Podcasts about Eurasia

What if missions isn't something reserved for a select few Christians who feel called to go somewhere far away?In Episode 6 of Let's Talk!, Billy sits down with Pastor Dale and missionary leader Joe Gordon to continue the conversation from Global Outreach weekend and explore what it means for ordinary followers of Jesus to participate in His mission.Joe shares how hearing about people who had never heard the gospel changed the direction of his life and eventually led him to serve across Eurasia, a region spanning 44 countries and more than two billion people.The conversation explores Jesus' command to make disciples, the impact missionaries have had throughout history, and what God is doing around the world today. Joe shares firsthand stories from places including Syria and Iran, talks about thousands of people groups that remain unreached or unengaged, and explains why the global Church is increasingly sending missionaries across borders.They also wrestle with what Christians in America can learn from believers who follow Jesus through persecution, hardship, and tremendous sacrifice.But missions isn't only about somewhere else.Prayer, giving, going, serving, and simply noticing the person God has placed next to you can all become part of living on mission.The question isn't whether God's mission includes us.It's what part He is asking us to play.CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONUse these questions with your small group, family, friends, or for personal reflection:- Joe said that Jesus assumes His disciples will be going, and the command is to make disciples “as you go.” Who has God already placed in your everyday life that you could intentionally love, serve, and point toward Jesus?- Joe said, “The goal of life on earth is not going to heaven. The goal of life on earth is bringing glory to the name of Jesus.” How would your priorities change if you genuinely lived with that perspective?- Hearing stories of believers following Jesus through persecution can challenge the way we view our own faith. What parts of following Jesus have become easy for you to take for granted?- Joe described prayer as “not an act of strength, but an admission of weakness.” What situation in your life or in the world feels beyond your ability to change? What would it look like to bring that honestly before God?- Missions can involve going across the world, but it can also begin with the person in the cubicle, classroom, neighborhood, or home next to us. Where might God be asking you to stop simply noticing a need and begin participating?Take a moment to pray: Ask God to open your eyes to what He is doing around you, give you His heart for people, and show you the part He is asking you to play. Be willing to listen if His answer requires you to go, give, pray, serve, or simply love the person already in front of you.

When a child, grandchild, or friend completely rejects your faith, the instinct is to push back with rules or logic, but that only deepens the divide. In this highly practical discussion, Chip and Aaron share an entirely different way forward. Through a raw, real-world roleplay, they reveal the exact questions that bypass defensive walls and trigger a genuine craving for truth. If you want to stop feeling helpless and discover how to leverage curiosity, empathy, and unconditional love to bring them back, don't miss today's program.ResourcesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

When a child, grandchild, or friend completely rejects your faith, the instinct is to push back with rules or logic, but that only deepens the divide. In this highly practical discussion, Chip and Aaron share an entirely different way forward. Through a raw, real-world roleplay, they reveal the exact questions that bypass defensive walls and trigger a genuine craving for truth. If you want to stop feeling helpless and discover how to leverage curiosity, empathy, and unconditional love to bring them back, don't miss today's program.ResourcesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Why does the next generation seem so radically different, and why are traditional church approaches falling flat? Aaron Pierce takes you behind the scenes of today's global youth culture to expose the hidden forces shaping how our kids and grandkids think. From the illusion of "my truth" to the silent epidemic of loneliness, this conversation reveals the deep emotional undercurrents driving their skepticism. If you want to understand the heartbeat of today's youth and uncover the unexpected desires they are secretly longing to fulfill, you cannot afford to miss this.ResourcesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Why does the next generation seem so radically different, and why are traditional church approaches falling flat? Aaron Pierce takes you behind the scenes of today's global youth culture to expose the hidden forces shaping how our kids and grandkids think. From the illusion of "my truth" to the silent epidemic of loneliness, this conversation reveals the deep emotional undercurrents driving their skepticism. If you want to understand the heartbeat of today's youth and uncover the unexpected desires they are secretly longing to fulfill, you cannot afford to miss this.ResourcesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Nothing has caused more animosity between the Church and the culture than issues surrounding sexual freedom, gay rights, and transgenderism. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce explores how we can engage people on these sensitive subjects with unconditional love, without compromising the truth.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Max Bergmann is joined by Hanna Notte and Natasha Hall to map the escalation risks, assess Russia's shifting military and diplomatic footprint in Syria under the new government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, and parse what a surprise CIA visit to Moscow reveals about where this global realignment is heading. Along the way, they examine Ukrainian strikes on Iranian vessels, allegations that Moscow is feeding Tehran intelligence on U.S. positions, and what a deepening Russia-Iran economic partnership means for the wider region.  Guests:  Hanna Notte | director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies; senior associate (non-resident), Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program, CSIS  Natasha Hall | senior advocate for the Middle East, Refugees International;  Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Program, Chatham House; senior associate (non-resident), Middle East Program, CSIS Mentioned:  Resilience Through Linkage: Russia, Iran, and Aspirations for North–South Trade – CSIS Report by Maria Snegovaya, Tina Dolbaia, and Nicholas Fenton  We Shall Outlast Them: Putin's Global Campaign to Defeat the West – Book by Hanna Notte   Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at erep@csis.org.  If you love Russian Roulette, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts.   Listen to our sister podcast, covering all things Europe through a Washington lens: CSIS Podcasts | The Eurofile 

Nothing has caused more animosity between the Church and the culture than issues surrounding sexual freedom, gay rights, and transgenderism. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce explores how we can engage people on these sensitive subjects with unconditional love, without compromising the truth.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Is it possible to discuss hot-button issues–like politics, social justice, or cultural movements–with those we love without starting an argument? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce says: Absolutely! He describes how to move past divisive topics and clear the way for the Gospel to pierce people's hearts, helping you maintain relationships while standing on Truth.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Is it possible to discuss hot-button issues–like politics, social justice, or cultural movements–with those we love without starting an argument? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce says: Absolutely! He describes how to move past divisive topics and clear the way for the Gospel to pierce people's hearts, helping you maintain relationships while standing on Truth.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

God's Word is clear that believing in Jesus is the only path to genuine salvation. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce, from Steiger International, shares practical ways to discuss the Bible with those who don't recognize it as absolute truth. Learn how to bridge the gap and share the message of the Gospel with clarity and compassion.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingTom Holland - "Domnion"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Michael is joined by Peter Rough, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute, to dissect the stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the latest interventions by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He also assesses Ukraine's persistent deep-strike campaign against Russian refineries, mounting Russian casualty rates, and the internal frictions behind Kyiv's high-level military leadership shakeup. Finally, Peter evaluates the growing threat of Russian gray-zone sabotage across Europe and examines whether allied aid and sanctions can hold the line ahead of a difficult winter. Let us know what geopolitical topic we should focus on next, get in touch at podcast@bgsdc.com.

God's Word is clear that believing in Jesus is the only path to genuine salvation. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce, from Steiger International, shares practical ways to discuss the Bible with those who don't recognize it as absolute truth. Learn how to bridge the gap and share the message of the Gospel with clarity and compassion.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingTom Holland - "Domnion"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Have you ever had a chance to share Jesus with someone but got too nervous or scared in the moment to do it? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce assures us that we've all been there. He shares practical, approachable steps to help us boldly talk about Jesus—even with people we fundamentally disagree with.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingTom Holland - "Domnion"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Have you ever had a chance to share Jesus with someone but got too nervous or scared in the moment to do it? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce assures us that we've all been there. He shares practical, approachable steps to help us boldly talk about Jesus—even with people we fundamentally disagree with.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingTom Holland - "Domnion"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Has social media and the 24/7 news cycle convinced you that winning an argument is the most important thing—even when talking to your kids, grandkids, or friends about Jesus? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce offers a challenging look at how we communicate our faith. Learn how to move past the debate and foster healthy, spiritual conversations that naturally attract those you care about to the Gospel.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Has social media and the 24/7 news cycle convinced you that winning an argument is the most important thing—even when talking to your kids, grandkids, or friends about Jesus? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce offers a challenging look at how we communicate our faith. Learn how to move past the debate and foster healthy, spiritual conversations that naturally attract those you care about to the Gospel.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

In the construction world, a "sole plate" is a small but integral piece of wood that sits on top of a foundation. Without it, you simply couldn't build the floors or walls above. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce uses this illustration to reveal a vital, foundational step we often miss when sharing our faith. Discover how this principle helps us connect our lost friends to the anchoring hope of the Gospel.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

In the construction world, a "sole plate" is a small but integral piece of wood that sits on top of a foundation. Without it, you simply couldn't build the floors or walls above. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce uses this illustration to reveal a vital, foundational step we often miss when sharing our faith. Discover how this principle helps us connect our lost friends to the anchoring hope of the Gospel.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

As faithful followers of Jesus, we are called to be both salt and light in our society. But what does that look like in the midst of today's hostility and division? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce shares how we can remain both holy and relevant, offering practical ways to connect with people who might never walk into a church.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingDale Carnegie - "How to Win Friends and Influence People"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Ninguna élite se ha jactado nunca de provenir de la esclavitud. Solo hay una excepción, la de los mamelucos de Egipto. Entre 1250 y 1517, durante 267 años, Egipto estuvo gobernado por hombres nacidos libres en las estepas del norte del Mar Negro y en las montañas del Cáucaso, que eran capturados cuando eran niños por tratantes de esclavos y luego vendidos a comerciantes italianos que los llevaban hasta Alejandría. Se les adiestraba en el oficio de las armas dentro de la ciudadela de El Cairo. Pasaban varios años aprendiendo árabe, estudiaban el Corán y la “furusiyya”, un entrenamiento ecuestre muy intenso que hizo de ellos los mejores arqueros a caballo del Mediterráneo. Al terminar la instrucción eran liberados y se les entregaba caballo y armas. Haber sido esclavos no era una vergüenza que trataban de ocultar sino un título del que presumían. El sistema no era hereditario. Los hijos de los mamelucos nacían libres y musulmanes, es decir, nacían ya descalificados, de modo que la casta se renovaba con cada generación. La institución como tal había sido creada en Bagdad, pero solo fue en Egipto donde se emancipó del todo. El último sultán ayubí compró miles de mamelucos para ponerlos a su servicio y los acuarteló en una isla del Nilo llamada Rawda. A aquellos soldados se les conocía como bahríes y fueron quienes derrotaron a Luis IX de Francia en 1250, luego asesinaron al heredero ayubí y se quedaron con el sultanato. Unos años más tarde, en la batalla de Ayn Yalut, detuvieron a los mongoles que habían arrasado toda Eurasia sin conocer la derrota. Uno de ellos, Baybars, que había participado en el magnicidio y mató después a su propio sultán, gobernó durante dos décadas un imperio con un gran ejército, una temible flota, fortalezas y hasta un correo que unía Damasco y El Cairo en solo cuatro días. Instaló en su corte a un superviviente abasí y le proclamó califa, una jugada magistral que le dio la legitimidad que le faltaba de origen. Sus sucesores tomaron Antioquía, Trípoli y por fin Acre en 1291, poniendo fin así a dos siglos de presencia cruzada en Tierra Santa. El poder no se heredaba, se ganaba por prestigio militar. Cada emir mantenía su casa financiada con rentas de unas tierras que el sultán podía retirar cuando quisiera. La historia interna del sultanato mameluco es la lucha entre esas casas. Fue un imperio muy rico. La proverbial fertilidad del valle del Nilo estaba a su servicio, controlaban los puertos del levante y el comercio del mar Rojo, por el que entraban valiosos productos como la pimienta, el clavo o la seda. El Cairo creció y se transformó en una metrópolis muy poblada en la que floreció el arte, la literatura y el comercio. A mediados del siglo XIV llegó la peste negra y, con ella, la crisis. Los nuevos mamelucos empezaron a llegar del Cáucaso, pero lo esencial no cambió. Lo que no supieron hacer fue modernizar su ejército. Despreciaban las armas de fuego portátiles porque las consideraban indignas de un caballero. Los otomanos de Selim I aprovecharon esa ventaja y derrotaron al sultanato en 1517. El último sultán fue ahorcado por órdenes de la Sublime Puerta, pero los mamelucos se las apañaron para seguir mandando en Egipto como gobernadores otomanos hasta que Mehmet Ali mando que les fusilasen ya entrado el siglo XIX. Para hablar de los mamelucos y de cómo unos simples esclavos se hicieron dueños de un gran imperio nos acompaña hoy en La ContraHistoria José Soto Chica quien, naturalmente, en este programa no necesita presentación. Bibliografía: “Muerte en Toledo” de José Soto Chica - https://amzn.to/4cnmaHI “Mamluks: Legacy of an empire” de Carine Juvin - https://amzn.to/466HcXm “The Mamluks” de John Brunton - https://amzn.to/4cWzJOk “The knights of islam” de James Waterson - https://amzn.to/4gAT6ir · Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lacontracronica · “Contra el pesimismo”… https://amzn.to/4m1RX2R · “Hispanos. Breve historia de los pueblos de habla hispana”… https://amzn.to/428js1G · “La ContraHistoria del comunismo”… https://amzn.to/39QP2KE · “La ContraHistoria de España. Auge, caída y vuelta a empezar de un país en 28 episodios”… https://amzn.to/3kXcZ6i · “Contra la Revolución Francesa”… https://amzn.to/4aF0LpZ · “Lutero, Calvino y Trento, la Reforma que no fue”… https://amzn.to/3shKOlK Apoya La Contra en: · Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/diazvillanueva · iVoox... https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-contracronica_sq_f1267769_1.html · Paypal... https://www.paypal.me/diazvillanueva Sígueme en: · Web... https://diazvillanueva.com · Twitter... https://twitter.com/diazvillanueva · Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/fernandodiazvillanueva1/ · Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/diazvillanueva · Linkedin… https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-villanueva-7303865/ · Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/147276463@N05/?/ · Pinterest... https://www.pinterest.com/fernandodiazvillanueva Encuentra mis libros en: · Amazon... https://www.amazon.es/Fernando-Diaz-Villanueva/e/B00J2ASBXM #FernandoDiazVillanueva #mamelucos #elcairo Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Max sits down with Otto Svendsen, associate fellow with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program, to discuss the week's biggest transatlantic stories: Iceland's vote on reopening EU accession talks, the fallout from Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby's visit to NATO headquarters (including a reported loyalty questionnaire for allies), and European reactions to CIA Director John Ratcliffe's surprise trip to Moscow. Plus, a conversation with Henry Foy, Brussels Bureau Chief at the Financial Times, to map out the EU's packed fall agenda. Mentioned: Europe Express | Newsletter by Mujtaba Rahman, Financial Times Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at erep@csis.org. If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.

No matter a person's background, religion, or age, we all long for connection and closeness with others. In this program, guest teacher Aaron Pierce explains why establishing trust is an essential first step in leading someone to Jesus. Learn what you can do to build authentic relationships with those who have drifted or are far from God.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingDale Carnegie - "How to Win Friends and Influence People"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Warfare Against Satanists (1) (audio) David Eells – 9/2/26   A Call To War Dumitru Duduman September 1993 . “Cease heading the way you have been going and turn to me”, says the Lord. “Lucifer, who is armed for war on his horse, and is coming with a powerful army behind him to take vengeance against the children of God. The day is close! A day of terror when Lucifer will try to annihilate all those that live a clean life, a day of pain and terror is near. (We are the salt, our job is to resist him. We were told “you have not because you ask not”.) “If you could see what is being prepared and what will happen, you would surely quit doing everything you know in your heart to be wrong and would seek peace more than ever. Be prepared, be holy, and don't give in to the temptations and impulses of the enemy. Seek the Lord, your God, with all your heart. Those who will be clean, those who will be holy, I will not forget. I will save them”, says the Lord. “The armies of the devil are coming against those who worship me and truly seek me, with great fury. Pray that I may give you strength so that before the storm comes, I may save you and give you joy. “Those who live in defilement, that meditate upon evil things, will have no escape. They will not have any protection. I will destroy BABYLON”, (America) says the Lord, “because of the wickedness and blasphemy of this country. Not only here but wherever there is sin, I will punish it harshly. Only the righteous will I save, some even out of the midst of the fire. “Again, I tell you, a dark cloud is gathered. Lucifer, sitting on his black horse, is ready for war. The trumpets of the devil are sounding day and night to all the demons of the deep to be prepared to make war against those who truly live their lives for God. There will be such great turmoil that only a few will escape. Those who today only carry the name of 'believer' will fight with fury against those who worship me with a clean heart. This is why I have revealed this to you -- because the days are numbered. “I reveal to you, I speak to you, I show to you”, says the Lord, “but many do not want to remember, saying to themselves, 'Is it truly the Lord speaking this?' Others become scared for the moment, but then they forget and never become pure. Many of those who carry the name of 'Christian' are overcome by greed, fornication, drunkenness, and a pursuit of great wealth. “There is no time to lose. The day of destruction and terror is coming soon. The devil is agitated, and a great deception is being prepared; but I tell you, do not fear. I have the power to protect those who obey me. You must remember the Word of God. Tell them to read the Bible and pray that I may also save them. “The great day, the day of terror, the day of affliction, of pain, the day of the punishment of Babylon prophesied in the Bible is soon coming, and I will only save the righteous”, says the Lord. “I forgive whom I want. I make holy who I want, and I prepare who I want. Judge no one, for mine is the judgment”, says the Lord. “Each of you judge yourselves. Pray and draw close to me; and if you will obey, I will come to your aid. I will send a chariot of salvation and take each one out in his appointed time”. We have dealt with the spirit of faction against our ministry for several years now and have been cleansed of it and the apostates, so we recognize it in the worldly and see it operating in the government. We are doing the necessary warfare against this work of Islam, satanism, communism, and faction, with their witchcraft, curses, railing, etc., causing problems for Christians, President Trump, his administration, and the MAGA movement. (We were told that the Bride was being cleansed now but the much larger church will go through this same thing in the tribulation.) I'm going to go over some terminology with you about these demons of:   Gossip, Slander, Railing, Reviling ... and What Motivates Them Our first defense against these demons is to not receive accusations against anyone that we do not have two or three witnesses, as the Scriptures teach. Many times, the motivation for gossip, slander, railing, and reviling, which are similar, is to divide others unto oneself for selfish ambitions, like making disciples. Satan has this same purpose. Anyone who listens to these demons gets invaded by them. In this case, the person working for satan should be marked or identified. Rom.16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. (This division or faction often involves jealousy, lying, and manipulation to get one's way.) Jas.3:14 But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish [Greek: demoniacal]. 16 For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. Indeed, these people always are in deep sin, for when they judge they are judged in this manner. Let's get some terminology straight so we can look at some scriptures. From Wikipedia: Gossip is malicious talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, meant to harm the subject's reputation in the community. It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but it also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted. The term can also imply that the idle chat or news is of a personal or trivial nature, as opposed to normal conversation, but may not be intentionally malicious. Mat.12:36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Thank God that we come into days of judgment so that we don't have to come into the Day of Judgment! The Greek word translated as “idle” here means “unfruitful.” There are unfruitful words that demand punishment in a day of judgment, so we should be quick to repent and be slow to speak. (I will give Greek meanings which reveal much here. Both Greek and Hebrew verses are given to show the nature of these errors.) Slander(er): Greek: Diablos; (Diablo is also Spanish for “Devil.”), Accuser; meaning accusing falsely, finding fault with the demeanor and conduct of others and spreading their innuendos and criticisms in the church. The devil finds those people who are accusers like him to do his dirty work. Psa.15:1 Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? [I.e., Who will be in Jerusalem, whom John was told was the Bride?] 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart; 3 He that slandereth not with his tongue, Nor doeth evil to his friend, Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. This of course, cannot include those whose job it is to correct the evil. Psa.50:20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; Thou slanderest thine own mother's son. Psa.101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy: Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer. We can actually see God destroying the life and conscience of those who sin like this. Pro.10:18 He that hideth hatred is of lying lips; And he that uttereth a slander is a fool. Jer.6:28 They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly. Jer.9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders. Eze.22:9 Slanderous men have been in thee to shed blood; and in thee they have eaten upon the mountains: (They are lifted up in pride, imagining themselves as God.) in the midst of thee they have committed lewdness. Rom.3:8 and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just. 1Ti.3:11 Women in like manner [must be] grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 2Ti.3:3 without natural affection, implacable (they cannot be appeased), slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, Tit.2:3 that aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good; Rail(er): Greek: Blasphemeo; to blaspheme, rail, revile, defame, speak evil of. 2Pe.2:10 but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities: (I.e., those who have authority over them.) Jude 1:8 Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities. (When I was young, people spoke with respect of the one the people voted to be president. Because of slander and railing, weak-minded people try to kill him. Jude 1:10 But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed. Revile(er): Greek: Blasphemeo; to blaspheme, rail, revile, defame, speak evil of. Also commonly translated from: Loidoreo; to abuse, revile. Ecc.10:20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Joh.9:28 And they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. But Moses had better sense. 1Co.4:12 and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; We have to endure these ignorant people until God removes them as He always does. 1Co.5:11 but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. Do not partake of spiritual or physical food with these demons. 1Co.6:10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. So you see they are linked with other serious sins. 1Pe.2:23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: God will repay. Most of the faction is dead. 1Pe.3:16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. Eph.4:25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. (Selfish ambition often involves pride, anger, and lying to get one's way.) 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: (?) let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need. 29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, (Greek: Edify[ing] “the building up of the need.” i.e., If it's not building up the speaker and the spoken to, don't say it.) that it may give grace to them that hear. (If it doesn't bring graceful correction or give grace or favor from God to the hearer, then don't say it.) 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: (All of this comes because of selfish ambition and unforgiveness for those who get in its way.) 32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you. If we want forgiveness from God, we must sow it.   Genghis Khan Spirit of Deception Eve Brast - 12/25/2011 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I saw many people being deceived by a much more powerful and deceptive evil principality called a Genghis Khan spirit. It will be worse than the false revival, Kundalini Eastern Spirit. (Genghis Khan was the Mongol who led legions of demon-possessed men to conquer most of Eurasia by the edge of the sword, massacring whole populations, about 40 million people. He is still worshipped by many in Mongolia, so he could represent a religious spirit here. No doubt this is a spirit that will bring spiritual death, conquering multitudes of Christians, like the Kundalini Yoga spirit's false revival. This new spirit conquers people by the sword or WORDS, written or spoken, which makes it much more dangerous than the Kundalini spirit, which was mostly imparted by the laying on of hands. These words are in the form of unforgiveness, bitterness, back-stabbing, criticism, slander, gossip, railing, lying, perversion, witchcraft, voodoo, etc. As with any war, the enemy will target the leadership with their words first in order to replace them with their own kind. If you listen to their words, you will be conquered and come into spiritual death and under their authority. These people always prefer to speak behind one's back, but you, the true Church, must tell them to go to the person they are accusing and speak to them alone, according to Jesus' command in Matthew 18:15, and if it is not sin according to the Word, they should stop gossiping and slandering and not receive such things. If they do not listen, “mark them” or identify them, as the Lord commands in Romans 16:17,18; Titus 3:10,11.) I was shaking my head in disappointment as I watched the people act like they were in love with this spirit; it was like a worldwide orgy. (The true people of God who stay with the truth of His Word won't be overtaken, even with this deception.) This is all I was shown. (We have been shown many times that this is a worldwide attack on the saints by apostates. The corporate beast spirit from the abyss is coming forth to enter the sons of perdition [Judases] and use them to conquer and make war on the true Christians. Rev.17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, [they] whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come. As the Word says, a great falling away to strong delusion is upon us. Pray for anyone being used in this way that they would repent before they are ultimately reprobated and forever known as sons of perdition. When I opened my Bible for a scripture for this dream, my finger was on 1Th.4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, even as the nations who know not God. (A refusal to separate from known or hidden sins is what makes Christians vulnerable to these conquering demons, for God turns them over to them. 1Co.5:5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. [Refusal to separate from these people will infect the whole assembly.] 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: 8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.) I asked the Father what this Genghis Khan spirit was or what it represented, and when I opened my Bible, my finger was on 1Jn.2:22 Who is the liar but who denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even who denieth the Father and the Son. (Antichrist spirits always deny the true Jesus and Word to justify themselves. The rest of this text tells the whole story. 1Jn.2:18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us (They get offended when you don't agree with their sin.), but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. [Notice that many antichrists in this “last hour” will separate from us because they do not belong with the true Church due to their leavened nature. In this, they deny the Father and Son (verse 22) because they deny the true Word given in the beginning, which is eternal life.] 24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he promised us, [even] the life eternal. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray.   12/29/2011 In the dream above, I saw many Christians being deceived by a very powerful and deceptive evil principality called a Genghis Khan spirit. I saw that this spirit is manifesting in the factious who kill by the sword of slander, and now, below, I am seeing that it is also taking over a beast government. (There has always been a beast government to back up the factious. Jesus' time was a good example of this. Obama is the head of a D.S. beast government made up of Islam, faction, communist, leftist, peoples.) I had seen a cleansing of the true church by this spirit rising up in apostates to separate them from the Man-child and Bride, but also now, below, I see a global shift and transfer of secular governmental power in the spirit realm to this Genghis Khan spirit. (To confirm this, on 1/09/12, we just discovered that Mongolia is on our school schedule for my son Noah's studies this week! And he also has to read a book about Genghis Khan, who came from there. Now I know there are no coincidences with the Father! Isn't that something?) It appears from the dreams below that there is a secular type to coincide with, and possibly give timing to, the previous spiritual meaning of the Genghis Khan spirit that God gave. The war between Iran and Israel is being used as a type of the war between the factious murderers and the righteous. The Iran faction type is also backed up by a beast government type of Russia/China. Also, it appears that what is seen below is that this is the time of the choosing of the Bride and birthing of the Man-child ministry. I asked the Father to expand my understanding of this Genghis Khan spirit from my first spiritual revelation concerning the Church. I opened my Bible and my finger fell on: Eze.32:24 There is Elam (Iran invaded by Islam) and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the Earth, who caused terror in the land of the living, and have borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. (Iran is about to lose her battle to Israel, backed by the U.S. In parallel, the factious in the world church will lose their battle against the righteous.) (I looked up who Elam was because I didn't know. Elam was a son of Shem, who was the father of the Persians or modern-day Iranians.) (Shem is also the father of the chosen line of Israel, meaning the true Iranians and Israelites are born of the same father. However, the Iranian's Muslim invaders and evil leadership represents the same thing as the Edomites, for they have perpetually made war against their own brothers. As we have seen in another parable, this also represents the factious in the world church who persecute their brothers but will lose by the hand of God. So now you see that the Iranian Muslim invaders' actions against Israel represent the factious people's actions against the Church, since they are born of the same murderous spirits. The Psalms speak often of the persecution and slander against David by the factious, and many of these are also prophetically speaking of Jesus and Jesus in the end-time Man-child.) Then I asked for a confirmation for this scripture and opened my Bible and put my finger down on Isa.21:2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam (Iran); besiege O Media (Kurds of Iran); all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. 3 Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see. (We see here that not only will the invader Muslim leadership of Iran attack first, as the factious always do. They murdered around 52,000, President Trump said 100,000 unarmed Iranian people, many turned Christians, before Israel and U.S. stepped in. We also see that this caused the woman Church there to be in travail with Christ coming through them. Is this a sign for the rest of the Church? Islam is killing Christians around the world. The red dragon of Satan is seeking to devour the woman Church. President Trump has opposed them three times recently. Iran has struck all of its Islamic neighbors.) Deb Horton's note: Genghis Khan was known and is studied in war colleges today for his strategic maneuvers. One of the most famous was dividing up his troops and sending in very small skirmish/attack forces before the actual war. (That may be what we have seen, when they struck all of their Sunni neighbor Islamists who are now against the Shia cult in the war.) The woman church, who is faced by the dragon, is in travail with the birth of the Man-child in Revelation 12:1-5. This appears to be giving us timing -- a physical sign of a spiritual happening?) About Elam: Jer.49:35 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam (Iran), in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, (This was before Zedekiah made the tribulation covenant with the King of Babylon as the head of the beast -- Ezekiel 17:13,15-21) saying thus saith the Lord of Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam (Iran), the chief of their might. (This looks like the Islamists in Iran being hit by Israel and the U.S. before the tribulation covenant, as we have thought. In parallel, the factious will lose their war against the righteous in the Church by the hand of God.) 36 And upon Elam (Iran) will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds: and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. (They are being scattered because the food, water, and pay are scarce and they are being slaughtered. The greatest revival of Christianity is there. They may scatter and spread the Gospel.) 37 And I will cause Elam (Iran) to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them who seek their life (of the Islamic Invaders); and I will bring evil upon them (Islam), even my fierce anger, saith the Lord; and I will send a sword after them (Islam), till I have consumed them; 38 and I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence king and princes saith the Lord. (Done, against Islam invaders) 39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days (now), that I will bring back the captivity of Elam saith the Lord. (Iran is being delivered from Islamic captivity. We see this as a prophecy of our day at the end of the Iran war. Also this is seen in Jer.25:25 and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes (Kurds of Iran); 26 and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach (Babylon U.S. weakened by war) shall drink after them. We also see in type in this text that the factious Islamic leadership will be brought into captivity in “the latter days.”) I asked the Father who the Elamites [Iranian Islamists] represented from these verses? (Could the Iranian Christians be a sign for the U.S. Christians who will also suffer under the Islamic beast?) When I opened my Bible, my finger fell on Jer.7:8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. (Those Iraneans who joined the Islamists to betray their brethren,) 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, 10 and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered; that we may do all these abominations? 11 Is this house which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith the Lord. (This clearly is a warning to the Iranians under this factious beast of Islam foreshadow the Christians in the U.S. who have followed a false Jesus but are justifying their sinful actions.) I asked the Father if He had anything more for us concerning all this, and when I opened my Bible, my finger was on Psa.7:10 My shield is with God, who saveth the upright in heart. I believe this entire Psalm is a promise to us of what our Father will soon do to the factious who receive and commit adultery with this Genghis Khan spirit to conquer enemies by the sword. Be encouraged, brethren, and hold fast to the truth which you heard from the beginning! As I was lying down to sleep, I asked the Father to show me more about the Genghis Khan spirit in a dream or vision. As I was lying in bed, praying in the Spirit, He gave me this vision on 12/29/11: I was high above Earth, looking down from a southern viewpoint toward the north at the Asian continent, where Russia and China are. It was dark upon the Earth. Suddenly, I saw something dark rising up from beneath the Asian continent, from the center where Mongolia is located (where Genghis Khan came from). The Spirit told me that Mongolia is the opening to the womb between the two legs of Russia and China, and this spirit is rising up in and coming forth from them. Its back rose out first, hunched like a mountain (or kingdom); then its head and shoulders came out bowed down toward the east; then its arms, and finally its legs. It stayed kneeling down on one knee toward the east, bracing itself with its arms and hands -- one on Russia and the other on China (similar to the stance runners have at the start of a race). (This Genghis Khan spirit is a spiritual type of a conquering spirit rising in the Russia/China beast to back Iran in the Middle East. When U.S. and Israel hit Iran, they were successful. However, Russia and China have defense agreements with Iran and Syria, and because of this insult, they are coming together in an arms race to fight against the U.S. along with Israel. Iran, in its hatred for Israel, is a part of this larger beast. This is a type of the factious religious beast, being a part of the larger conquering world beast in their hatred for Christianity. This is also seen in Revelation 14 where the religious beast is one with the world secular beast.) It had a human form with sharp nails on its fingers, pointed ears, and a bald head. Heaven gave it permission to raise its head and take its first breath and as it opened its mouth and drew in a large breath, some more stars (nations) were sucked into its mouth from the night sky, along with the breath it inhaled. I could see very sharp top and bottom canine teeth. (Just as the secular beast has physical power to devour the saints, so does the religious beast have spiritual power to devour the saints. Psa.37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth. Psa.57:4 My soul is among lions; I lie among them that are set on fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.) It was very black with many stars in it. (Abraham's seed are “as the stars of heaven”. Just as Russia and China are a beast that has many stars, they will seek to conquer Israel and the U.S., and many more children of God will be sucked in under this Genghis Khan spirit's darkness. The U.S. is being weakened by war, and especially by the previous administration's destruction of our economy and military. And Russia has its hands full with Ukraine. The West may not be conquered by the Russia/China beast until the tribulation, as the Word in Hidden Manna in the chapter on the “Fall of the United States” shows.) It looked like the night sky's mirror image inside it. It didn't stand up, but if it had, the Earth under its feet would have looked like a large beach ball. It was gigantic. (Genghis Khan is a world-conquering spirit of the beast in the secular realm, just as it is in the religious realm. Genghis was a merciless murderer of men like faction, and slander is a murderer of souls.) I later asked the Father for a verse for this vision of the Genghis Khan spirit and my finger fell on Eze.21:24 Therefore thus saith the Lord: Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand (Unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred and retaliation is the nature of those who have this spirit and God does not forgive or forget their sins for this reason. In verses 11 and 12 of this text, God says the sword “is upon all the princes of Israel”, meaning natural and spiritual. So the apostate leadership of God's people can be included.), 25 And thou, O deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end, 26 thus saith the Lord: remove the mitre, and take off the crown; this shall be no more the same; exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high. (This is clear that this spirit will conquer an apostate leadership of God's people in the end and they will be spiritually wounded and removed from their high position over any true people of God.) When I read the last part of this scripture, the Spirit brought to my remembrance what Mary said in Luk.1:51 He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. 52 He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. (Again, this was spoken of the removal of the apostates over the true people of God by the coming of the Man-child ministry, as the next part of the vision shows.) Right after this, I saw the upper half of a giant woman in the heavens with long blonde hair and very fair skin, cradling a newborn with golden hair in her right arm. (The worldwide woman and true Church having brought forth the Man-child ministry.) Light from heaven was shining down upon them. (I only saw her profile and the top of the newborn's head.) She was also facing east (toward the coming of the Son), looking down at her baby, her white garment lowered off her right shoulder in preparation to nurse Him. And a clear vial filled with golden oil appeared without hands and poured oil onto the infant's mouth and onto the woman's right breast. Then she brought the baby to her breast to nurse Him. (This Man-child will partake of the oil and gold of heaven -- the anointing and nature of Jesus.) I asked the Father for a verse concerning the vision of the woman, and my finger fell on Psa.128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of thy house; Thy children like olive plants, round about thy table. This whole Psalm is awesome! (God will prosper the woman Church to bear the fruit of Jesus in the wilderness, in spite of the dragon, who is satan, of Genghis Khan trying to destroy her and her Man-child. Escaping this evil is for them a Passover of the Destroyer before leaving Egypt for the wilderness. It is the Man-child escaping the dragon, which is trying to destroy them.) These two events seem again to be happening almost simultaneously or very close together, but they are both under the Father's sovereign control! I believe the Lord said this will not be prayed down, just lessened in some areas.   Enemy Tares Tianna Fire 4/24/23 (David's notes in red) (This is a revelation about the dangers of even thinking slanderous thoughts). I had been getting many strange attacks in the spiritual; unusual thoughts and feelings and many physical attacks all at once. I didn't mention this to my husband Samuel, but I went and had a bath, wondering to the Lord why all these crazy attacks were happening. I saw a specific person, and the enemy was giving her evil thoughts regarding me; she was unknowingly agreeing with those thoughts, not realizing it was demons. This gave the demons legal right to attack me regarding the evil cursed thoughts. (Rev.12:10 And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night.) I then had a vision of a few other people from my past, and some people who had fallen away. The enemy was giving them thoughts about me, and then the people were unknowingly speaking curses out loud against me. (Jam.3:5-12 So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind: 8 but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: 10 out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? 12 can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.) I was able to understand the enemy was using these people to get a legal right to attack me; hence all the crazy physical and spiritual attacks. All of this worked because God has given authority to man; what they speak, they get. (Pro.18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.) We either bless or curse, and the consequences of man's thoughts and words are more powerful than we really understand. The Lord allowed me to see where the mental and physical attacks were all coming from. (2Co.10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ). Then I heard in my spirit that because Jesus has paid the price for us, we have the power to not accept these attacks. Even though the enemy tries to use man's thoughts and words against us, we don't have to allow the thoughts and words to affect us. (Mat.18:18-19 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven.) We are not under the curse, and we are blessed because of faith in Jesus. The attacks, the evil thoughts, evil feelings, and pains, all were put on Jesus because He paid the price to take it away. But we still have the choice to accept the curse and allow the enemy to attack us, or we can give it to Jesus, Who already took it. (Gal.3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.) (Pro.26:2 As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.) As soon as I heard this, I agreed, and I didn't accept these curses and idle thoughts against me. I agreed that Jesus paid the price, and the attacks completely calmed; praise God and ALL Glory to the Creator of all for all eternity! (1Pe.2:24 who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.) Later I went to Samuel, and he had been spending alone time with God. Samuel shared a prayer he had written for me to agree with and it related to what God had revealed to me. This is the prayer: “Do you agree that all curses, idle words and all witchcraft are broken off us and all the Brethren? That anyone who isn't wanting to follow the Real Jesus will not try to contact or see us unless they are manifesting Christ, and that all of the Brethren are healed, restored, and we will have enough provisions, and everything is restored or replaced with better? That we will never be separated from each other, and that we be Godly parents to David forever to glorify God in all we do; and that we manifest His Word and Christ in us, 100-fold all the time? That we will be His vessels, used to help others be closer to the Lord, being His Hands and Feet to establish His Kingdom, and that we receive all this now?! Thank You Almighty Father in Jesus Name for doing all these according to Your Word and Promises!”

Today's guest is Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, Founding Director of the Center for Governance and Markets and a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public and International Affairs. She is a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a Distinguished Fellow of Peace and International Cooperation at the Institute for Humane Studies. In this episode, Alon and Jennifer discuss the situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban, particularly the difference between the Taliban 1.0 that ruled in the 1990s prior to the US invasion, and the current Taliban 2.0, the Taliban's relations with Afghanistan's neighboring countries, women's rights in Afghanistan currently, and the prospective for insurgency against the Taliban. Full bio Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili is Founding Director of the Center for Governance and Markets and a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public & International Affairs. Her research focuses on issues of self-governance, security, political economy, and public sector reform in Eurasia, Central Eurasia, and South Asia. She is a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a Distinguished Fellow of Peace and International Cooperation at the Institute for Humane Studies. Murtazashvili is the author of several books including Land, the State, and War: Property Institutions and Political Order in Afghanistan (Cambridge University Press, 2021) with Ilia Murtazashvili, and Informal Order and the State in Afghanistan (Cambridge University Press, 2016), which received the Best Book Award in Social Sciences by the Central Eurasian Studies Society and received honorable mention from the International Development Section of the International Studies Association. Murtazashvili has advised the United States Agency for International Development, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, World Bank, the US Department of Defense, the United Nations Development Program, and UNICEF. She is the President of the Central Eurasian Studies Society and a board member of CEDOS a Kyiv-based organization focused on urban policy and education in Ukraine. She is a member of PONARS Eurasia, a research organization focused on security issues in Eurasia. She previously served as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center.

Are you struggling to keep up with the trending worldviews and pop culture beliefs shaping our culture? Guest teacher Aaron Pierce offers a roadmap to understanding the primary influences and philosophies of young people today. Learn how seeing the world through their eyes can help you build deeper, more authentic connections.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingNancy Pearcey - "Love Thy Body"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

There is an ongoing battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation, leaving many Bible-believing parents wondering how to effectively share the Truth. Guest teacher Aaron Pierce, from Steiger International, shares practical ways to engage your children and offers a message of hope for reaching today's youth with the Gospel.ResourcesMessage NotesSpecial OffersConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookYouTubePartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003Resources Mentioned in TeachingNancy Pearcey - "Love Thy Body"Guest Speaker BioAaron Pierce is the International Mission Director of Steiger International, a rapidly-growing, worldwide mission organization that is called to reach and disciple the Global Youth Culture for Jesus. Steiger is active in over 100 cities around the world within the regions of Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Australasia, and North America.

Este primer episodio explora cómo la Ruta de la Seda influyó en el conflicto, desde la guerra de caballería hasta la pólvora. La serie se abre hace 2000 años, cuando el Imperio Romano parecía imparable. Sin embargo, la Batalla de Carrhae vio una de las peores derrotas militares de Roma cuando los partos usaron tácticas de caballería en su beneficio. El estilo de guerra de caballería desarrollado por los arqueros de caballos de Asia Central dominaría más tarde la guerra, hecho posible por varias innovaciones: el arco compuesto recurvo, las puntas de flecha de bronce engarzadas y un cambio psicológico hacia grupos cohesivos de soldados bajo mando militar. También fue alrededor de esta época cuando el Imperio Romano comenzó a codiciar la seda china. El comercio a larga distancia entre los pueblos de Eurasia no era nada nuevo; durante miles de años, relaciones similares habían impactado a las sociedades.

On the Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore hosts an all-start lineup of guests to break it all down: Michael Carpenter, who served as the U.S. National Security Council's Senior Director for Europe, US Ambassador to the OSCE, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia; John Sipher, a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service and recipient of the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal; and James Sherr, an honorary fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security and an Associate Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House.

How did the vastness of the Eurasian steppe shape the political model of Russian imperialism? What does the Russian Empire have in common with other Eurasian empires — the Ottoman, Persian, Mughal, Chinese, and others? What are the roots of Russia's assimilationist imperialism and its claims to global domination? And why is the Russian political model so deeply rooted in the logic of war and military conquest? *** “Thinking in dark times” is a podcast by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet about Ukraine brought to you by Internews Ukraine Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, the editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld and president of PEN Ukraine. Guest: Michael Khodarkovsky, an American historian of Ukrainian origin and one of the leading scholars of Russian and Eurasian history. We talk about his new book, The Steppe and Its Empires: The Russian Empire and Its Eurasian Counterparts, published by Yale University Press in 2026. In this book, Khodarkovsky looks at Russia not so much through its relationship with Europe, but by comparing it with the empires of Eurasia — the Ottoman, Persian, Mughal, and Chinese empires. Book: https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300284386/the-steppe-and-its-empires/?utm_source=chatgpt.com *** Listen on various platforms: https://li.sten.to/explaining-ukraine UkraineWorld: https://ukraineworld.org/en *** SUPPORT: You can support our work on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your help is crucial, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding. You can also contribute to our volunteer missions to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we deliver aid to both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal at: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com. *** CONTENTS: 00:04 Intro 00:00:45 Who is Michael Khodarkovsky and what is his new book, "The Steppe and Its Empires," about? 01:52 Why should Russia be studied in the context of Eurasian empires, not European ones? 05:38 How do Eurasian empires like Russia, Persia, or China broaden our understanding of imperialism and colonialism beyond the Western maritime empires? 10:26 How did the Eurasian steppe influence the Russian Empire's identity and its expansionist drive? 15:38 What is the "include and rule" principle of Eurasian empires, and how did it differ from Western "divide and rule" strategies? 18:07 Did Russia have feudalism, and how did its lack of feudalism differentiate it from Western European states and even Ukraine? 25:51 What is the concept of "universal monarchy" in Eurasian empires, and how did it separate them from Western monarchies? 33:23 Why were Eurasian empires, particularly Russia, "organized for war" rather than "organized for law"? 39:13 What factors allowed Russia to build such a highly centralized state, even more so than other Eurasian empires? 45:51 What is Ukraine's unique place in the historical narrative of steppe and Eurasian empires, especially concerning its dual nomadic and sedentary influences?

Last time we spoke about the reaction after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After four years of fighting Japan almost alone, China's Chiang Kai-shek learned of Pearl Harbor with profound relief. Japan's attack, meant to neutralize American naval power, instead galvanized the entire Western world against Tokyo. Within hours, Chiang declared war on the Axis powers, transforming China from an isolated nation to a recognized Allied member. The strategic mathematics were clear to Chiang: America's industrial might would ultimately crush Japan. China simply needed to survive long enough. The United States quickly formalized this partnership, pledging military support through Lend-Lease and elevating Chiang to leadership of Allied forces in the China theater. Yet Pearl Harbor brought catastrophe for Western civilians in China. Americans and Britons, previously protected as neutral foreigners, were suddenly rounded up and interned in camps. For many, decades of presence in China ended in hasty evacuation, leaving behind lives built over generations.   #216 The Battle of Hong Kong Part 1: The Approaching Storm Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Japan emerged as a significant threat to British interests during the 1920s following the collapse of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This concern intensified dramatically after Japan's invasion of China, with the ensuing Sino-Japanese War escalating tensions further. British assets in the region came under direct assault, including attacks on Western military and commercial vessels such as HMS Ladybird. Yet despite these provocations, the British Government maintained an inconsistent stance toward Japan, responding with only feeble diplomatic and military countermeasures. This contradiction characterized London's approach: while diplomatic channels remained conciliatory, military planners viewed Japan with genuine apprehension. During the 1930s, Singapore and Malaya represented Britain's most valuable and prosperous holdings in the Far East and consequently received substantial garrison reinforcements. By contrast, Hong Kong was widely acknowledged to be indefensible—a conclusion reached repeatedly by successive military studies. Despite this consensus, the British Government proceeded with the Hong Kong Defence Scheme in 1936, which aimed to transform Hong Kong Island into a fortified redoubt while establishing delaying positions in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Hong Kong Garrison's mandate was straightforward: repel external attacks and prevent enemy use of the harbour and dry dock. The underlying strategy relied on a simple principle: hold Hong Kong Island as an impregnable fortress and await relief from the Royal Navy. Consequently, protecting the harbour became the paramount objective. Japanese strategists were correctly identified as Hong Kong's primary threat, with military planners anticipating attack from the sea rather than overland. To counter such an offensive, the defence scheme incorporated five successive layers of protection: naval mines fitted with indicator nets and anti-submarine booms formed the first barrier; coastal artillery provided the second; beach installations featuring pillboxes, wire entanglements and mines constituted the third; infantry strongpoints positioned on commanding heights guarded against amphibious landings; and finally, a mobile reserve force stood ready to counterattack and eliminate any successful enemy incursion. The 1936 plan also mandated extensive fortification of Kowloon's bottleneck approaches through bunkers, trenches and blocked passages, with a principal defensive line—resembling a miniature Maginot Line—constructed across the mountains immediately north of Kowloon. The garrison structure comprised three infantry battalions plus the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC), a unit approximately regiment-strength equipped with armoured cars, engineers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and infantry. These forces organized into three brigades: mainland, island, and garrison reserve. The air component was planned to be formidable: a reconnaissance squadron, a fighter-bomber squadron, two torpedo squadrons and a flight of auxiliary spotting aircraft operated by the HKVDC. Naval forces consisted of a modest destroyer contingent, an MTB flotilla, gunboats and patrol vessels. When Japan occupied Guangzhou, Hong Kong found itself effectively encircled. In response, limited conscription was implemented, though restricted to non-Chinese males for HKVDC service. Chinese personnel were largely confined to non-combat positions such as air-raid precautions and medical duties. The expanding Japanese threat prompted a substantial expansion of the Hong Kong Garrison to four regular infantry regiments—two British units (one specializing in medium machine-gun support) and two Indian regiments. Supporting forces included two coastal artillery regiments, a field artillery regiment-plus, and an anti-aircraft regiment. The Royal Navy expanded to include the 2nd MTB flotilla (eight 60-foot, 29-knot motor torpedo boats armed with twin torpedoes and eight Lewis guns each, plus two smaller 55-foot vessels), four shallow-draught river gunboats (HMS Cicala, Tern, Moth and Robin), four aging World War I S-class destroyers (HMS Thracian, Thanet, Scout and Tenedos—the last transferred to Singapore in 1939), HMS Cornflower sloop, and various auxiliary vessels including tugs, boom defence ships and minelayers. The Fleet Air Arm deployed three Supermarine Walruses—single-engine reconnaissance amphibians—at Kai Tak Airport. The Royal Air Force remained the weakest service, equipped with only four Vickers Wildebeest torpedo-bombers and a handful of HKVDC aircraft: one Avro Tutor, two Hornet Moths and two Cadet biplanes. When World War II erupted in Europe, Britain's focus necessarily shifted to national survival, inevitably leaving distant imperial outposts like Hong Kong neglected. Rather than receive reinforcements, Hong Kong actually lost capable personnel; many veteran troops were repatriated to Europe, leaving behind a less proficient garrison. Peacetime duties had proven a poor preparation for combat—officers and men had passed their time socializing rather than maintaining combat readiness. Governor Sir Geoffrey Northcote persistently urged London to adopt a firmer stance against relentless Japanese provocations: aircraft incursions, sinking of junks and fishing vessels, and infiltration by Taiwanese fifth columnists (Japan had colonized Taiwan in 1895). Recognizing the hopelessness of his position, Northcote recommended withdrawal in October 1940, arguing that defending the colony would inevitably result in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction—a pragmatic assessment given Hong Kong's indefensible state. London categorically rejected this proposal, reasoning that withdrawal would demoralize China, embolden Japan and undermine American confidence in British resolve. Underlying this decision was an additional consideration: the long-standing dispute over Hong Kong's sovereignty. Since Britain acquired Hong Kong in 1841, the prospect of surrendering it, even temporarily, raised fears about reclaiming it afterward. Preserving the appearance of British determination was deemed crucial to demonstrating to Chiang Kai-shek, Nationalist China's leader, that Britain intended to retain the territory. Despite these political calculations, London consistently refused fresh troop deployments. Major-General A. E. Grasett, the China theatre commander, requested reinforcements only to face rejection—London offered only Indian or other colonial forces. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, appointed British commander in the Far East in 1941, likewise pressed for garrison strengthening, to no avail. The situation shifted dramatically after Grasett, a retired Canadian who had recently left his China post, travelled to Britain via Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, he independently approached his former classmate Major-General Crerar, Chief of the Canadian General Staff, and advocated for reinforcement. Grasett argued persuasively that deploying two or more additional battalions would enable the Hong Kong garrison to withstand an extended siege. When Grasett reached London in early September 1941, he presented this case directly to the British Chiefs of Staff, simultaneously proposing that Canada could provide the extra units. His arguments proved persuasive; the Chiefs of Staff altered course and convinced a reluctant Churchill to reconsider. In light of accelerating Japanese pressure, Britain substantially enlarged the Malaysia/Singapore garrison from nine to 32 battalions and despatched two capital ships—HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse—to the region, reasoning that this show of force would deter Japanese aggression against British Far Eastern interests, including Hong Kong. The original defence strategy envisaged holding Hong Kong Island exclusively while denying the harbour to attackers. A single battalion (the Punjabis) would execute delaying actions across the New Territories, followed by a three-battalion defensive stand on the Gin Drinkers Line. This brief mainland resistance would allow time for demolishing stores, power installations, docks and wharves, clearing food stocks and removing vital matériel before withdrawing to Hong Kong Island for a protracted resistance awaiting relief from Singapore or American forces from the Philippines. The Gin Drinkers Line—styled after the French Maginot Line in miniature—ran approximately 18 kilometres south of the Sino-Hong Kong border. Beginning near Gin Drinkers Bay west of Kowloon, it extended 17 kilometres across the Kowloon Peninsula hills toward its eastern extremity. The strategic expectation was that this line would delay the Japanese assault for three weeks or longer, permitting battalion withdrawal to Hong Kong Island for sustained resistance while mainland forces completed evacuation procedures. The 1937 war plan stipulated that four battalions would be necessary for an effective delaying action and seven for an adequate Gin Drinkers Line defence—figures which excluded the aircraft and naval support essential to success. With only a single army brigade available and virtually no air capability, planners abandoned the mainland defence concept, leaving defensive works incomplete and deteriorating under tropical conditions. Chinese personnel were conspicuously absent from initial war preparations and strategic planning, only being incorporated late in the process. The largest Chinese component was the volunteer contingent serving with the HKVDC. On the regular army side, approximately 150 Chinese recruits were enlisted in mid-1941 for the 5th Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The Hong Kong Chinese Regiment, hastily constituted on 3 November 1941, comprised officers borrowed from British and Indian units alongside 52 Chinese junior NCOs and other ranks with minimal training. A Royal Engineers troop staffed entirely by Chinese soldiers saw service, and some Chinese personnel served with the Royal Navy and Dockyard Defence Corps. Chinese participation increased substantially in auxiliary services—air-raid precautions, auxiliary police, nursing, St John Ambulance and fire brigades. This reluctance to fully integrate Chinese forces likely reflected prevailing attitudes of the era. Pre-war British propaganda had frequently mocked Japanese military capability, portraying officers and soldiers as myopic and incompetent. Japanese combat prowess was systematically underestimated; their victories in China were attributed to facing inferior opposition rather than evidence of genuine military strength. Japanese weaponry was dismissed as inferior to European standards. Consequently, British confidence remained high that the colony could hold indefinitely if adequately reinforced. In September 1941, Hong Kong received heartening news: two additional Canadian battalions would be deployed to the garrison. Brigadier John Maltby promptly revived the pre-war plan for defending the Gin Drinkers Line, developing a strategy centred on three mainland battalions (2nd Royal Scots, 5/7 Rajputs and 2/14 Punjab) supported by HKVDC elements and four artillery troop detachments, while three island battalions (1st Middlesex, Royal Rifles of Canada and Winnipeg Grenadiers) bolstered by the bulk of the HKVDC would hold Hong Kong Island. Command responsibility was divided between two brigades: the Island Brigade (Hong Kong Infantry Brigade) under Brigadier Lawson, a recently arrived Canadian, and the mainland Kowloon Infantry Brigade under Brigadier Wallis. The Canadian regiments arrived on 16 November 1941. Maltby was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1911, and  saw extensive service across multiple campaigns: World War I, the Persian Gulf (1913–14), and the North-West Frontier (1923–24). His early promise earned him selection for accelerated advancement through prestigious staff colleges at Quetta and RAF Andover. By 1937, he was again serving on the North-West Frontier, and by 1939 commanded both the 3rd Jhelum Brigade (later the Calcutta Brigade) and the 19th Infantry Brigade in Deccan. In 1940, posted to China, Maltby orchestrated the closure of the North China Command by withdrawing two infantry battalions from Shanghai. Promoted to major-general as GOC China in August 1941, he had only three months to prepare the colony's defenses, a race against time he could not win.  The Gin Drinkers Line occupied a naturally dominant position atop mountains spanning northern Kowloon's breadth, yet possessed inherent weaknesses that would prove fatal. The line lacked defensive depth and remained vulnerable to flanking manoeuvres, with two sectors representing particular danger: Customs Pass and the gap between Golden Hill and Laichikok Peninsula near Gin Drinkers Bay. Given the extended front, each battalion arranged its forces in a string of platoon positions with gaps covered by daytime fire and nighttime patrols. One company per battalion could be held in reserve within prepared positions guarding the most dangerous sectors. The reserve company of the centre battalion (2/14 Punjab) initially advanced as forward troops, screening demolition operations and delaying the enemy's initial thrust. The hasty decision to establish mainland defences meant that essential support systems—communication networks, artillery registrations, mortar calibrations—remained incomplete when combat commenced. Ammunition shortages compounded the problem. For instance, the 2/14 Punjab conducted only a single 3-inch mortar practice session before the attack; adequate ammunition arrived only in November and totalled a mere 70 rounds per battalion for both training and combat. These mortars were registered for the first time in their battle positions, with combat beginning just 12 hours later. The 2-inch mortar situation was even more desperate: troops received live ammunition only as fighting started, making their baptism of fire an actual combat situation. Transportation deficiencies—trucks and animals in short supply—forced manual ammunition transport across Hong Kong's challenging terrain, imposing severe physical demands on already stretched personnel.   On 6 November 1941, Imperial Japanese Headquarters ordered its Commander-in-Chief in China to prepare plans for capturing Hong Kong. The 23rd Army, part of the China Southern Expeditionary Army Group and commanded by Lt. Gen. Sakai Takashi with Maj. Gen. Kuribayashi Tadamichi serving as Chief of Staff, would form the invasion's backbone. All preparations were to be completed by the end of November 1941. The operation, designated 'Operation C', sought to 'seize Hong Kong within ten days'. Takahashi was the son of a factory worker, and rose through the ranks to become a veteran of China campaigns. He was tasked with capturing Hong Kong using the 38th Division normally assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Army Group. Despite setbacks and humiliation over requests for additional resources—particularly following intelligence reports of tanks (actually Bren carriers) in Hong Kong—Sakai remained determined to succeed. He served as Governor of Hong Kong from 26 December 1941 to 20 February 1942. Kuribayashi, best remembered as the Japanese commander at Iwo Jima, graduated from the Army Academy in 1914 specializing in cavalry. He served as deputy military attaché to Washington and Canada and studied at Harvard University. In December 1941, he held the position of Chief of Staff to the 23rd Army during the Hong Kong operation. Operation C followed a straightforward strategic framework. A blocking force would prevent Chinese interference from the rear, while the main invasion force would spearhead the assault. The 23rd Army, comprising four divisions plus a mixed brigade and two infantry regiments, received the assignment to attack Hong Kong. Of these four divisions, only the 38th played a substantive role in the invasion itself. The attack employed a combined-arms approach. Naval forces would establish a blockade and deliver bombardment while aircraft targeted key installations. Ground forces from the 38th Division—specifically the 228th, 229th, and 230th Regiments—would execute the land invasion using a three-pronged strategy. The right column would sweep westward in a wide arc, clearing Castle Peak Road and targeting the western flank of the Gin Drinkers Line near Laichikok Peninsula. The centre force would press directly through the line's middle, while the left column would cross Tidal Cove (Tolo Harbour) toward Kai Tak Airport and eastward toward Devil Peak, a crucial defensive position. The objective was to annihilate British forces on the mainland and compel Hong Kong's surrender through sustained bombardment. Should British forces resist, the island phase of the campaign would commence. Securing the rear against the Chinese National Army of the 7th Military District and Communist guerrillas fell to the 66th Regiment, normally part of the 51st Division but attached to the 38th for this operation. The 66th would simultaneously occupy and secure rear areas throughout the New Territories and Kowloon while the three assault regiments engaged the main defensive forces. This rearguard operation was organised into columns named after their commanding officers: Kitazawa, Kobayashi, Sato, and Araki. The Japanese selected the narrowest approach between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, targeting the eastern coast near Lyemun Passage where only 410 metres of water separated the mainland from the island. Upon landing, forces would rapidly advance inland to seize the critical junction of Wongneichong Gap, then pivot westward and southward to capture Victoria City and the remainder of Hong Kong. The naval contingent divided into two groups: the Bombardment Group and the Attack Group. Approximately 300 personnel from the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) were attached to the invasion force. Air support came from the First Air Brigade under Col. Habu Hideharu, which contributed 56 light bombers and fighters. Their mission was to neutralise the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, thereby securing aerial and maritime superiority for the ground campaign.   On the eve of war, the British garrison numbered 13,981 all ranks, including nursing staff and St John Ambulance personnel. Of these, 8,919 were British and Canadian, with 4,402 Indian and Chinese. The core infantry force comprised 5,422 regular soldiers, complemented by approximately 6,000 additional personnel across artillery, engineering, naval, and Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) units. By 1941, the Royal Navy had become a shadow of its former self as the once-dominant China Squadron. Of the three World War I destroyers present on 8 December, two had been sent to Singapore—the third undergoing repairs—by 1930. This redeployment stemmed partly from the futility of defending the colony and partly from a commitment by senior US Navy officers: Britain would reinforce Singapore with Hong Kong's fleet in exchange for four American destroyers at Singapore. This American guarantee, however, never materialized. The defensive infrastructure focused primarily on countering a seaborne attack: twenty-nine coastal guns (9.2in., 6in., 4.7in., and 4in. calibres), ten 18- and 2-pounder beach defense guns, and twenty-eight field guns (60-pounder, 6in., 4.5in., and 3.7in. calibres). The Hong Kong Garrison's infantry comprised four regular army battalions—two British and two Indian—bolstered by five HKVDC infantry companies, each averaging 100 men. The 1st Middlesex Regiment, deployed in August 1937, served as a machine-gun battalion equipped with forty-eight Vickers medium machine guns. Having been abroad since 1931, the regiment had deteriorated through protracted garrison service, Hong Kong being among the softest postings available. From September 1939 onward, all regiments—including the 5/7 Rajputs (arrived June 1937) and the 2/14 Punjab—experienced systematic loss of experienced officers and NCOs to other theaters. The Royal Scots proved particularly hard hit, suffering disciplinary problems and an unusually high court-martial rate. Units like the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery suffered critical leadership gaps that went unaddressed. By December 1941, many formations fielded inexperienced replacement troops, significantly undermining combat readiness. The Punjabis exemplified these deficiencies. Stationed in Hong Kong since November 1940, they received their vehicles and mortars only in August 1941—three months before combat. Compounding this, forty percent of their strength consisted of raw recruits arrived just in October. When war erupted, artillery regiments found themselves relying on junior officers in senior roles, with British commanders unfamiliar with Urdu directing Indian troops, a handicap that severely compromised effectiveness. Deficient equipment compounded leadership shortages. Shells dating from 1918 detonated prematurely upon discharge, while ammunition shortages crippled operations. On 8 December, all field guns deployed with merely 100 rounds apiece, with 200 rounds held in reserve for the entire campaign, and coastal guns received only 25 rounds each. Insufficient cross-training meant many infantrymen failed to understand the artillery "clock face" targeting system, causing them to miss their objectives. Malaria devastated European troops, particularly the Royal Scots. Of approximately 770 personnel, at least 180 suffered recurring malarial episodes from the Shing Mun Redoubt area's notoriously endemic conditions. Staff shortages forced nearly every unit to promote junior officers to positions beyond their rank, exacerbating structural weaknesses. Although the Canadians' arrival bolstered the garrison, significant handicaps undermined their effectiveness. Both battalions carried a C-class designation—deemed unfit for foreign service—having spent years in soft garrison postings without rigorous training. The deficit was stark: each Canadian soldier received only thirty-five rifle practice rounds. The two battalions incorporated 115 men with fewer than sixteen weeks' training, while sixty-two of seventy-five recruits joining the Winnipeg Grenadiers in June came directly from a training depot lacking even basic rifles. Twelve percent of the Canadian force remained untrained. Equipment deficiencies proved even more damaging. A standard 1941 Canadian infantry battalion required 102 motor vehicles—including twenty-two Universal Carriers, thirty-seven ¾-ton trucks, thirteen 1-ton trucks, thirty-one bicycles, and twenty-two Boys anti-tank rifles. When the Canadians landed, logistical failures left them with only six Bren carriers, two water tankers, twelve ¾-ton trucks, and a single Boys anti-tank rifle. Although they carried 3in. mortars, neither ammunition nor radios accompanied them. Canada possessed only 300 3-inch mortar bombs in its entire inventory at that time, making any allocation to Hong Kong impossible. A second vessel, the SS Don Jose, was dispatched with replacement vehicles and equipment but never reached Hong Kong before 8 December. The Japanese seized it en route to Manila. Despite these shortcomings, the force departed on 27 October with 1,975 men and arrived on 16 November. Intelligence estimates regarding Japanese available forces varied widely, ranging from two to four divisions. On 6 December evening, Chinese reports confirmed the previous day's arrival of three Japanese divisions at Buji township, located eight miles from the border in what is now Shenzhen. Earlier, around 1 November, a Japanese deserter provided intelligence of significant troop concentrations north of the frontier, including large-calibre artillery indicative of at least divisional strength.   The Hong Kong invasion force comprised three service branches: the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) deployed the 38th Infantry Division, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) committed the Second China Fleet, and the Imperial Japanese Air Force (IJAF) contributed the 1st Air Group. Command of the ground assault rested with Lieutenant-General Sano Tadayoshi of the 38th Division, supported by Major-General Ito Takeo heading the infantry group, while supporting arms including artillery, engineers, armor, and transport fell under Sano's authority. The main assault force consisted of three infantry regiments from the 38th Division, each led by a colonel: the 228th under Doi Teihichi, the 229th under Tanaka Ryosaburo, and the 230th under Shoji Toshishige. The 38th Division itself was a standard 1940s B-class infantry division of approximately 20,000 troops (ranging from 18,000–21,000 depending on operational requirements), organized into three regiments with three battalions each. Reflecting the Japanese army's reliance on animal and human transport, each regiment fielded roughly 3,800 troops supported by some 700 horses. Battalion strength averaged around 1,071 personnel, with companies numbering approximately 180 men. Japanese infantry battalions of this period featured a distinctive organization: rifle platoons consisted of four sections (three equipped with rifles and light machine guns, one with light mortars and rifles), complemented by an additional heavy machine-gun company fielding twelve Type 92 weapons and a troop of light artillery—likely Type 92 70mm infantry guns. The divisional field artillery regiment operated 75mm Type 41 mountain guns organized into three 688-man battalions, each with two troops of two guns. Mountain artillery units, numbering 36 guns total, carried additional personnel (3,400) and animals (1,400) to navigate the terrain complexities of Hong Kong operations. Recognizing the need for overwhelming firepower to compel Hong Kong's surrender, the IJA augmented the invasion force with heavy artillery—15cm and 24cm howitzers commanded by Major-General Kitashima Kineo. News of the Canadian reinforcements arriving in Hong Kong forced a reassessment. Commander-in-Chief Sakai Takashi of the 23rd Army informed his superiors that the original ten-day timeline was unrealistic and requested additional troops. Although most formations were already committed to other operations, Imperial Headquarters eventually authorized two depot regiments from Japan to support the campaign. Intended for second-line duties rather than frontline combat, these units were to be returned promptly after freeing experienced personnel for Hong Kong operations. This arrangement allowed the 19th and 20th mixed brigades—approximately 6,000 men organized in five infantry battalions, a field artillery battalion, and an engineer battalion—to be released for Hong Kong. However, Sakai's request for reinforcements met with disapproval from Imperial Headquarters, and he received an unmistakable message: a swift, decisive campaign was essential. His situation worsened when Japanese agents mistakenly identified British Bren carriers as tanks, forcing Sakai to improvise armor by raiding the 1st Reserve Tank Battalion and tankette units from infantry depot divisions. In attempting to secure additional armor from the 11th Army's 9th Reconnaissance Regiment, Sakai encountered resistance. General Hata Shunroku lodged sustained complaints with senior officials, and Sakai received a sharp rebuke—further requests would not be entertained, and his replacement would follow if necessary. Stung by this loss of face, Sakai abandoned all additional requests and became even more determined to achieve success. Vice-Admiral Niimi Masaichi, commanding the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, oversaw the entire naval element, divided into bombardment and attack groups. His flagship, the light cruiser Isuzu, carried Captain Ura Koichi, who simultaneously commanded the bombardment group. This naval force assembled ships from various China Expeditionary Fleet units, particularly from the Canton Special Base Force, 15 Squadron, and 11 Torpedo Boat Division at Guangzhou. Reflecting Niimi's lack of confidence in the army's air support capabilities, the seaplane tender IJN Kamikawa Maru joined the operation on his insistence, providing organic naval aviation against the threat posed by British Wildebeests. Niimi also petitioned for destroyers IJN Wakaba and Yugure to counter the three British destroyers, though this request was denied. The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) were assigned to conduct diversionary attacks south of Hong Kong Island, intended to distract British forces from the main land invasion thrust. The IJAF's 1st Air Brigade, commanded by Colonel Habu Hideharu, centered on the 45th Air Regiment with 34 Kawasaki Ki-32 Type 98 'Mary' light bombers. This composite force drew aircraft and units from airfields across China and Manchuria—Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Qiqihar—all assembled at Baiyun Aerodrome in Guangzhou on 7 December 1941. Supporting the 1st Air Brigade were the 10th Independent Squadron under Captain Takatsuki Akira with 13 Nakajima Ki-27 Type 97 'Nate' fighters, 3 Mitsubishi Ki-15 Type 97 'Babs' command reconnaissance aircraft from the 18th Independent Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 44th Independent Squadron fielding 6 Tachikawa Ki-36 Type 98 'Ida' observation aircraft. Years before the invasion, the Japanese cultivated an extensive network of agents and sleeper operatives in Hong Kong, methodically gathering intelligence and mapping military installations. This sophisticated network proved remarkably effective: invasion maps carried by IJA officers were actually Hong Kong Government and British military maps, overprinted with Japanese annotations and interpretations. British officers later discovered in captivity that the Peninsula Hotel's regular barber was a Japanese Navy lieutenant-commander who had exploited the intimate setting to extract valuable information about British force dispositions. Intelligence operatives infiltrated every level of Hong Kong society—the garrison tailor and barber both served as spies. This groundwork enabled exceptional accuracy in artillery fire and bombing campaigns. The Japanese further leveraged criminal networks, recruiting gangsters throughout Hong Kong and Guangdong province with money and arms, turning them into irregular auxiliaries supporting the invasion.   On Sunday, 7 December, seven hundred members of the 2nd Royal Scots and Middlesex Regiment marched to St John's Cathedral for the morning service. As Major-General Maltby read a passage from Matthew, his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant I. MacGregor, delivered an urgent message that would change everything. Preparations for conflict had already begun. On 5 December, the HKVDC had mobilized fully, yet Hong Kong's broader population remained unmoved—the Happy Valley racetrack reported record attendance that very day. The contrast was stark: while one institution prepared for war, another celebrated as though nothing threatened. Japanese forces had been positioned advantageously since autumn 1941. The 23rd Army was already stationed west of Guangzhou, with contingents scattered across Foshan Town, Zhuhai, and other locations on the Pearl River delta. Upon orders for war on 1 December, they faced minimal distances to cover. The army regrouped at Humen, Shilong Town, and Guangzhou itself—staging areas for the invasion. The first visible signs arrived on 4–5 December when Japanese forces landed at Mirs Bay; the 228th Regiment moved into its staging area at Buji Town, now part of Shenzhen City. Maltby received these reports and immediately departed the cathedral service to issue urgent stand-to orders. Yet skepticism persisted within military circles. Some dismissed the threat, dismissing such intelligence as "astonishingly erroneous." Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Navy massed in the waters beyond Hong Kong's horizon. The Kowloon Infantry Brigade held a stretched defensive line: the 5/7 Rajputs anchored the centre, the 2/14 Punjab the east, and the 2nd Royal Scots the west. Forward positions extended far—C Company, 2/14 Punjab, under Major S. Burns ranged along Castle Peak Road toward Yuen Long. The brigade screen, C Company of the 2/14 Punjab, held Shueng Shui and Taipo Market with four Bren carriers and two armoured cars from the HKVDC, backed by engineers and the 22nd Fortress Company. The Hong Kong Infantry Brigade held Hong Kong Island itself. The Winnipeg Grenadiers occupied Victoria City on the north-west coast, while the Royal Rifles of Canada stretched along the north-east shores from Saukiwan to Lyemun. Brigadier Lawson commanded from his headquarters at Wongneichong Gap in the island's centre. At 0355 hours on 8 December, the code word "Blossom Blossom" was transmitted. Eleven minutes later, Lieutenant-General Sakai ordered the invasion to commence. Fifty minutes after that, at 0445 hours, Major Charles Boxer—a fluent Japanese speaker formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment—was roused by Radio Tokyo announcing that war was imminent. Governor Young and Major-General Maltby were informed at once. By 0500 hours, the forward demolition points had been blown by Major Gray, OC of C Company 2/14 Punjab, and the HKVDC engineers under Major J. H. Bottomley. At 0645 hours, the garrison received formal notification: Britain and Japan were at war. Seventy-five minutes later, air-raid sirens wailed. Within moments, smoke billowed from Kai Tak Airport as Japanese aircraft destroyed virtually the entire air garrison. The Wildebeests, Walruses, HKVDC biplanes, and several civilian planes were engulfed in flames. Only two Ju-52s of the Eurasia Corporation and one CNAC T-32 Condor escaped destruction—dispersal bays had never been built due to lack of funds. The Japanese then turned to secondary targets, bombing Shamshuipo Camp and the neighbouring police station. The Canadians suffered few large-scale casualties in the initial strikes, though Sergeant Routledge and Signalman Fairley of the signal platoon were wounded—the first Canadian soldiers injured in World War II. Remarkably, Hong Kong Island's theatres, cinemas, and restaurants continued operating as though the island faced no peril. Japanese demolition efforts proved only minor obstacles. Bridges blown were quickly replaced. The invasion proceeded on three fronts: the 230th Regiment advanced westward along the northern route toward Yuen Long and Castle Peak, targeting the northern slope of Tai Mo Mountain. The 228th Regiment drove down the centre, following the Sheung Shui–Taipo–Kowloon road toward Grassy Hill north of the Shing Mun Redoubt. The 229th Regiment, crossing at Sha Tau Kok and by boat at Starling Inlet, proceeded via Taipo toward Tai Shui Hang and Ma On Mountain. Whenever confronted with strongly defended positions, the Japanese bypassed them entirely rather than engage. The first day brought scattered but spirited resistance. Around 1300 hours, the Punjabis inflicted the first serious check, drawing blood from advancing Japanese forces. At 1830 hours, they ambushed and decimated several Japanese platoons south of Taipo market town. The HKVDC's armoured cars and Bren carriers struck similar successes nearby. The 2 Royal Scots' reconnaissance platoon clashed with elements of the 229th Regiment around Yuen Long. Despite these minor victories, Japanese momentum continued. Armed with stolen British maps and guided by fifth columnists, they pushed forward relentlessly. By late afternoon on the 8th, the Punjabis withdrew toward Grassy Hill to avoid being outflanked. The artillerymen of the 12th Battery engaged an IJN destroyer and Japanese forces around Taipo, inflicting heavy casualties. Farther south near Shatin, on the Taipo–Kowloon highway, rapidly advancing Japanese troops surprised the defenders and severed the fuse at an HKVDC demolition point. Their triumph proved momentary; the engineers completed the backup circuit and detonated the bridge, destroying it along with the Japanese soldiers crossing it. By early morning on 9 December, orders came to withdraw all mainland units to the Gin Drinkers Line. The Punjabis, already at Shatin Wai overlooking Tide Cove, held their position under pressure and continuous shelling for the next two days. The HKVDC withdrew to Fotan, a village south of Shatin. Maltby ordered D Company, 5/7 Rajputs, under Captain H. R. Newtons to Smuggler's Ridge to close the gap between the 2 Royal Scots and 2/14 Punjab. HKVDC armoured cars and Bren carriers continued patrols along Castle Peak Road while HMS Cicala, having survived two air attacks, maintained station in Castle Peak Bay. Despite an IJN blockade, the destroyers HMS Thanet and Scout slipped anchor and escaped to Singapore around 2130 hours. The surviving CNAC and Eurasia aircraft took off with high-value evacuees: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's widow and her two equally renowned sisters—the Soong sisters—along with Chinese Finance Minister H. H. Kung. Also departing was Lieutenant-Colonel H. Owen-Hughes of the HKVDC, who carried orders to coordinate with the Chinese Nationalist Army for a rear-guard attack on Japanese forces to relieve the pressure on Hong Kong. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. On 8 December 1941, Japan attacked Hong Kong with the 38th Division, supported by naval and air forces. Despite British defenses manned by undertrained, under-equipped troops, Japanese forces advanced rapidly across three fronts. Within hours, the RAF was destroyed, demolitions proved futile, and British units withdrew toward the Gin Drinkers Line facing overwhelming odds.

As the summer ends, and the excitement of a new school year is before us, it's hard to imagine half a world away families and soldiers still facing the horrors of wartime in Ukraine. Ed and Wayne invite Victor Akhterov, FEBC's director for Eurasia to bring us an important perspective on the war, and news from our ministry team on how they are in the working even in the harsh conditions of the war in Ukraine. You'll hear details the news leaves out about people with fearful hearts, hard questions and impossible circumstances who are finding hope that only God can bring. Listen as Victor shares amazing stories of faith under fire that will inspire you to continue to support this front-line ministry with your prayers…Until All Have Heard.

What does a more uncertain transatlantic relationship mean for Europe's role in the Indo-Pacific? Mike sits down with Dr Gorana Grgić, Head of the Global Security Team at ETH Zürich's Center for Security Studies and Non-Resident Fellow at the United States Studies Centre, to explore how Europe is adapting to a shifting strategic landscape. They discuss the outcomes of the latest NATO summit in Ankara; the future of NATO's Indo-Pacific partnerships with Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand; and why these transregional relationships remain critical to confronting shared security challenges across Eurasia. 

On today's Land Warfare program, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the tenuous nature of the Ukraine war as both sides grapple for advantage over the front; use of autonomy, AI and unmanned ground systems; how Ukraine can defend itself from Russian ballistic missile attacks; role of North Korea in supporting Russia and the lessons Pyongyang is learning from the conflict; Vladimir Putin's stability as the war becomes increasingly unpopular wi the Russians as Duma elections loom; and the Russian leader's visit to the Kuril Islands last week.

Londinium Chronicles — Multi-Part, Part Two: Gaius (John Batchelor) and Germanicus (Michael Vlahos) turn to the ragged ends of wars and the long-term consequences of current strategic decisions. Germanicus argues that by handcrafting the war in Ukraine and blockading Russia, the United States has inadvertently fostered a united Eurasia, a powerful condominium of Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang that threatens to eclipse Western power. He compares modern strategic failures to historical precedents such as the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and the 1953 Koreanarmistice, both of which created conditions for future catastrophes. A major theme is the collapse of American industrial capacity. Germanicus asserts that the United States has lost the skilled labor and shipyards necessary to maintain naval dominance, describing the current state as atrophied and sclerotic. He suggests that the United States must now rely on allies such as Japan and Korea for naval deterrence against China because American shipbuilding cannot revive itself for at least fifteen to thirty years. He concludes that the nation is in deep trouble but lacks the pragmatic builders required to fix it, suggesting a period of drift that may last until 2055. (2)

Nigel Gould-Davies is a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Between 2010 and 2013 he held senior government relations roles in the international energy industry. Previously he has also served in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where his roles included head of the Economic Section in Moscow, ambassador to Belarus, and project director in the Policy Planning Unit. He is author of Tectonic Politics: Global Political Risk in an Age of Transformation (Brookings, 2019).----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/Nigelgd1https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-gould-davies-5347b51a?originalSubdomain=ukhttps://www.iiss.org/people/russia-and-eurasia/dr-nigel-gould-davies/https://gsas.harvard.edu/person/nigel-gould-daviesBOOKS:Tectonic Politics: Global Political Risk in an Age of Transformation (2019)https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tectonic-Politics-Insights-Critical-International/dp/0815737130https://www.chathamhouse.org/2019/05/tectonic-politics-global-political-risk-age-transformationARTICLES:https://spectator.com/article/does-russias-exiled-opposition-want-whats-best-for-europe/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/11/soviet-dissidents-understood-what-russias-exiled-opposition-has-forgotten-a93458https://www.iiss.org/research-paper/2026/05/the-coming-crisis-in-russias-political-economy/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00396338.2024.2332057https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/09/biden-putin-ukraine-appeasement-deterrence-donbass/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Car4Ukrainehttps://car4ukraine.com/en-US/campaignsDzyga's Pawhttps://dzygaspaw.com/projectsSuperhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/----------PLATFORMS:Substack: https://substack.com/@siliconcurtainTwitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSiliconLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm----------

Send us Fan MailEurope looks peaceful right up until you inventory what's actually ready to fight. After spending months in Europe, Professor Andrew Michta joins us to lay out a sober strategic picture: a continent still disarmed, a defense industrial base that will take years to rebuild, and a NATO alliance split by radically different threat perceptions from the Baltic Sea to the Sahel.We get specific about what modern war is teaching in Ukraine. Drones are changing everything, but Andrew explains why tanks and armor still matter because wars are ultimately decided by mobility and control of terrain. The real breakthrough, he argues, is not just more unmanned systems, but restoring maneuver through electronic warfare and spectrum dominance so soldiers can move without being hunted on a transparent battlefield. We also unpack the hard math behind “arrow vs arrow” economics and what that means for sustainable deterrence.From there, we zoom out to NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and the urgent need for allies to take ownership with concrete regional planning, exercises, and capabilities. Andrew connects that to a bigger US problem: a crisis of simultaneity across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Korea, at a time when force structure and supply chains are stretched thin. We close with a plainspoken answer to the question many Americans ask: why should anyone in a town far from Europe care about Poland, Finland, or the Baltics? Because Europe and Eurasia shape US prosperity, shipping lanes, and homeland security, and because strong alliances are how democracies avoid fighting alone.If this conversation sharpens your thinking, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

The war in Ukraine appears to have entered a new phase, as Kyiv has launched increasingly ambitious long-range strikes deep inside Russia, put mounting pressure on Crimea and sought to bring the war closer to ordinary Russians and Vladimir Putin. But now the Kremlin is hitting back hard. In a missile attack on Kyiv this week, at least 17 people were killed. Now there's reports of a Ukrainian plane in Leipzig, Germany, being targeted by an explosive-laden drone. It's not clear who was behind the attack but reporting suggests it could be Russia. So are we witnessing a dangerous new phase of escalation? On this episode of the Fourcast Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban are joined by economist Timothy Ash from Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia programme.

Of the two Koreas, it is the South which appears much the more Christian today, with all major cities dotted with church spires and illuminated crosses. But a century ago it was the northern half of the peninsula that was the more established home for Christianity, the northwestern city of Pyongyang being celebrated as a “Jerusalem of the East.” And among the faith's devotees were the parents of the man who would eventually come to lead the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from the middle of the twentieth century. Kim Il Sung, Jonathan Cheng shows in his fluidly written and richly researched book Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult (Knopf, 2026), grew up in an environment suffused in Christian teachings and actively involved himself in church life, facts which raise questions about his later career as a guerrilla fighter and national leader. Cheng traces the long arc of Christian associations in Kim's biography, from the arrival of Presbyterianism in Korea through to the leader's battles with the church as North Korean leader, his softening towards the faith in later life, and of course his erection of a personality cult around himself that had no few similarities with the practices and aesthetics of Christianity. Understanding North Korea from its founding until the present day thus, Cheng shows, demands an awareness of an at-times-astonishing collision of religion, nationalism and authoritarianism which are narrated expertly in this thought-provoking book. Jonathan Cheng professional web page here Book website here Ed Pulford is an Anthropologist and Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and socialism and empire in Eurasia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Of the two Koreas, it is the South which appears much the more Christian today, with all major cities dotted with church spires and illuminated crosses. But a century ago it was the northern half of the peninsula that was the more established home for Christianity, the northwestern city of Pyongyang being celebrated as a “Jerusalem of the East.” And among the faith's devotees were the parents of the man who would eventually come to lead the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from the middle of the twentieth century. Kim Il Sung, Jonathan Cheng shows in his fluidly written and richly researched book Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult (Knopf, 2026), grew up in an environment suffused in Christian teachings and actively involved himself in church life, facts which raise questions about his later career as a guerrilla fighter and national leader. Cheng traces the long arc of Christian associations in Kim's biography, from the arrival of Presbyterianism in Korea through to the leader's battles with the church as North Korean leader, his softening towards the faith in later life, and of course his erection of a personality cult around himself that had no few similarities with the practices and aesthetics of Christianity. Understanding North Korea from its founding until the present day thus, Cheng shows, demands an awareness of an at-times-astonishing collision of religion, nationalism and authoritarianism which are narrated expertly in this thought-provoking book. Jonathan Cheng professional web page here Book website here Ed Pulford is an Anthropologist and Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and socialism and empire in Eurasia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Of the two Koreas, it is the South which appears much the more Christian today, with all major cities dotted with church spires and illuminated crosses. But a century ago it was the northern half of the peninsula that was the more established home for Christianity, the northwestern city of Pyongyang being celebrated as a “Jerusalem of the East.” And among the faith's devotees were the parents of the man who would eventually come to lead the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from the middle of the twentieth century. Kim Il Sung, Jonathan Cheng shows in his fluidly written and richly researched book Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult (Knopf, 2026), grew up in an environment suffused in Christian teachings and actively involved himself in church life, facts which raise questions about his later career as a guerrilla fighter and national leader. Cheng traces the long arc of Christian associations in Kim's biography, from the arrival of Presbyterianism in Korea through to the leader's battles with the church as North Korean leader, his softening towards the faith in later life, and of course his erection of a personality cult around himself that had no few similarities with the practices and aesthetics of Christianity. Understanding North Korea from its founding until the present day thus, Cheng shows, demands an awareness of an at-times-astonishing collision of religion, nationalism and authoritarianism which are narrated expertly in this thought-provoking book. Jonathan Cheng professional web page here Book website here Ed Pulford is an Anthropologist and Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on friendships and histories between the Chinese, Korean and Russian worlds, and socialism and empire in Eurasia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Ukraine has been stepping up its long-range attacks inside Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow continues to pound Kyiv, with a massive missile attack over the weekend. Dara Massicot is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Carnegie and has just returned from a research trip to Ukraine. She joins the show from Washington.  Also on today's show: Chris Krebs, Former United States Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; financial journalist William Cohan    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parallel Journeys: Eurasian History through Travelers' Eyes (Cambria Press, 2026) is a comparative history of Eurasia told through travel writing and cross-cultural encounters. In this anthology, Anthony Barbieri pairs accounts from twenty-eight travelers across different historical periods, placing side-by-side travelers looking or going East with those looking or going West. Spanning from 400 BCE through to 1936, the anthology brings together ambassadors, monks, missionaries, merchants, and journalists in order to explore how people understood the cultures, societies, and worlds that they encountered through travel. Structured around these “parallel journeys,” the book highlights both similarities and differences in the ways travelers described foreign places and peoples. Some travelers used these encounters to criticize the societies they entered, while others turned outward observation into reflection on their own cultures. Across the anthology, travel writing emerges not simply as a way of describing a journey, but as a way of forging ideas about cultural difference, identity, religion, commerce, and political power. This anthology will appeal to readers interested in Eurasian history, travel writing, world literature, and cross-cultural exchange. It is also a flexible and engaging anthology perfect for classroom teaching, complete with both long and short versions of each account, helpful visuals, and contextual information — an excellent way to get students thinking about what it means to do comparison effectively. For another overview of the anthology, readers should check out Barbieri's lecture “Beyond the Mountains and Seas,” available on YouTube here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Parallel Journeys: Eurasian History through Travelers' Eyes (Cambria Press, 2026) is a comparative history of Eurasia told through travel writing and cross-cultural encounters. In this anthology, Anthony Barbieri pairs accounts from twenty-eight travelers across different historical periods, placing side-by-side travelers looking or going East with those looking or going West. Spanning from 400 BCE through to 1936, the anthology brings together ambassadors, monks, missionaries, merchants, and journalists in order to explore how people understood the cultures, societies, and worlds that they encountered through travel. Structured around these “parallel journeys,” the book highlights both similarities and differences in the ways travelers described foreign places and peoples. Some travelers used these encounters to criticize the societies they entered, while others turned outward observation into reflection on their own cultures. Across the anthology, travel writing emerges not simply as a way of describing a journey, but as a way of forging ideas about cultural difference, identity, religion, commerce, and political power. This anthology will appeal to readers interested in Eurasian history, travel writing, world literature, and cross-cultural exchange. It is also a flexible and engaging anthology perfect for classroom teaching, complete with both long and short versions of each account, helpful visuals, and contextual information — an excellent way to get students thinking about what it means to do comparison effectively. For another overview of the anthology, readers should check out Barbieri's lecture “Beyond the Mountains and Seas,” available on YouTube here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Parallel Journeys: Eurasian History through Travelers' Eyes (Cambria Press, 2026) is a comparative history of Eurasia told through travel writing and cross-cultural encounters. In this anthology, Anthony Barbieri pairs accounts from twenty-eight travelers across different historical periods, placing side-by-side travelers looking or going East with those looking or going West. Spanning from 400 BCE through to 1936, the anthology brings together ambassadors, monks, missionaries, merchants, and journalists in order to explore how people understood the cultures, societies, and worlds that they encountered through travel. Structured around these “parallel journeys,” the book highlights both similarities and differences in the ways travelers described foreign places and peoples. Some travelers used these encounters to criticize the societies they entered, while others turned outward observation into reflection on their own cultures. Across the anthology, travel writing emerges not simply as a way of describing a journey, but as a way of forging ideas about cultural difference, identity, religion, commerce, and political power. This anthology will appeal to readers interested in Eurasian history, travel writing, world literature, and cross-cultural exchange. It is also a flexible and engaging anthology perfect for classroom teaching, complete with both long and short versions of each account, helpful visuals, and contextual information — an excellent way to get students thinking about what it means to do comparison effectively. For another overview of the anthology, readers should check out Barbieri's lecture “Beyond the Mountains and Seas,” available on YouTube here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

SCHEDULE  JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-27-26Headline: Signaling Peace Amidst Conflict: The US and Iran Standstill Guest: Ambassador Hussein Haqqani and Bill Roggio Summary: John Batchelor discusses the current tensions between Iran and the United States following a sudden halt in American bombing. Ambassador Haqqani explains that both nations are seeking a diplomatic "off-ramp," though they face severe internal political constraints that prevent either a ground invasion or a total surrender. Bill Roggio adds that while secret talks are likely, reports of depleted US munitions might be influencing the decision to pause military action.Headline: The Threat of Escalation in the Caspian Theater Guest: Ambassador Hussein Haqqani and Bill RoggioSummary: This segment examines the potential for unconventional warfare escalation across Eurasia and the specific risks within the Caspian theater. Haqqani warns that Iran's ability to hold the global economy hostage through the Red Sea and Hormuz Strait creates a complex dilemma for the US. Bill Roggio concurs that limited aerial bombardment is insufficient for regime change and notes that neighboring countries like Kuwait remain hesitant to directly engage for fear of retaliation.Headline: Somalia's Unverifiable Victories: The Death of a Shabaab Founder Guest: Caleb Weiss and Bill RoggioSummary: Somali officials claim the death of Maalim Ibrahim, a co-founder of al-Shabaab and a key military planner who held many executive hats. However, guest Caleb Weiss cautions that such claims often lack third-party verification and may be false. The US is currently threatening to cut funding for the UN mission in Somalia due to a perceived lack of progress against the group and pervasive internal political corruption.Headline: Houthi Blockades and the Siege of Saudi Energy Ports Guest: Bridget Turner and Bill Roggio Summary: Houthi rebels have initiated a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabian ports, causing ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait to fall to its lowest level in months. While the Houthis cite local grievances, their actions align with Iran's broader strategy to pressure global energy markets. Despite the threat, Saudi Arabia has retaliated by bombing Houthi ports, even as the rebels receive targeting assistance from Iranian spy ships.Headline: High Stakes Diplomacy: Netanyahu's Visit and the Iranian Threat Guest: Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotter Summary: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Washington to meet with President Trump and attend the funeral of the late Senator Graham. The agenda focuses heavily on Iran's continued aggression, including reports of the "Pickaxe Mountain" facility containing thousands of centrifuges deep underground. Malcolm Hoenlein notes that despite the diplomatic pause, Iran continues to execute young dissidents and sponsor assassination plots in Israel and the United Kingdom.Headline: The Lebanese Pilot Zones: A Fragile Experiment in Peace Guest: Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotterSummary: Lebanon is attempting to establish humanitarian pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) replace withdrawing Israeli troops. Critics argue this model mirrors the failed Gaza disengagement, as Hezbollah remains entrenched and unwilling to disarm. Additionally, Hoenlein discusses a recent Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, which signals a dangerous expansion of the regional conflict that may have broader retaliatory implications for the future.Headline: Hezbollah's Surveillance and the Ineffectiveness of the LAF Guest: David Daoud and Bill Roggio Summary: The IDF recently shot down an unarmed Hezbollah drone gathering intelligence over strategic ridges in southern Lebanon. David Daoud highlights that Hezbollah continues to operate freely despite the presence of the Lebanese Armed Forces in pilot zones. The segment questions why Western leaders trust the Lebanese government, given its failure to demand nationwide disarmament and its history of coordinating with Hezbollah to hide military infrastructure from international monitors.FILE 8: Not provided in the sources.Headline: Brazil's Transnational Politics: Lula vs. the Conservative Alliance Guest: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa Summary: President Lula da Silva of Brazil has shifted toward an anti-American stance, aligning himself with "criminal socialism" and the São Paulo Forum. Former Foreign Minister Araújo describes a growing transnational alliance between Donald Trump, Javier Milei, and Flavio Bolsonaro to counter communist penetration in Latin America. The upcoming Brazilian election is seen as a critical battleground for the future of economic freedom and regional stability against organized crime.Headline: The Venezuelan Transition and the Shield of the Americas Guest: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña EsclusaSummary: Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has received unexpected praise from President Trump, causing concern among opposition members who view her as a gangster. Alejandro Peña Esclusa argues that Rodriguez is a repressive figure and suggests a reconstruction government of experts instead. Meanwhile, Brazil's Flavio Bolsonaro seeks to join the "Shield of the Americas" to combat regional criminal gangs and support a democratic transition in Venezuela.FILE 11: Not provided in the sources.Headline: Iran's Drone Test: Challenging the US Strategic Pause Guest: Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill RoggioSummary: Following a US suspension of airstrikes, Iran launched drone attacks against Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq to test the Trump administration's resolve. Edmund Fitton-Brown explains that Iran aims to prove it decides when pauses occur, not the US. The segment warns that without consistent US pressure, Iran could establish a "regional protection racket," leaving Arab states to seek separate accommodations with the bully on the block.Headline: Starship Test 13: Success and Challenges in Reusability Guest: Doug Messier Summary: SpaceX's Starship Test 13 achieved a controlled landing of the spacecraft in the Indian Ocean, though the Super Heavy booster exploded during its Gulf landing. Doug Messier explains that while the mission successfully deployed Starlink satellites, the FAA remains concerned about future overland flights. The ultimate goal is full reusability for NASA's upcoming lunar missions and upgrading the capacity of the Starlink network for laser communications.Headline: Decapitating Hamas: Targeted Strikes in Gaza Guest: Samuel Benner and Bill Roggio Summary: The IDF has conducted targeted strikes against Hamas's internal security commanders, including the head of the police force in central Gaza. Samuel Benner reports that while the upper military echelon has been largely eliminated, Israel is now targeting those responsible for imposing rule on Gazans. Despite these strikes, Hamas continues to control food distribution, effectively using humanitarian aid as a "piggy bank" for the organization.Headline: The Iran War: A Strategy Stuck in Stalemate Guest: Jonathan Schanzer and Bill Roggio Summary: After twelve days of intense US bombing, there is confusion regarding the long-term plan for achieving behavior change in Tehran. Jonathan Schanzer argues that the regime remains ideologically committed to power and is unlikely to offer concessions for money alone. Furthermore, Iran's capability to launch ballistic missiles remains significant, and the IRGC has not yet felt the impression that a total regime collapse is imminent.Headline: The AI Bubble: China's Strategic Intellectual Property Theft Guest: Brandon Ward and Gordon ChangSummary: China is allegedly using stolen American intellectual property to train its artificial intelligence models, such as Moonshot's Kimmy K3. Brandon Ward suggests this is a strategic move to collapse the inflated market value of the American AI sector. Gordon Chang warns that despite export bans, Chinese firms continue to acquire high-end Nvidia chips, complicating US strategic plans and economic dominance while threatening a potential future shooting war.

Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio examine the potential for unconventional warfare escalation across Eurasia and the specific risks within the Caspian theater. Haqqani warns that Iran's ability to hold the global economy hostage through the Red Sea and Hormuz Strait creates a complex dilemma for the US. Bill Roggio concurs that limited aerial bombardment is insufficient for regime change and notes that neighboring countries like Kuwait remain hesitant to directly engage for fear of retaliation. (2)

Max sits down with guest-host Lexi Linafelter, Program Coordinator and Research Assistant with the CSIS Europe, Russia and Eurasia program to discuss Max's recent trip to Budapest and new leadership across the Atlantic. They discuss key takeaways from the NATO Summit in Ankara, old challenges facing new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in British politics, and Marine Le Pen's announcement launching her fourth campaign for the presidency in France.  Mentioned: The Eurofile LIVE: German Rearmament and Reflections on NATO's Ankara Summit The NATO Ankara Summit: Delivery over Drama, Commentary by Jonathan Burchell Make the Ankara Summit About European Defense Autonomy, Commentary by Max Bergmann and Otto Svendsen The Magyar revolution: Hungary's new era, by Ben Hall and Marton Dunai Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas to help us improve? Email us at erep@csis.org. If you love The Eurofile, let us know by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our sister podcast, Russian Roulette.

Guests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Imperial Decay of the American Order. The discussion shifts to the deterioration of American institutions, which Germanicus claims are now indistinguishable from the 3rd-century Roman imperial system. He describes a "long unraveling" of the constitutional order where Congress has become "nothing" and the Supreme Court is forced to uphold basic tenets it wasn't designed to enforce. This "emperor system" is characterized by an executive branch that is increasingly detached from reality regarding global economic stability and military resources. Furthermore, he asserts that the political establishment is too corrupt to produce genuine leaders, resulting in "pygmies" who are incapable of challenging the prevailing delusions. He warns that the U.S. is at a historical "inflection point" similar to when the Roman Empire began to collapse after centuries of dominance, noting that current leaders risk a global "economic fault" or famine by pursuing unsustainable escalations in Eurasia. (2)SULLAGuests in Londinium, 92 AD: Gaius and Germanicus. The Ritual of Combat and Modern Delusions. Germanicusargues that for the Romans, war and ceremony were inextricably linked, using triumphs and gladiatorial spectacles to forge a shared identity between the people and the military. These rituals were "incarnations of the spirit of Rome" triumphing over "barbaric" enemies, providing a form of "ecstatic participatory" fulfillment. He notes a parallel in modern America, which uses "ecstatic vicarity" through high-tech war footage and video games to maintain a similar bond. However, he warns that the U.S. dangerously underestimates adversaries like Iran by viewing them as "barbarians" rather than a sophisticated, 2,500-year-old culture. He laments the loss of the "sobriety" that guided Cold War leadership—where the stakes of nuclear confrontation were understood—noting that current American policy reflects a "gods of war" complex born from the easy successes of the early 1990s. Gaius adds that this technological display creates a "fog of war" where the enemy's own capabilities and "vote" in the conflict are often ignored. (1)

On today's episode, Lawfare's Ukraine Fellow Anastasiia Lapatina talks to Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about how the Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy sites are shifting attitudes towards the war inside Russia. They also discuss Maria's latest report, co-authored with Jade McGlynn, called “Russian Attitudes Are Shifting as the War's Effects Come Home.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.