Middle Eastern Intersections

Recent episodes

1. Women Who Fight: The Afghan Operator from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Jul 5, 202619 min

   An interview with Adila Jawadi, a young Hazara woman from Afghanistan and former member of the Afghan Female Tactical Platoon. We discuss her service alongside U.S. special operations forces, her experience fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, the challenges of rebuilding her life in the United States, and her goal of continuing to serve by joining the U.S. military. You can support the AFTP veterans through their integration process here in the U.S. at: https://www.nxtmission.org/ Connect with host and Global Stakeholder Relations consultant Michael Scadden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mscadden/

2. Women Who Fight: The Kurdish Recruit from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Apr 14, 202616 min

   'D' is a young Iranian Kurdish Peshmerga recruit who put her aspirations on hold to join the fight against the IRGC. Peshmerga is Kurdish for "those who face death", and whether waiting and hiding from drone strikes, or maneuvering through the mountains, women like 'D' show immense courage against desperate odds to build a future of liberty and hope.

3. Iranian Kurdish Diplomacy from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Mar 12, 202631 min

   Hejar Berenji speaks with Michael Scadden as the newly appointed representative for the PDKI (Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan) in Washington, DC. Mr. Berenji explains the past, present, and future priorities of the PDKI, discusses the newly formed coalition of Kurdish political parties in Rojhelat, and explores how political and strategic interests among Kurdish regions across the Middle East intersect and evolve. There is an inherent focus on global engagement, to ensure that the voices and aspirations of Iranian Kurds are understood by policymakers, international partners, and the broader global community as discussions about Iran’s future continue to develop. https://x.com/hejar_berenji https://x.com/pdkienglish https://www.linkedin.com/in/mscadden/ https://x.com/mjscadden

4. Morocco & Israel with Mustapha Ezzarghani from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Mar 12, 202649 min

   A discussion with Mustapha Ezzarghani, founder of the Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association, on Jewish history in Morocco, addressing antisemitism in the Arab world, political discourse between between the two countries, and opportunities for the future. https://x.com/Ezzarghani https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezzarghani/en https://www.facebook.com/moroccanisraelifriendshipassociation/

5. Afghan Resistance with Ali Nazary from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Nov 26, 202535 min

   An interview with Ali Nazary, Head of Foreign Relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, discussing the growing numbers of foreign terrorists being sponsored in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, women's rights, and how the international community can help.

6. Urban Agriculture in the Middle East from Middle Eastern Intersections

   Sep 3, 202550 min

   The realities of climate change impacts in the region now and in the future bring a sense of urgency to investing in the innovation and adoption of new technology and practices that reduce water usage and improve food sovereignty. Regional rivalries could benefit from collaboration as oil rich countries finance a variety of controlled climate and other resilient agriculture projects, while their neighbors build crucial talent pools and AI powered tools for precision operations. In this episode Henry Gordon-Smith, founder and CEO of Agritecture, goes into detail on his experiences, ideas, and data that raise both concern and hope with regards to trends, risks, and opportunities for urban agriculture in the MENA region. Henry Gordon-Smith https://www.agritecture.com/henry-gordon-smith Michael Scadden https://www.linkedin.com/in/mscadden/