Episode 84- Understanding the Syrian Insurgency with Charles Lister and Aaron Zelin

Summary: Charles Lister (<a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister">@charles_lister</a>) and Aaron Zelin (<a href="https://twitter.com/azelin">@azelin</a>) discuss the Syrian insurgency. Below I've listed an outline of the conversation and the questions we covered. <br> <br> <br> <br> First, update us on the war. What is the state of the <br> insurgency post chemical weapon use? At this point in the war how can we relate <br> FSA to other parts of the insurgency (jihadis, Islamist, etc)[ infighting ]. <br> Where do we factor in sectarianism? Where do we factor in the level of <br> violence? <br> <br>  How much of the insurgency can be considered <br> "secular" vs "Islamist" vs "jihadi"? How would <br> you define each category, and more importantly has there been shift from one <br> category to another? <br> <br> <br> In the US there has been a heated debate about the <br> "good" and "bad" guys: Broadly, is it possible to define <br> and separate the "good" from the "bad" in a complex <br> insurgency? How has funding and arming affected the aforementioned categorization? <br> <br> <br> Whenever experts and or intelligence services can offer <br> foreign policy decision-makers nuance and in depth view of a complex event, <br> that analysis meets (a) entrenched policies and party pressures, (b) the <br> impressive force of lobbyists and interested campaign contributors, and (c) uninformed <br> or misinformed popular public opinion, which will likely turn into votes next <br> time around. <br> <br> <br> What has been your experience in dealing with the pressures <br> in producing a genuinely in depth and nuanced product vs the political forces <br> and domestic politicization of the conflict in Syria particularly in dealing <br> with the call for intervention? <br> <br> <br> <br>