The DSR Network

Spy movies have been a staple of Hollywood for decades, but how many of them actually get it right? Spycraft Entertainment’s John Sipher joins Marc Polymeropoulos to talk about what makes for a good spy story, and why more accurate depictions of the intelligence community make for great entertainment. John and Marc also discuss the generational divide between the old guard and Gen Z at the CIA and...

On the Monday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the mounting pressure to retaliate over the deaths of US troops in Jordan, the upcoming meeting between US and Chinese officials to curb the production of Fentanyl, UN workers accused of aiding Hamas, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: May 16, 2023 Norm and Kavita are both traveling, but that doesn’t stop them from discussing the issues. This week, in this abbreviated version of Words Matter, Norm and Kavita discuss Ron DeSantis’s presidential bid announcement, the Surgeon General’s announcement on the impact of social media on adolescents and the Nebraska Abortion Case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Marissa’s guest is noted writer David Kamp, who (along with Marissa) is an alumnus of Spy Magazine, which famously coined the term “short-fingered vulgarian” to describe New York real estate celebrity Trump. David discusses his recent editorial for the New York Times where he argues the stakes for our democracy are too high and it’s time to stop laughing at Trump. Which isn’t to say Marissa and Da...

Original Air Date: January 25, 2021 All eyes remain on the border between Ukraine and Russia as the conventional wisdom is that Russia is more likely than not further invade Ukraine. President Biden is considering sending thousands of troops into the region while other NATO allies have already begun moving weapons and soldiers into Eastern Europe. What lessons has the Biden administration learned...

The Doomsday Clock remains at 90 seconds to midnight. But what actually goes into the decision to set the time, and how panicked should we really be? Bulletin of Atomic Scientists member Daniel Holz and former executive director Kennette Benedict join Jon Wolfsthal and Heather Williams to break down what the clock really means and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we break down the World Court’s ruling on Israel’s war in Gaza, France enacting its controversial immigration law, Biden positioning new approvals for natural gas export terminals, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is now the GOP's presumptive nominee. How should the Biden team be responding? What should they be doing differently.?David Rothkopf joins Norm and Kavita to analyze the good, the bad, and the ugly of the election so far and what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Thursday edition of the DSR Daily, we break down the general strike in Argentina, Ukraine’s calls for a probe into the Russian plane crash, Ohio lawmakers banning gender-affirming care for minors, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whereas Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling with flagging domestic support , Joe Biden is the most popular politician in Israel. As the devastating war in Gaza drags on, how can Biden channel his popularity into substantive policy change? Jerusalem-based journalist Noga Tarnopolsky joins Kori Schake, Ed Luce, Rosa Brooks, and David Rothkopf to answer this question and more. Learn more about your ad c...

On our Wednesday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the results of the New Hampshire primary, US strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, fears of an impending famine in Ethiopia, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the New Hampshire Primary today, 24 IDF soldiers being killed in Gaza, Elon Musk’s trip to Auschwitz, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has the US response to attacks on our troops and ships, been adequate? Are the attacks against Houthis too little too late...or the start down a slippery slope to another military quagmire? What if our aid to Ukraine dries up? Is the Pentagon losing focus on the China threat? Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf discuss these issues and more with Politico's Lara Seligman. Learn more about your a...

Last week, reports surfaced of a teacher in Estonia who was charged with spying for Russia. Host Michael Weiss discusses this as well as the state of the Russia/Ukraine war with former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves and former CIA Intelligence Officer, Dan Hoffman. Don’t miss this vital discussion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover Ron DeSantis dropping out of the Republican primary, mounting protests in Israel demanding the release of hostages, Iran and Pakistan resuming diplomatic relations, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: February 17, 2023 On this week's episode, Kavita is still out of town. So Norm and producer Grant Haver talk Nikki Haley getting into the Presidential race, her potential candidacy, and what this means for the future of our democracy. Members of The DSR Network get access to a bonus segment about the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

Original Air Date: November 29, 2021 Once upon a time, the Israeli government urged the US to get out of the Iran deal. The American president at the time, Donald Trump, obliged. Now, Israeli officials are calling the decision the worst in the past decade of Iran policy and their intel community is whispering to the US that Iran may be getting very close to the ability to produce nuclear weapons g...

Are we in danger of the nuclear loop being automated? As nuclear powers grapple with the advent of AI, questions remain about how much of a role automated system should play in the nuclear chain of command and the control of advanced weapon systems. Experts Michael Depp and Paul Scharre join hosts Jon Wolfsthal and Heather Williams to share concerns about AI and nuclear stability and the ways that...

The Iowa caucus was a blowout. Trump trounced DeSantis and Haley, leaving us all wondering how much longer they will hold on. But how much can we actually learn from the caucus? Norm and Kavita are back to break down the lessons from Iowa and the trouble for Trump looming on the horizon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday’s edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, Netanyahu’s rejection of calls for a Palestinian state, protests in Russia, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benjamin Netanyahu just can’t help but make trouble for the US. Netanyahu’s recent statements rejecting the idea of a two-state solution lead us all wonder what endgame Israel envisions for Gaza. Alon Pinkas, Kori Schake, Rosa Brooks, and David Rothkopf break down how the administration can deal with Bibi to avoid calamity in the region.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...

On today’s edition of the DSR Daily, we cover Pakistan’s strikes in Iran, the latest drama from Trump’s defamation trial, Brazil’s investigation into the 2023 riots, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s edition of the DSR Daily, we cover initial steps in congress to avert a government shutdown, a new deal reached between Israel and Hamas, Iran’s strikes in Pakistan, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the greatest security threats the US faces comes from within. As we enter 2024, the threat of right-wing terrorism and electoral violence is very real. Authors of the new book “God, Guns, and Sedition: Far Right Terrorism in America” Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware join Marc and David to shine a light on the dangers of the far-right and what can be done to combat right-wing violence. Learn mor...

On today’s episode of the DSR Daily, we cover Trump’s decisive victory in Iowa, Guatemala’s new reform-minded president, US condemnation of Iran over a missile strike, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices