Disinformation Wars

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Janis Sarts, Director of NATO's Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, about the current informational environment in Europe, and the threats now being posed to the West by Russia, China and others. BIO:Jānis Sārts is the Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, a multinational, cross-sector organisation providing comprehensive analysis, advice, and practical support in strategic communications to the Alliance and its allied nations. Prior to that, he served as State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Defence for more than seven years, leading defence sector reforms during an economic crisis period, developing a new state defence concept, and encouraging regional defence cooperation within NATO and the EU. He has also led the Latvian Government's efforts to increase its security and defence in cyberspace. As Chair of the National Cyber Security Board, he was responsible for formulating and overseeing the implementation of Latvia's cyber security policy, as well as for overseeing the work of the National Information Technology Security Incident Response Institution.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Laura Cunningham, President of the Open Technology Fund, about how authoritarian regimes are improving their censorship game - and how technology is helping free media fight back against this growing digital authoritarianism. MATERIALS REFERENCE IN THIS EPISODE:— “Does Bypassing Internet Censorship in China Change Individual Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors?” Stanford University China Brief, May 1, 2023 (https://sccei.fsi.stanford.edu/china-briefs/does-bypassing-internet-censorship-china-change-individual-beliefs-attitudes-and)BIO:Laura Cunningham is the President of the Open Technology Fund, a position she has held since April of 2020. In that role, she is responsible for OTF's strategic development, long-term planning, and day-to-day operations to enable OTF to fulfill its mission to support internet freedom worldwide. Prior to joining OTF, Laura was the Senior Advisor for Internet Freedom in the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, where she led the Department's Internet freedom programs focused on technology development, digital security, Internet policy advocacy, and research.

In this episode, host Ilan Berman speaks with Andrew Fox of the Henry Jackson Society about how terror group Hamas has weaponized data and statistics to gain the upper hand in the informational front of Israel's new war. BIO: Andrew Fox is a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, specializing in defense, the Middle East, and disinformation. He served in the British Army from 2005 to 2021, completing three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the U.S. Army Special Forces. He is the author of the new HJS report, "Questionable Counting: Analysing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza." MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -- "Questionable Counting: Analysing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza" (Henry Jackson Society, 2024), https://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HJS-Questionable-Counting-–-Hamas-Report-web-v2.pdf

In this episode, host Ilan Berman speaks with retired Israeli Major General Amos Yadlin, the former head of IDF Military Intelligence, about his country's recent battlefield victories against Iran and its proxies, and what they mean in strategic terms. BIO: Major General (ret.) Amos Yadlin is the president and founder of MIND Israel, an action-oriented strategic consulting team advising Israeli leadership and entities involved in Israel's security. He is the former Executive Director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Prior to that, Gen. Yadlin served for more than 40 years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including 10 as a member of its General Staff. In his last military position, General Yadlin was the Head of Israel's Defense Intelligence.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Ammar Maleki, the founder and director of the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran, or GAMAAN, regarding what innovative polls tell us about how Iranians think about their own government, and the rest of the world.   BIO: Ammar Maleki is the founder and director of the Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran, GAMAAN (www.gamaan.org). He is also an Assistant Professor at Tilburg University in The Netherlands. He is a board member of the NGO Iran Human Rights, based in Oslo, Norway.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Col. Peter Garretson, AFPC Senior Fellow in Defense Studies and former chief futurist for the U.S. Air Force, regarding China's recent strides forward in space internet, and what it might mean for the unfolding “great power competition” between Washington and Beijing.   BIO: Peter Garretson is a Senior Fellow in Defense Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council and a strategy consultant who focuses on space and defense. He is the coauthor of Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast. Prior to joining AFPC, Col. Garretson spent over a decade as a transformational strategist for the Department of the Air Force, where he served as a strategy and policy advisor for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as Division Chief of Irregular Warfare Strategy Plans and Policy, and as the Chief of the Future Technology Branch of Air Force Strategic Planning. As an instructor of Joint Warfare at Air University, he laid critical foundations for the future of American and allied spacepower, initiating the Schriever Scholars (America's premier program to develop space strategists), the Space Horizons Task Force (America's think tank for space), and developing the rationale for a U.S. Space Force.  He taught courses in war theory, joint planning, and national security implications of artificial intelligence. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — Richard M. Harrison and Peter Garretson, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy (Praeger Security International, 2023), https://www.amazon.com/Next-Space-Race-Blueprint-International/dp/1440880808/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UFE24YXJ64RY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U5jc8fFfd3tUDF3jfbDynL9Nuq9BLl_DkRXTRmNuvtM76WLNhBJZaoe0LEhH22OR8D_kBygP0ixcMFkPOGTkc1oBimuINW2JB20AeEYleaWJNzMgO-S-zrz2EEtnDy1NnoxVCNxzUTBDnCNN0Peg2OjrzjVZtN3LlliApM3LuFnUTGrhiRdcBHpx1sf6ahlcExyjdN2OH56fXcxfoyN4tLDnSrzVpGoyQvZ1JgxF0Dw.XqO3ZsBLh237M-t_eWtecmX8EF7h1Jfrq6IyoMNBlrg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+next+space+race&qid=1725217225&sprefix=the+next+space+race%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1.  — Peter Garretson and Richard M. Harrison, “Reacting to Major Space Events at or Below Geostationary Orbit - After Action Report 1,” AFPC Special Report, July 5, 2024, https://www.afpc.org/publications/special-reports/reacting-to-major-space-events-at-or-below-geostationary-obit-after-action-report-1. 

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, regarding the state of Palestinian sentiment, ideology and media, post-October 7th. BIO: Khalil Shikaki is a Professor of Political Science and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), which is based in Ramallah. Since 2005, he has been a senior fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University. He finished his Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University in 1985, and taught at several Palestinian and American universities. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: PCPSR's latest poll (July 2024) -- https://www.pcpsr.org/en/node/985

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman explores the post-October 7th explosion of antisemitism, and how the world's oldest hatred is being turbo-charged by 21st century information technology, with Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

In this episode, host Ilan Berman speaks with Tikhon Dzyadko of Russian opposition outlet TV Rain about his work, the current state of Russian independent media, and an alternative vision for the future of Russia. BIO: Tikhon Dzyadko is a journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Russian opposition television outlet TV Rain (Dozhd), which is now headquartered in The Netherlands. He is the former deputy Editor-in-Chief and host of the RTVI channel and a former correspondent and presenter of the radio station Ekho Moskvy.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman checks in with Sarit Zehavi of the Alma Research and Education Center to learn what's really happening along Israel's border with Lebanon, as well as the true scope of the threat now confronting the country from the Hezbollah terrorist group and its patron, Iran. BIO: Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Sarit Zehavi is the founder and president of Alma – a nonprofit and an independent research and education center specialized in Israel's security challenges on its northern border. Sarit has briefed hundreds of groups and forums, ranging from US Senators, Congressmen/women and politicians to senior journalists and visiting VIP groups in Israel and overseas. Sarit scripts numerous position papers and updates focusing on Lebanon, Syria and Israel's national security challenges. She served for 15 years in the Israeli Defense Forces, specializing in Military Intelligence. Sarit holds an M.A. in Middle East Studies from Ben-Gurion University. Her unique achievements led her to be selected by the Jerusalem Post as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Global Jewish personalities of 2021.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy about his experience on Israel's informational front lines, and the areas where Israel needs to improve in order to get its message out in today's increasingly contested and hostile global media environment. BIO: Eylon Levy is the host of the State of a Nation Podcast and a former Israeli Government Spokesman, representing Israel on international television and radio in the October 7 War with Hamas. He previously served as International Media Advisor to President Isaac Herzog after a career as a television news anchor. (Subscribe to State of a Nation here)

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with AFPC Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies Michael Sobolik about the new push in the U.S. Congress to limit the reach of TikTok, China's wildly-popular social media app.  Bio: Michael Sobolik is Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC, where his work covers American and Chinese grand strategy, regional economic and security trends, America's alliance architecture in Asia, and human rights. Michael also serves as editor of AFPC's Indo-Pacific Monitor e-bulletin, AFPC's review of developments in the region. His analysis has appeared in The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, The Hill, Jane's Defence Weekly, The National Interest, National Review, Newsweek, Providence, and RealClearDefense.  He is the host of Great Power Podcast, which examines America's geopolitical strategy toward adversaries like China and Russia. Michael is also the author of Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance, forthcoming from the U.S. Naval Institute Press later this Spring. Pre-order your copy today!

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor of The Economist, regarding the challenges of accurately covering global conflicts in an era of rampant disinformation and digital manipulation. Bio: Shashank Joshi is The Economist‘s defence editor. Prior to joining The Economist in 2018, he served as Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and Research Associate at Oxford University's Changing Character of War Programme. He has published books on Iran's nuclear programme and India's armed forces, written for a wide range of newspapers and journals, and appeared regularly on radio and television. He holds degrees from Cambridge and Harvard, where he served as a Kennedy Scholar from Britain to the United States.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor of digital watchdog Cyberwell about the post-October 7th proliferation of online antisemitism and misinformation, and how her company is working to keep social media platforms accountable. Bio: Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor is Founder and Director of CyberWell, an international technology-based non-profit that is working to combat the spread of antisemitism on social media. An Israeli lawyer, Tal-Or has provided analysis and consulting services to the Institute of National Security Studies, Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs and the Jewish Agency. Prior to launching CyberWell, she worked in the web intelligence sector, serving most recently as an executive at Argyle Consulting Group in Tel Aviv. Mentioned in this episode: Cyberwell's new report, "Denial of the October 7 Massacre on Social Media Platforms," available online at https://cyberwell.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Denial-of-October-7-Social-Media-Trend-Alert-CyberWell.pdf.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Thomas Kent regarding the strategic logic underlying Russia's weaponization of disinformation - and the things Western governments can do to neutralize Russia's informational advantage. Bio: Thomas Kent teaches and consults on Russian affairs, journalism, and the problems of propaganda and disinformation. President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty until 2018, he now teaches at Columbia University and consults for governments, NGOs, and news organizations. He is a senior fellow of The Jamestown Foundation. Previously, he was Moscow bureau chief for the Associated Press, head of the AP's international news coverage, and editor for standards and ethics. Mentioned in this episode: Ilan Berman, Challenging Moscow's Message: Russian Disinformation and the Western Response (AFPC Press, 2023), https://www.amazon.com/Challenging-Moscows-Message-Disinformation-Response/dp/1956450890/ref=sr_1_1?crid=276TCMDHX4HT7&keywords=challenging+moscow%27s+message&qid=1703733780&sprefix=challenging+moscow%27s+message%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-1 Thomas Kent, Striking Back: Overt and Covert Options to Combat Russian Disinformation (Jamestown Foundation, 2020), https://jamestown.org/product/striking-back/ Thomas Kent, How Russia Loses: Hubris and Miscalculation in Putin's Kremlin (Jamestown Foundation, 2023), https://jamestown.org/product/how-russia-loses/

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks to Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center about the surprising new virality of Osama bin Laden's "Letter to America," and about the role of social media platforms in helping to amplify extremism more broadly. Bio: Colin P. Clarke is a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center. He is the Director of Research at The Soufan Group, where his research focuses on domestic and transnational terrorism, international security, and geopolitics. Prior to joining The Soufan Group, Clarke was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, where he spent a decade researching terrorism, insurgency, and criminal networks. At RAND, Clarke led studies on ISIS financing, the future of terrorism and transnational crime, and lessons learned from all insurgencies since the end of the World War II. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @colinpclarke.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks to Golnaz Esfandiari of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty regarding the growing disaffection visible on the Iranian "street," official regime censorship and repression, and what the future holds for the Islamic Republic. Bio: Golnaz Esfandiari is the managing editor of RFE/RL's Radio Farda. She also serves as an Iran analyst for Freedom House, authoring the Iran chapter of their annual Freedom in the World annual reports. Her work has been published and cited by the New Yorker, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, the Atlantic, and elsewhere. She has appeared on CNN, NPR, BBC, and other international media outlets. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @GEsfandiari.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks to two prominent Israeli experts, former Jerusalem Post editor Yaakov Katz and Lt. Col. (Res.) Sarit Zehavi of the Alma Research and Education Center, regarding the new war now facing Israel in the wake of Hamas' October 7th campaign of terror - and the stories that aren't being told about the conflict. BIOS: Yaakov Katz is a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a former editor of the Jerusalem Post where he remains a columnist, and the author of three books on Israeli military affairs. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @yaakovkatz. Sarit Zehavi is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces reserves, and the founder and president of the Alma Research and Education Center, the only national security think tank situated in Israel's north. Follow her work on X (formerly Twitter) at @Israel_Alma_org. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: The Alma Center's analysis of a "northern front" scenario against Israel: https://israel-alma.org/2023/10/10/what-could-happen-if-hezbollah-joins-the-war/ The Alma Center's analysis of what comes next in the current conflict: https://israel-alma.org/2023/10/15/how-hamas-implement-in-this-attack-the-new-iranian-battle-theory/

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to journalist Bethany Allen about the role that disinformation, propaganda and influence play in China's foreign policy - and their impact on the unfolding strategic competition between Beijing and Washington Bethany Allen is the China reporter at AXIOS. She was previously the lead reporter on the China Cables project of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, as a national security correspondent at The Daily Beast, and as a reporter and editor at Foreign Policy magazine. She is the author of Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized its Economy to Confront the World (Harper, 2023).

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Tuvia Gering, a scholar at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, about the ways in which Beijing is shaping global discourse - and what the PRC is saying to the world. Tuvia Gering is a researcher at the Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation Israel-China Policy Center at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Tel Aviv, Israel, and a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub. He is also the author of Discourse Power on Substack, and you can find him @geringtuvia on Twitter. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: Kenton Thibaut's reports on Discourse Power for the Atlantic Council:  1) China's discourse power operations in the Global South 2) Chinese discourse power: Ambitions and reality in the digital domain 3) Chinese discourse power: Capabilities and impact Pew's most recent poll on global attitudes toward China.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Jimmy Quinn of National Review about the current state of the political debate over one of the world's most popular social media apps - and what it tells us about the larger Great Power Competition that's now unfolding between the United States and China. 

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Jacki Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of HonestReporting, about how her organization is harnessing social media and badly-needed context in order to combat bias in reporting about Israel and its place in the Middle East.  Materials referenced in this episode: — Report by Israel's Channel 14 on the Palestinian Authority's “prisoners project” (in Hebrew): https://www.now14.co.il/למחבלים-בלבד-שכונת-היוקרה-שמוקמת-ברשפ/ — HonestReporting's expose on the “project”: https://honestreporting.com/obstacle-to-peace-palestinian-authority-approves-terrorists-only-settlement/

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Joshua Kurlantzick of the Council on Foreign Relations regarding his new book on Chinese media strategy, and the methods and means by which the PRC is shaping global perceptions.  Materials referenced in this episode: Kurlantzick's book, Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China's Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World (Oxford University Press, 2022), available here. The Associated Press' investigative report into Chinese influence in Utah (accessible here).

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Michael Sobolik of the American Foreign Policy Council about China's efforts to shape global perceptions surrounding COVID19 at the start of the global pandemic - and how that war of narratives has now returned with a vengeance.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Ivana Stradner of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies about how Russia weaponizes information to achieve its geopolitical objectives -- and how the United States and its allies can begin to push back.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Amb. David Saranga, the head of digital diplomacy at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about how Jerusalem is using new media and innovative techniques to share Israel's story with global audiences.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Joseph Humire, Executive Director of the Center for Secure Free Society, about how Russian narratives and tropes are resonating in the Americas - and what that means for local politics, as well as for American security. Materials referenced in this episode: — Ilan Berman and Joseph M. Humire, eds., Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America (Lexington Books, 2016), https://www.amazon.com/Irans-Strategic-Penetration-Latin-America/dp/1498505988/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ON196ZVZL7HQ&keywords=iran%27s+strategic+penetration&qid=1671712687&sprefix=iran%27s+strategic+penetration%2Caps%2C63&sr=8-1. — LatinoBarometer's 2021 Human Development Report: https://www.latinobarometro.org/lat.jsp?Idioma=0&Idioma=0

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Roman Anin, Editor-in-Chief of Russian investigative outlet iStories, about the consequences of the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, the moral and practical stakes involved, and the emergence of a new media ecosystem for Russian opposition journalists.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Klon Kitchen of the American Enterprise Institute about how technology is enabling China's deepening domestic repression, and how that same technology is becoming an important - and ominous - export commodity for the PRC.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Eric Olander, Editor-in-Chief of the China Global South Project, about how China is seen throughout the developing world - and why these views are so different from Western perceptions of the PRC. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — The China Global South Daily Brief is available at https://chinaglobalsouth.com

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to the Washington Post's Josh Rogin about how China is working to reshape global narratives to advance its geopolitical agenda and improve its international standing. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — Josh's book, Chaos under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the 21st Century: https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Under-Heaven-America-Twenty-First/dp/0358699282/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1662421880&sr=8-1 — Josh's August 17th Washington Post column, “The Chinese ambassador's charm offensive is falling flat in Washington”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/08/17/chinese-ambassador-disinformation-alternate-facts-taiwan/

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Alexander Pevzner of Strategy Risks, a business risk consultancy, about the mechanics of how China has set about building presence - and popularity - in Israel, and what it might mean. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — The Pew Research Center's 2019 survey of attitudes toward China: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2019/12/05/attitudes-toward-china-2019/ — The Pew Research Center's 2022 survey of attitudes toward China: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/06/29/negative-views-of-china-tied-to-critical-views-of-its-policies-on-human-rights/

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to AFPC Fellow and disinformation specialist Monika Richter about the missteps that torpedoed the Biden administration's latest initiative - and the underlying problems with how the U.S. and Europe approach today's digital disorder. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -- Monika Richter, “Is Biden's Disinfo Czar Qualified?” The Bulwark, May 6, 2022, https://www.thebulwark.com/is-bidens-disinfo-czar-qualified/ -- Matt Apuzzo, “Pressured by China, E.U. Softens Report on Covid-19 Disinformation,” New York Times, April 24, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/world/europe/disinformation-china-eu-coronavirus.html

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to Israeli disinformation specialist Moshe Kwiat about recent terror attacks in Israel - and how they are linked to a broader Iranian media campaign to destabilize the country. MOSHE KWIAT is an open source intelligence analyst specializing in disinformation, and a graduate researcher at Reichman University. He is a captain in the IDF reserves, and has worked on counterterrorism and international relations for Israel's Ministry of Public Security and the Israeli Ministry of Defense. His research and writing have appeared in such publications as the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, The Times of Israel, and The Jerusalem Post.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman talks to veteran Russian journalist Yulia Latynina regarding the myths, misconceptions and errors that have helped shape the Kremlin's current war in Ukraine. YULIA LATYNINA is an award-winning journalist and literary writer who worked for decades in Russian media, most recently as a correspondent with the Ekho Moskvy radio station and the Novaya Gazeta newspaper. In 2008, she was awarded the U.S. State Department's Freedom Defenders Award for her work on human rights and civil society in Russia.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Mollie Saltskog of The Soufan Group about how Russia is now trying to harness propaganda and disinformation to discourage the Nordic states from joining the NATO alliance.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Cliff May, president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, about the informational and ideological contest surrounding the current war in Ukraine, and its implications for the global order.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman visits once again with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Jamie Fly to talk about how the war in Ukraine has served as a catalyst for a new, more restrictive media environment in Russia, and how U.S. public diplomacy is adapting as a result.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital and one of the world's leading anti-corruption crusaders, about the economic pressure the U.S. and its allies are bringing to bear against Moscow in an effort to deter Russian aggression.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with leading Russia expert Michael Kofman of CNA about the strategic realities and media optics surrounding Russia's military offensive against Ukraine and the new war in Europe.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with lawyer and digital activist Arsen Ostrovsky about the state of Israeli public diplomacy, the messaging challenges facing the Jewish state, and the future of regional engagement.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Amb. Mark Wallace, CEO of the Counter Extremism Project, about the origins and influence of Al-Jazeera, as well as its role as an instrument of Qatari foreign policy.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies regarding the May 2021 war between Israel and Hamas, and how Western media misreported the true contours of that conflict.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Iran democracy activist Mariam Memarsadeghi about the message that Iranian opposition forces are trying to send to the world in their struggle for freedom... and how the country's clerical regime is working overtime on the World Wide Web in order to stop them.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Andres Ilves of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty about the media environment in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover this Fall, and the political and informational challenges now facing the country.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute about the current problems afflicting America's official broadcasting toward Iran, and how we can do better in messaging to the Iranian people.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Jason Brodsky of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) about the real political state of play within the Islamic Republic of Iran today, and how Western media is missing the big stories taking place within the country.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Erin Saltman of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (www.gifct.org) about the state of extremist media today, how Islamic radicals have learned to harness social media for their own ends, and what messages are resonating with global publics.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Katherine Zimmerman of the American Enterprise Institute about the state of global terrorism, extremist thought, and jihadi messaging on the twentieth anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with renowned Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov about Russia's information warfare strategy, how the government of Vladimir Putin sees the West, and the future of our "battle of ideas" with the Kremlin.

In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with former Estonian President Toomas Ilves about Russia's 2007 digital offensive against his country, and the current threat to global information posed by the Kremlin.