Fault Lines

Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, Morgan, and special guest John Lipsey all sit down together - in person! - to discuss America’s stolen pandas and the U.S. Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) recent loan of $550 million to Sri Lanka to support the construction of a deep-water shipping terminal. This loan is a recent example of DFC’s efforts to support the building of global infrastructure, while...

Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss Ukrainian President Zelenksy's decision to rule out holding presidential elections next year even though his 5-year term ends in March 2024. With millions displaced internally or abroad, hundreds of thousands of soldiers fighting on the frontlines, and the country under constant threat of Russian attacks, the possibility of administering a free, safe, an...

Episode 272: Democratic Fault Lines on Israel Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the Biden Administration’s current policies in the region, and how the Israel-Hamas war may affect President Biden’s campaign in 2024. The group also discusses recent comments made by former President Barack Obama and Democratic strategist David Axelrod on the Biden Presidency a...

Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss Russia’s withdrawal from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. Moscow says its de-ratification of the CTBT is merely designed to bring Russia into line with the U.S., which signed but never ratified the treaty, while others worry Russia is seeking to intimidate and evoke fear. All the while Chi...

Today, Les, Jess, Jamil and Morgan discuss the Biden Administration giving Uganda, Gabon, Niger, and the Central African Republic the boot from a special US-Africa trade program - the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) - due to Niger and Gabon’s dictatorial takeovers and CAR and Uganda’s violations of human rights.  AGOA is set to expire in 2025, and the geopolitical landscap...

Today, Les, Morgan and Martha discuss the Biden Admin’s approach to China all the while the world is seemingly ablaze. China has been behaving recklessly in the South China Sea, fentanyl is pouring out of China into the US, and pending on all of this is the meeting between President Biden and President Xi at the APEC Summit in San Francisco.  How should President Biden approach this meeting w...

Episode 268: Naming and Shaming our Nearest and Dearest Today, Morgan, Martha, Jamil and Andy discuss the challenges that NATO member Turkey and Major non-NATO ally Qatar present as they play both sides between the West and our adversaries and enemies in the context of the Israel-Hamas war. What was seemingly a unifying moment for the West, Turkey and Qatar said all the wrong things about the 10/7...

Episode 267: Five Eyes: Are They Actually Watching…? Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil and Morgan discuss the recent broadcast of an unprecedented public gathering of the intelligence chiefs from the Five Eyes countries - the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The conversation focused on China’s aggressive intelligence gathering efforts and its theft of IP property, a...

Today, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the former 3-time Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif’s return from his self-imposed exile, and lo’ and behold, even though he's banned from holding public office, his lawyers are confident he can be elected as the country's next Prime Minister. This comes as Pakistan is in its worst economic crisis ever, the previous Prime Minister is also facing corruptio...

Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss the serious implications from disinformation and misinformation that came after the explosion at the Al-Ahli Hospital in the Gaza. What was originally reported as an Israeli Defense Force airstrike, turned out to actually be a misfired rocket by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. However, the blame had already been cast on Israel and riots and protests again...

Episode 263: Biden’s Middle-East Diplomacy Put to the Test Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss President Biden’s visit to Israel. The group also assesses Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s “shuttle-diplomacy,” laying the groundwork for President Biden’s visit, and just how important this visit is for the administration’s Middle-East policy goals.    What will President Biden be...

Episode 262: Israel-Hamas War: What’s Next?   Today, Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss the Israel-Hamas war heating up as the Israeli Defense Forces gear up for a potential ground invasion of Gaza. Estimates of civilian casualties are in the thousands. All the while, Hezbollah threatens Israel from the north, and two U.S. carrier strike groups have been moved to the east-Mediterranean to d...

Today, Jessica, Morgan, and Andy discuss the recent suspicious damage to a Finnish gas pipeline and telecommunications cable, both of which run under the Baltic Sea.  On Thursday, Finland's intelligence services said that a “state actor” could be responsible for the pipeline damage but didn't speculate on who might be involved.   Is Putin responsible for the possible sabotage of the...

Today, Morgan, Les, NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser, and NSI Fellow Martha Miller discuss the latest on the Israel-Hamas war, as well as Iran's role in the conflict. How should the U.S. provide assistance to Israel? Should Congress combine aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan? How have Russia and Iran colluded to increase their sphere of influence? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in 10 m...

Today, Morgan, Les, NSI Senior Fellow Andrew Borene, and NSI Fellow Martha Miller discuss recent developments on the Hamas attack on Israel.   Will Congress begin funding for Israel when aid to Ukraine has been stalled? Did President Biden's desperation for an Iran nuclear deal influence this attack? What are the next steps for the United States?   Hear our experts debate these issues an...

Today, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss former speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy's removal and what this means for Congress and the U.S. moving forward, in particular, for future U.S. support for Ukraine.    Who will be the next speaker of the House? Should world leaders be worried or is this just U.S. politics? Has the Biden Administration been doing enough to garner public support for U...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss China and Mexico's role in the American fentanyl epidemic and how to stop it. How big is the fentanyl problem? Is the U.S. government doing enough to combat this issue? Is this a border problem or a China-accountability problem? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minutes on our latest episode of Fault Lines! Want to learn more...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the upcoming elections in Poland and recent anti-government demonstrations.  Are U.S. policymakers and the Biden administration recognizing the importance of this election? Do these demonstrations send a larger message to the EU? Is this problematic for NATO?  Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minutes on our latest e...

Today, Jamil, Les, and Morgan discuss France's exit from Niger, recent coups in the Sahel, and the Wagner Group's presence in the region.   Does France's exit provide an opportunity for the U.S. to step in and provide support? Should we be rethinking our institutional approach to Africa? How should the U.S. respond to the Wagner group?   Hear our experts debate these issues and more in 1...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the disputed South China Sea, where the Philippines has recently removed a floating barrier that China had installed to prevent Philippine fishing boats from using the area.  How should the U.S. best defend our interests and those of our allies in the South China Sea? Will a greater U.S. presence provoke conflict? Should the U.S. be looking more reg...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the U.S.’ pledge to assist a UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti that aims to counter gang violence and provide humanitarian relief with Kenya’s leadership.   Is this mission a good idea? Why should the U.S. get involved? How will the U.S. maintain oversight on this UN peacekeeping mission?   Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less t...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss the recent Iran-U.S. prisoner swap and the 'mutual agreement' between the two nations.   Is this secretly a new Iran nuclear deal? Does this put the Biden Administration in legal trouble? Is this agreement good for U.S. foreign policy without Congressional oversight?   Hear our experts debate these issues and more in 10 minutes on our latest ep...

Today, Jamil, Jess, and Morgan discuss the recent assassination of Canadian citizen and Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Trudeau's allegations, and India's response. How does America's strategic competition with China impact its relationship with India after these allegations? How will the United States balance these interests with its relationship with Canada? Hear our experts debate these issue...

Today, Jamil, Jess, Morgan, and Les get together in-person (!) to discuss the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City. What tensions are likely to arise at UNGA? Should the Biden administration be concerned about France and the UK's absences? Can the U.S. use UNGA as a platform to promote multilateralism? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minute...

In this episode, join NSI’s Jamil Jaffer and the Department of Defense’s Jennifer Hay, Director of the Defense Digital Service in the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Office of the DOD, and Visiting Fellow at NSI, to discuss how the DOD is grappling with the AI revolution. How have the DOD and NSC’s perceptions of AI changed over time? How does the DOD think about trust, safety, and security...