by Arab Tyrant Manual Podcast
Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash study global authoritarianism, with a focus on the MENA region, and dive deep into universal strategies and tactics of authoritarians, as well as the best ways to resist. The Arab Tyrant Manual is now part of Kulna, a new editorial platform and community space for long thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next. Learn more and support us: http://kulna.co/
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/14/2017
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April 25, 2026
<p>ATM is Back with another Podcast!</p><p>We recorded this episode in the middle of one of the most consequential moments in the history of this region. In this episode, we ask the question on everyone's mind: "Do the Gulf States Have a Future?" Not in the next news cycle, but in the next generation.</p><p>We look at what the current war on Iran has exposed: the structural fragilities of these states, their rentier economies, their tiny citizen populations, and their deep dependence on migrant labour.</p><p>And we talk about why states under duress don't reform - they just become more of what they already are. Also, if you're watching this on YouTube - KULNA is our new editorial platform for longform thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next. Visit the link below to support us: kulna.co</p>
April 15, 2026
<p>It's been four years since our last episode — and we're back with something bigger.</p><p>In this episode, recorded before the ceasefire announcement, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash break down the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran - a war that looks irrational from Washington, but it starts to make sense as an Israeli-driven war the United States was pulled into.</p><p>We trace the settler-colonial psychology behind Israeli strategic thinking, how October 7th shattered the illusion of a managed conflict with the Palestinians, and why Israel is now locked into open-ended war with no off-ramp — driven not by one leader but by a broad political consensus and a fear that the window of unconditional American support is closing.</p><p>We also look at Iran's regime resilience, why external attack tends to strengthen rather than weaken the IRGC's grip, and what a prolonged war means for Gulf economies built on foreign labour and energy rents. No clear positive outcome is on the horizon, and regional escalation remains a serious risk.</p><p>This episode also marks the beginning of something new. The Arab Tyrant Manual is becoming part of <strong>Kulna</strong> — a new editorial platform for long thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next.</p><p><strong>Links</strong></p><p>To find our more about Kulna and become a founding member: <a href="https://kulna.co/subscribe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://kulna.co/subscribe/</a></p>
April 8, 2022
<p>As Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused global energy prices to spike, the US looked to its traditional gulf partners to increase supply. However, Mohamed bin Zayed and Mohamed bin Salman chose not to - refusing President Joe Biden's calls and even raising prices, whilst making overt gestures of support for Putin.</p><p>In this episode, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash discuss how the war in Ukraine has pushed a wedge between the US and its traditionally-close gulf allies, and what this means for the future of the Middle East.</p><p>Episode timetags:</p><p>02:40 - The economic context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine</p><p>04:40 - Alternative sources of energy & autocracies</p><p>08:00 - The gulf oil producers are acting differently</p><p>09:30 - Why Saudi's reaction is a bad idea</p><p>12:30 - Changing dictatorships through economic engagement</p><p>14:00 - Europe's reaction to war & the dictators' underestimations</p><p>18:20 - The shift in relationships from unconditional to transactional</p><p>21:00 - MBS taking political changes personally</p><p>23:55 - The Atlantic interview, disinformation, and MBS' continued self-owns</p><p>27:30 - US security guarantee isn't in doubt, but it's not enough</p><p>33:25 - The failure of dictatorship as a management system</p><p>38:10 - Is Saudi Arabia maximising profit for its national budget?</p><p><br></p><p>Support the Arab Tyrant Manual on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kawaakibi</p><p>Our other podcast, Intergalactic Tarboush: http://tarboush.co/</p>
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Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash study global authoritarianism, with a focus on the MENA region, and dive deep into universal strategies and tactics of authoritarians, as well as the best ways to resist.
The Arab Tyrant Manual is now part of Kulna, a new editorial platform and community space for long thinking about power, resistance, and what comes next. Learn more and support us: http://kulna.co/
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