The Bunker

“Rarely have people sacrificed so much for so little.” The great uprisings across the Arab world in 2010-12 began in hope and ended in bitter disappointment, with hardline rule strengthened in many Arab countries. On the tenth anniversary of the event that began the Arab Spring, the overthrow of the Tunisian government, we talk to two experts – journalist for the BBC, Vice and LA Times Zahra Hankir and Khaled Diab, author of Islam For The Politically Incorrect – about what this great rebellion really achieved, how the pandemic has shown the weakness of these supposed strong regimes, and where the spirit of the Arab Spring could rise again. - “When people say the Arab Spring ‘failed’, it’s just a way to take the thunder out of the idea that people can make change happen.” – Khaled Diab - “The Arab Spring is not done, as long as people and activists are still trying to make change happen. That spirit is still alive.” – Zahra Hankir - “In the Arab world, it’s not the people who don’t get democracy – it’s the leaders.” – Khaled Diab - “They couldn’t kill the idea, so they locked up or silenced everyone who advocated that idea.” – Khaled Diab Find out more about developments in the fight for freedom in the Arab world at: madamasr.com thepublicsource.org aljumhuriya.net newlinesmag.com Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before right wing populists set about ruining the world, it was Latin America’s left wing populists – the likes of Chávez, Ortega and Castro – who rattled the West and threw their own countries into tumult. Why is the strongman’s hold on his country’s politics so unyielding? Will Grant, BBC Latin America correspondent and author of Populista!, joins us from Mexico City to explain how the people’s representatives became authoritarians and despots, what it’s like as a journalist targeted by a real-world army of footsoldiers as well as online trolls, and certain dictators’ early fondness for Blairism… - “It was a real baptism of fire living under Chávez. As the media, you were always in his line of fire.” - “We saw godlike status being bestowed on some very fallible men” - “Some of these men are frighteningly militaristic and conservative… They created the conditions for the likes of Bolsonaro.” - “Reagan’s obsession with Ortega was huge… His fixation fuelled a war that killed thousands.” - “There’s a real appeal of the caudillo, the strongman who will come in and sort it all out.” - “Living and working in these environments, it stretches you as a journalist like nothing else.” Presented by Dorian Lynskey Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From the Iranian Revolution to the invasion of Afghanistan, events in 1979 turned the tides on decades of liberalisation across the Middle East. Kim Ghattas, journalist and author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East tells Alex Andreou about our misconceptions of the Middle East and her journey as a reporter. Have Iran and Saudi Arabia, and Sunnis and Shias, always been at each others’ throats? Was Bin Laden a “naïve revolutionary”? And what Biden can take from Trump’s policies on Iran… - “I couldn’t believe that no-one had written a book that brings the story of the whole region together before – but no-one had” - “My parents were more concerned about my safety and gun crime in the US than in Lebanon.” - “Not every Iranian woman wore a miniskirt, but before 1979, they had the freedom to choose.” - “The book’s for a Western audience – but it’s also for us in the region, to understand what happened to us, where we went wrong. And how we can undo some of it.” - “Today, we only talk about religion at the extremes. But Iran’s progressive, liberal, pluralistic core were often devout Muslims.” - “Trump’s renewed pressure on Iran has actually been welcomed by many Iranians” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Can the Democrats win the race to impeach Donald Trump before he wreaks irreparable damage on American democracy? Will Trump’s expulsion from social media neuter him or drive his base even crazier? And did that rioter REALLY taser himself to death, in the balls? Plus: Britain thinks MUSIC IS GREAT but not great enough to support. How the travel industry will resurrect itself. And why Joe Biden has China over a barrel… really. Alex Andreou, Naomi Smith and Arthur Snell join Andrew Harrison for the weekly Bunker panel show. - “Every outrageous act by Trump is cover for the previous one” – Alex Andreou - “America needs a domestic deradicalisation programme.” – Alex Andreou - “Governments bail out banks, not Banksy” – Naomi Smith - “In his own way, Xi Jinping is making China great again.” – Arthur Snell Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Can Democrats impeach Trump fast enough to prevent more damage to American democracy – or would that enrage his base further? And what will his ejection from social media mean? Plus, Government failures to plan on COVID and freight exposed, and Keir Starmer wobbles on the EU. Ros Taylor sets up the week’s coming events. - “Never mind long-term… the Government lacks even medium-term planning on Covid.” - “There are only 100,000 police in this country. It’s impossible to enforce strict lockdown and maintain police by consent.” - “Starmer has succeeded in making Labour electable again. But now, people need a reason to vote for Labour that isn’t ‘he’s not that fucker Johnson’.” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It took a global pandemic to revolutionise Britain’s outdated abortion provision but the changes need to be made permanent. Quality-controlled termination “pills by post” have been made available during the pandemic– but under current law, GPs still can’t provide abortion medication without clinical advice too. Katherine O’Brien, Associate Director at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, tells Naomi Smith why we need to expand the “telemedicine” provision, drop the “completely unnecessary” requirement for women who need abortions to attend clinics, and bring abortion law into the 21st century on a permanent basis. Otherwise the most vulnerable women and girls could be forced back in to accessing high risk, unregulated black market pills via the internet. - “It’s 2021 but any woman who obtains an abortion without the advice of two doctors can still face imprisonment under a law from 1861.” - “Sadly, it took a global pandemic to modernise a healthcare service that one in three women will require in their lifetime.” - “If you believe women should have safe access, you should back these changes.” Presented by Naomi Smith. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In scarcely believable scenes, a mob goaded by Donald Trump invades America’s Capitol building, trashing Congress offices, shooting into the debating chamber and forcing senators and staff to flee. Four people die. What does this unprecedented assault on democracy mean for Joe Biden’s presidency and for America’s future? UCL Politics Professor and host of the Power Corrupts podcast Brian Klaas explains. - “Coups try to remove presidents from power. This one tried to keep one in power” - “The Republican Party has created a monster they can’t control” - “Trump leaves on January 20th, but the Trumpian voter base does not.” - “Today’s Republican Party are arsonists dressing up as firefighters.” - “Trump isn’t deemed fit to Tweet – but he’s in control of the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal for the next thirteen days.” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why does Hitler still cast a shadow on our politics? How do you re-examine the Nazis’ record without inadvertently fuelling Holocaust denial? Historian Prof. Frank McDonough, author of new book The Hitler Years: Disaster 1940-1945, explains why we still don’t understand the enormity of the Third Reich’s crimes, why the unstoppable German Blitzkrieg was a myth generated for home consumption, and why a Britain obsessed with the War really does need another book about Hitler. - “Hitler still casts a long shadow over the present. The Third Reich is a lesson on how democracy can be destroyed from within.” - “People say, don’t we know enough about the Third Reich already? And the answer is no, far from it.” - “There’s an old saying: The Russians gave the blood. The Americans gave the money. And Churchill gave the speeches.” - “We in Britain badly need a grown-up attitude understanding of the Second World War as an alliance, not as Britain standing alone.” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why has self-interest become such a dirty word (or words) in politics? Why do we always assume the worst motives in our opponents? And if voters keep on disappointing progressives by voting against their supposed economic interests, do we need to revise our idea of what self-interest really is? Thomas Prosser, author of What’s In It For Me? Self-Interest And Political Difference explains why we should stop worrying and learn to love the concept of self-interest. - “Reflecting on self-interest takes the sting out of politics.” - “Progressives – unlike conservatives – aren’t so good at recognising the validity of self-interest.” - “Self-interest isn’t just economic, it’s cultural. That’s where Remainers went wrong on Brexit.” - “There’s an argument that the 2017 Labour manifesto was the least redistributive ever.” - “Awareness of self-interest makes us more tolerant.” Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Britain’s £80bn trade sector was left out of Johnson’s vaunted Brexit deal. Why, and what does that mean? With Lockdown III (or is it IV, V or VI?) about to be launched, has No.10 definitively lost control of the Pandemic? And what should we keep an eye out for in 2021? Yasmeen Serhan, Ian Dunt and special guest Dmitry Grozoubinski – international trade expert and former WTO negotiator for Australia – join Andrew Harrison for the first BUNKER of the new year. - “Ironically enough, in the end it turned out Johnson wasn’t the ‘cake and eat it’ guy at all.” – Ian Dunt - “You’ve got a President on record ordering officials to re-calculate votes in his favour? I’m still capable of being surprised by Trump” – Yasmeen Serhan - “The idea that the Government isn’t in control is a truism amongst the public” – Ian Dunt Presented and produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Logo and branding by Mark Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters production See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.