign Policy piece, "Partition is the Only Solution to Lebanon's Woes" and what in his mind is an inevitable consequence should the Lebanese state continue down its current path. We talk about fallout from Macron's recent speech and condemnation of the political ...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 16 min
0:00 Intro 4:49 Paralysis 13:38 Justice 22:05 Irrational Optimism 30:44 'We Wait for their Return' 43:59 Resilience We're with Sara Mourad for Episode 212 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss her recent AlJumhuriya and Rusted Radishes personal essays and reflect on the cycle of prosperity and ruin that came to define modern Lebanon. The conversation delves into the aftermath of the recent Beirut blasts, the persistent demands of protestors and a post-war generation dealing with tragedy once more. We...
Sep 18, 2020•54 min
0:00 Intro 5:49 Sanctions 24:54 Beyond Symbolic Gestures 32:21 Irreversible 44:05 Model Paralysis 1:08:04 Neutrality & Lebanon 1:20:42 Neutrality in Perspective 1:34:12 Bleak Trajectory We're with Drew Mikhael and Nadim Shehadi for Episode 211 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/CVPKblGRCsk We discuss US sanctions against Lebanese officials and French involvement in pushing for local reforms. We also talk about state paralysis and the political and economic consequences of...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 47 min
