April 23, 2024

Nabil Al-Tikriti Discusses Iraq on KPFA and KPFK Pacifica Radio Stations

Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti

Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti

On Friday, June 13, 2014, Associate Professor of History and American Studies Nabil Al-Tikriti appeared on Los Angeles based KPFK’s “Radio Uprising” program to discuss the latest developments in Iraq. Hosted by Sonali Kolhatkar, Al-Tikriti was also joined by Matt Howard of the NGO “Iraq Veterans Against the War.”

The segment lasted just over 18 minutes, and can be screened via this podcast link: http://uprisingradio.org/home/2014/06/13/breaking-sunni-militants-capture-cities-as-baghdad-braces-for-an-invasion/.

In the course of this discussion, Al-Tikriti described the factors dating back to the 2003 Anglo-American invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq which led to the current crisis. He also offered prescriptive advice for today’s policymakers, suggesting both that the regional sectarian war that many have been predicting has in fact arrived, and that one of the few policy options with a modest chance of success would be for U.S. officials to mediate a meeting between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

On Saturday, June 21, 2014, Nabil Al-Tikriti appeared on San Francisco’s KPFA “Saturday Morning Talk” program to discuss developments in Iraq. Hosted by Kris Welch, Al-Tikriti was also joined by Sami Rassouli of the “Muslim Peacemaker Teams” and Robert Naiman of “Just Foreign Policy.”

The segment lasted roughly 55 minutes, and can be screened via this podcast link until July 5: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/103986. Al-Tikriti’s starts at the 1:06 minute mark.

In the course of this discussion, Al-Tikriti described the meaning of the term ISIL, the evolution of the organization’s growth, the role played by U.S. foreign policy in the past, and some of the options facing foreign policymakers today.