This is Part 2 of my interview with author and political writer Robin Yassin-Kassab. For those of you who missed the first episode, Robin is the co-author along with Leila al-Shami of of the excellent, important and deeply moving book Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War. He is also author of the novel The Road From Damascus. Robin's writings have appeared in the Guardian, The New Arab, Al Jazeera and the New Humanitarian. In this episode, Robin and I discussed common misconceptions about the Syrian revolution and why it failed to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad; how the working and middle class Syrian suburb of Daraya, known for it's delicious grapes, became a symbol of the Syrian revolution; what grassroot democratic movements from below have inspired Robin ;and why he considers himself to be anti-fascist and anti-genocide. Robin's principled support for universal rights and consistent opposition to crimes against humanity and genocide no matter who is the victim and who is the oppressor is as vital as ever in a world where global politics is too often tainted by selective outrage, intentional amnesia and double standards. This interview was conducted June 14, 2024.

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