Episode notes
Rosemary Kelanic, Director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities, discusses the Israel-Iran war, U.S. involvement, whether regime change is the objective, and the risks of escalation. Show Notes Rosemary Kelanic, “ A U.S. War With Iran Would Be a Catastrophe ,” New York Times , June 14, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Power Problems
Cato Institute · News · English
Power Problems is a bi-weekly podcast from the Cato Institute. Host John Glaser offers a skeptical take on U.S. foreign policy, and discusses today’s big questions in international security with distinguished guests from across the political spectrum. Podcast Hashtag: #FPPowerProblems. Hosted on A
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E211 · 22 Jul 2025 · 42 min
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E210 · 8 Jul 2025 · 40 min
Modeling War on the Korean Peninsula
Dartmouth College's Daryl Press and George Washington University's Nicholas Anderson discuss their modeling of an outbreak of war on the Korean Peninsula, assess the balance of power between the North and South, and explore the implications for the US military alliance with South Korea. Show Notes Nicolas Anderson, Daryl Press, “ Lost Seoul: Assessing Pyongyang’s Other Deterrent ,” Texas National Security Review Vol 8 Issue 3, Summer 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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E208 · 10 Jun 2025 · 45 min
Do Madman Tactics Work?
Samuel Seitz, a fellow at MIT’s Security Studies Program, explores so-called “madman behavior” in international politics and whether it’s effective in gaining leverage in international confrontations. He explains why problems of signaling, credibility, and reassurance tend to make madman tactics ineffective and he discusses examples from the Cold War to Trump’s first and second administrations. Show Notes Samuel Seitz, Caitlin Talmadge, “ The Predictable Hazards of Unpredictability: Why Madman Behavior Doesn’t Work ,” The Washington Quarterly 43:3, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See…
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E207 · 27 May 2025 · 39 min
Gen Z, Internationalism, & Change in Foreign Policy
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E206 · 13 May 2025 · 47 min
Can Trump Make a Deal with Iran?
Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, talks about the Trump administration’s diplomacy with Iran. He discusses the failures of the first Trump administration’s and the Biden administration’s approaches to Iran, why Trump’s second time around could lead to a new nuclear deal, Iran’s changing regional geopolitical position, and why a more peaceful US-Iran relationship serves US interests in the Middle East. Show Notes Trita Parsi, “ Why Trump’s Iran Diplomacy May Work ,” Time , April 11, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
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E205 · 29 Apr 2025 · 49 min
UFOs, Aliens, & National Security
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E204 · 15 Apr 2025 · 47 min
Why America Needs to Change Its Nuclear Weapons Posture
The Stimson Center’s Christopher Preble and Geoff Wilson argue that nuclear weapons modernization programs are wasteful boondoggles that undermine deterrence and stability while serving as a give-away to parochial interests. They discuss a “deterrence first” posture on nuclear weapons, perverse incentives in the bureaucracy, profligate waste and inefficiency, the risks of nuclear escalation, the consequences of eroding nuclear deterrence, and threat inflation on China, among other issues. Show Notes Geoff Wilson, Christopher Preble, Lucas Ruiz, “ Gambling on Armageddon: How US Nuclear…
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