Journalist and Author Abdel Bari Atwan sat down with Democracy Now! on Tuesday to outline the ways in which America’s involvement in the Middle East, particularly our close relationship with Saudia Arabia, has created and strengthened insurgent groups like ISIS.

Atwan confirmed that Senator Bernie Sanders is absolutely correct about his belief that U.S. involvement in overthrowing Saddam Hussein has had a direct link to the birth and growth of ISIS. Atwan also criticizes America’s continued support of Saudia Arabia in the form of weapons and bombs.

“You have a population which is dissatisfied; those populations [are] completely marginalized, you know, those people are unemployed and they have no future. They don’t have any role in actually determining their future.”

“Who will tell us how many civilian[s] are killed? This is the problem, you know, if the death [is] among your enemy, nobody counts. If the death [is] among the American, among the British, among the French, it is well calculated, one by one. How can the people of the middle east believe this kind of policy?”

Atwan seems to be one of the few people in American media who really understands the history and future of the Middle East and what our role must be.

Watch.

Sydney Robinson is a political writer for the Ring of Fire Network. She has also appeared in political news videos for Ring of Fire. Sydney has a degree in English Literature from the University of West Florida, and has an active interest in politics, social justice, and environmental issues. She would love to hear from you on Twitter @SydneyMkay or via email at srobinson@ringoffireradio.com