An Essential And Critical Conversation On Trump’s Hasty Decision To Attack Syria

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Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola spend the full episode discussing President Donald Trump’s attack on a Syrian airbase.

In the beginning, the reaction of support from media personalities, as well as Democrats and neoconservatives, is highlighted.

Further into the show, the hosts break down who the media has referred to as sources for information on what happened in the alleged chemical attack, which led Trump to escalate U.S. military action. The hosts also discuss the left’s response to the strike and what the attack may mean for the Syrian conflict.

“On cable news and all the establishment outlets, it’s like the line is there’s no dissent whatsoever. There’s no questioning anything,” Khalek suggests. “It’s [Syrian President Bashar al Assad] used chemical weapons. This is what happened, and now we have to bomb Syria. No questions asked. Meanwhile, online, like on Facebook and Twitter, it’s like the complete opposite.”

“Idlib, which is the province in Syria where this attack occurred, it is an area that is under the control of armed groups that are either al Qaida or affiliates of al Qaida,” Khalek adds. “The village in particular that was hit with this alleged chemical weapons attack, it’s under the control of Ahrar al Sham, which is one of the most prominent and extremist groups in Syria.”

“They are like the Taliban. They impose harsh Islamic law. They kill aid workers. They kill journalists. They kill activists. There is no independent information coming out of these areas at all. All of it is under the control and needs the approval of these armed groups that are in control. So, all of the information that you are getting out of these areas, whether it is from the White Helmets or whether it looks like it’s from what they like to call themselves media activists, that information does not come out without the input of these al Qaida-linked rebel groups.”

As Khalek emphasizes, it is not just the Syrian government that lies. The al Qaida-linked rebel groups lie too. That means the public has to question everything to a far greater extent than the media is currently.

To listen to the full discussion, click the above player or go here.