Old Media

While we have added most of our older content to our new content management system, there are a number of audio files for shows that have yet to be added to the system. Until these have been added, you can access them here.

- The Ayad Rahim Show
  - 38 - July 15, 2006
    - “Clevelander Miriam Mendelson explains her systems analysis theory for the terrorist system and the psychology of violence. Ms. Mendelson is working on her dissertation on the topic for a doctorate in public administration from Akron University, and calls upon her experience as a counselor in crisis and anger management and international advocate for the defense of non-combatants.”
  - 37 - July 1, 2006
    - “Fouad Ajami and David Forte: Dr. Ajami, the great Lebanese American scholar and writer, on Zarqawi’s death and the extremism among Arabs that supports his like; Cleveland State University law professor Dr. Forte, a scholar on Islamic law, on an early strain in Islam resembling today’s fanatics, and the evolution of Islamic law and the relationship between the state and religion.”
  - 36 - June 24, 2006
    - “Abu Musab a-Zarqawi is the day’s topic, with four commentators: Nibras Kazimi, an Iraqi writer, on the death of the Qa’ida leader and what it means; Lebanese American scholar Fouad Ajami, on Zarqawi’s main motivation and what’s behind it; security specialist Stanley Weiss on Sunnis and Shias; and Entifadh Qanbar, from Baghdad, on Zarqawi’s role in Iraq’s terrorism and who’s directing it.”
  - 35 - June 17, 2006
    - “On this Saturday’s program, I continue with Muhammad al-Hillali, who returned to Cleveland recently from an extended visit to Iraq. We talk about the security situation in his native Najaf, the city’s pilgrim trade, Moqtada Sadir and his followers, the role of Ayatollah Sistani, and how ethnic cleansing almost broke out while he was there. We also compare Baghdad with southern Iraq, look at the makeup of the police, people’s way of thinking and attitudes, and the ‘triangle of death’ just south of Baghdad.”
  - 34 - June 10, 2006
    - “After a comment on the death of Zarqawi, I interview Muhammad al-Hillali, who came to America as an Iraqi refugee after the 1991 uprisings against Saddam and recently returned to Cleveland from a trip to Iraq. We talk about the Saudi desert camp where he spent six years, his native Najaf and what he saw and experienced on his two recent trips to Iraq.”
  - 33 - June 3, 2006
    - “The conclusion of my interview with Entifadh Qanbar, from Baghdad. Qanbar, an American citizen, is Iraq’s deputy military attaché in Washington and politically active in Iraq. We talk about terrorism in Iraq, the role of Ba’this and Zarqawi in it, the necessary response, what it’s been like to return to Iraq, and Sunnis’ perspectives.”
  - 32 - May 27, 2006
    - “I pick up the conversation from show 30 with Entifadh Qanbar in Baghdad. Qanbar, a politically well-connected Iraqi American, is Iraq’s deputy military attaché in Washington, and we talk about the U.S.-Iraq relationship, the political scene in Iraq, the new prime minister and the followers of radical cleric Muqtada Sadir.”
  - 31 - May 20, 2006
    - “Commentaries from three top writers/scholars: journalist Amir Taheri, former editor of Iran’s top newspaper, on Mahmoud Ahmedinejad’s letter to President Bush and the tradition of Muslim leaders writing to world rulers; the great Iraqi blogger/dentist Zeyad, of http://HealingIraq.blogspot.com, on Arab conspiratorial thinking; and Bernard Lewis, on the roots of the war we’re in, and the hatred and contempt behind it.”
  - 30 - May 6, 2006
    - “I speak with my first guest directly from the Middle East, Entifadh Qanbar, in Baghdad. Qanbar, who is active in the political, security and diplomatic arenas, tells the amazing story of when he, along with dozens of others, were rounded up by Saddam’s secret police. He also talks about life in Iraq, working as an engineer on Saddam’s palaces, and the training of Iraqi soldiers.”
  - 29 - April 29, 2006
    - “Something different — we take in, the oldest surviving literature, a 3000-year-old story, from ancient Sumer: ‘Huwawa — Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Awesome Being of the Cedar Forest,’ performed by Fran Hazelton.”
  - 28 - April 22, 2006
    - “The conclusion of my interview with psychology professor Tom Evans, of Cleveland’s John Carroll University, as we talk about suicide bombers - who they are and what motivates them.”
  - 27 - April 15, 2006
  - 26 - April 8, 2006
    - “I talk with Tom Evans, psychology professor at Cleveland’s John Carroll University, who’s profiled Saddam Hussein, among other people, for the CIA. By looking at Saddam’s rise to power and rule, we get some insights into life in a dictatorship and compare it to a cult experience and other settings that might be familiar to us.”
  - 25 - April 1, 2006
    - “I conclude my conversation with Ahmed Subhi Mansour, as we speak about Egypt, the political situation there and the relationship between the government and “the Muslim brothers.” Dr. Mansour taught for 14 years at al-Azhar University, the most important school and seminary in Islam. His efforts to reform Islam from within got him suspended, tried and imprisoned, a story he recounts, in program 23.”
  - 24 - March 25, 2006
    - “I continue with Ahmed Subhi Mansour, as we speak about the splits and splinter groups in Islam, the role of the Sunna, how Islam’s doctrine of self-defense became aggressive, and women in Islam. Dr. Mansour taught for 14 years at al-Azhar University, the most important school and seminary in Islam. His efforts to reform Islam from within got him suspended, tried and imprisoned, a story he recounts, in program 23.”
  - 23 - March 18, 2006
    - “Fascinating story of what happened to Dr. Ahmed Subhi Mansour, a Muslim reformer who taught at the preeminent seminary and university in the Muslim world, Al-Azhar, for 14 years.”
  - 22 - March 11, 2006
    - “I continue with award-winning foreign correspondent Geraldine Brooks on Muslim women and the Middle East. Specifically, we deal with how women in Iran have shaped a role for themselves through Islam, compare that with Egypt, and touch on the Salman Rushdie affair, the recent furor over the cartoons of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad, working as a journalist in a totalitarian setting, and relations between men and women.”
  - 21 - March 4, 2006
    - “Pulitzer-prize winner Jim Hoagland, on Iraq after the bombing of the shrine; and Geraldine Brooks, award-winning foreign correspondent, on Muslim women, the Middle East and how people respond to catastrophe.”
  - 20 - February 25, 2006
    - “I’m on, live, for the first time, as we conclude the radiothon. Preeminent scholar Fouad Ajami’s comments on where we stand — with Hamas’s victory and Iraq’s elections in the rear-view mirror. I follow those with my comments on the bombing of the Shi’a shrine in Iraq, three days before — what it means and what’s in store.”
  - 19 - February 18, 2006
    - “Conclusion of interview with Dr. Mylroie, as we look at the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and its connections to 9/11. Then we deal with Saddam’s training of terrorists, and an unusual family of terrorists.”
  - 18 - February 11, 2006
    - “Continuing with the first plot to bring down the Twin Towers, I speak with Dr. Mylroie about the identity of the mastermind, Saddam’s motives, a plot to bomb a dozen American planes, the ‘family’ of Baluchi terrorists, state-sponsorship versus loose networks, the Clinton administration’s response, the problem with trials, book publishing, and the connections between the ‘93 bombing and 9/11.”
  - 17 - February 4, 2006
    - “The focus is on one event — the bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City. I go behind the scenes with Dr. Laurie Mylroie, who wrote the book on the 1993 plot to topple the towers and kill tens of thousands of people. We explore the multiple identities of the bombing’s mastermind, the legal charges in the case, and Iraqi complicity.”
  - 16 - January 28, 2006
    - “I continue with my special guest, talking about where 9/11 comes from, what we have done in response, and how it’s going.”
  - 15 - January 21, 2006
    - “My special guest is…me. I give you my take, on the war we’re in — what 9/11 means, where it comes from, what’s behind it — what it’s all about.”
  - 14 - January 14, 2006
    - “Christopher Hitchens, the George Orwell of our day, is my guest. We talk about the Left and today’s “anti-war” camps, anti-Semitism, journalists’ attitudes towards Iraq, the Washington wars, the CIA and its views of Saddam and Ahmad Chalabi, where Iraq might’ve gone were it not for American intervention, fascism and the current enemy, a previous 9/11 landmark in Islamic history, the hierarchy and differences among Muslims, and liberal politics in the Balkans. There’s also an announcement of an essay contest on civil rights in the Middle East.”
  - 13 - January 7, 2006
    - “We continue with Dr. Dawisha, as we turn to the outcome of the elections. We look at the “surprising” results in Baghdad; demographic changes; the ramifications of fraud; who will form the next government; a close look at the dominant bloc in Iraqi politics — its components, ideologies, aspirations and ability to stay united; implications for the constitution; the concerns of Kurds; and the makeup and abilities of the security forces.”
  - 12 - December 31, 2005
    - “We talk Iraqi politics and elections — with political scientist and Iraq native Adeed Dawisha, of Miami University of Ohio. We look at the turnout, security, the pre-election campaigning, Ayad Allawi’s performance, allegations of fraud, the allotment of seats in the parliament, the fairness of the parliament and the elections, and Saddam-era referenda.”
  - 11 - December 17, 2005
    - “We go to vote, in the Iraqi elections.”
  - 10 - December 10, 2005
    - “The focus, remains, on the Saddam trial, as I continue my conversation with Professor Scharf. We deal with Ba’ath Party members on the tribunal; the importance of the Dujayl case, the first before the court; the other charges against Saddam and his regime; and comparisons with the Nuremberg and Milosevic tribunals — in how they are perceived by the local and international publics, historical significance, and whether such tribunals divide or unite societies. We also talk about when and whether Saddam will be executed; what it takes to prove a crime against humanity; whether this tribunal is fair, and how Professor Scharf changed his mind about that; protection of judges, witnesses and attorneys; the risks of television coverage; and Saddam’s “dream team,” the accused defending themselves, and Saddam’s likely strategy.”
  - 09 - December 3, 2005
    - “The topic is the trial of Saddam, as I talk with Cleveland law professor Michael Scharf, one of a handful of people from around the world who have been training members of the Iraqi Special Court. The Case Western Reserve professor talks about Ra’id Juhi, the chief investigating judge of the tribunal; the way an Iraqi criminal court works; the exclusion of an accountability clause from U.N. resolutions after Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait — professor Scharf worked at the U.N. at the time; European and U.N. involvement in the Saddam trial; the issue of the death penalty; what Iraqi jurists have learned and how; the fairness, structure and independence of the tribunal; and misreporting about the tribunal.”
  - 08 - November 19, 2005
    - “I continue, with Professor Dawisha, as we talk about Iraq’s past democratic experience, under the monarchy of the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Along the way, we explore the absolutist and constitutional strains in Iraqi politics; the notion of a usable past, including in American history; Iraq’s draft constitution; current Iraqi politics; how the country is doing; and its potential effect for the Arab world. I start the program with a late-breaking item from the Saddam trial, theories on the killings of the defense attorneys and “news” about the bombings in Jordan and Saddam’s daughter. I conclude the program with a report from a person who visited Iraq, a week ago.”
  - 07 - November 12, 2005
    - “The focus is Iraq, as I talk with political scientist and Iraq native Adeed Dawisha, of Miami University of Ohio. Professor Dawisha talks about the status of this thing called Iraq, how a nation arrives at an identity, and the chances of “Iraq” surviving.”
  - 06 - November 5, 2005
    - “I continue my conversation with Cleveland State University law professor David Forte, whose writings on Islam informed the White House’s approach and words, after 9/11. We speak about a religion getting freed up and finding itself, the history of the Catholic Church, Bush administration policy, totalitarian and pluralist societies, America’s experience, the varieties of Islam and struggles it faces, literal reading of the Quran, historical grudges of a people, hierarchies within Islam and the wellspring of the terrorism we face. As a constitutional scholar, Professor Forte also offers some insights into the process and results of Iraq’s draft constitution.”
  - 05 - October 29, 2005
    - “The beginning of the interview with Cleveland State University law professor David Forte, whose writings about Islam informed the White House’s approach and words, after 9/11. Professor Forte speaks about what hit us on 9/11, how today’s radicals resemble an early heretical strain of Islam, and what America has tried to do, with its interventions in the Muslim world over the past dozen years. He also gives us the background and evolution in Islamic law, the historical relationship between the state and Islam, how a religion understands itself and evolves, the importance of pluralism during the height of Islam, free will, and the fundamentalists vis a vis these issues. I begin the show, with follow-up comments from me, on Iraqis ratifying their draft constitution, and the start of the Saddam trial.”
  - 04 - October 15, 2005
    - “The conclusion of the interview with Dr. Fouad Ajami, who talks about Iraq, to which he’s been, five times, since the ouster of Saddam. I start the show with my comments on the constitutional referendum that would took place in Iraq, that day, and the trial of Saddam, that would start four days later. I conclude the show with an excellent article about Shi’as and Sunnis.”
  - 03 - October 8, 2005
    - “George Will drops by, unexpectedly, causing a last-minute change of plans. He speaks very compellingly, and comprehensively, about the doctrine of pre-emption.”
  - 02 - October 1, 2005
    - “I continue the conversation with Dr. Fouad Ajami. We speak about the police states in the Arab world; the calamity petro-Islam has caused Saudi Arabia; the decline of Cairo; bin Laden’s #2, Ayman a-Dhawahiri; the campaign for Arabs’ hearts and minds; America’s role in the Middle East; Arabs’ patterns of blaming and denial; more about Arab pride and sorrow; fascism; the role of Christian Arabs; Sunnis and Shi’a; and Abu-Mus’ab a-Zarqawi.”
  - 01 - September 17, 2005
    - “I introduce myself, and speak, briefly, about what this show is about. Then, I speak with the great Lebanese American scholar and writer Fouad Ajami, to provide us with the historical, political, cultural and psychological background of the Arab world and the war we’re in. He speaks, among other things, about the consoling legend of leaving Lebanon, his generation of baby-boomers’ inheritence of the modernist consensus, the bursting of that consensus, the rise of religion as a weapon, Arab pride versus the results in the Arab world, the rise of the dynastic rulers who predominate there, the highwater mark and Waterloo of Arabism, and the sadness that is Egypt today.”