A New Syria Is Emerging From The Rubble (S01E187)

Friday, November 6, 2026, Istanbul

Nearly two years after rebels swept through Syria, seized control of Damascus, and ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, the country remains a land in flux and occasional chaos. Reconstruction is spotty. Foreign investment is sparse. Poverty is epidemic. Sectarian and political violence persists.

Yet there are also signs of hope and life.

In the latest episode of badlands, researcher Rena Netjes joins badlands host Borzou Daragahi from Damascus to discuss the situation on the ground inside the new Syria. She discusses the security dynamics, economic activity, the political scene, and Israeli encroachments into southern Syria.

She also describes her research into the kidnapping of journalist Austin Tice, the American Washington Post correspondent who went missing more than a decade ago in Syria.

Also in this episode, Borzou delves into the Iranian response to the midterm elections. The messaging from Tehran suggests it is engaging in triumphalism and misunderstanding the stability of US democracy, mistaking political dynamism for weakness.

In interviews with India’s NewsX World, Borzou also answers questions about the diplomatic efforts to resolve the impasse between Iran and the US, the ongoing negotiations over government formation in Israel, and the fresh round of protests in France.

Notes:

* Follow Rena Netjes’ Substack newsletter.

* Hear me discuss about post-midterm prospects for war or peace between Iran and the US on Austria’s RadioFM4 (interview in English begins at 1:13 mark).

* How Democrats can sabotage Donald Trump’s agenda abroad.

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