Empire Has No Clothes

On the latest pod, Will and Curt are joined by Luke Nicastro, fellow at the John Quincy Adams Society.   On the docket: Afghanistan a year after U.S. exit, and following the Ayman Zawahiri slaying; Iran deal redux; and will the war in Eurasia be continuous?

In this episode, Curt Mills and Will Ruger are joined by Saurabh Sharma, president of American Moment and Charles McElwee, editor of RealClearPennsylvania, to discuss the foreign policies debates that went on last month in the campaigns in the Buckeye and Keystone states. The group also addresses the ongoing foreign policy fissures within the GOP as the party licks its chops for a red wave in November, while regrouping for 2024.

Curt is joined by Luke Nicastro, TAC contributing writer and fellow at Defense Priorities, to discuss the French election: what happened to Eric Zemmour, how Emmanuel Macron has been an unlikely nationalist, and how he might go down in defeat to Marine Le Pen anyways.

Curt and Will dive in on President Biden's first State of the Union address, the fast moving narrative on Russia and Ukraine, and the worrisome prospects from here.

Curt and Will rehash "the top 10 foreign policy moments of 2021" and revisit TAC's December foreign policy conference (link below).   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT_nX35hH48

A year after Biden's election, the new president is plainly floundering, with crises at home and abroad. Curt and Will dive into where elite Republican foreign policy discourse could go from here, with a dive into: the Charles Koch Institute's recent 'Advancing Security Summit' with longtime national security bigwig (most recently Afghan envoy) Zalmay Khalilzhad, further discussion on National Conservatism, China and a provocative new report about former President Trump's wars with the CIA over Iran.   Relevant links: https://charleskochinstitute.org/news/in-conversation-ruger-and-khalilzad-discuss-americas-future-interests-in-afghanistan/ https://news.yahoo.com/frustrated-with-cia-trump-administration-turned-to-pentagon-for-shadow-war-with-iran-205152958.html

On this episode, Curt and Will discuss: the new dust-up in Ukraine, the rise of France and the European future after Merkel, a nasty but unintentionally hilarious piece on former Trump personnel man John McEntee and the nationalist vs. libertarian divide on the National Conservatism Conference.

Co-hosts Curt Mills and William Ruger discuss Colin Powell's death, envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad's exodus from government and the modern history of Republican foreign policy factions in government. 

Curt Mills, contributing editor, and William Ruger, TAC board member, reboot EHNC and revisit the decision to leave Afghanistan after the deluge. Mills and Ruger explore the timeline on the decision, its tradeoffs, and Ruger's own nomination to be ambassador to Afghanistan under former President Donald Trump.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and Matt discussed Joe Biden's decision to bomb Syria and what it means for his foreign policy going forward. We also talked with David Sterman of New America about what it means to have an endless war and how to stop them.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed neoconservative Robert Kagan's new essay embracing endless war. We also talked with John Ghazvinian of the Middle East Center about the future of American policy in Iran.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Afghanistan and why it's lost. We also talked with journalist James Carden about the state of the antiwar left and whether Joe Biden might do some good on foreign policy.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed Joe Biden's announcement that he would withdraw all American support for the war in Yemen. We also talked with Michael Brenes at Yale's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs about how the military-industrial complex came to be.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Matt, and I discussed the situation in Myanmar and how far the so-called "responsibility to protect" might extend. We also talked with John Allen Gay of the John Quincy Adams Society about why young people are embracing foreign policy restraint.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Yemen and whether Joe Biden will make good on his pledge to end it. We also talked with Lindsey O'Rourke at Boston College about why covert regime change fails and why we cling to it nonetheless.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the president's final moves on foreign policy and how Mike Pompeo is maneuvering to be his heir. We also talked with John Glaser at the Cato Institute about Donald Trump's legacy and whether he's done more harm than good.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the insurrection at the Capitol building and how we can avoid making the mistakes we made after 9/11. We also talked with Jonathan Bydlak of the R Street Institute about the Pentagon budget and why the taxpayer seems to get so little for so much.

This week on Empire Has No Clothes, we talked with Barbara Slavin of the Atlantic Council about Iran and whether Joe Biden can ease our tensions with Tehran. Kelley, Dan, and I also discussed the latest defense authorization bill and all the terrible provisions therein.

On the latest Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Dan speak with William Astore, retired lieutenant colonel (USAF), who teaches history at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. We discuss the Lloyd Austin appointment as Joe Biden's defense secretary, America’s endless wars, the missing antiwar movement, and the need for greater public engagement with foreign policy.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Rachel Esplin Odell of the Quincy Institute. She discusses China, what a Biden administration policy will look like, and the real nature of the threat from Beijing. We also talk about the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist and Israel's likely involvement.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Justin Logan of the Center for the Study of Statesmanship. He discusses why the Middle East isn't that important and whether anyone has the faintest idea what to do about China. We also talk about the final days of Donald Trump's presidency, troop withdrawals and a possible bombing of Iran.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Jack Hunter, the libertarian writer for the Washington Examiner. He discusses the likely election of Joe Biden and whether the hawks will find a home in his administration. We also talk about Donald Trump's post-election stand and whether it's good for America's relations with the world.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Stephen Wertheim, deputy director of research and policy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He discusses the rise of American global supremacy and why that idea is now breaking down. We also talk about the foreign policy presidential debate that wasn't and the upcoming election.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to TAC foreign policy reporter Barbara Boland. She breaks down the upcoming election and the possible impacts on foreign policy of a Biden victory. We also talk about why Donald Trump's maximalist negotiating policy towards North Korea hasn't worked out so well.

Investigative journalist Gareth Porter talks about why he’s spent so much time trying to debunk the Russian hacking story and Washington's institutional bias against Iran. In the first segment, Dan, Kelley, and Matt talk about throwback Vice President Pence and tough talking Democrat Kamala Harris.

Matt, Kelley, and Dan spoke with Bonnie Kristian from Defense Priorities about the absence of an antiwar movement despite 19 years of endless war, the "snapback" debacle at the U.N., and the prospects for progressive/conservative cooperation in opposing wars in the future. We also discussed Charles Kupchan's distortions of American history in connection with "isolationism."

This week, Kelley, Dan and Matt talk to David Vine, who co-wrote the Cost of War study that found that as many as 59,000 refugees were created in the wake of the U.S.-led 9/11 wars. We also hash out the pushback on the study’s methodology. In the first segment we talk about new U.S. threats to shutter our embassy in Iraq and why.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Giorgio Cafiero of the Middle East Institute. He assesses what's going on with the Sunni Gulf states and whether Saudi power is waning. We also talk about Will Ruger, Trump's realist appointment to be ambassador to Afghanistan, and how hawks are endangering his Senate confirmation.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Harry Kazianis of the Center of the National Interest. He explains why America's policy on North Korea has gone awry and whether there's hope yet for the Trump/Kim bromance. We also talk about the new Bob Woodward book and its implications for Donald Trump's foreign policy.

On this episode, Danny Sjursen, an Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran-turned antiwar activist, talks about the most recent rift between Trump and the military and what veterans really think about the president and his policies. You may be surprised. Also, Kelley, Matt, and Dan talk about how successful---or not--- Democrats will be in trying to turn the military community against him.

In this week's episode, we talk with Patrick Porter of the University of Birmingham. Porter is the author of The False Promise of Liberal Order: Nostalgia, Delusion, and the Rise of Trump. We discuss why the liberal order has never really existed, and why it is a mistake to rely on nostalgia for it to guide our foreign policy. We also discuss the U.S. military's involvement in Syria and the aimless mission there that never ends.

In this week's episode, Matt, Kelley, and Dan talk to Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute. We discuss the Quincy Institute's recommendations from their recent report on U.S. policies in the Middle East, and we consider the possibility of rejoining the nuclear deal with Iran. We also discuss Pompeo's convention stunt and his failure at the U.N. to get support for the so-called "snapback" reimposition of U.N. sanctions.

On this week’s episode, Kelley, Matt and Daniel talk to Chris Preble about his New American Engagement Initiative at the Atlantic Council, leaving the Cato Institute, and how there is no better time than now to change people’s minds, on the left and right, about our failed foreign policy. In the first segment we talk about the new Israel-UAE-US deal—and what might be lurking just beneath the surface.

In our latest episode, Kelley, Matt, and Daniel spoke with Emma Ashford of the Cato Institute about the slipperiness of defining the foreign policy "Blob" in Washington, the narrow confines of many of our policy debates, and the wisdom of past and future rounds of NATO expansion. They also discuss the fight brewing over the future of Russia policy.

In our latest episode, Kelley, Daniel and Matt talk with Mike Vlahos, a former professor at the U.S. Naval War College, on the 75th Anniversary of the dropping of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Mike describes the ability to end the war with nuclear power a “wish” that led to more than bargained for: total domination (and corruption) of world foreign policy for the next several decades. We also talk about the withdrawal of 12,000 US troops from Germany. Is it such a big deal?

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley and Daniel speak to Max Blumenthal, who founded Grayzone to provide like-minded journalists a chance to flip the narrative and report on regional politics, wars, and U.S. policies that were being ignored by the corporate mainstream media. We also talk about Mike Pompeo’s declaration of Cold War with China, and Doug Macgregor’s pending ambassadorship.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Thomas Juneau of the University of Ottowa. He explains why America never seems to get it right on Iran. We also talk about Joe Biden's incoming foreign policy advisors and why his administration is likely to be more of the same warmed-over liberal internationalism.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Jessica Lee of the Quincy Institute. She tells us what Donald Trump has gotten right and wrong on North Korea and whether there's still hope for a peace deal. We also talk about H.R. McMaster's new piece pushing back against the realists and why he wants to keep the forever wars going forever.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak with Elizabeth Shackelford, a former Foreign Service Officer and the author of The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age. She talks about her experience in the State Department, the damage done to the department in the Trump years, her resignation, and the lack of accountability in our foreign policy. We also discuss Bolton’s self-serving book and whether we can believe anything he tells us.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak with Gene Healy, author of the book The Cult of the Presidency. He tells us about Donald Trump's abuses of executive power and whether there's any hope of reining him in. We also talk about North Korea's escalation of tensions with the South and whether there could still be a rapprochement between Trump and Kim Jong-un.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel talk with author and law professor Tim Bakken about his explosive new book, The Cost of Loyalty: Dishonesty, Hubris, and Failure in the U.S. Military, which takes on the mythology surrounding West Point Military Academy—where he is still employed. He exposes the corruption in their admissions policies and the mediocrity of the education, which he says does not teach cadets how to think for themselves. This unfortunately, is a symptom of the entire military culture. Don’t miss this one!

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Alexander Cooley and Dan Nexon, authors of the book Exit From Hegemony. They tell us why America's unipolar power in the world is over and discuss the mistakes we made that got us here. We also talk about Tom Cotton's proposal to use the military on U.S. soil and why that's such a terrible idea.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley, and Daniel speak to Congressman Warren Davidson, Republican of Ohio, and one of the foremost advocates of constitutional war powers in the House. He tells us why Congress so willingly surrendered its authority to declare war to the president and whether they can ever claw it back. They also talk about the toxic U.S.-Saudi relationship and whether reform is finally—finally!—right around the corner.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley and Daniel speak to John Kiriakou, who did 2 years in a federal prison after he exposed the CIA policy of waterboarding detainees after 9/11. He talks about state sanctioned torture, his post-prison life as a whistleblower advocate and a radio host for Sputnik, Julian Assange, and Washington hypocrisy. In the intro segment they talk about trade czar Peter Navarro's singular drive to facilitate weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.

On this edition of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley and Daniel speak to Ben Denison, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, on the perils of regime change. In the intro segment, TAC national security reporter Barbara Boland lays out the latest in her reporting on what might be the worst attempted coup in history, in Venezuela, and who in the administration might have known it was coming.

On today's Empire Has No Clothes, the gang speaks to Peter Van Buren, TAC contributor and State Department whistleblower, about Iraq, the Blob, and the State Department's failure to rebuild countries we've gone to war against. In the intro segment, Matt, Kelley and Daniel cover COVID and Washington's escalating tension with Beijing.

On the first episode of Empire Has No Clothes, Matt, Kelley and Daniel previewed Justin Amash's presidential run, America's ongoing Afghan quagmire, and the unfolding humanitarian disaster in Yemen. In the second segment, they spoke to BU professor Andrew Bacevich about the Trump administration's muddled foreign policy, and whether he'd take a job in it.

Introducing Empire Has No Clothes, a new foreign policy podcast from The American Conservative.