Topic: Middle East History

A 2005 clip of Charles Krauthammer shows him defending the Bush Doctrine and the invasion of Iraq as a "utopian" effort to democratize the Middle East. The hosts reflect on how these predictions have aged over 13 years, noting the failure of the neocon vision to achieve its stated goals.

The general public's lack of historical context regarding the Middle East is blamed on a failing education system. The documentary "Paris 1919" is recommended for understanding how modern borders were arbitrarily created by colonial powers. The discussion laments that a century of "rape" by Western powers has led to the current resentment in the region, while the average citizen cannot even locate Iraq on a map.