Live June 14, 2026
(The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues, Episode 5)
Unholy Alliance -- The Left & Islamism | Yaron & Nikos Dialogues
How the Radical Left Fell in Love with Islamism: From Foucault to Hamas
Why do so many on the Western Left embrace movements whose values seem fundamentally opposed to their own?
In Episode 5 of The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues, Yaron Brook and Nikos Sotirakopoulos trace the intellectual, political, and historical roots of the alliance between the radical Left and Islamism. From Marxist revolutionary theory and Soviet policy to the Iranian Revolution, Michel Foucault, Edward Said, postcolonialism, and today's campus activism, they examine how anti-Western ideology forged one of the most influential political alliances of our time.
The discussion explores how concepts like oppression, authenticity, moral relativism, and anti-colonialism transformed Western intellectual life—and how those ideas continue to shape attitudes toward Israel, the Middle East, and Western civilization itself.
Watch Now: https://youtube.com/live/RIbjRxhZIKs
Main Topics:
00:00 Introduction to The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues
00:54 October 7 and the rise of Left-Islamist alliances on campus
02:56 Marx, Bolsheviks, and Islam in Soviet revolutionary strategy
05:17 Arab nationalism, radical Islam, and revolutionary movements
09:03 Lebanon, Musa Al Sadr, and Left-Islamist cooperation
13:23 Hezbollah, Khomeini, and Iranian influence
18:22 Rousseau, authenticity, and the Western intellectual tradition
20:14 Michel Foucault and the Iranian Revolution
26:14 Why Foucault became fascinated with religious zeal
28:15 Arafat, the revolution, and regional transformation
30:31 How Iran reshaped the Muslim world
33:37 The U.S. Embassy hostage crisis
35:14 Iran's revolutionary constitution
36:01 Iran-Israel tensions and the prospect of war
37:10 Radical Islam and influence in the West
38:02 What happened to Iran's Left after the revolution?
39:52 Foucault's enduring academic influence
42:09 Edward Said and Orientalism
48:34 How Orientalism transformed academia
52:57 Postcolonialism and views of Israel
54:58 The convergence of Leftist and Islamist causes
57:00 Anti-Westernism, resentment, and "Queers for Palestine"
1:00:32 Moral relativism and oppressor-oppressed thinking
1:04:47 Jeremy Corbyn, Hamas, Hezbollah, and UK politics
Audience Questions
1:24:21 R.E.M.'s "Stand" — great song or not?
1:26:39 What's the fastest way to identify a cult?
1:31:08 Starman, abortion, and individual rights
1:32:40 Why do "Queers for Palestine" oppose Israeli self-defense?
1:35:38 What does wisdom really mean?
1:40:30 Is the Right actually the greater political threat?
1:47:16 Why don't socialist failures change socialist minds?
1:53:07 How did Jerry Seinfeld become a billionaire?
1:58:30 "No ethical consumption under capitalism"—where did this idea come from?
2:01:57 Can a culture dependent on government ever become free?
2:04:25 What would a privatized Central Park look like?
2:05:57 Can New York City be saved?
2:09:06 Can the U.S. soccer team make a serious run?
2:10:17 How do you stay calm during technological revolutions like AI?
2:14:18 Is individualism viewed as a political liability?
2:16:50 Thoughts on Yair Lapid?
2:21:55 Messi vs. Ronaldo: talent or achievement?
2:24:19 How would Nikos fix the NBA?
2:26:15 Is nationalism ever appropriate?
2:27:49 Has Nikos become an NHL fan?
2:30:01 Messi or Ronaldo: genius vs. relentless ambition?
More from [Nikos Sotirakopoulos](https://www.nikos.org/)
Support Nikos: / @nikos_1717
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Yaron is the executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute and a world class speaker. He is the coauthor of the national best-seller Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government, Equal is Unfair: America's Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality and In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance. He speaks around the world on a variety of topics including the morality of capitalism, Ayn Rand and her philosophy, finance and economics, and the value of inequality.
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