
An ex-Al Qaeda jihadi turned MI6 spy and a former monk turned filmmaker, have been embedded at the heart of conflicts in the Middle East. Together Aimen Dean and Thomas Small unpack the realities of war, fundamentalism and their global implications through first-hand experience.
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 205 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Religion & SpiritualityHistory | |||

Because Aimen is still away, we’re taking this opportunity to introduce you all to our executive producer Jake Warren. A journalist and programme-maker, Jake not only had the idea for Conflicted, he is also the founder of Message Heard, the company t... more
In this latest Conflicted Conversation, Thomas talks with Tory MP Sir Jeremy Hunt. Over fourteen years of Conservative government, Hunt served as Culture Secretary, Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer. But in this disc... more
Is Donald Trump mad? Or is he a practitioner of the Madman Theory — and therefore not mad at all?
James D. Boys, author of U.S. Grand Strategy and the Madman Theory: From Nixon to Trump, argues that the Madman Theory is not madness, but the perf... more
Aimen is back with a huge amount of behind-the-scenes information on what’s been happening in the Middle East in the past three weeks—especially on the real reasons the UAE withdrew from OPEC, and what’s been going on inside Donald Trump’s head as he... more
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Thomas Small is without question an erudite and earnest commentator with a good faith mission to bring understanding to the region. His interview with Anand Gopal on Syria was an absolute standout. Aiman Deen, on the other hand seems to lack any moral compass. His comments on “letting Bibi finish the job” in Iran were shocking. His vanity and boastfulness are hard to take, and his predictions are mostly wrong. Please, can we have more episodes that focus on actual research and scholarship rathe... more
This is 2 stars to acknowledge the contribution by Aimen Dean. Other than that the guests are not worth listening to for a conservative listener. Just listened to one with Sir Vince Cable about the dangers of the U.S. abandoning the world order as it was until Trump, and especially abandoning Europe - instead of acknowledging the parasitic nature of that relationship on the side of Europe, and the swift kick off the couch European socialists needed badly in order to contribute their share to th... more
Nice to hear another perspective, but a little too Gulf and Israeli centric. Just because of our historical meddling and support of certain regimes, this should not dictate our future course. Support of certain countries and deployments of troops has created targets of opportunities and vulnerabilities that are then used to justify further military actions. This in turn creates a dependence of certain countries and an expectation that they don’t have to do the heavy lifting in their own backyard... more
I listened to most of its episodes because of my research interests and long-standing passion for the Middle East. While I found many discussions engaging, I also came away feeling that both hosts — especially Aimen — often approach issues with a strong ideological lens. In several episodes, their analysis seemed biased and, at times, lacking accuracy or nuance.
The 5 different IRGC sleeper cells breakdown episode was excellent (and terrifying), as was the deep dive with your guest about Houthi tribes. Keep these interesting and informative episodes coming!
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A geopolitics-focused show featuring in-depth conversations between a former MI6 asset and a former monk-turned-filmmaker as they analyze war, terrorism, and regional power dynamics in the Middle East. Across episodes, topics span covert diplomacy, intelligence history, and the social and political forces shaping conflict in Iraq, Syria, Iran, and the broader Islamic world, often backed by firsthand experience and on-the-ground observations. Notable strengths include high-signal guest expertise from former operatives, journalists, and scholars, plus candid takes on regional alliances, sanctions, and statecraft that help listeners understand complex crises beyond simplistic narratives.
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5. UnHerd with Freddie Sayers
CONFLICTED launched 8 years ago and published 205 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on CONFLICTED include:
1. Jake Warren
2. Sir Jeremy Hunt
3. James D. Boys
4. Marc David Baer
5. Sir Vince Cable
6. Elizabeth Tsurkov
7. Tim Weiner
8. Jack Carr
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