Assad’s fall: What the west gets wrong

After more than 50 years of repressive dynastic rule, Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria.Ellen and Alona are joined by Syria expert Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East Institute at SOAS and associate fellow at Chatham House. While many were surprised by the rapid toppling of Assad’s regime, Lina was not.As people speculate about what HTS and other rebel groups intend for Syria, she explains why this might not be what western commentators expect. And with some voicing anxiety about Syria becoming a new Afghanistan, she unpacks why these comparisons just don’t make sense—and what policymakers are getting wrong.Plus, unicorns and dinosaurs: banger or dud? From medieval monsters to Big Oil, Priya Khanchandani shares the secret histories and consumer messaging behind two of the most ubiquitous creatures in the toy industry. Read her feature "Unicorns and Dinosaurs are everywhere!" from our Winter Special magazine issue here.Lina’s piece on pragmatism in Syria can also be found at prospectmagazine.co.uk. To watch this interview, head to our YouTube channel, where the Prospect podcast is published every Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.