An audio recording with better sound qualität can be found here.
A pdf file with the transcription of the whole discussion can be found here. We thank the magazine Blätter des Informationszentrums Dritte Welt (Iz3W) for the transcription. Issue 330 of the magazine contained a shortened version of the text.
Iran, Syria, Hezbollah - Endgame for the "Axis of Resistance"?
A debate with Markus Bickel (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and Jörn Schulz (Jungle World) about the current developments in Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 7.00 pm
Robert-Koch-Saal, Dorotheenstr. 96, 10117 Berlin.
The upheavals in the Arab World have been welcomed by the rulers in Tehran as an "Islamic awakening". In reality they will probably sleep as bad as their Syrian and Lebanese allies in the "Axis of Resistance" against Israel and the West. The pressure of sanctions against the Iranian Regime, which develops nuclear weapons, is increasing. The power struggles inside the regime continue, and a military escalation is getting more likely. Syria, Iran's most important Arab ally, is caught in a deadly struggle with the opposition movement since nearly one year now. The downfall of Assad would also have great consequences for Lebanon, where Hezbollah dominates the country with the support of Syria and Iran. Part of the explosive situation is the Sunni-Shia conflict that pervades the region. How will the strategic landscape change in the Middle East? What will be the consequences for the Arab and Iranian democratic forces and the security of Israel? We invite you to discuss these and other questions with two renowned experts.Markus Bickel is political editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.). From 2005 to 2008 he reported from Beirut for F.A.Z., taz, Berliner Zeitung and Spiegel Online; before that he worked as correspondent in Sarajevo. In 2011 he published the book "The Forgotten Middle East Conflict: Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah" (German).
Jörn Schulz is international editor of the Berlin weekly Jungle World. He has studied Islamic studies and together with other authors runs the blog "From Tunis to Tehran" (http://jungle-world.com/von-tunis-nach-teheran/ ) (German) about the upheavals in the Middle East . Moderation: Jonathan Weckerle (MFFB). Event in German!Contribution: 3 €. Reception with wine & cheese after the debate.Please register at info@mideastfreedomforum.org Please also invite your contacts via facebook! A Berlin Middle East Talk (B'EMET) by Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) and the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin (MFFB).
