Part 12/17:
The conversation then navigates the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, notably Afghanistan and Syria. The resilience of the Taliban, despite decades of intervention, reflects how intractable certain conflicts remain. The speaker criticizes the concept of nation-building, recounting how efforts to establish democracy in Afghanistan have yet to produce lasting stability, and how US involvement has had complex, sometimes tragic, consequences.
Similarly, he brings up the drug trade and organized crime in Latin America, particularly the fentanyl and marijuana trafficking linked to Mexican cartels. The importance of cooperation with local authorities is acknowledged, but corruption hampers efforts to contain these criminal networks.