Explore how borders drawn a century ago by European powers continue to shape today's Middle East conflicts, from the post-Ottoman carve-up to modern geopolitical tensions.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Lena: Hey Miles, I was reading about the Middle East recently, and I realized how much of today's geopolitics is shaped by decisions made a century ago. It's kind of mind-blowing when you think about it.
Miles: Absolutely! The modern Middle East we know today was essentially born from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I. When you look at a map of countries like Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, you're basically looking at borders drawn by British and French diplomats in the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement.
Lena: Right, and those borders didn't really consider local ethnic or religious communities, did they? I mean, they were more about European interests than the people actually living there.
Miles: Exactly. Those European powers were focused on securing trade routes and resources like oil. They literally carved up the region with rulers and pencils, creating artificial states that sometimes united diverse groups with little in common or divided people with shared histories. And you know what's fascinating? Those same borders are largely intact today, despite being a century old.
Lena: That explains so much about the tensions we see. And then the United States got involved too, right? I remember reading that FDR met with Saudi Arabia's founder Ibn Saud back in 1945 when they discovered oil.
Miles: That's right! That meeting was pivotal. The U.S. was worried about running out of domestic oil after World War II, and Saudi Arabia had just discovered massive reserves in 1938. That meeting between Roosevelt and Ibn Saud kicked off a relationship that's still central to American foreign policy today, though it's evolved significantly as regional dynamics have changed.
Lena: So let's explore how these historical decisions continue to shape the modern Middle East, from the creation of Israel to the Arab Spring and today's conflicts...