Conflicted Revisited: Spying for Saudi
February 24, 2026
1 hr 21 min
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176 of 210
February 24, 2026
Conflicted Revisited: Spying for Saudi
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Conflicted Episodes Around February 24, 2026
Episode 176 of 210 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
Conflicted Revisited: Spying for Saudi
Summary
As Saudi Arabia celebrates Founding Day, and as the murky underbelly of GCC geopolitics is on everyone's minds, we're re-releasing this classic Conflicted episode from early 2022.
Thomas & Aimen discuss:
The deep history of Arabia
The first foundations of Saudi Arabia
The transition from British to American dominance in the Middle East
Aimen’s family history within the British imperial system
The 1920 Iraqi revolt
St John Philby (Abdullah Philby)
The consolidation of Saudi Arabia under Ibn Saud
Oil politics and the American-Saudi partnership
Cold War spy-craft and intelligence networks in Saudi Arabia
Espionage culture in the region
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi
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Conflicted is a Message Heard production.
Executive Producers: Jake Warren & Max Warren.
Produced and edited by Rowan Bishop.
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