Summary: Phillip Smyth (<a href="https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth">@phillipsmyth</a>) and I (<a href="https://twitter.com/rejectionking">@rejectionking</a>) discuss whether the war in Syria can be considered a Shia jihad. The discussion opens up with an update on the war in Syria, followed by discussion of the transnational aspect of the war in Syria for Shia that includes a focus on sectarianism, the concept of defensive jihad, Iran's role, and Shia militia's media and music. <br> <br> Please check out Phillip's work at "<a href="http://jihadology.net/hizballah-cavalcade/">Hizballah Cavalcade</a>" including "<a href="http://jihadology.net/2013/07/30/hizballah-cavalcade-the-lion-of-damascus-and-afghans-and-africans-oh-my-fighters-from-exotic-locales-in-syrias-shia-militias/">The Lion of Damascus, and Afghans, and Africans! Oh my!: Fighters from Exotic Locales in Syria's Shia Militias</a>", "<a href="http://jihadology.net/2013/07/20/hizballah-cavalcade-liwaa-ammar-ibn-yasir-a-new-shia-militia-operating-in-aleppo-syria/">Liwa'a 'Ammar Ibn Yasir: A New Shia Militia Operating in Aleppo, Syria</a>", and "<a href="http://jihadology.net/2013/07/03/hizballah-cavalcade-the-songs-of-liwaa-abu-fadl-al-abbas-militant-iraqi-shia-music-syria/">The Songs of Liwa'a Abu Fadl al-Abbas: Militant Iraqi Shia Music and Syria</a>". <br>
