Fault Lines

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the Chinese government’s recent announcement that it would conduct a “cybersecurity review” of Micron Technology, a leading U.S.-based memory chip maker, ostensibly to ensure that its computer infrastructure supply chain was protected against foreign threats. How is this going to affect trade between China and the U.S.? Does the Fault Lines crew think this is a...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Saudi Arabia’s continued push and look to the U.S. for help developing a nuclear energy program even as they resist U.S. conditions for support. However, while Saudi Arabia has been trying to renew talks with the U.S., Saudi officials are also exploring options to work with other countries, including China and Russia. What does the Fault Lines crew think of Saud...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the Senate’s recent vote to repeal two Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs). One, from 1991, authorized the original Persian Gulf War to push Iraq out of Kuwait. The second, from 2002, authorized the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq over weapons of mass destruction that were never found. Are either of the 1991 or 2002 AUMFs still necessary? Does this i...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia would be placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a neighboring country and ally of Russia. Is there anything the U.S. should do about the Russian deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus? Will Putin’s nuclear weapons storage facility even come to fruition? Or is this another stunt by Putin to attem...

Today, on the 200th episode of Fault Lines, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Vice President Kamala Harris’s week-long tour of Africa – visiting Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia. Harris is the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Africa so far. What do we think African leaders make of VP Harris’s visit? Do African leaders think that they can remain neutral in the growing U.S.-China geopoli...

Today, Jess, Les, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Ambassador at the UN, discuss the self-detonating drone that struck a U.S. facility in northeast Syria and killed an American military contractor, as well as injured five U.S. troops and a second contractor. In retaliation, U.S. F-15 fighter jets from al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar struck locations n...

Today, Jess, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Ambassador at the UN, discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The autocratic leaders met to reaffirm and expand upon the key tenets of their “no limits” partnership. What, if anything, can the U.S. do to break up this partnership? Sh...

Today, Jess is joined by special guest hosts NSI Fellow Morgan Viña and NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser to discuss the leaked reports from Canadian intelligence sources that detail alleged attempts by China to interfere in the last two federal Canadian elections. Why should Americans care about election interference happening in our neighbor to the north? Will we see a hardening in Canada’s China po...

Today, Jess is joined by special guest hosts NSI Fellow Morgan Viña and NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser to discuss how the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that the Kremlin is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. How do these ICC charges affect the Kremlin’s global...

Today, Jess, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss  how the Biden Administration and Congress is tackling TikTok, the highly popular Chinese-owned social media app. What are the national security concerns revolving around TikTok? Is the White House on the brink of banning the app? Does the one-third of the U.S. populati...

Today, Les, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss the recent collision between two Russian fighter jets and a U.S. drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, forcing the U.S. to bring the MQ-9 Reaper drone down in international water and intentionally ditch the drone in the ocean. How should the U.S. respond to this incident? Shou...

Today, Les, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss China’s recent “diplomatic breakthrough” with Iran and Saudi Arabia. The two Middle Eastern, oil-producing nations will ostensibly resume diplomatic relations under an agreement facilitated by the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. Is it a good thing that China is brokering...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the release of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2023 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA), a yearly report that lays out what the IC thinks are the critical challenges facing our nation in the year ahead. What are the major differences between the ODNI’s 2022 ATA and 2023 ATA? Does the ODNI’s ATA contain any surprises? Does the Fault Lines crew th...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the kidnapping and deaths of Americans who crossed the U.S./Mexico border on Friday and, who, within hours, were abducted by gunmen. Two of them were killed before the two others were rescued Tuesday. Is a more militarized presence and a stricter travel advisory necessary in the aftermath of this kidnapping? Should cartels be labeled as terrorist organizations?...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Havana Syndrome, a mysterious ailment that has caused dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, cognitive difficulties and memory loss among U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers. Last week, after a years-long assessment, a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluded that it is very ‘unlikely’ that people experiencing sympto...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the current hunger crisis in North Korea. Reports indicate that over 40% of North Koreans are facing malnutrition and hunger, and North Korea has asked the World Food Program for help. How should the United States respond to the hunger crisis in North Korea? Will North Korea allow more of the international community to help feed its people?  What role does...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the new House Select Committee on China’s first public hearing, which aired last night in prime time. This first hearing set the table for what is likely to be a year or two of Congressional focus on China and laid out the multitude of threats posed by the country. How much should the U.S. prioritize the competition with China? How far should the U.S. go in deco...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss recent headlines about China's consideration of providing lethal military assistance to Russia - including statements from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. However, on Sunday, the U.S. made clear there is no evidence that China has already provided lethal aid. How concerned is the Fault Lines crew that China may come...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent announcement that Moscow would “suspend” its participation in the New START treaty, a nuclear nonproliferation agreement entered into in 2011 that puts limits on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads deployed by the U.S. and Russia. Is Putin playing nuclear games? Will Russia still abide...

Today, Les, Jess, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss the initiation of a $10 billion oil project in Uganda to build 10 well pads inside Uganda’s largest national park, which has become yet another flashpoint in the global battle against climate change.  What does the Fault Lines team think of Uganda being pressured to forgo...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss President Biden's surprise visit to Kyiv and the impending one-year anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. What is Fault Lines’ assessment of the war in Ukraine after a year? Is the Biden Administration doing all that it can do to support Ukraine? Will the current on-the-ground stalemate result in an ultimate Russian loss? Hear our experts debat...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the recent devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northwestern Syria. The death toll continues to mount, with estimates now exceeding 44,000, along with hundreds of thousands facing displacement. What should the United States, our allies, and the international community be doing to better address the growing crisis in the region? Are sanctions halting an...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s recent accusations of Russia plotting to overthrow her country’s pro-Western government. Ms. Sandu’s remarks follow Ukrainian President Zelensky’s warnings last week that Ukrainian intelligence had intercepted “a detailed Russian plan” to destabilize Moldova. How serious are Russian destabilization efforts in former Soviet governm...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the recent collaboration of U.S. and Canadian military aircraft to shoot down four separate unidentified objects flying over North America over the past several days. How aggressive should we be with unknown aircraft? When will the U.S. government identify where these aircraft are coming from and what their mission capabilities are? Do these shootdowns mean we a...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss SpaceX’s recent announcement that it will limit Ukraine's use of its Starlink satellite systems for "offensive" military operations. Starlink has provided critical communication capabilities to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began last February. How will SpaceX’s decision affect the war on the ground? Will depriving Ukrainians of this capability be a massive...