On this episode of Around The Empire, Dan and Joanne interview independent journalist Rania Khalek about her recent trip to Syria. Rania is one of the few journalists to report from inside Syria and she shares what she witnessed and her conversations with Syrians.

Part of the discussion also focuses on a U.S.-backed effort through traditional and social media to ignore the role Al Qaeda/Al Nusra is playing in the civil war.

Rania explains the “moderate rebels” are, in truth, Al Nusra and those groups ideologically aligned with Al Nusra. If the moderate rebels prevailed, a sectarian bloodbath would shortly commence targeting Alawites, Christians, Shiites, and any other minorities not conforming to their Sunni jihadist worldview.

Follow Rania on Twitter at @RaniaKhalek