Podcasts about great powers

Justin and Dan dissect all the angles of Auburn basketball's “instant classic” 1-point win over Kentucky on a phenomenal Saturday of hoops. Topics for this podcast include:* how good things can actually happen sometimes* why it all started with defense, again* everything that went into the thrilling final basket* what Auburn was able to do to get back in the game after Kentucky threatened to stop the show* why KeShawn Murphy's big night mattered so much* Keyshawn Hall playing winning basketball without scoring * the NCAA Tournament stakes of the win* a look at the rest of a huge Saturday in college basketball* an early preview of the two areas that will matter most Tuesday vs. Oklahoma* RIP Rondale Moore* your Winter Olympics update If you're receiving this free podcast episode and would like to upgrade to a paid subscription that gives you access to all stories and premium podcast episodes, subscribe using the button below or clicking this link.Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

Michael speaks with Josh Meservey, a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and one of the nation's leading experts on African geopolitics and counterterrorism. Josh discusses the high-stakes Sudanese Civil War, its ripple effects across the Red Sea into the Middle East, and why the US has a stake in the region's stability, trade, and security. Josh also explains the Great Power competition unfolding in Africa as China works to escalate its influence.

Tad is joined to by artist Victor Santos to discuss Kid Maroon, Silenzio, and more! Silenzio is available through Victor's Substack, Broken English. https://brokenenglish.substack.com/s/silenzio

Tad is joined by Jeremy Whitley to discuss his double #1 crowdfunding campaign for Slay/The Girlfriend Survives. Back it now on Zoop. https://zoop.gg/c/slay

Shelly & Philip Bond return to 22 Panels to discuss 100 FAQ On Making Comics. Now funding on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sxbond/100-faq-on-making-comics

Ragebait, sponcon, A.I. slop — the internet of 2026 makes a lot of us nostalgic for the internet of 10 or 15 years ago.What exactly went wrong here? How did the early promise of the internet get so twisted? And what exactly is wrong here? What kinds of policies could actually make our digital lives meaningfully better?Cory Doctorow and Tim Wu have two different theories of the case, which I thought would be interesting to put in conversation together. Doctorow is a science fiction writer, an activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the author of “Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.” Wu is a law professor who worked on technology policy in the Biden White House; his latest book is “The Age of Extraction: How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity.”In this conversation, we discuss their different frameworks, and how they connect to all kinds of issues that plague the modern internet: the feeling that we're being manipulated; the deranging of our politics; the squeezing of small businesses and creators; the deluge of spam and fraud; the constant surveillance and privacy risks; the quiet rise of algorithmic pricing; and the dehumanization of work. And they lay out the policies that they think would go furthest in making all these different aspects of our digital lives better.Mentioned:Enshittification by Cory DoctorowThe Age of Extraction by Tim Wu“Fighting Enshittification” by Josh RichmanBook Recommendations:Small Is Beautiful by E. F. SchumacherManipulation by Cass R. SunsteinThe Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul KennedyCareless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsLittle Bosses Everywhere by Bridget ReadJules, Penny & the Rooster by Daniel PinkwaterThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Will Peischel. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cascione, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Michelle Harris, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. And special thanks to Natasha Scott. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tyleen is a massage therapist in Ontario and a third time guest. We hung out with her to talk about how she's moving forward in her career and stepping into a teaching role. Tyleen loves education, loves massage therapy, and loves being a part of helping the next generation of therapists fall in love with their career path. The A-ha moments excite her and make her want to show up the best she can for her students. Listen to Tyleen talk about the world of owning a home practice, the catalyst for needing a change, the excitement and fear of being the teacher, what she has learned about herself, and what the future may hold…2rmtsandamic.com

Founder of the Autism Scene Brit Payne, Psychocomicology's Dr. Edgar Ramos & Lee Woods, and Tad discuss Growing Up on the Spectrum with cartoonist Tess Langston. You can back Growing Up on the Spectrum on Kickstarter now! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/oneshipress/growing-up-on-the-spectrum

Andrew Coyne, columnist for The Globe and Mail, discusses Canada's national identity crisis amid growing threats from President Trump. He explores Canada's weakened national symbols and story, the decline of unifying narratives since the British Empire, and whether anti-Americanism is a unifying force. He argues Canada must strengthen internally through democratic reform, the removal of interprovincial trade barriers, and ambitious immigration to become a great power capable of defending itself in an increasingly hostile world. The Hub is Canada's fastest growing independent digital news outlet.   Subscribe to The Hub's podcast feed to get our best content when you are on the go: https://tinyurl.com/3a7zpd7e (Apple)  https://tinyurl.com/y8akmfn7 (Spotify) Follow The Hub on X: https://x.com/thehubcanada?lang=en   CREDITS: Amal Attar-Guzman - Producer and Editor   Rudyard Griffiths - Host Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - Photo Credit    To contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts email support@thehub.ca

A last-minute "permanent ceasefire" may mean that northeast Syria is back from the brink of Arab-Kurdish ethnic war. But ceasefires have repeatedly broken down since fighting resumed earlier this year, with Damascus demanding disbandment of the Rojava autonomous zone, and the integration of its institutions—including its military wing, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—into the central government. While the new pact sets a more "gradual" pace for this integration, the Kurdish aspiration to regional autonomy and the central government's insistence on centralization may prove a long-term obstacle to peace. In Episode 315 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg weighs the odds for avoiding a conflict that holds the potential for escalation to genocide, with the connivance of the Great Powers that so recently backed the SDF to fight ISIS. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 61 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 62!

Doug Wagner returns to 22 Panels to discuss his upcoming book Narco and more!

Cartoonist Ezra Claytan Daniels joins Tad to discuss his new book Mama Came Callin' (with artist Camilla Sucre).

In this podcast Kushal speaks with the former chief of R & AW Mr. Vikram Sood about his new book, "GREAT POWER GAMES : From Western Decline to Eastern Ascent." Follow Him: X: @Vikram_Sood Book: https://amzn.in/d/3Tiz4BJ #Trump #foreignpolicy #CIA #RAW #deepstate ------------------------------------------------------------ Listen to the podcasts on: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kushal-mehra-99891819 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rVcDV3upgVurMVW1wwoBp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c%C4%81rv%C4%81ka-podcast/id1445348369 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-carvaka-podcast ------------------------------------------------------------ Support The Cārvāka Podcast: Buy Kushal's Book: https://amzn.in/d/58cY4dU Become a Member on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPx... Become a Member on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carvaka UPI: kushalmehra@icici Interac Canada: kushalmehra81@gmail.com To buy The Carvaka Podcast Exclusive Merch please visit: http://kushalmehra.com/shop ------------------------------------------------------------ Follow Kushal: Twitter: https://twitter.com/kushal_mehra?ref_... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KushalMehraO... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarvakap... Koo: https://www.kooapp.com/profile/kushal... Inquiries: https://kushalmehra.com/ Feedback: kushalmehra81@gmail.com

Is modern technology draining your body and spirit by hijacking your attention and circadian rhythm? Josh Trent welcomes Tristan Scott, EMF expert, to the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast, episode 796, to reveal how EMFs and artificial light disrupt circadian rhythm, mitochondria, and melatonin, why modern screens keep us locked in fight or flight, how nature and light function as biological nutrition, what his concussion taught him about neuro sensitivity and human awareness, and why creating technology aligned with nature may be essential for the future of human health, creativity, and consciousness. Daylight Computer A new kind of computer, designed for deep focus and wellbeing. Daylight computer is a distraction-free operating system with everything you need, and nothing you don't. Write like on real paper, with a matte finish and textured surface that provides a natural, tactile writing experience, a glare-free notepad for the next chapter of your life. Live Paper feels like magic, with super-smooth scrolling and interactions across all your apps. Daylight redefined what a paper-like display can do, so you can focus without compromise. Get Yours Save $50 with code WELLNESS  In This Episode, Tristan Scott Uncovers: [01:15] The Dangers of Electromagnetic Inputs Why we don't need to be rich to spend more time in nature. How we consistently consume electromagnetic inputs. Why the body can only reset when we're not around any EMF sources. How nature optimizes our hormones, energy, and sleeping patterns. Resources: Tristan Scott Daylight Computer - $50 off with code WELLNESS [08:20] Safe Technology How we can use electronics without EMFs. Why technology can help us and be good for us if used correctly. How attention has become a currency. What led Tristan to develop a product that doesn't emit EMFs. [14:50] Is Blue Light Really Bad for You? Why blue light in nature is not bad for us. How the body's circadian rhythm is the most important foundation. The benefits of sunshine exposure. Why indoor blue light is addictive. [20:55] Why The Modern World Is Draining You How blue light and lack of sunlight disrupt melatonin production. Why drinking and smoking had a different impact on the body 100 years ago than it does now. How amber is easier to see than red light. Why Tristan feels overstimulated in the modern world. How we're giving too much of our energy to the environment we're in. Resources: Health and Light by John Ott [29:05] Humans Have Lost Touch with Themselves The meaning of the word "television." Why most people don't think on a deeper level, and why it has become an issue. The importance of sitting with our thoughts. How the digital world consumes us. [33:15] From Concussion to Biohacking How we voluntarily sign up for mind control every single day. Why the people who break out of phone addiction have a great ability to help others. How a concussion ended up being the best thing that happened to Tristan. Why he lives by the circadian principles. How he became sensitive to noise and light. [38:45] Screens for Neuro-Sensitivity How all LED lights and screens flicker. Why Tristan gets headaches from LED lights. How TBI creates neuro-sensitivity. [42:20] Light Can Harm You What happens in our body when we absorb light from the screens. How blue light can kill the mitochondria in our bodies. Why we live in a constant fight or flight state because of technology. How light negatively impacts everybody, even if we don't notice the effects on our body. [46:35] Light Is Food How light feeds our body. Why Daylight Computer brings us back to the baseline. How replacing something toxic with something neutral helps us function better. Resources: 772 Bad Air = Bad Mood? The Hidden Link Between Air Quality and Your Mind (Mike Feldstein) [51:25] Daylight Computer How Daylight Computer works with nature. Why Daylight is designed to look and feel like paper. How they're focused on a distraction-free computer experience. Why creativity is sparked in nature. [55:45] The Spiritual Price of Technology The spiritual price we pay for LED lights and flickering screens. How technological devices steal our human potential and experience. Why Josh took his tinnitus as a spiritual practice. How tinnitus is a symptom of electro-hypersensitivity. [01:00:50] There Are No Coincidences in Life How our bodies and souls communicate with each other. Why trauma can be passed down to seven generations. How we can't conceptualize invisible factors like EMFs. Why the increase in people with autism is a byproduct of our environment. [01:08:00] The Great Power of Humans How consciousness is contagious. Why we have the power to increase the Schumann resonance. How our sensitivity can become a superpower. [01:11:15] You Can Change The World What motivates Tristan to continue doing the work with Daylight. How alternative tools threaten the norm. Why we can change the world through ourselves. How the pandemic woke many people up to the truth. The importance of having strong faith. [01:17:15] The Future of Humanity Why we need a synergy between humans, nature, and technology. How technology can dehumanize us. What the future holds for humanity based on history. Why parents want to find the middle ground for how their children use technology. Resources: 782 Tom Bilyeu: Do THIS Before AI Takes 300 Million Jobs "We're dehumanized and we're no longer able to feel. We're conscious and highly sensitive beings, which is the deepest form of the human experience, but we're voluntarily signing up for mind control. Every time we open our phone, we lose touch with reality. We've put so much noise into our environment and the signal is now completely lost. That's why no one's intuitive." — Tristan Scott Leave Wellness + Wisdom a Review on Apple Podcasts All Resources From This Episode Tristan Scott Daylight Computer - $50 off with code WELLNESS Health and Light by John Ott 772 Bad Air = Bad Mood? The Hidden Link Between Air Quality and Your Mind (Mike Feldstein) 782 Tom Bilyeu: Do THIS Before AI Takes 300 Million Jobs Josh's Trusted Products | Up To 40% Off Shop All Products Biohacking⁠ ❤️ WAVwatch - Now 15% off with JOSH100

Tad & Phil discuss Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Magic, and more with writer Elizabeth Sandifer through the lens of her books The Last War in Albion. The Last War in Albion can be read for free at https://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/category/last-war-in-albion Enjoy listening?  Remember to Subscribe, Rate, and Review! And consider becoming a Patron. https://www.patreon.com/22panelspodcast  

Kyle Woelber wraps up our series, "The Responsibles".-Live From Brewster, WA. 1-25-26Learn more about Real Life Church and how to attend live here: https://reallifencw.com/

Tad discusses Megalopolis and more with writer, editor, all round industry veteran Chris Ryall.

Tad and Oni Press' Senior Sales Manager Michael Torma (TORMA!) about... everything comics... and well everything else... lots of laughter in this one.

SEGMENT 15: GREAT POWERS VERSUS SMALL STATES IN STRATEGIC THINKING Guest: Gregory Copley Copley contrasts how great powers often act impulsively while smaller states analyze carefully before moving. Discussion examines the hubris of major nations shooting from the hip on foreign policy, the advantages smaller countries gain through meticulous strategic calculation, and lessons for American policymakers in an increasingly complex world.

This week, Bill and Phil discuss Trump's return to Great Power politics - threats to Greenland, intervention in Venezuela, and potential regime change in Iran - then turn to the unrest in Minneapolis in response to ICE's lethal tactics.

When the Christians in Jerusalem were scattered by persecution, Philip went to Samaria and “proclaimed to them the Christ.” Astonishingly, many of the Samaritans believed and were baptized. When they received the Holy Spirit, even the most elite among them recognized the presence of a superior power to any other they had known before.

Psychocomicology's Dr. Edgar Ramos, Samantha Ramos, & Lee Woods join Tad in conversation with the creators of You Never Know - writer Elliott Mondry, artist Alicia Madden, & editor Blair Shiff.

The capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro by the United States feels like confirmation that we are in a new era of global politics, but what has caused this shift and where does it leave Europe? Amol speaks to Professor Helen Thompson, an expert on the history of globalisation and author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century, about how oil is fuelling competition between the US and China. They explore how it's reshaping global power politics, whether it's possible for Europe to decouple from the US and why high levels of national debt threaten to undermine Western economies. And Helen, who is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Cambridge, explains why she thinks there is a case for potentially reversing the independence of central banks like the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England to give politicians more control. (00:05:11) What is the Western Hemisphere? (00:07:45) The importance of Venezuela (00:11:05) How and why Washington is putting pressure on China (00:19:30) Why Trump is inspired by the US in the late 19th century (00:25:08) The rules based international order (00:29:00) Where does Europe fit into this new world? (00:30:52) Can Europe break away from the US? (00:33:30) Oil and the Western Economic Crisis (00:37:40) How is oil effecting power politics today? (00:40:40) What about renewable energy? (00:43:58) The coming debt emergency (00:46:30) Helen's RADICAL ideas (00:56:02) Amol's reflectionsGET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Jonny Hall. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Great power competition—particularly between the United States and China—is intensifying. This rivalry is reshaping everything from technology supply chains and energy security to the future of artificial intelligence.  This is happening at a time when US relations with India and Europe are under strain,  largely due to policy uncertainty and the administration's new trade strategies. So how should the US navigate this new era of great power competition? How do we balance economic competitiveness with security and energy objectives? Where do critical technologies like AI and clean energy fit into this geopolitical chess match? And what can cooperation, dialogue, and diplomacy do to address all of these issues?  Today on the show, Jason Bordoff speaks with Anja Manuel about the state of global competition and the critical intersection of energy and national security. Anja is a co-founder and partner at Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm. She's also the executive director of the Aspen Strategy Group and the Aspen Security Forum, one of the premier bipartisan assemblies for foreign policy in the United States. Previously, Anja served as special assistant to the undersecretary for political affairs in the U.S. Department of State. She's the author of "This Brave New World: India, China, and the United States." Note: This episode was recorded in mid-December and does not reflect the most recent events in Venezuela.  Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.  

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick returns to the turbulent twilight of the Ottoman Empire. Following the euphoria of the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, disillusionment quickly set in. We explore the 1909 Counter-Revolution, where religious conservatives and mutinous soldiers attempted to roll back constitutional rule and restore the Sultan's absolute power.But the restoration of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) did not bring stability. Instead, it exposed deep ethnic fault lines. Drawing on Eugene Rogan's The Fall of the Ottomans, we examine how the "Armenian Question" metastasized from a demand for civil rights into a pretext for mass murder.From the massacres in Adana to the cynical interventions of European powers, we trace the road to the first genocide of the 20th century. How did the fear of partition radicalize the Ottoman state? And what role did the Great Powers play in turning ethnic tension into catastrophe?Listen to this episode advert free on Patreon hereAlso, you can sign up for the Explaining History Russian Revolution Masterclass hereKey Topics:The 1909 Counter-Revolution: The failed attempt to restore Islamic law and absolutism.The Armenian Question: How demands for autonomy were viewed as an existential threat.The Adana Massacres: The prelude to the genocide of 1915.European Intervention: How Western meddling exacerbated sectarian violence.Books Mentioned:The Fall of the Ottomans by Eugene RoganExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Year Same Bullshit...actually worse. Nothing like kicking off 2026 with an unhinged Trump kidnapping a foreign leader for oil. Nice.  Topics for the show: There used to be rules for this shit. The US's foreign wars and policy has always been problematic but there used to be some sort of process and at least attempt to go through the proper channels. This has completely deteriorated over the last 2 decades and we end up with the mess Trump just created The US isn't on a way to becoming a surveillance state...it already is one...thanks to private companies like Flock Safety If you're gonna spy on people the least you could do would be to secure the cameras so anyone could watch them...right? Politico's interview with Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley shows how absolutely terrible these CEOs are Denver's city council votes to cancel it's contract with Flock Safety only to be overruled by the mayor Apparently if you point out and track Flock cameras you're now a terrorist organization Pay Day loans are back and worse than ever Bonus....Tech Companies have found more loopholes around anti-trust laws by just entering licensing agreements then hiring all the people from the company they want to acquire. Fantastic Guest: Ro @bookblerd.bsky.social‬   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!   Follow us on BlueSky: @InsanityReport  

Doug Keck discusses the Maduro arrest and Vinny Flynn has daily reflections on the Divine Mercy.

Israel has become the first country on Earth to recognize the de facto independent Republic of Somaliland, in exchange for a committment from Somaliland to join the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel. However, not three years ago, Israel joined the US as the only two countries on Earth to recognize Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara—a betrayal of the occupied Sahrawi Arab people who seek an independent state. And of course both these deals constitute a betrayal of the Palestinians. Somaliland and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic should be natural allies, and instead they are being pitted against each other in the Great Power game. Yet another example of how a global divide-and-rule racket is the essence of the state system. In Episode 311 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg breaks it down. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 61 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 62!

Tad is joined by Brazilian writer Rafael Scavone to discuss his latest work Devil's Luck: A Hailstone Story and more!

Tad is joined by FantagraphicsVP/Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds to discuss 50 years of Fantagraphics and more!

This week on Sinica, recorded at Yale University, I speak with Michael Brenes and Van Jackson, coauthors of The Rivalry Peril: How Great-Power Competition Threatens Peace and Weakens Democracy. Their argument is that framing the U.S.-China relationship as geopolitical rivalry has become more than just a foreign policy orientation — it's a domestic political project that reshapes budgets, norms, and coalitions in ways that actively harm American democracy and the American people. Rivalry narrows political possibility, makes dissent suspect, encourages neo-McCarthyism (the China Initiative, profiling of Chinese Americans), produces anti-AAPI hate, and redirects public investment away from social welfare and into defense spending through what they call "national security Keynesianism."Mike is interim director of the Brady Johnson Program in Grand Strategy at Yale, while Van is a senior lecturer in international relations at Victoria University of Wellington and host of the Un-Diplomatic Podcast. We discuss the genesis of their collaboration during the Biden administration, how they navigate China as a puzzle for the American left, canonical misrememberings of the Cold War that distort current China policy, the security dilemma feedback loop between Washington and Beijing, why defense-heavy stimulus is terrible at job creation, how rivalry politics weakens democracy, recent polling showing a shift toward engagement, and their vision for a "geopolitics of peace" anchored in Sino-U.S. détente 2.0.5:47 – The genesis of the book: recognizing Biden's Cold War liberalism 11:26 – How they approached writing together from different disciplinary homes 13:20 – Navigating China as a puzzle for the American left21:39 – How great power competition hardened from analytical framework into ideology 28:15 – Mike on two canonical misrememberings of the Cold War 33:18 – Van on the security dilemma and the nuclear feedback loop 39:55 – National security Keynesianism: why defense spending is bad at job creation 44:38 – How rivalry politics weakens democracy and securitizes dissent 48:09 – Building durable coalitions for restraint-oriented statecraft 51:27 – Has the post-COVID moral panic actually abated? 53:27 – The master narrative we need: a geopolitics of peace 55:29 – Associative balancing: achieving equilibrium through accommodation, not armsRecommendations:Van: The Long Twentieth Century by Giovanni Arrighi Mike: The World of the Cold War: 1945-1991 by Vladislav Zubok Kaiser: Pluribus (Apple TV series by Vince Gilligan)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tad is joined by comic scribes and real life pals Mark Russell & Bryce Ingman to discuss their recent books Aggie, TerrorBytes (Mark), and Death Dog (Bryce). And much, much more... Including, if you listen closely, first word of an upcoming book from Mark that you won't want to miss...

Tad talks with writer and publisher Mike Kennedy- founder of Magnetic Press- about Freaks Squeele and more! Freaks Squeele is crowdfunding on Kickstarter through January 2. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/label619/freaks-squeele?ref=csxkyn  

Sean Harklerode and Mark Pracht co-host with Tad in conversation with Jimmy Palmiotti about Jonah Hex and more!

In this episode, Sean and James explore how Europe’s fragile balance of power unraveled in 1914 — from rival alliances and Balkan tensions to the assassination in Sarajevo that sparked a global catastrophe. Join us as we discuss how in just six weeks, the Great Powers turned a regional crisis into the First World War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Argentina's recent vote under the shadow of a threatened $20 billion U.S. aid package to Russia's covert operations in the 2016 U.S. election, foreign meddling at the ballot box is more common and more dangerous than many citizens realize. In this episode of International Horizons, RBI interim director, Eli Karetny speaks with Dov Levin, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong and author of Meddling in the Ballot Box (Oxford University Press). Drawing on a unique global dataset, Levin explains how often great powers intervene in elections, why most operations are “inside jobs” coordinated with local elites, and why overt interventions frequently work better than covert ones. The conversation explores dirty tricks, founding elections, democratic backsliding, and how new voting technologies could reopen the door to old-fashioned ballot manipulation. 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

From Argentina's recent vote under the shadow of a threatened $20 billion U.S. aid package to Russia's covert operations in the 2016 U.S. election, foreign meddling at the ballot box is more common and more dangerous than many citizens realize. In this episode of International Horizons, RBI interim director, Eli Karetny speaks with Dov Levin, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong and author of Meddling in the Ballot Box (Oxford University Press). Drawing on a unique global dataset, Levin explains how often great powers intervene in elections, why most operations are “inside jobs” coordinated with local elites, and why overt interventions frequently work better than covert ones. The conversation explores dirty tricks, founding elections, democratic backsliding, and how new voting technologies could reopen the door to old-fashioned ballot manipulation. 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

From Argentina's recent vote under the shadow of a threatened $20 billion U.S. aid package to Russia's covert operations in the 2016 U.S. election, foreign meddling at the ballot box is more common and more dangerous than many citizens realize. In this episode of International Horizons, RBI interim director, Eli Karetny speaks with Dov Levin, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong and author of Meddling in the Ballot Box (Oxford University Press). Drawing on a unique global dataset, Levin explains how often great powers intervene in elections, why most operations are “inside jobs” coordinated with local elites, and why overt interventions frequently work better than covert ones. The conversation explores dirty tricks, founding elections, democratic backsliding, and how new voting technologies could reopen the door to old-fashioned ballot manipulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

From Argentina's recent vote under the shadow of a threatened $20 billion U.S. aid package to Russia's covert operations in the 2016 U.S. election, foreign meddling at the ballot box is more common and more dangerous than many citizens realize. In this episode of International Horizons, RBI interim director, Eli Karetny speaks with Dov Levin, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Hong Kong and author of Meddling in the Ballot Box (Oxford University Press). Drawing on a unique global dataset, Levin explains how often great powers intervene in elections, why most operations are “inside jobs” coordinated with local elites, and why overt interventions frequently work better than covert ones. The conversation explores dirty tricks, founding elections, democratic backsliding, and how new voting technologies could reopen the door to old-fashioned ballot manipulation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

For nearly two centuries, international relations have been premised on the idea of the "Great Powers." As the thinking went, these mighty states—the European empires of the nineteenth century, the United States and the USSR during the Cold War—were uniquely able to exert their influence on the world stage because of their overwhelming military capabilities. But this conception of power fails to capture the more complicated truth about how wars are fought and won.  Our focus on the importance of large, well-equipped armies and conclusive battles has obscured the foundational forces that underlie military victories and the actual mechanics of successful warfare. Phillips O'Brien suggests a new framework of "full-spectrum powers," taking into account all of the diverse factors that make a state strong—from economic and technological might, to political stability, to the complex logistics needed to maintain forces in the field.  Drawing on examples ranging from Napoleon's France to today's ascendant China, he offers a critical new understanding of what makes a power truly great. Phillips Payson O'Brien is a professor of strategic studies and head of the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author of six books, including his latest War and Power: Who Wins Wars—and Why.

Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa's White House meeting with Donald Trump followed the removal of his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the list of designated "terrorist organizations" both at the State Department and at the UN. It also coincided with raids against ISIS by his security forces, raising the prospect of his government being invited to join the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The Washington visit also came just a month after al-Sharaa's similar trip to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where a deal was brokered allowing Russia to keep its military bases in Syria. Amid all this, Syria continues to see forced disappearances and other abuses targeting Druze, Alawites and Kurds—pointing to the looming threat of an ethnic or sectarian internal war. The US troop presence in Syria is largely embedded among the Kurdish forces in the east. As al-Sharaa becomes a new "anti-terrorist" partner (or proxy) for the Great Powers, will these troops be withdrawn—providing a "green light" for the Damascus government to attack the Kurdish autonomous zone? In Episode 305 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg weighs the risks at this critical moment in Syria's transition process, nearly one year after the fall of the Assad dictatorship. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 61 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 62!

The conversation moves back to the USSR with Nikita Khrushchev's 1956 Secret Speech, which led to disruption in Eastern Europe. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) is analyzed as an act of traditional great power politics driven by the desire to prove Soviet superiority and overturn the strategic balance in intercontinental ballistic missiles. The 1979 invasion of Afghanistan is highlighted as a remarkable mistake that undermined détente and gave the United States an opportunity to pressure the USSR. Mikhail Gorbachev attempted to reform and reinvigorate Soviet communism based on a close reading of Marx and Lenin, but failed because he did not understand that the system was not popular and rested entirely on force.

Syria's Complex Geopolitics: Air Bases, Sanctions, Accountability, and Great Power Mediation Guest: Ahmad Sharawi Ahmad Sharawi discussed the non-transparent situation in Syria, focusing on reports of potential US air bases (Mezzeh and Dumayr), with denials from the Syrian government suggesting they won't possess the bases but might allow US use for counter-ISIS missions or potentially a security agreement requested by Israel for deconfliction, noting a recent US C-130 spotted landing at the Mezzeh air base near Damascus, while during a reported White House visit, Syrian requests included the removal of Caesar sanctions (partially waived by President Trump) and an Israeli withdrawal from the southern border buffer zone, with domestic movement towards accountability for the Suwayda province massacre and government security forces being arrested, as a Russian military delegation visited Damascus and southern Syria, potentially acting as a deconfliction mechanism between Syria and Israeli forces, with Russia's goal appearing to be balancing regional interests while maintaining its bases in western Syria. 1307

CONTINUED Syria's Complex Geopolitics: Air Bases, Sanctions, Accountability, and Great Power Mediation Guest: Ahmad Sharawi Ahmad Sharawi discussed the non-transparent situation in Syria, focusing on reports of potential US air bases (Mezzeh and Dumayr), with denials from the Syrian government... 1505

The Egyptian-Hittite Treaty. In regnal year 21 (c.1272 BCE), Ramesses II announced a treaty with Hattusili III. The two kings united in "peace and brotherhood, forever," and agreed to a raft of provisions regarding their territories, vassals, rules-of-succession, and more. As the first (surviving) treaty between the two Great Powers, the year 21 agreement is a landmark in the history of diplomacy. We explore the text and its impact... Music: Luke Chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bold, revisionist study of modern warfare, showing that military victory is rooted not in large armies and decisive battles, but in the full spectrum of economic, political, and social power. For nearly two centuries, international relations have been premised on the idea of the "Great Powers." As the thinking went, these mighty states--the European empires of the nineteenth century, the United States and the USSR during the Cold War--were uniquely able to exert their influence on the world stage because of their overwhelming military capabilities. But as military historian Phillips Payson O'Brien argues in War and Power: Who Wins Wars--And Why (PublicAffairs, 2025), this conception of power fails to capture the more complicated truth about how wars are fought and won. Our focus on the importance of large, well-equipped armies and conclusive battles has obscured the foundational forces that underlie military victories and the actual mechanics of successful warfare. O'Brien suggests a new framework of "full-spectrum powers," taking into account all of the diverse factors that make a state strong--from economic and technological might, to political stability, to the complex logistics needed to maintain forces in the field. Drawing on examples ranging from Napoleon's France to today's ascendant China, War and Power offers a critical new understanding of what makes a power truly great. It is vital reading in today's perilous world. 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

In today's episode, we dive deep into leadership, legacy, and lessons from one of the Air Force's top decision-makers. Reflecting on his tenure, he shared the three major accomplishments that shaped the force's trajectory — from advancing modernization through $100 billion in operational imperatives to restructuring training and investment systems for great power competition. Perhaps most importantly, he instilled a sense of urgency across the Air and Space Forces — a mindset shift recognizing the need to move faster against near-peer threats like China. Yet, he also warns that current "efficiency" cuts and forced talent exits risk undoing progress, creating readiness gaps, and draining critical expertise when it's needed most. Key Takeaways: Modernization with purpose: Seven operational imperatives focused on resilience, technology, and modernization to strengthen U.S. readiness against China. Cultural transformation: Re-optimizing the Air Force for great power competition to improve agility, training, and decision-making. Leadership warning: Current waves of cuts and forced retirements threaten to weaken readiness and morale, undoing years of strategic progress. Join the Bootcamp: https://govcongiants.org/bootcamp Learn more: https://federalhelpcenter.com/ https://govcongiants.org/ 

In this bonus interview, I sit down with Phillips Payson O'Brien and we discuss his latest book: War and Power: Who Wins Wars—and Why. For nearly two centuries, international relations have been premised on the idea of the “Great Powers.” As the thinking went, these mighty states—the European empires of the nineteenth century, the United States and the USSR during the Cold War—were uniquely able to exert their influence on the world stage because of their overwhelming military capabilities. But as military historian Phillips Payson O'Brien argues in War and Power, this conception of power fails to capture the more complicated truth about how wars are fought and won.Our focus on the importance of large, well-equipped armies and conclusive battles has obscured the foundational forces that underlie military victories and the actual mechanics of successful warfare. O'Brien suggests a new framework of “full-spectrum powers,” taking into account all of the diverse factors that make a state strong—from economic and technological might, to political stability, to the complex logistics needed to maintain forces in the field.Drawing on examples ranging from Napoleon's France to today's ascendant China, War and Power offers a critical new understanding of what makes a power truly great. It is vital reading in today's perilous world.Buy The Book HereSupport Western Civ

HEADLINE: Sentinel ICBM Modernization is Critical and Cost-Effective Deterrent Against Great Power CompetitionGUEST NAME: Peter Huessy SUMMARY: John Batchelor speaks with Peter Huessy about the Sentinel program replacing aging 55-year-old Minuteman ICBMs, aiming for lower operating costs and improved capabilities. Cost overruns stem from necessary infrastructure upgrades, including replacing thousands of miles of digital command and control cabling and building new silos. Maintaining the ICBM deterrent is financially and strategically crucial, saving hundreds of billions compared to relying solely on submarines. The need for modernization reflects the end of the post-Cold War "holiday from history," requiring rebuilding against threats from China and Russia. 1958