Fault Lines

Today, Martha, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, leaving behind a weakened leadership structure dismantled by successive Israeli attacks. Hezbollah’s acting leader, Naim Kassem, has vowed to continue fighting Israel, asserting that these strikes have not diminished their military capabilities. What impact have th...

Today, Morgan, Martha, Les, and Jeffrey discuss the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and High Level Week, where world leaders come together to debate global challenges.  As intractable conflict persists, including Russia’s war on Ukraine to the conflict in the Middle East is the UN equipped to handle today's issues? With despots committing atrocities with impunity, is the UN morally hollow? How can...

Today, Les, Jess, Matt, and John discuss recent Israeli military strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon following up on their recent operation that included exploding pagers, radios, and some solar panels. These strikes aim to ensure the safety and return of over 60,000 Israelis to their homes in northern Israel which were forced to evacuate due to Hezbollah rocket attacks - but others spec...

Episode 363: Ayatollah's Algorithm for U.S. Elections Today, Jess, Martha, Les, and Morgan discuss Iranian efforts to influence the upcoming presidential election, including Iran’s hack of the Trump campaign and its attempts to share these documents with individuals tied to the Biden campaign. The Biden Administration has moved aggressively in recent weeks to call out this and other operations in...

Today, Martha, Jess, Les, and Jeffrey discuss this week's detonations of pagers, handheld radios, and solar panels alongside military strikes by Israel against Hezbollah that have rocked Lebanon and thrown ongoing ceasefire talks into disarray. Hezbollah has vowed retribution for these attacks and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed frustration that these attacks threaten to derail ef...

Today, Morgan, Les, Martha, and Jeffrey discuss last Sunday’s marking of the third anniversary of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, also known as AUKUS. They discussed its inception and evolution over three years to accomplish its two pillars of providing Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines; and collaborative development...

Today, Jess, Jamil, Les, and Morgan discuss U.S. President Joe Biden’s upcoming trip to Angola, fulfilling an earlier promise that would make him the first U.S. head of state to visit sub-Saharan Africa since Barack Obama in 2015. Keen to counter China's massive investments in Africa, the U.S. has been supporting a project that links the resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo to Angola's Lobit...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the upcoming meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Joe Biden. They are expected to discuss whether to allow the UK to sell Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine to strike military targets deep inside Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that “if Ukraine did fire Western missiles deep into Russia, it would mean t...

Today, Les, Jess, Amy, Matt, and Jeffrey reflect on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th attacks that began the Global War on Terror and changed the course of American history. They discuss how these attacks still shape our national security and foreign policy and how, now over two decades removed from the attacks, newer generations reflect and remember this pivotal event. Does the changing...

Today, Morgan, Jamil, Les, and Jess discuss reports that the Biden administration and the Government of Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq. The leaks suggest that we would see hundreds depart by September 2025, with the remaining departing by the end of 2026. Is this withdrawal plan a sound foreign policy decision or an appeal to d...

Today, Les, Jess, Martha, and Jeffrey discuss the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is held every three years, this time in Beijing. All African nations, except the Kingdom of Eswatini due to its recognition of Taiwan, participated in the forum. China is the African continent’s biggest trading partner and arms supplier.  How does the United States’ and China’s messaging impact the effe...

Today, Jess, Les, Martha, and Morgan discuss the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, from Ukrainian forces going on the offensive in Russia and capturing 450+ square miles of Russian territory to the recent crash of a Western-provided F-16 jet and Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Mongolia, where he was not arrested despite his outstanding ICC arrest warrant. How does Ukraine’s Kursk Offensiv...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Jeffrey discuss two pivotal elections - the French Parliamentary and the Iranian Presidential Election.  French President Emmanuel Macron, after his party was trounced in the European Parliamentary elections, called for a snap election. In which after the first round of voting on Sunday saw Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally party take first place with all...

Today, Jess, Les, Martha, and Matt discuss the recent violent protests in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi over a tax bill that would increase taxes on bread, fuel, and other necessities, which was aimed at alleviating the country’s massive debt burden. Protestors stormed the nation’s parliament building, setting parts ablaze, and clashes with police and military forces have left more than 300 injured a...

Today, Les, Jess, Bishop, and Amy discuss Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's plea deal with the Department of Justice in which he agreed to plead guilty to one count of espionage, in exchange for a sentence of five years in prison, which - due to time served in the U.K. - means he is a free man. Assange also refused to set foot on the mainland United States, appearing instead in Saipan (an America...

Today, Jess, Les, Martha, and Jeffrey discuss two ongoing stories – increased border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which have raised fears in the region that the escalating tensions could turn into all-out war, as well as the Houthis ongoing attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.  Should Israel and the United States be worried about escalation with Hezbollah? How would the...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Jeffrey discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to North Korea where he met with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, the first time President Putin has been to North Korea in over 20 years. At the end of the visit, Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defense agreement marking the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Col...

Today, Jess, Les, and Amy discuss the two-day peace summit in Switzerland dedicated to forging an end to the war in Ukraine with over 90 countries attending, including Vice President Kamala Harris on behalf of the U.S. The summit concluded with a communique reaffirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, among other things.  Notably absent from the summit were Russia and China. Of those who did...

Today, Jess, Les, and Bishop discuss the arrival of a Russian flotilla, including a nuclear-powered submarine to the port of Havana, Cuba. This Russian show of force comes weeks after President Biden authorized Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided weapons for strikes within Russian territory.  Amidst the arrival of Russian ships, a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine made a “routine port visit” to Guant...

Today, Jess, Les, and Bishop discuss the outcome of the European Union’s parliamentary elections where 720 seats were up for grabs. After four days of voting, the centrist European People’s Party (EPP) was the biggest single winner with 186 seats. However, far-right parties are also set to win 150 seats many of which came from France, Italy, and Germany. What are the implications of this election...

Today, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the ongoing civil war in Sudan between the Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) which has displaced over 8 million people. Most recently, the RSF assaulted Wad al-Nour village in the central Al-Jazira state on Wednesday, killing over 150 civilians, including women and children. This attack reinforces the assessment by the U.S. State Dep...

Today, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the 80th anniversary of D-Day, which marked the beginning of the end of Nazi-occupied Europe.  President Biden joined many heads of state, including Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, in France yesterday to honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and democracy.  In remarks, President Biden drew parallels between the allied fig...

Today, Les, Jess, and Bishop discuss the recent developments in the War in Gaza including President Biden’s recent comments stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war to stay in power. These comments come amidst a flurry of diplomatic activity by the United States to Egypt and Qatar to hammer out a ceasefire and hostage release deal.  Why has President Biden...

Today, Jamil, Les, and Morgan discuss the recent developments on the Korean Peninsula including North Korea sending over hundreds of trash-filled balloons containing roughly 15 tonnes of waste to its southern neighbor.  This was in response to South Korean activist groups sending balloons to the north containing propaganda pamphlets. The South Korean government is considering its response inc...

Today, Jamil, Les, and Morgan discuss U.S. President Joe Biden’s (limited) decision to permit Ukraine to use (some) American-supplied weapons to strike targets inside of Russia.  Under pressure from European allies, the Biden administration appears—once again—to have evolved (part of) its policy for the supply and use of US weapons, but the restrictions that remain in place will likely contin...