CONFLICTED

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Episodes

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CONFLICTED

An ex-Al Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy and a former monk turned filmmaker, have been embedded at the heart of conflicts in the Middle East. Together Aimen Dean and Thomas Small unpack the realities of war, fundamentalism and their global implications through first-hand experience.

Episodes

Enter Russia

After the Iron Curtain fell, America aimed to bring Russia into the fold of their New World Order. Things didn’t go according to plan. In this episode, Thomas and Aimen discuss the rise of Putin, the Second Chechen War and Russia’s role in Syria. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month. For more info, exclusive updates and to chat with other listeners join our Facebook discussion group: htt...

Mar 11, 2020•48 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast

New World Order

In 1990, George Bush proclaimed the dawning of a New World Order. The Cold War was over, the nation-state and capitalism had won, and the US was ready to deliver their strategy for global governance of the world. Aimen and Thomas discuss how this played out in the Middle East and where the grand vision fell short. For more info, exclusive updates and to chat with other listeners join our Facebook discussion group: http://bit.ly/37cqJAY. Find the whole transcript here: http://bit.ly/2SYhrDU Liste...

Feb 26, 2020•48 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast

World War Iran

With the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, the world found itself teetering on the edge of a conflict, the scale of which has only been threatened a few times since 1945. Aimen and Thomas kick off Season 2 looking at who Soleimani was, his role in defeating ISIS, as well as the place of privatised espionage and drone technology in modern warfare. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for jus...

Feb 12, 2020•58 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast

Conflicted Season 2 Trailer

Find out what topic Aimen and Thomas will be tackling first in the new episode of Conflicted, and how it ties in to the wider scope of Season 2 — the collapse of America's vision for a New World Order. Our hosts also share the launch date and details of our new release schedule. For more info, exclusive updates and to chat with other listeners you can now join our facebook discussion group: http://bit.ly/37cqJAY. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Co...

Jan 29, 2020•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Season 2 is Coming Soon

Conflicted is coming back for a second season! After examining the War on Terror in Season 1, hosts Thomas Small and Aimen Dean are back with a new focus: The New World Order. Take a listen to our teaser for what to expect in the upcoming episodes. Listen to bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple and Spotify. Join the Facebook Discussion Group: http://bit.ly/37cqJAY See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Join the Conflicted Comm...

Jan 22, 2020•5 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Introducing Undiscovered: The Lion, The Bear and The War Zone

In this special episode, Thomas will introduce you to Jake Warren, the host of a new podcast called Undiscovered. He'll share with you an episode we think you'll enjoy - it's the incredible story of a bear, a lion and a long-abandoned zoo in the heartland of ISIS occupied Iraq. Join the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners, get exclusive content, bonus episodes and ad-free listening. Register your interest through the link: http://www.le...

Apr 09, 2019•42 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast

Returning Jihadists

What compels a jihadi to take up arms in defence of Islam? How are they recruited – and where are they recruited from? In the final episode of this series, Aimen gets into the specifics of the importance of a prophetic narrative and why so many fighters travelled to Syria from every corner of the globe to join ISIS. We’ll also find out how Aimen was finally outed as an MI6 spy inside al-Qaeda and how he escaped. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Con...

Apr 03, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast

Syria

This episode brings us to one of the most complicated conflicts raging in the Middle East. Thomas and Aimen both know the country well and walk us through the actors and their motives. They’ll also explain how Syria became such a killing field as a result of the Arab Spring and how Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a onetime eye-doctor in London, played a direct role in the failure of the American post-war project, as he released Syria’s jihadists from prison and facilitated their migration to I...

Mar 27, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast

Yemen

The Yemeni civil war is one of the most brutal civil wars in the Middle East. As it continues to rage on, Thomas and Aimen explain who the players are in this conflict, why it is all about water, and the reasons Saudi Arabia and UAE are using it to fight an existential war of future survival with their arch rival, Iran. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month. Join the Conflicted Community ...

Mar 20, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast

Iraq

Last week Aimen left listeners with a final thought: the biggest mistake in the War on Terror was the invasion of Iraq. This week, Aimen explains how this explosive conflict played into the jihadists’ apocalyptic dreams, how it spurred Osama bin Laden and other conflicts forward in neighbouring countries, and his frustrations as a double agent as he watched the region falling deeper into war. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on App...

Mar 13, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast

War on Terror

The War on Terror has lasted 18 years with no clear end in sight. What would it take to resolve a conflict this sprawling and complex - and resolve it successfully? In episode two, Aimen and Thomas grapple with this question, piecing together the historical context, religious issues and modern politics that bred jihadism in the Middle East, and exploring how the counter terrorism efforts of the west have spurred fundamentalism rather than dismantled it. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get ...

Mar 06, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast

9/11

Where were you on 9/11? Thomas and Aimen use this historic event as a starting point as they tease out how al-Qaeda went from being a small army of jihadists seeking a caliphate in the Middle East to main player, at the centre of the global stage. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month. Join the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all things Conflicted with fellow dear listeners...

Feb 27, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast

Conflicted Trailer

Coming soon: An ex-Al Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy and a former monk turned filmmaker, have been embedded at the heart of conflicts in the Middle East. Together Aimen Dean and Thomas Small unpack the realities of war, fundamentalism and their global implications through first-hand experience. Listen to exclusive bonus content and get all episodes ad-free by subscribing to Conflicted Extra on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for just 99p/month. Join the Conflicted Community hub on Discord to discuss all...

Nov 16, 2018•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast