Alternate Shots with Richard Haass and John Ellis

This week on Alternate Shots , John Ellis and Richard Haass take stock of a world long on ceasefires and short on strategy. They begin with the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, the subject of Haass’s recent Home and Away essay, bluntly titled “Defeat,” and ask whether the deal is less diplomacy than capitulation: vague on the nuclear question, silent on missiles, generous to Tehran, and dang...

John Ellis and Richard Haass take up a world in which problems are less solved than managed. Iran remains unfinished business, with the future of the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear limits on Iran, and sanctions relief all in play. What is certain is that the Gulf states face a future of greater uncertainty, with some likely to try to come to terms with Iran and others more inclined to confront it. Chin...

For years, artificial intelligence occupied the familiar territory of technological optimism: faster growth, greater efficiency, and the promise that innovation would solve more problems than it created. That era may be ending. This week on Alternate Shots, Richard Haass and John Ellis examine the rapid emergence of AI not simply as a business story, but as a political, strategic, and even theolog...

In this week’s Alternate Shots, Richard Haass and John Ellis begin with Iran, which remains suspended in the uneasy territory between war and peace.  Washington appears to be inching toward a revised nuclear arrangement that resembles, in substance if not in branding, the very deal Donald Trump tore up in his first term. Also emerging are growing tensions between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister B...

John Ellis and Richard Haass discuss the latest on multiple wars, actual and political. They review the absence of good options for ending the war with Iran, noting that wars dont necessarily end when one side (in this case Donald Trump) has had enough.  The big question as the President heads to China is what he might be prepared to give up on Taiwan or chips to get Xi’s help with Iran or on trad...

Alternate Shots returns with John Ellis and Richard Haass examining a geopolitical and domestic political landscape defined by drift. The crisis surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz underscores a broader reality: deterrence is fraying, diplomacy is episodic, and the risk of miscalculation is rising. The United States faces narrowing options, caught between rising economic pressure, a lack of...

In this episode of Alternate Shots , John Ellis and Richard Haass tackle two wars, a Royal visit, and the world of sports. The conversation starts with the Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and leave the nuclear issue for later, which the Trump administration appears to be resisting but Haass argues the US should run with. From there, they pivot to the war in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s ba...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass navigate a tumultuous week where cautious optimism collided with geopolitical reality.  The conversation ranges from Iran and the fragile ceasefire in and around the Strait of Hormuz to electoral upheaval in Hungary.  The hosts also speak their minds on the attacks aged by both the president and vice president on Pope Leo. They end w...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass dissect a ceasefire that exists mostly on paper and a war that has created more problems than it has solved. The Strait of Hormuz has gone from highway to choke point, while what to do about Iran’s nuclear efforts and its support of proxies remains as much of a question as ever. Along the way, they critique a decision-making process...

In this episode of Alternate Shots , hosts John Ellis and Richard Haass dissect a familiar American illusion: that battlefield dominance equals strategic victory. Yes, Iran has taken a beating; but, as Haass notes, capability plus will still makes for a dangerous adversary. The conversation skewers the president’s speech which failed to articulate a strategy for what comes next. Meanwhile, Gulf al...

War, markets, and maritime choke points collide in this brisk tour of a Middle East crisis that could empty gas tanks worldwide. John Ellis and Richard Haass unpack whether the U.S. has really clipped Iran’s wings or merely annoyed a country that can still turn the Strait of Hormuz into the world’s most expensive parking lot. They debate mines, drones, insurance panic, election math, and a White H...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass dissect the messy endgame of the US-Israeli war with Iran. They discuss leverage, informal and formal ceasefires, and strategy. The conversation explores whether and how Washington might end a conflict it started, given that Israel and Iran still have their own agendas. Haass explains why Iran’s biggest bargaining chip may be the Str...

In this week’s episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass dissect the widening conflict with Iran, asking the uncomfortable question: what exactly is the strategy? They debate the shaky logic behind Operation Epic Fury, the limits of American air-defense stockpiles, and why time may actually favor Tehran. Along the way, they examine how the war could boost Russia, drain resources nee...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass begin in Iran, where the Trump administration has assembled more military might than strategy.  From there, they unpack the recent Supreme Court decision on tariffs, making clear it will not lead to any clarity for the country’s trading partners. The conversation then moves south, where cartel violence potentially threatens both the...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass begin with the recent Munich Security Conference. A focus is Marco Rubio's speech, which was praised by some but did little to reassure on Ukraine or on US support for a democratic Europe. The conversation shifts to Asia, where Japan is undergoing a historic transformation in its national security posture, strengthening its defe...

In episode 16 of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haassbegin with Iran and the critical question of how the U.S. defines “success” as well as the limits to what military force could accomplish. They then turn to the expiration of the New Start, the last remaining U.S.-Russians ams control pact, and the even bigger problem of horizontal proliferation—particularly if countries like South Kore...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass begin with the muddled US response to upheaval in Iran, highlighting the lack of clarity as to both US objectives and the potential role of military force. Here at home, they examine Minneapolis and the larger issue of immigration policy, arguing that Democrats would be wise to find a middle ground between both borders and the admini...

In episode 14 of Alternate Shots , John Ellis and Richard Haass delve into the new "real estate doctrine" of American foreign policy, discussing the irrelevance of ownership in international relations, particularly in the context of Greenland. Haass critiques the U.S. shift from an approach to allies based on consent to one of coercion under the Trump administration, a shift that has rai...

In the newest episode of Alternate Shots, hosts John Ellis and Richard Haass dig into many of the most pressing issues around the world. Iran is experiencing widespread protests against a regime that has lost widespread support. The Trump administration needs to decide on its definition of success there and how to bring it about. Haass and Ellis go on to discuss how Venezuela is an example of wher...

In the year's first episode of Alternate Shots, hosts John Ellis and Richard Haass discuss the U.S. intervention in Venezuela: what led to it, why it is better understood as leadership rather than regime change, and why the US might well encounter difficulties down the road. They also discuss what it is likely to mean for oil prices, its implications for U.S. interests in the region, and why...

In the latest episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass look back at 2025, focusing on a Trump foreign policy that is radically different from what we have known for 80 years, the resistance of the Military Industrial Legislative Complex to much needed military reform, an executive branch that dominates both the Congress and the Supreme Court, and the adverse impact of a host of pol...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass discuss the recent National Security Strategy, highlighting a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy that has come to prioritize commercial interests and the Western Hemisphere over the balance of power in Europe and Asia, the rule of law, or traditional alliances. They delve into what is transpiring in and around Venezuela, and ex...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass discuss flaws in the US approach to negotiating an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine on terms consistent with US interests, new doubts raised about U.S. foreign policy commitments to NATO and Taiwan, the complexities of attacking boats allegedly carrying drugs off Venezuela, and why we are spending our defense dollars in the...

In this episode of Alternate Shots, John Ellis and Richard Haass discuss the recent developments in U.S. foreign policy, particularly focusing on the controversial Ukraine peace plan. They explore the implications of the plan, the disarray within the U.S. administration, and the public's sentiment towards Ukraine. The conversation also touches on the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal, r...

In this episode of "Alternate Shots," hosts John Ellis and Richard Haass dive into a range of pressing global issues and intriguing insights. John, the founder and editor of two Substack newsletters, and Richard, a seasoned expert in foreign relations, bring their unique perspectives to the table. They explore the complexities of U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, discussing its im...