October 27, 2017 – Patrick Cockburn on Iraqi Kurdistan and the battle for Raqqa – Episode 4534

Patrick Cockburn joins Scott from Baghdad to discuss the liberation of Raqqa from ISIS and the battle in Kirkuk between the Iraqi army and Peshmerga. Cockburn describes how ISIS is still in business as a guerrilla force, but the caliphate has been destroyed. Cockburn further details which powers in the region have gained in influence and power and who faces even more pressure—in particular the Kurds, who have seen major losses since the referendum for independence, which Cockburn believes was a major mistake. Cockburn then discusses the always fragile relation between Sunnis and Shias and the bizarre role the United States plays in the middle and on both sides.

Patrick Cockburn is the Middle East correspondent for The Independent and the author of “The Age of Jihad” and “Chaos & Caliphate.”

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