In The East Wing

Hollie Mckay, a war journalist, joins Abdullah Najjar for a conversation on passion, the realities of war, giving a voice to the voiceless, and much more. Hollie shares a few of the lessons learned from her experiences in different countries and the balance she has to draw between family and the work she's engaged in.Be sure to Get Hollie's recent publication, a novel called "The Dictator's Wife". Be sure to also check out her new podcast, "Dispatches on Parenting Across Cultures", which is available on all platforms. ★ Support this podcast ★

Professor Richard Mahoney, who was a former secretary of the state of Arizona, joins Abdullah Najjar to talk a little bit about his background in addition to recent political developments, both domestically and internationally. In addition to his many hats, professor Mahoney is an author, a traveler, and a former speech writer for Obama. ★ Support this podcast ★

This Episode explores the story of Jason Riddle, who was in the air force for 20 years and experienced deployments pre and post 9/11. Jason delves into a lot of the specifics of his deployments to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and other places. He was also involved with NATO its campaign in Libya in 2011. The is the longest episode recorded In the East Wing so far. ★ Support this podcast ★

Sarah Adams, a former CIA targeter, joins Abdullah in the East Wing, where they talk about Hamas, Al-Quaeda, Benghazi, and other subjects. She is the co-author of the book Benghazi: Know thy enemy, and she also served as served as the Senior Advisor to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Benghazi. ★ Support this podcast ★

Angelika Regossi guides us through her career in War journalism that started after her escape from the USSR. She has covered the fall of Yugoslavia, the war in Iraq, the Russia-Georgia war, and other dangerous conflicts. Her life has been filled with so many unconventional experiences, and it is an honor to have her on The East Wing.Angelika Regossi's books ★ Support this podcast ★

Mick Mulroy joins Abdullah Najjar to talk about the intense situation that the Middle East is currently experiencing, especially with recent developments in Lebanon. In addition to talking about the Middle East, Abdullah and Mick explore a fair bit of Stoicism in their conversation. Mick, a stoic, is a former Paramilitary operations officer, a US Marine, and a former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East. ★ Support this podcast ★

Abdullah Talks to Ric Prado, a shadow warrior who spent 24 years with the CIA. His journey has taken him from the jungles of Nicaragua to the tough terrain of Afghanistan and other countries. From being a Cuban orphan in the US to becoming one of the most well-known CIA officers, Ric takes us through his life journey and its different intricacies in this 1-hour and 20-minute long conversation. ★ Support this podcast ★

 A conversation with Harrison Mann, a Jewish army major who decided to resign from the Defense Intelligence Agency over the Biden administration's handling of Gaza. Mann takes us through his background in joining the military, his career in intelligence, his trips to the region, and his resignation.  ★ Support this podcast ★

 This is a conversation with Riley Livermore, a military veteran who resigned from the Air Force as a result of the Biden administration's policy regarding the situation in Gaza. Riley spent 16 years in the Air Force, during which he got to spend 2 years in Israel from 2016 to 2018. In this episode, we talk about his background, his years in the military, his experience in the Middle East, and the decision he made to finally pull the plug.  ★ Support this podcast ★

 In this conversation with Kathy Gannon, a veteran journalist, we take a deep dive into her experience with Afghanistan. We talk about the Mujahedeen Vs. the soviets, the US invasion, the pullout, and her role as a war journalist who has dedicated her life to reporting from some of the most dangerous areas in the world. This is unfiltered, raw, and very real. certain subjects might be sensitive to some people, so please be advised.  ★ Support this podcast ★

 "In the East Wing" will provide a raw depiction of the Middle East through the eyes of the those who experienced the region in different capacities. Abdullah Najjar, a Libyan young man with a deep interest in the region, will be hosting this brand new podcast in collaboration with WKNC 88.1.  ★ Support this podcast ★