The Monocle Daily – Can Syrians Return Home? Germany’s Foreign Minister Thinks Not

Date: November 3, 2025
Host: Andrew Muller
Guests: Daniella Peled (Institute for War and Peace Reporting), James Rogers (City University of London), Dr. Nicholas Wright (Neuroscientist, author of "Warhead")

Main Theme

This episode examines the difficulties and controversies around potential Syrian refugee returns, the complex prospects for peacekeeping in Gaza, broader European migration debates, the interplay between culture and conflict, and the psychological impact of war.

Key Discussion Points

1. Prospects for Gaza: Peacekeeping and Political Realities

Segment Start: [04:56]

• Gathering in Istanbul: Foreign ministers from Muslim-majority countries meet to discuss Gaza's future. The ceasefire, though fragile, poses questions on what comes next and who might enforce peace.
• Vague Commitments: The panel agrees there’s a genuine desire to act, but plans on the table suffer from a lack of specifics—no clear deliverables, political timeline, or agreement on force composition.
  • Daniella Peled notes: "How can a peacekeeping mission be a success if you don't know what the deliverables are?" ([06:51])
• Logistical and Political Hurdles: Concerns remain over who would supply troops, pay for operations, and how peacekeeping would be received by the people of Gaza and regional players like Israel.
• Coalition Complications: No major power (US, Jordan, Turkey, European countries) is willing to take the lead, making an effective deployment unlikely any time soon.
  • Andrew Muller : “The United States has already said, well, hell no, we’re not doing it. King Abdullah II of Jordan has already said no, absolutely not. Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. [...] So who ends up sending their troops?” ([09:14])
  • Daniella Peled: “There are enough Muslim majority countries that are willing to be involved that you could put something together. [...] For many years, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank [was] largely derided for acting as Israel's enforcers of security. So that is yet another obstacle.” ([10:06]–[11:52])

2. Can Syrians Go Home? Immigration, Policy, and Identity in Germany

Segment Start: [13:18]

• German Politics: Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Vaderful, stated it’s “virtually impossible” for Syrians to live a dignified life in Syria—angering both right-wing advocates for prompt repatriation and centrist politicians wary of losing ground.
• On-the-Ground Reality: Even after ten-plus years, the overwhelming majority of the roughly one million Syrians in Germany remain, with only a few thousand choosing to return under voluntary programs.
  • James Rogers: "It's extremely difficult. This is a country that's had a decade and more of war. I think it would be a very difficult place for people to go back to, particularly those people who... have found employment and stable lives [in Germany]." ([14:11])
  • Daniella Peled: “It’s hard to underestimate the pull of home, or the perception of home – and that's the same in many conflict-affected societies.” ([16:08])
• Political Impasse: The far right exploits the “send them home, the war’s over” narrative, while mainstream politicians struggle with nuanced (and less popular) arguments.
  • James Rogers: "It's a very difficult thing in an age when people don't tend to listen to anything more than a few words... how many people would read a complicated, nuanced argument about this?" ([18:29])

3. Music, Culture, and Creative Life During Conflict

Segment Start: [20:04]

• UNESCO Recognitions: Kyiv is among the cities named to UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network for its music scene—a sign that culture thrives even during wartime.
• Andrew Muller: "During conflict, life goes on, it finds a way." ([21:23])
• James Rogers highlights the importance of covering cultural stories from conflict zones: "Some of the stories which resonate most are not 'this happened in the war today,'... this kind of story will stay with people more." ([21:53])
• The panel notes the value and public resonance of “offbeat” human interest war stories (e.g., pet rescues in Ukraine, tradition-preserving crafts).

4. Surveillance, AI, and Public Security (Basel Fair Robots Controversy)

Segment Start: [25:21]

• Experiment in Basel: AI-powered surveillance robots were deployed for the city's Autumn Fair, but withdrawn over privacy/data protection concerns.
• James Rogers is unapologetically skeptical: “I'm absolutely with the data protection officer… I've got no time for the surveillance robots.” ([26:15])
• The panel draws parallels to existing CCTV saturation, questions effectiveness (“Does it make people feel safe?”), and debates whether “cute” robots would change perceptions.
• Daniella Peled: “It's not even my personal details… it's going to be part of big data… I'm not sure it makes people feel safe.” ([28:06])
• Both agree the human presence (“bobbies on the beat”) is valued symbolically, but in practice may not be more effective.

5. War and the Brain: Dr. Nicholas Wright on “Warhead”

Segment Start: [31:33] (Interview with Dr. Nicholas Wright)

• Neuroscience of Warfare: Wright likens the brain to an orchestra, needing all its parts—from basic drives to higher reasoning—for survival and decision-making under fire.
  • Dr. Wright: “Our brain is very much like an orchestra... you need all the different parts to give you a Beethoven symphony...” ([31:33])
• Training and Preparation: Good training can blunt the paralyzing effects of fear and surprise in combat; planning techniques (like war-games) help higher reasoning prevail.
• Denial and Delusion: On a societal level, denial messes with war preparations, as with pre-invasion Ukraine and current concerns about Taiwan.
  • Dr. Wright: "People said exactly the same thing before World War I... War is irrational. And of course, we had the cataclysm of World War I." ([35:25])
• Is War Attractive?: While not universal, a part of human nature is drawn to the sense of test, risk, and purpose that war brings.
  • Dr. Wright: “Every brain is built to win, or at least survive, a fight... the idea of the hero, the idea of something life-threatening, something that's meaningful and gives purpose, that's always there for us humans and it always will be.” ([37:36])

Notable Moments & Quotes

• On Gaza peacekeeping (Daniella Peled):
  "There is political will and there is genuine interest, but not necessarily down to the welfare of... the poor people of Gaza who've suffered so much, but there is so much to play for that it's likely nothing is going to happen, certainly not for several months." ([07:45])

• On German migration politics (James Rogers):
  "It is about how Europe deals with questions of migration and conflict in the coming century." ([14:53])

• On the enduring “pull of home” (Daniella Peled):
  "The pull of home is really strong and the idealism is really strong, but it would be extremely naive to think it would be quite so simple." ([16:08])

• On journalism and covering war (James Rogers):
  "It is surprising that some of the stories which resonate most with audiences are not, you know, this happened in the war today. This kind of story, I think, sometimes will stay with people more." ([21:53])

• On AI surveillance (James Rogers):
  "I'm absolutely with the data protection officer who's closed them down. I've got no time for the surveillance robots." ([26:15])

• On why war can seem attractive (Dr. Nicholas Wright):
  "Every brain is built to win or at least survive a fight... the idea of something that's meaningful and gives purpose, that's always there for us humans." ([37:36])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:56] - Gaza post-ceasefire peacekeeping: who, how, and why so difficult?
• [13:18] - Germany’s debate on whether Syrians can/should return
• [20:04] - Kyiv and culture in conflict: UNESCO Creative Cities
• [25:21] - Basel’s robot security pulled over privacy fears
• [31:33] - Dr. Nicholas Wright: War, neuroscience, and the psychology of conflict

Tone & Style

The discussion is sharp, witty, and analytical with moments of dry humor. The panelists are candid, occasionally skeptical, and strive for nuance amid complex geopolitical and social issues.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode examines the dissonance between political will and practical solutions in Middle Eastern peacekeeping efforts, how societies grapple with integrating refugees from long-term wars (using Germany/Syria as a lens), the persistence of cultural vibrancy under fire, questions over the future of AI surveillance in public life, and the psychological underpinnings and appeal of conflict.

Whether you’re drawn to geopolitics, migration, tech’s societal impacts, or the human mind, this episode delivers a globe-spanning, thought-provoking conversation—all wrapped in Monocle Daily’s signature banter and insight.