DEEP Dive

In modern warfare, controlling the online information space is as important as making physical gains on the battlefield. In addition to its military defence capabilities, Ukraine has proved it can win hearts and minds through social media by documenting its army's successes and Russian atrocities. In episode 36 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by senior behavioural scientist at RA...

From opposition groups forming in Tajikistan and beyond, to the growth of the TTP in Pakistan, the Taliban's return to power has had far-reaching implications for the region and ultimately the world. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel for the third and final part of our three-part special with Foreign Policy's Lynne O'Donnell to explore these very dynamics. Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: ht...

Since their return to power, the Taliban have reimposed their draconic doctrine on Afghans, particularly women. Following her first-hand experience in the country, Lynne O'Donnell provides her assessment of the new regime and the key decision-makers. Lynne also details how China has sought to enhance its position in Afghanistan, but faces the same challenges as the West once did. This is episode t...

In July 2022, Foreign Policy's Lynne O'Donnell returned to Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban had retaken the country. What was meant to be a typical reporting trip suddenly turned into an ordeal when Lynne was detained and interrogated by senior members of the Taliban's leadership. In episode 33 of NATO DEEP Dive , Lynne joins Dr. Sajjan Gohel to recount her own personal experiences...

After a distinguished and decorated career in policing that spanned decades, Terri Nicholson shifted roles to provide security for Paramount Pictures, one of the world's leading producers of entertainment content. In episode 32 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks with Terri about her career and experiences dedicated to global security as well as the transferable skills from law enforcement...

Established in June 1976, the Helsinki Commission set out to monitor human rights conditions in Europe in the context of the Cold War. Nearly half a century later, the commission is as relevant as ever, laying the framework to hold Russia accountable following the conclusion of the war in Ukraine. In episode 31 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Alex Tiersky and Michael Cecire to dis...

On 7 December 2022, a plot to overthrow the German government was uncovered by the police. Conspiracy theory cases such as this have spread rapidly throughout the pandemic, on social media platforms, and in online gaming chatrooms, where children as young as 12 are being lured into extremist circles. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel in this episode of NATO DEEP Dive as he talks to Daniel Koehler about these...

To understand extremists, sometimes you have to go undercover. Julia Ebner did exactly that. Embedding herself within neo-Nazi and jihadist groups, Ebner discovered shocking revelations about what causes people to become radicalised, as well as finding that the two seemingly incompatible movements actually feed off each other. Full transcripts for each episode can be found at: https://deepportal.h...

ISIS used to dominate international headlines, with news of attacks on Western soil, and gruesome atrocities in Syria and Iraq. Since the collapse of its so-called caliphate, ISIS has become a shadow of its former self - or has it? In this episode of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Pieter Van Ostaeyen, a historian, Arabist, and expert on ISIS, to discuss the current state of the grou...

The past three years have seen a multitude of threats facing governments throughout the world, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the war in Ukraine; the ever-present threat of international jihadism to the rising concerns posed by far-right groups. In this episode of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Phil Gurski, a former senior strategic analyst at the Canadian Security Intelligence Servi...

From the COVID-19 Pandemic to the targeted killings of their leaders, transnational terrorist organisations have had to adapt to changing circumstances in the past three years. On this episode of NATO DEEP Dive, Associate Professor Mahmut Cengiz from George Mason University joins Dr. Sajjan Gohel to provide an expert breakdown of the current status of ISIS, al-Qaeda, and their global affiliates.&n...

On 16 September 2022, 22 year old Mahsa Amini died in police custody for the perceived improper wearing of her hijab. Protests have subsequently erupted across Iran against the regime's theocratic rule. At the same time, Vladimir Putin has struggled to implement his conscription drive in Russia to increase troop numbers in his war against Ukraine. Both Russia and Iran are facing anger from their r...

On September 11, 2012, terrorists tied to al-Qaeda attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, killing the American ambassador and three others. Yet, 10 years on, some of the plotters remain at large. In episode 24 of NATO DEEP Dive Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by counter-terrorism practitioner Sarah Adams to unpack the consequences of the attack, as well as looking at the other important developments in...

From popular movies to TV series, the NYPD has long been depicted as keeping New York safe, but what is life really like inside the world's most famous police department? In episode 23 of NATO DEEP Dive Dr. Sajjan Gohel is joined by Rebecca Wiener, the Assistant Commissioner for Intelligence Analysis at the New York City Police Department to find out just that. From fighting crime and terrorism to...

The U.S. counter-terrorism in Kabul, Afghanistan eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and once again exposed the close relationship the terrorist group enjoys with the Taliban and the Haqqani Network. 16 August 2022 marks one year since the Taliban seized power in Kabul. In that time, Afghanistan has experienced hardships, violence, and misogyny. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and Afghanistan-Pakis...

When Putin invaded Ukraine he claimed NATO expansion as the cause. Yet, 6 months later, the NATO alliance is on the cusp of growing stronger, with the addition of the historically neutral Finland and Sweden. In episode 21 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel, with the help of Minna Alander, explore the reasons and implications behind this decision.  Full transcripts for each episode can be fou...

Sri Lanka's descent into chaos has gripped the world's attention. With Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing the country and resigning in exile, this episode unpacks the events that led to the collapse of such a thriving and democratic nation. Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and Asanga Abeyagoonasekera as they dissect the lessons the international community can learn from such poor political and economic management.&n...

Want to understand the frontline responsibilities of an experienced federal police officer? In episode 19 of NATO DEEP Dive , Dr. Sajjan Gohel endeavours to do just that, with Commander Jennifer Hurst of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). On the agenda is Commander Hurst's crucial role in the investigation of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that was shot down over Ukraine in 2014, the foiling of t...

Is improved multilateralism the answer to future security concerns in a post-pandemic world? Does the war in Ukraine complicate the debate around definitions of foreign fighters? Join Dr. Sajjan Gohel and Tom Wuchte as they attempt to answer these questions and more in episode 18 of NATO DEEP Dive. For the episode transcript please visit: deepportal.hq.nato.int/deepdive

In the second of a two-part series on the decline of women's rights in Afghanistan, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks with Afghan journalist and poet Lina Rozbih. Building on Part 1, this episode of NATO DEEP Dive highlights the cultural decline taking place in Afghanistan and debunks the notion of a 'moderate Taliban.'  For the episode transcript please visit: deepportal.hq.nato.int/deepdive

In the first of a two-part series on the plight of women in Afghanistan, Dr Sajjan Gohel is joined by Meetra Qutb to discuss the Taliban's misogynistic rule of the country. This episode of NATO DEEP Dive covers the recent banning of Afghan women and girls from education as well as the Taliban's links to al-Qaeda and allies in Pakistan. For the episode transcript please visit: deepportal.hq.nato.in...

In episode 15 of NATO DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks with Mary Fetchet and Sue O'Sullivan. Mary is the driving force behind VOICES, an organisation she co-founded in 2001 after her son Brad was killed at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Sue has served as the Deputy Chief of Police for the Ottawa Police Service and Canada's Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime and has...

In episode 14 of DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks to Mohammed Ali Naqvi, a Pakistani-American filmmaker. They discuss his documentaries, which explore themes of human rights, social justice, politics, identity, and radicalisation. Mohammed's films include Among the Believers, Insha'Allah Democracy, and The Accused: Damned Or Devoted? Mohammed also served as co-executive producer of the Netflix d...

In episode 13 of DEEP Dive, Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks to the former Defence Secretary of the United States, Leon Panetta, who also served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in President Barack Obama’s administration. They discuss Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine, building global security alliances to strengthen democracies, and how the threat of transnational terrorism has n...

In episode 12 of DEEP Dive , Dr. Sajjan Gohel speaks to David Loyn who was an award-winning foreign correspondent for thirty years for the BBC. He is an authority on Afghanistan, a country he has visited regularly. In 2017, David worked for a year as an adviser in the office of the Afghan president. His book The Long War uncovers the political and military strategies that tried to defeat the Talib...