Podcast appearances and mentions of Fred Kaplan

Host Jim Maher discusses the state of the Russia-Ukraine war and the changing geopolitical landscape with Slate's national security columnist Fred Kaplan (2:00). Host Gayle Knutson explores the Guthrie Theater's new production of Agatha Christie's THE MOUSETRAP with local actor Monette Magrath, one of the show's stars (30:00). Also included is an update of local news (50:00). Matt Quast is technical director.This Week's GuestsFred Kaplan, National Security Columnist, SlateMonette Magrath, Actor  Email us: riverradio@marinecommunitylibrary.orgGovernment Links:City of Marine on St. CroixCity of ScandiaMay TownshipWashington CountyRiver Radio Previous ShowsMarch 18, 2023 Program on Social SecuritySeptember 30, 2023 Program with David Andrew MacdonaldEvent LinksGuthrie Theater – The Mousetrap Guthrie Theater – 2025-26 SeasonBusiness/Organization Links:Marine Community LibraryWilliam O'Brien State ParkFranconia Sculpture Park

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many nonfiction books and his latest, a novel, A Capital Calamity (Miniver Press, 2024), recaps the recent Trump administration officials' visits to Europe, where Vice President JD Vance said European leaders should not shun far-right political parties and more.

In Munich last week, Vice President JD Vance asked leaders not to shun the far right. On today's show: Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many nonfiction books and his latest, a novel, A Capital Calamity (Miniver Press, 2024), offers analysis of the Trump administration's European tour.

Fred Kaplan is a former Washington, Moscow, and New York correspondent for the Boston Globe. He writes the “War Stories” column in Slate and is the author of seven books including The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War (which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist). A Capital Calamity is his latest book and his first novel.

Fred Kaplan is a former Washington, Moscow, and New York correspondent for the Boston Globe. He writes the “War Stories” column in Slate and is the author of seven books including The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War (which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist). A Capital Calamity is his latest book and his first novel.

Why did the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which gives money to humanitarian causes around the world and accounts for roughly half of one percent of the federal budget, end up in DOGE's crosshairs? And is its abrupt closure legal?   Guests: Franco Ordoñez, White House Correspondent for NPR. Fred Kaplan, Slate's war stories correspondent. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why did the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which gives money to humanitarian causes around the world and accounts for roughly half of one percent of the federal budget, end up in DOGE's crosshairs? And is its abrupt closure legal?   Guests: Franco Ordoñez, White House Correspondent for NPR. Fred Kaplan, Slate's war stories correspondent. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why did the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which gives money to humanitarian causes around the world and accounts for roughly half of one percent of the federal budget, end up in DOGE's crosshairs? And is its abrupt closure legal?   Guests: Franco Ordoñez, White House Correspondent for NPR. Fred Kaplan, Slate's war stories correspondent. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 4+ decades as a reporter and with a half-dozen nonfiction books under his belt, Fred Kaplan rejoins the show to celebrate his first foray into fiction, A CAPITAL CALAMITY (Miniver Press)! We talk about how lockdown got him to start A Capital Calamity, how his history in national security and the defense sector informs the novel (& its accidental march torward WWIII), how his protagonist is & isn't a Fred-Not-Traveled, and what it was like to make things up after a career spent reporting the facts. We get into the moral quandaries of being an insider in Washington, his experience working for Les Aspin in the '70s, the early morning storytelling revelations that opened up the novel to him, and why he set a major scene of the book above The Comedy Cellar in NYC. We also get into whether we're slow-walking into WWIII, the lessons learned from the 2017-2021 era and how they may affect his coverage of the new administration, his jazz recommendations, the fun of dissecting Washington cocktail party culture, the pros & cons of a multipolar world, and more. Follow Fred on Bluesky, Facebook and Twitter • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Stripe, Patreon, or Paypal, and subscribe to our e-newsletter

On today's episode of We're All Going to Die Radio, Jon is joined by National Security Correspondent and Pulitzer-Price finalist author Fred Kaplan. Fred discusses his foray into the fiction world with his debut novel Capital Calamity, an electric doomsday story about a Washington DC consultant who accidentally triggers a war with China. Fred and Jon also discuss US-China relations, the national security dangers of a second Trump term, and all things nuclear policy and deterrence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of We're All Going to Die Radio, Jon is joined by National Security Correspondent and Pulitzer-Price finalist author Fred Kaplan. Fred discusses his foray into the fiction world with his debut novel Capital Calamity, an electric doomsday story about a Washington DC consultant who accidentally triggers a war with China. Fred and Jon also discuss US-China relations, the national security dangers of a second Trump term, and all things nuclear policy and deterrence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many nonfiction books and his latest, a novel, A Capital Calamity (Miniver Press, 2024), talks about the latest news on global conflicts, plus his new novel. 

Fred Kaplan has won a Pulitzer, been nominated for another, and he's covered the national security community for years. So he finally decided to just throw out the rules of non-fiction and write a novel ... about the end of the World, or almost the end of the world. A Capital Calamity is a tale of impending armageddon not with a bang nor a whimper, but because of a consultant. Plus, airlines have finally addressed the on-again-off-again no-smoking sign in a rather stupid way. Also on the show, Trump is close to winning because incumbents the world over are getting "schlonged." Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe to The Gist: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g Follow Mikes Substack at: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The legendary Fred Kaplan joins Jeffrey to talk about his brand new novel, A Capital Calamity.  Fred and Jeffrey talk through the Fred's experiences in nuclear strategy and the influences on his new novel, A Capital Calamity, from JFK's EXCOMM tapes, the MX basing debate, and the Jane Austen meets Dr. Strangelove comedy of DC manners and etiquette.  Catch one of Fred's upcoming book readings for A Capital Calamity in DC and NYC, at the Union Market Politics & Prose on Saturday, October 26th and at Community Bookstore, Park Slope, Brooklyn, on Tuesday, October 29th.   Fred Kaplan is a national security columnist for Slate. Former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for Boston Globe. Author of 7 books, including The Bomb, The Wizards of Armageddon, The Insurgents (Pulitzer Prize finalist), and now, his first novel, A Capital Calamity. Support us over at Patreon.com/acwpodcast!

Thursday was the last day of the NATO summit in Washington, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic alliance. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), joins to recap the event, including a breakdown of President Joe Biden's press conference and what the 2024 election might mean for the future of the alliance.

 After an unplanned short hiatus from the podcast, I'm back behind the mic talking about my favorite author, Charles Dickens. My guest today is author Jesper Soerensen and he's just written a book about Dickens and his stories. In the episode we talk about his book, we share plenty of recommendations, and have a lot of discussion about the stories that Dickens wrote. We do not talk spoilers, so whether you're relatively new to Dickens or are a hardcore fan, there is something for everyone in today's interview! Find Jesper online: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soerensen.jesper/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soerensen.jesper/ Medium: https://medium.com/@soerensen.jesper My author page at Olympia Publishers: https://olympiapublishers.com/authors/jesper-soerensen Charles Dickens: The Stories of His Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1804390143?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details  Books mentioned: We talk about all of Charles Dickens' novels, and several biographies by Michael Slater, Fred Kaplan, and Peter Ackroyd. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and book discussion 14:00 Biographies about Dickens 21:00 Discovering Dickens 28:00 Reading Dickens when you're older 31:01 Top 5? More like top 20... 38:50 Favorite Dickens Characters 45:55 What's coming up next? #podcast #charlesdickens #victorianbooks ____________ There are 4 ways you can help support the channel! -Like and subscribe!-I'm now a bookshop.org affiliate - check out my shop and find your next great read! https://bookshop.org/shop/bookshelfodyssey -Buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bookshelfpod - My Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2PTGNQWISVZE/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_3 _____________ Find Me Online: Podcast: https://bookshelfodyssey.buzzsprout.com/ Voxer: @artbookshelfodyssey Discord: https://discord.gg/8MFceV2NFe Facebook Group Page: @thebookshelfodyssey Twitter: @odyssey_podcastInstagram: @bookshelfodysseypodcast

Last week, news broke that writer Paul Auster died from complications related to lung cancer. The New York Times called him “the patron saint of literary Brooklyn;” elsewhere he was dubbed "the dean of American postmodernists." He was the author of many novels such as The New York Trilogy, and he wrote screenplays, memoirs, and nonfiction, including Burning Boy: The Life and Work of Stephen Crane.He was also a long-time friend of Brooke and her husband Fred Kaplan — they lived a few blocks away from each other in their Brooklyn neighborhood. In November of 2021, Paul Auster walked over to Brooke's home studio to talk about Stephen Crane.   On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

From the Crimean War of 1853 to Russia's war inUkraine, journalists, reporters, and the media have shaped the public's understanding of war. But do the stories we read and the photos we see provide an impartial picture of the wars they document? As the Institute for Global Affairs' Mark Hannah explained in his 2022 Foreign Policy piece, certain aspects of American war coverage—reliance on government sources and incentives to simplify geopolitics as battles between good and evil—have long compelled news organizations to tilt toward military action. In this archival episode of None Of The Above, host of WNYC's On The Media Brooke Gladstone and Slate's “War Stories” columnist Fred Kaplan, are interviewed by Mark at the American Academy in Rome. Together, in these excerpts from that conversation, they unpack the media's coverage of the Russia-Ukraine War and the biases which influence how the media understand and depict these conflicts.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a Pentagon program is over budget. The Sentinel ICBM program is envisioned as a keystone of the US nuclear triad, but why do we need 400 new missiles? Slate columnist Fred Kaplan and Mackenzie Knight from the Federation of American Scientists join Jon Wolfsthal and Heather Williams to shine a light on the program and why it may, or may not, be necessary.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a Pentagon program is over budget. The Sentinel ICBM program is envisioned as a keystone of the US nuclear triad, but why do we need 400 new missiles? Slate columnist Fred Kaplan and Mackenzie Knight from the Federation of American Scientists join Jon Wolfsthal and Heather Williams to shine a light on the program and why it may, or may not, be necessary.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan this week, and now some Republicans are proposing that the United States should attack Iran. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), explains why we even have troops in Jordan and other places in the Middle East at all, and how this is all related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan this week, and now some Republicans are proposing that the United States should attack Iran. On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), explains why we even have troops in Jordan and other places in the Middle East at all, and how this is all related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), brings his analysis of the global ramifications of the Israel-Hamas war, and describes what it might look like if Israel continues to soften its approach, as Biden and others in the international community are urging.

The Breakdown is live w/ guests Michael German and Fred KaplanJoin us this week on The Breakdown with hosts Rick Wilson and Tara Setmayer as they speak with author and former FBI agent, Michael German, as well as journalist, author, and Slate columnist Fred Kaplan. Michael and Fred break down the January 6th insurrection from its origins to what it means for American democracy going forward.

Air Date 12/12/2023 Henry Kissinger, it turns out, was actually a pretty good representative of the United States, the foreign policy actions we took, and the reasonings we gave for them over the past century. He embodied the idea that the US is always on the side of right, the world and its inhabitants are merely a game board and pieces for us to manipulate for our own ends, and that lives, particularly foreign lives, lost in pursuit of our interests are not of much concern. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A look at the consequential and controversial legacy of Henry Kissinger - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger, America's most consequential and controversial Secretary of State, died Wednesday at the age of 100. He reached the peak of his power in the 1970s and remained highly influential until the very end. reports. Ch. 2: Henry Kissinger's Huge but Deeply Problematic Legacy - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger has died at 100 years old. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War examines the diplomat's impact on U.S. foreign policy Ch. 3: Kissinger: An Architect of Genocide - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-5-23 Tim Shorrock then gives his initial reflections on Kissinger's passing and the myriad lies he told for the ends of US primacy. Shorrock and Emma trace Kissinger's bloody footprints from Vietnam and East Timor to Argentina Ch. 4: Henry Kissinger and the Moral Bankruptcy of U.S. Elites - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger is dead at the age of 100. The former U.S. statesman served as national security adviser and secretary of state at the height of the Cold War and wielded influence over U.S. foreign policy for decades afterward. Ch. 5: The Case Against Henry Kissinger: War Crimes Prosecutor Reed Brody on Kissinger's Legacy of “Slaughter” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-1-23 Former U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser Henry Kissinger has died at the age of 100. He leaves behind a legacy of American statecraft that brought war and mass atrocities to Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America Ch. 6: The world Henry Kissinger built - The Take (Al Jazeera English) - Air Date 12-1-23 Henry Kissinger was a giant of our world order for half a century. The former US secretary of state died at the age of 100 on Wednesday. He left a mark on every region – often not for the better of those left in the wake of his controversial policies. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Henry Kissinger's Reactionary Idealism - Against the Grain - Air Date 10-11-17 Historian Greg Grandin reflects on the ideology and practice of Henry Kissinger. Ch. 8: Amb. Martin Indyk Pens Kissinger Book - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 11-12-21 Former envoy to Israel, Martin Indyk, is out with a new book that details Henry Kissinger's legacy in the Middle East. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on our year-end membership drive MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A photo of the profile of an elderly Henry Kissinger with a solemn expression. His hair is white and he wears glasses and a dark suit.  Credit: "Dr. Henry Kissinger listens..." by U.S. Secretary of State, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Horizontal crop   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Henry Kissinger has died at 100 years old. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), examines the diplomat's massive impact on U.S. foreign policy, and addresses his huge failures and many critics, who see him as an immoral war criminal.  

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), talks about the role President Biden sees for the U.S. in the Israel-Hamas war - and offers more military analysis of the days and weeks ahead.

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), discusses the latest news as Israel declares war on Hamas after an unprecedented attack over the weekend.

On this Summer Friday, we've put together some of our favorite recent interviews, including: In light of Cornel West's third-party presidential bid, Eric Blanc, assistant professor of Labor Studies at Rutgers University, author of Red State Revolt: The Teachers' Strike Wave (Verso, 2019) and the newsletter laborpolitics.substack.com, and a member of NYC Democratic Socialists of America, discusses the state of the American left pre-2016, how its evolved over the last seven years, and his theory for how the left should build power moving forward. We look at the findings of a report that investigates why some teens and young adults in New York City carry guns. The study is by the Center for Justice Innovation based on interviews with more than 100 young people from Crown Heights. Study authors, Javonte Alexander and Basaime Spate, Community Research Coordinators at the Center for Justice Innovation, and Elise White, director of Action Research at the Center for Justice Innovation, walk us through their research. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his expertise in nuclear history to discuss whether Christopher Nolan's epic new film Oppenheimer is historically accurate - plus reveals a little-known political controversy within the other big new movie, Barbie. Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City, recently stumbled upon an artichoke parm sandwich (heretofore referred to as "the sandwich") she'd never seen on a menu before, at a small deli in Brooklyn. She talks about the history of the deli and how the sandwich came to be as listeners call in to share a hidden culinary gem. The beautiful work of West African hair braiders can be seen on the heads of many who wander New York City streets. While their work is highly visible, little is heard about the many occupational injuries hair braiders obtain on the job. Houreidja Tall, NYC based freelance journalist, shares her reporting on the often untold stories of hair braiders, their pain, and systemic lack of workplace protections.   These interviews were polished up and edited for time, the original versions are available here: The Left's Way Forward (Jul 10, 2023) Why Some Young People Carry Guns (Jul 26, 2023) The History Behind the New Movie 'Oppenheimer' (Jul 25, 2023) 'The Sandwich' and Other Hidden Culinary Gems (Jun 20, 2023) The Physical Toll of Hair Braiding (Jul 26, 2023)  

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his expertise in nuclear history to discuss whether Christopher Nolan's epic new film "Oppenheimer" is historically accurate - plus reveals a little-known political controversy within the other big new movie, "Barbie".

On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his expertise in nuclear history to assess the historical accuracy of Christopher Nolan's epic new film "Oppenheimer".

On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his expertise in nuclear history to assess the historical accuracy of Christopher Nolan's epic new film "Oppenheimer".

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, as the nation heads out in droves to see Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer in cinemas, we listen back to Mike's 2020 interview with Fred Kaplan, who had just published his book The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War. Then, we replay our Wednesday Spiel, in which, much to Mike's chagrin, the term “vibes session” enters macroeconomics. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe to our ad-free and/or PescaPlus versions of The Gist: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Follow Mike's Substack: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dennis talks to Paul Johnson, renowned British historian. His new book is George Washington: The Founding Father. A Best of Prager Hour. Originally broadcast June 16, 2005.  Dennis talks to John Ferling, professor emeritus of history at the University of West Georgia. His new book is Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry That Forged a Nation. A Best of Prager Hour. Originally broadcast on December 17, 2013.  Dennis talks to Fred Kaplan, professor of English at Queens College. His new book is John Quincy Adams: American Visionary. A Best of Prager Hour. Originally broadcast on May 23, 2014.  Thanks for listening to the Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire three hours of my radio show as a podcast, commercial-free every single day, become a member of Pragertopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives, as well as daily show prep. Subscribe today at Pragertopia dot com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), shares his analysis of why it's a good thing that tensions between the U.S. and China are apparently thawing somewhat, plus the latest news on Russia's war in Ukraine.

Where does the US stand on the international stage now, when it comes to current conflicts as in Ukraine, and potential conflicts, as with China's and Taiwan? On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), shares his analysis of why it's a good thing that tensions between the U.S. and China are apparently thawing somewhat, plus the latest news on Russia's war in Ukraine.

In this episode, we examine the topic of existential threat, focusing in particular on the subject of nuclear war. Sam opens the discussion by emphasizing the gravity of our ability to destroy life as we know it at any moment, and how shocking it is that nearly all of us perpetually ignore this fact. Philosopher Nick Bostrom expands on this idea by explaining how developing technologies like DNA synthesis could make humanity more vulnerable to malicious actors. Sam and historian Fred Kaplan then guide us through a hypothetical timeline of events following a nuclear first strike, highlighting the flaws in the concept of nuclear deterrence. Former Defense Secretary William J. Perry echoes these concerns, painting a grim picture of his "nuclear nightmare" scenario: a nuclear terrorist attack. Zooming out, Toby Ord outlines each potential extinction-level threat, and why he believes that, between all of them, we face a one in six chance of witnessing the downfall of our species. Our episode ends on a cautiously optimistic note, however, as Yuval Noah Harari shares his thoughts on "global myth-making" and its potential role in helping us navigate through these perilous times.   About the Series Filmmaker Jay Shapiro has produced The Essential Sam Harris, a new series of audio documentaries exploring the major topics that Sam has focused on over the course of his career. Each episode weaves together original analysis, critical perspective, and novel thought experiments with some of the most compelling exchanges from the Making Sense archive. Whether you are new to a particular topic, or think you have your mind made up about it, we think you'll find this series fascinating.  

Why is it that nobody has used the absolute weapon, the nuclear bomb, since 1945? Was it ever likely that the American arsenal would be used against the Soviet Union? Or was it created solely to prevent nuclear war? If the latter is true, how does a country create the false impression that it is willing to release a weapon of mass destruction? New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Fred Kaplan, has authored The Bomb: Presidents, Generals and the Secret History of Nuclear War. In this episode, he and James discuss the strategies and motives of those in control of the bombs in the face of multiple crises ... not all of which are generally known.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're airing an interview that Brooke did while on a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. She and her husband Fred Kaplan (author of the War Stories column in Slate), sat down with Mark Hannah, host of the podcast "None of the Above," produced by the Eurasia Group Foundation.  From the Crimean War of 1853 to Russia's invasion of Ukraine this year, journalists, reporters, and the media have shaped the public's understanding of war. But do the stories we read and the photos we see provide an impartial picture of the wars they document? As Hannah recently explained in Foreign Policy, certain aspects of American war coverage—reliance on government sources and incentives to simplify geopolitics as battles between good and evil—have long compelled news organizations to tilt toward military action. This interview originally aired on May 18, 2022.

It's been just about one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), offers analysis of where things stand militarily.

It's almost been a full year since Russia launched it's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.  On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), offers analysis of where things stand militarily.

2:17 Why are so many people (including Fred) down on John Mearsheimer? 15:21 Bob: Explaining bad behavior is not the same as justifying it 30:16 How the US eroded international law—and why it matters 44:16 Did US policy make Russia's invasion of Ukraine more likely? 58:06 NATO's role in Ukraine before the invasion 1:21:31 How would the US respond to a China-Mexico military alliance? 1:34:08 Henry Kissinger's peace proposal 1:42:38 Impediments to productive debate on US foreign policy Robert Wright (Bloggingheads.tv, The Evolution of God, Nonzero, Why Buddhism Is True) and Fred Kaplan (Slate, Dark Territory). Recorded January 5, 2023. Comments on BhTV: http://bloggingheads.tv/videos/65508Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPodsFacebook: https://facebook.com/bloggingheads/ Podcasts: https://bloggingheads.tv/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nonzero.substack.com/subscribe

Why are so many people (including Fred) down on John Mearsheimer? ... Bob: Explaining bad behavior is not the same as justifying it ... How the US eroded international law - and why it matters ... Did US policy make Russia's invasion of Ukraine more likely? ... NATO's role in Ukraine before the invasion ... How would the US respond to a China-Mexico military alliance? ... Henry Kissinger's peace proposal ... Impediments to productive debate on US foreign policy ...

Why are so many people (including Fred) down on John Mearsheimer? ... Bob: Explaining bad behavior is not the same as justifying it ... How the US eroded international law - and why it matters ... Did US policy make Russia's invasion of Ukraine more likely? ... NATO's role in Ukraine before the invasion ... How would the US respond to a China-Mexico military alliance? ... Henry Kissinger's peace proposal ... Impediments to productive debate on US foreign policy ...

Eliot and Eric look forward to the holidays and review the last year. They talk about the historical significance of the war in Ukraine, the current situation, and possible outcomes. They discuss whether or not this has been a good year for authoritarians around the world and review the situation in China, the prospects for U.S.-China relations (specifically concerning Taiwan), and the popular uprising and revolutionary situation in Iran. They also thank their production team for a great year of Shield of the Republic. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Email us with your feedback at shieldoftherepublic@gmail.com. Financial Times's Report about Iranians' Harassments of the Clerics (https://www.ft.com/content/3b6c241c-e792-4970-957b-556a1088d9a8) Lawry Freedman's Substack Post on Security Guarantee for Russia (https://samf.substack.com/p/who-can-guarantee-russian-security?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) Henry Kissinger's Peace Plan (https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-push-for-peace/) Fred Kaplan's Critique of Henry Kissinger (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/12/henry-kissinger-ukraine-peace-plan-vladimir-putin.html) Supreme Command (https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Command-Soldiers-Statesmen-Leadership/dp/1400034043) Institute for the Study of War (https://www.understandingwar.org/) Julia Davis's Twitter (https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) New York Times Report about the War (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/16/world/europe/russia-putin-war-failures-ukraine.html) New York Times Report about U.S.'s Attempt to Save Valery Gerasimov's Life (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/17/world/europe/russia-war-putin-facts.html) Congressional Commissions on the National Defense Strategy's Report (https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/2018-11/providing-for-the-common-defense.pdf) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eliot and Eric look forward to the holidays and review the last year. They talk about the historical significance of the war in Ukraine, the current situation, and possible outcomes. They discuss whether or not this has been a good year for authoritarians around the world and review the situation in China, the prospects for U.S.-China relations (specifically concerning Taiwan), and the popular uprising and revolutionary situation in Iran. They also thank their production team for a great year of Shield of the Republic. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Email us with your feedback at shieldoftherepublic@gmail.com. Financial Times's Report about Iranians' Harassments of the Clerics (https://www.ft.com/content/3b6c241c-e792-4970-957b-556a1088d9a8) Lawry Freedman's Substack Post on Security Guarantee for Russia (https://samf.substack.com/p/who-can-guarantee-russian-security?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) Henry Kissinger's Peace Plan (https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-push-for-peace/) Fred Kaplan's Critique of Henry Kissinger (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/12/henry-kissinger-ukraine-peace-plan-vladimir-putin.html) Supreme Command (https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Command-Soldiers-Statesmen-Leadership/dp/1400034043) Institute for the Study of War (https://www.understandingwar.org/) Julia Davis's Twitter (https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) New York Times Report about the War (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/16/world/europe/russia-putin-war-failures-ukraine.html) New York Times Report about U.S.'s Attempt to Save Valery Gerasimov's Life (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/17/world/europe/russia-war-putin-facts.html) Congressional Commissions on the National Defense Strategy's Report (https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/2018-11/providing-for-the-common-defense.pdf) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, the House passed a military spending bill that topped $800 billion dollars. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), talks about the massive budget, and why very few in politics or media seem to raise an eyebrow at the size of the military budget.

With Congress poised to pass a defense spending bill, we look at the cost of the US military, and why, even in a time of relative peace, that cost continues to rise. On Today's Show:Fred Kaplan, Slate's 'War Stories' columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), talks about the massive budget, and why very few in politics or media seem to raise an eyebrow at the size of the military budget.

Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), discusses the latest on the trouble the former president is facing for the classified documents seized from Mar-a-Lago, after a judge agreed with Trump's request to appoint a special master, and reflects on the legacy of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

This week we're airing an interview that Brooke did while on a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. She and her husband Fred Kaplan (author of the War Stories column in Slate), sat down with Mark Hannah, host of the podcast "None of the Above," produced by the Eurasia Group Foundation.  From the Crimean War of 1853 to Russia's invasion of Ukraine this year, journalists, reporters, and the media have shaped the public's understanding of war. But do the stories we read and the photos we see provide an impartial picture of the wars they document? As Hannah recently explained in Foreign Policy, certain aspects of American war coverage—reliance on government sources and incentives to simplify geopolitics as battles between good and evil—have long compelled news organizations to tilt toward military action.