© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The normalization of Syria’s dictator in the Middle East

Season 2024 Episode 203 | 8m 11s

For 14 years, the authoritarian regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has waged a bloody war against the Syrian people, killing and displacing millions. Other Arab states and the West had shunned Syria in response, making it a pariah. But now, relations with the Syrian dictator are beginning to thaw. Ali Rogin speaks with the Middle East Institute’s Charles Lister to learn more.

Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Consumer Cellular and Cunard Cruise Line. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.
Extras
March 5, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
Iranian drone, missile attacks on Gulf nations risk pulling more countries into war
As U.S.-Israeli strikes intensify, Iran says it's no longer looking to negotiate
John Kirby on concerns about Iran's future after the war
Iranian Americans express hope and fear about what comes next
Israelis take shelter as Iran and Hezbollah launch attacks: 'Here, the wars don't end'
News Wrap: More than 20 states sue Trump over planned 15% global tariff
Trump fires Noem amid controversies over her leadership at DHS
Lloyd Blankfein on his memoir 'Streetwise' and broader economic concerns
Environmental justice advocate works to preserve her family's 100-year-old farm