Podcasts about indo pacific

In this January 26th episode of the RattlerGator Report, JB White opens with a candid personal update, confronting health challenges and the hard decisions that come with them. From there, the conversation expands rapidly into the accelerating pace of global events. JB breaks down General Flynn's recent warnings, unpacking unrest within China, the instability surrounding Xi Jinping, and what potential internal fractures could mean for U.S. foreign policy and global power dynamics. The episode explores America's strategic posture across Europe and the Indo-Pacific, including shifting alliances, the role of Greece, and the broader implications of energy, technology, and military positioning. JB also examines the failures of international institutions, the decline of old power structures, and why patience and strategic restraint may matter more than reaction. Blending personal reflection with sharp geopolitical analysis, this episode captures a moment where health, leadership, and world events collide — and nothing appears to be slowing down.

On January 27, 2026, India and the European Union are expected to announce “the mother of all trade deals” - a historic Free Trade Agreement covering 25% of the world's GDP. After decades of protectionism, India is pivoting fast, racing to sign deals with developed economies like the EU, UAE, and Australia while diversifying away from China. But why now? And where does this leave the US under Trump 2.0?In this episode, Anuj Gupta, Managing Director of BowerGroupAsia (India) and former Chief of Staff to India's Commerce Minister, takes us inside the room where these deals happen. We discuss:• The Big Shift: Why 2014 was the turning point for India's trade strategy and why they walked away from the RCEP trading bloc.• The Pivot: Why India is suddenly rushing to sign FTAs with the West after years of hesitation.• Geopolitics: How India balances Russian oil imports with EU trade ambitions and US strategic ties.• The Future: Is India trying to be a bridge between blocs, or becoming a “third pole” in the global economy?Whether you're a business leader, policy watcher, or just curious about where the world economy is heading, this episode breaks down why India's new playbook matters to you.Anuj Gupta leads the India practice at BowerGroupAsia. A seasoned policy strategist, he previously served as Chief of Staff to India's Minister for Commerce & Industry, where he helped shape key initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and India's recent wave of FTAs. He has also led public policy for the Tata Group. Follow Anuj on LinkedIn or on X, @anujg • Follow the podcast on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn, or Facebook• Follow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedIn, or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLight• Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn• Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is often described as a maritime region, but the oceans here are far more than geography. They are trade corridors, food sources, energy highways, and increasingly, sites of strategic competition. How states think about security at sea—what some now call blue security—is becoming central to regional order. Dr Troy Lee-Brown (Research Fellow, University of Western Australia Defence and Security Institute, and Project Manager of the Blue Security Program) Recorded on 19th January, 2026.

Is Taiwan's greatest vulnerability China's military or political warfare from within? J. Michael Cole—former Canadian intelligence officer, Senior Fellow with Global Taiwan Institute and author of “The Taiwan Tinderbox: The Island Nation at the Center of the New Cold War”—reveals how Chinese Communist Party influence operations, Taiwan independence debates and political divisions threaten cross-strait stability more than invasion scenarios.Taiwan's Internal Security CrisisCole exposes how CCP proxies use cognitive warfare, espionage and co-optation to weaken Taiwan's defense capabilities from within. Taiwan's democracy creates a paradox: countering Chinese influence without becoming authoritarian. Opposition parties blocking defense spending increases—Taiwan aims for 5% GDP military spending—sends conflicting signals about Taiwan's commitment to self-defense, weakening deterrence against Beijing.Taiwan Identity & Independence MovementsTaiwan's divisions trace to indigenous peoples, Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945, and post-1949 Kuomintang (KMT) arrival. Cole identifies two critical movements: Taidu (Taiwan independence) and Huadu (Republic of China supporters opposing Beijing annexation). United, they'd form a powerful defense against the Chinese pressure campaign, but real unity has been elusive.Hong Kong's Cautionary TaleBeijing's crushing of Hong Kong democracy under “one country, two systems” became China's worst propaganda failure for Taiwan unification. Young Taiwanese watched personal connections to Hong Kong destroyed, solidifying opposition across the political spectrum, so that even the dovish KMT publicly rejects Chinese unification proposals.Chinese Cognitive Warfare SuccessWhile China failed to convince Taiwanese they're Chinese—unification support remains below 5%—Beijing has succeeded at fostering divisions and increasing skepticism of America's reliability as a defense partner. Internet content farms and co-opted politicians amplify CCP narratives from within, exploiting Taiwan democracy against itself.The Greatest Threat: Accidental EscalationCole's nightmare scenario isn't invasion but normalized PLA presence near Taiwan. Chinese naval forces, drones, coast guard and maritime militia crowding Taiwan's waters increase collision and miscommunication risks. Beijing stands ready to exploit incidents through disinformation, blame Taiwan, and then escalate in unpredictable ways.Taiwan's Defense Strategy EvolutionTaiwan has shifted from passive defense to counter-force capabilities: domestically produced anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles targeting China. This has required US approval, marking a major US Taiwan relations policy shift. Taiwan now emphasizes semiconductor supply chain criticality and first island chain security to make conflict consequences resonate globally.Why Taiwan's Democracy MattersCole's 20-year Taiwan residence reflects the island's resilience: a vibrant democracy thriving under constant Chinese military threat, successful despite isolation, and a model for defending democratic values without authoritarianism.

In this 59th edition of The World According to Irina Tsukerman, the biweekly geopolitical series on The KAJ Masterclass LIVE, we examine accelerating global power shifts spanning Iran, Venezuela, Greenland, the Red Sea, and South Asia. National security lawyer and geopolitical analyst Irina Tsukerman unpacks evolving U.S., Israeli, Gulf, NATO, and Indo-Pacific strategies shaping today's unstable world order. This episode offers leaders and professionals clear, decision-grade insight into emerging conflicts, alliance realignments, and strategic risks ahead.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has also escalated a shadow war against the West. Using cyberattacks, destruction of property, arson, assassinations, and information operations, Russian agents sow chaos and fear, while probing and testing capabilities and responses in the event of a broader full-scale war. In a wide-ranging conversation, host Bakhti Nishanov talks to shadow war and energy expert Benjamin Schmitt about his experiences tracking Russia's sabotage attempts across the globe. They delve into Schmitt's quest to show the world how Russia's actions affect the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the West, a journey that has taken him from Chile to the Arctic to the Baltic Sea and beyond.  Read "Underwater Mayhem: Countering Threats to Energy and Critical Infrastructure Across the NATO Alliance and Beyond," here: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/subsea-sabotage-protecting-energy-infrastructure-from-hostile-aggression/  --- Benjamin L. Schmitt is a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds a joint academic appointment with the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. He is also a senior fellow and the director of the graduate program at Perry World House. At Penn, Schmitt focuses on the project development and field deployment of the Simons Observatory, a new set of experimental cosmology telescopes and energy support infrastructure under construction at a high-altitude site in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. In his joint role at Penn, he also pursues research and teaching with the Kleinman Center related to European energy security, critical infrastructure protection, export controls policies, and modern sanctions regimes. At Perry World House, Schmitt focuses on national security analysis focused on the transatlantic community and the Indo-Pacific, as well as emerging space security challenges. Previously, Schmitt was a research associate and project development scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where he supported the technical design, project management, and deployment of novel instrumentation and infrastructure for next-generation experimental cosmology telescopes at the South Pole. For this work, he traveled to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica in early 2020 and received the U.S. Antarctica Service Medal. Schmitt remains an affiliate of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and is also an associate of the Harvard-Ukrainian Research Institute. Schmitt is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is co-founder of the Duke Space Diplomacy Lab, where he is also a fellow of Duke's Rethinking Diplomacy Program. Schmitt is also a senior fellow for Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Previously, Schmitt served as European energy security advisor at the U.S. Department of State, where he advanced diplomatic engagement vital to the energy and national security interests of the transatlantic community, with a focus on supporting the resilience of NATO's eastern flank and Ukraine in the face of Russian malign energy activities. Schmitt has been an invited lecturer on energy, national security, and science policy at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the National Defense University, and more. He also regularly publishes in Foreign Policy, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, The Hill, Atlantic Council, and Harvard International Review. Schmitt regularly provides expert commentary for print, television, and radio, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, NPR's Marketplace, BBC World Service, Slate, Vox, The Sunday Telegraph, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Bild Zeitung, Handelsblatt, and the Kyiv Post. Schmitt is a past recipient of the Government of Poland's Amicus Poloniae Award, has been honored as "Ukraine's Friend of the Week" by the Kyiv Post, and has received both Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards from the U.S. Department of State. Before entering government, Schmitt served as a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow while pursuing doctoral research in experimental cosmology at the University of Pennsylvania. For this work, Schmitt received both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in experimental physics from the University of Pennsylvania. Schmitt has also previously served as a U.S. Fulbright Research Fellow to the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. Schmitt is an Eastman School of Music trained classical vocalist with multiple leading operatic roles and solo concert performances on his resume. He is also a member of the United States Golf Association. Schmitt is a proud native of Rochester, New York. He resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. --- This podcast is hosted by Bakhti Nishanov and produced by Alanna Novetsky, in conjunction with the Senate Recording Studio.

In this episode, I sit down with Josh Bates, a retired United States Marine Corps officer whose career spanned infantry, counterintelligence, and human intelligence operations. Josh served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as additional operational assignments across the Indo-Pacific.Josh is a graduate of:• University of San Diego (BA, Political Science)• Marine Corps University (MA, Military Studies)• Hawai‘i Pacific University (MA, Diplomacy and Military Studies)He currently lives in Kailua, Hawai‘i, and The Baghdad Shuffle—a gripping, morally complex thriller—is his debut novel.We talk about war, identity, truth, and how lived experience shapes fiction that doesn't flinch from reality.

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – The United States, China, Russia, and Iran don't operate alone. They rely on alliances, partners, and proxies—working together economically and militarily to project power, deter rivals, and advance strategic interests across the globe. From the Middle East and Eastern Europe to the Indo-Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, Fred Galvin explains how...

The U.S.-India partnership has been a cornerstone of American Indo-Pacific strategy for two decades, but it's now facing its most serious crisis. After bipartisan American efforts to bring India into closer partnership as a counterweight to China, President Trump has triggered the most dramatic deterioration in U.S.-India relations in a generation. What began with optimism in Delhi about Trump 2.0 has devolved into a breakdown of trust, escalating tariffs, and diplomatic miscalculation that threatens the entire architecture of Indo-Pacific security.​In this essential episode, hosts Ray Powell (former U.S. military officer) and Jim Carouso (former U.S. diplomat) welcome back James Crabtree - distinguished visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, former Financial Times bureau chief for India, and author of the acclaimed book “The Billionaire Raj.” Drawing on his recent Foreign Affairs article, “The India That Trump Made,” Crabtree unpacks how two decades of strategic partnership have been upended in less than a year.​What Happened?India expected favorable treatment from Trump given Modi's strong personal relationship with the president during his first term. Instead, they received 50% tariffs - first 25% on general goods, then another 25% for buying Russian oil, putting India's tariff burden equal to China's. Then came the Pakistan crisis: when India and Pakistan clashed in Operation Sindor, Trump claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire that India insists he didn't actually broker. Trump's perceived slight over not receiving sufficient credit has fueled ongoing tensions, while Pakistan successfully leveraged the moment through crypto deals, a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Trump, and high-level military diplomacy.​Strategic ConsequencesThe Quad, the critical U.S.-Australia-India-Japan partnership, is essentially stalled, with a planned summit canceled and little energy for revival. India is now pursuing what Crabtree calls a “pivot to Europe,” seeking to replace American technology transfer, investment, and defense expertise with European alternatives. An EU-India summit in January will likely announce a long-negotiated trade deal, marking India's shift toward multi-alignment rather than U.S. partnership.​Meanwhile, Pakistan has successfully re-emerged as a regional player, signing security treaties with Saudi Arabia that include nuclear assurances and repositioning itself diplomatically after years in India's shadow. Russia remains a “diminishing asset” for India due to supply unreliability and limited technological offerings, though Delhi still needs Moscow for defense systems like the S-400 and to prevent Russia from becoming a complete Chinese vassal state.​India's FutureDespite the diplomatic turbulence, India posted 8% GDP growth last quarter and remains on a positive economic trajectory, though still a developing country at $2,000-3,000 per capita income. Prime Minister Modi, now in his third term and 11 years in office, continues to dominate Indian politics and will likely seek a fourth term, cementing his status as the most significant political figure in independent Indian history. India's “Make in India” defense ambitions are advancing slowly, with systems like the BrahMos missile finding export success in Southeast Asia, though India remains heavily import-dependent for military hardware.​Can U.S.-India trust be rebuilt? Crabtree is pessimistic: “The trust that had been built up between the U.S. and India over a two-decade period has been destroyed”. The pro-American camp in Delhi that architected the strategic partnership has been undermined, while pro-Russia voices feel vindicated.

Send us a textArticle by Adam Entous of the New York TimesThe Separation: Inside the Unraveling U.S.-Ukraine Partnershiphttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/30/world/europe/ukraine-war-us-russia.htmlWe trace Ukraine's war from early U.S.–Ukraine partnership to a fragile “separation,” where support is uneven, Europe scales up late, and a DMZ-style end state competes with continued attrition. Adam Entous of the New York Times lays out the battlefield, the backchannels, and the choices that could lock in peace—or prolong risk.• The shift from artillery dominance to drone warfare and frozen lines• Why Donetsk and Luhansk are strategic, not just symbolic• Security guarantees as deterrence architecture short of NATO• Sanctions and Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian refineries• U.S. policy splits: munitions for Ukraine vs Indo-Pacific stockpiles• The Whitkoff–Kushner channel and Russia's “inevitability” narrative• Europe's rearmament and the slow ramp of 155 mm production• Russian incompetence vs Ukrainian resilience on the ground• What a DMZ-style settlement might require to holdPlease tell your friends about my showYou can find out more about me at https://www.bookclues.com

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – The United States, China, Russia, and Iran don't operate alone. They rely on alliances, partners, and proxies—working together economically and militarily to project power, deter rivals, and advance strategic interests across the globe. From the Middle East and Eastern Europe to the Indo-Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, Fred Galvin explains how...

In this episode, host Steve Yates is joined by Andrew J. Phelan, Australian med-tech entrepreneur, former government advisor, and longtime China watcher, for a wide-ranging conversation on the growing global confrontation with the Chinese Communist Party.Phelan reflects on recent events in Australia, including the Bondi tragedy, and examines how information warfare, social media platforms like TikTok, and foreign influence operations are shaping public opinion—especially among younger generations. From there, the discussion expands to Australia's China policy under Prime Minister Albanese, U.S.–Australia alliance dynamics, and the limits of appeasement.The conversation dives deep into the technology Cold War: export controls, semiconductors, AI, supply-chain dependence, Chinese overcapacity, and the role of Western capital in financing China's rise. Phelan argues that 2025 marks a true inflection point—one defined by economic bifurcation, strategic risk, and growing pressure around Taiwan.This episode offers a clear-eyed assessment of where things stand heading into 2026—and why democracies must respond by grounding strategy in values, sovereignty, and long-term discipline rather than short-term convenience. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

Today Justin sits down with Dr. Brian J. Ellison. Brian has a Master's degree in International Security from American University and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London. He's worked as a senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analysis and at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory where he has specialized in Chinese strategic affairs, naval warfare and intelligence. His work has led to significant policy, operational, and institutional changes within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the overall intelligence community. In 2014, Brian was awarded the commendation for Meritorious Civilian Service by Commander Mar Fork Pack for his research and analysis of the Marine Corps's organizational challenges in the Indo-Pacific. He's here today to discuss human intelligence operations by the US Navy in the Pacific Theater of Operations, which he details in his new book. Connect with Brian: brian.j.ellison@gmail.com Check out the book, Quiet Wars: U.S. Naval Human Intelligence Operations during Crises with China, 1931–1965, here. https://a.co/d/7CS3Gs9 Connect with Spycraft 101: Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here. spycraft101.com IG: @spycraft101 Shop: shop.spycraft101.com Patreon: Spycraft 101 Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here. Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here. Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here. Kruschiki The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Episode 122, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Dr. Robert Burrell, retired US Marine Corps officer and irregular warfare specialist, and Colonel (Ret.) Michael Burgoyne, University of Arizona professor and former Army attaché in Mexico, to analyze the unprecedented US military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026. The experts explore the operation's implications for the Indo-Pacific, US foreign policy, and the international rules-based order.The Venezuela Operation: A New PrecedentBurrell and Burgoyne dissect the extraordinary special operations mission that extracted Maduro in just two and a half hours. The guests explain how three decades of authoritarian rule under Hugo Chávez and Maduro created a nexus between China, Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah in America's hemisphere. The 2024 election, won by opposition candidate Edmundo González, was rigged by Maduro, prompting the Trump administration's decisive action led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Legal and Strategic ImplicationsThe discussion examines the operation's framing as a law enforcement action under foreign terrorist organization designations - a controversial use of Article 2 presidential powers without Congressional authorization. Burgoyne warns this unilateral approach abandons post-WWII hemispheric cooperation frameworks like the Organization of American States Charter and the “Good Neighbor Policy,” returning instead to early 20th-century interventionism reminiscent of Theodore Roosevelt's corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.Indo-Pacific ConnectionsThe experts draw critical parallels for Indo-Pacific allies who depend on international law and the rules-based order. Countries like Japan, the Philippines, and Australia may question US commitment to multilateral norms, while adversaries like China could exploit the precedent to justify their own unilateral actions. Brazil and other regional powers are already diversifying partnerships with China and BRICS nations, concerned about unpredictable US interventionism and trade policy.What Comes Next?With Maduro's vice president maintaining control in Caracas and the regime apparatus intact, the guests outline scenarios ranging from peaceful opposition transition to Libya-style state collapse. They emphasize Venezuela's complexity: three decades of corruption, transnational criminal organizations, and a population unfamiliar with democracy. Best-case scenarios require international cooperation and long-term US commitment - both uncertain given the operation's unilateral nature.The episode concludes with sobering assessments about narrative control, regional stability, and whether this operation serves as prologue to regime change efforts in Cuba and Nicaragua.

In Episode 121, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Craig Singleton, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former US diplomat, to examine Taiwan's critical energy vulnerability and China's gray zone coercion strategies. Singleton, co-author of FDD's recent report “Maritime Protection of Taiwan's Energy Vulnerability,” reveals how Taiwan's mere 10-day supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) creates an Achilles heel Beijing could exploit without firing a shot - and why semiconductor supply chains, global economies, and US deterrence strategy all hang in the balance.Taiwan's Energy Crisis: 10 Days to DisasterTaiwan imports 90% of its energy, with over half arriving by sea as LNG from suppliers who may be susceptible to PRC coercion. Through extensive war gaming featuring participants from Taiwan's National Security Council, Japan, Australia and former Trump administration officials including Matt Pottinger, Singleton's team discovered Taiwan would face “Sophie's Choice” dilemmas within two weeks of a Chinese quarantine. The scenario revealed that energy companies would be pressured to comply with new and onerous requirements, while diplomatic pressure to reduce just one LNG shipment per week could trigger cascading blackouts and force Taiwan to choose between powering hospitals or semiconductor fabrication plants.​Quarantine vs. Blockade: The Gray Zone AdvantageSingleton explains the critical distinction between blockades - which carry international legal consequences and can activate UN responses - and quarantines, which exist in “squishy” legal territory that China deliberately exploits. During war gaming, Singleton playing Xi Jinping accomplished every objective without triggering US red lines by characterizing aggressive actions as “safety inspections” and “counter-piracy operations,” language already familiar from South China Sea operations. This asymmetric approach keeps American responses in “off” mode while systematically degrading Taiwan's resilience through political warfare and disinformation campaigns.​Semiconductor Leverage and Allied ResponseWhen Taiwan's war game participants announced they would cut power to TSMC to force international intervention, it represented a mic-drop moment - Taiwan exercising agency by threatening global semiconductor supply chains. The scenario exposed uncomfortable truths about allied commitment, with Japan able to weather the crisis due to substantial LNG reserves, while Australia's involvement remained uncertain despite AUKUS commitments. Singleton argues classic deterrence models map poorly onto gray zone operations, and reestablishing deterrence after allowing coercion to proceed requires “outsized” responses that current political will may not support.​Solutions: From LNG Diversification to Nuclear ReactorsSingleton advocates for increased US LNG exports to Taiwan, enhanced energy storage through hardened mountain facilities and floating terminals, and reconsideration of small modular reactors (SMRs) at key government and military sites - potentially creating a deterrent effect against Chinese targeting due to nuclear fallout risks. The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act's increase from $300 million to $1 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan represents progress, but energy resilience remains the critical vulnerability China will exploit.

In this special year-end edition, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso reflect on a transformative 2025 in the Indo-Pacific, examining the dramatic shift from conventional diplomacy to hard power politics under the Trump 2.0 administration. The episode provides a comprehensive review of the podcast's most impactful conversations, from national government leaders to topical experts, while analyzing the year's major geopolitical developments.Trump 2.0 and the Hard Power PivotJim and Ray discuss how the year began with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel's appearance, marking the podcast's first sitting ambassador interview. Following President Trump's January inauguration, 2025 witnessed a fundamental reorientation of American Indo-Pacific policy away from soft power initiatives toward military deterrence and economic leverage through tariffs. They discuss how this approach disrupted established norms and international agreements, with potential Supreme Court challenges to executive power looming in 2026.China's Gray Zone and Political Warfare CampaignsGray zone and political warfare emerged as a dominant theme, with a topical episode featuring the RAND Corporation's Todd Helmus becoming the year's most downloaded audio content. The hosts recall what they learned about China's comprehensive political warfare strategy, which treats peacetime as a mere continuation of conflict through non-military means. Notable coverage included the extraordinary incident where two Chinese Coast Guard vessels collided near Scarborough Shoal, producing the year's top video episode as Beijing's propagandists struggled for four days to craft a narrative blaming the Philippines for a setback they couldn't admit to.Regional Flashpoints and ConflictsThe podcast provided critical context for unexpected conflicts, including the India-Pakistan and Thailand-Cambodia border wars. These complex, multi-generational disputes were unpacked by regional experts like Indian strategic analyst Nitin Gokhale and former Cambodian Ambassador Pou Sothirak.The Trump-Modi Relationship UnravelsWhat began as a seemingly stable partnership deteriorated rapidly in 2025, with Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin providing blunt analysis of an unexpectedly cooling U.S.-India relationship. The Trump administration's surprising pivot toward Pakistan represented a stunning reversal from Trump 1.0 policies, raising questions about Quad's future effectiveness and regional security cooperation.Transnational Crime and Human TraffickingInvestigative reporting by the Washington Post's Sue-Lin Wong exposed the exponential expansion and brutal reality of scam compounds across Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines, where human trafficking victims are forced into “pig-butchering” and cryptocurrency fraud operations. We also featured Washington Post reporter Rebecca Tan discussing the methamphetamine crisis fueled by Chinese precursor chemicals flowing through lawless Myanmar territories into markets across Asia.Historic Interviews and Podcast Milestones2025 brought unprecedented access, including interviews with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and the podcast's first head-of-state guest, Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr. Documentary filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama also came on to discuss Beijing's failed attempt to suppress her West Philippine Sea documentary, while North Korean defector Timothy Cho shared his harrowing escape story.​The hosts also recall the podcast's experiments with live broadcasts covering Australia's election results and China-Japan tensions.2026 OutlookMonthly listenership quadrupled in 2025, establishing the podcast as the leading Indo-Pacific affairs platform. As 2026 approaches, the hosts anticipate continued geopolitical turbulence, Supreme Court tariff decisions and evolving great power competition dynamics across the region.

In this episode of The China Desk, host Steve Yates speaks with US-China Economic and Security Review Commission members Randy Schriver and Mike Kuiken about the Commission's latest annual report to Congress. The conversation breaks down China's rapid advances in space as a warfighting domain, quantum computing and encryption threats, biotechnology competition, and deep vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains. Drawing on decades of national security experience, the guests explain why technological literacy, allied coordination, and long-term investment are now critical to maintaining U.S. and allied security in the Indo-Pacific. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@ChinaDeskFNW

Marxist-Leninist ideology in China has remained consistent since 1949 with successive dictators adapting Mao's version of communism with new twists and turns. Deng Xiaoping took the greatest departure from Maoism but kept Marxism-Leninism as the state ideology. Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao put their spin on communism, while also maintaining ideological continuity. Under Xi Jinping today, communism in China is experiencing a forced revival within the Chinese Communist Party despite the masses of China's people recognizing it as a failed European ideology deserving of contempt. This episode explains how Xi is reverting to Mao-style totalitarian communism and a more aggressive expansion around the world. For the counterproposal, this episode explains why mere anti-communism is not enough and a new faith-based worldview is the ultimate solution to defeating communism. For the news section, this program addresses how artificial intelligence is being used by the Indo-Pacific command to deter conflict with China. The interview portion hears from Bradley Thayer, an expert on both China and communism.

International Law and Security in Indo-Pacific: Strategic Design for the Region (Routledge, 2025) edited by Dr. Joanna Siekiera uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss international law and conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, covering topics such as maritime security, climate change and international relations. Detailing how international relations and particular state interests govern regional and global partnerships, the book provides suggestions for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. Exploring how conflict within the region has international repercussions, topics covered include the role of South-East Asian countries, and the role of statehood of small islands in Oceania. Detailing harmonization of laws and policies in the context of international security and maritime law, the book focuses on the impact of climate change and other topical issues such as cyber security and the protection of cultural identity. The book will be of interest to researchers in the field of international law, law of the sea, international relations and security.Dr. Joanna Siekiera is an expert in international law, NATO consultant, trainer, and educator. She currently works as the Assistant Professor at the War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland. She is also a fellow at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Quantico and supports various military institutions as a legal SME and course facilitator.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. 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

International Law and Security in Indo-Pacific: Strategic Design for the Region (Routledge, 2025) edited by Dr. Joanna Siekiera uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss international law and conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, covering topics such as maritime security, climate change and international relations. Detailing how international relations and particular state interests govern regional and global partnerships, the book provides suggestions for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. Exploring how conflict within the region has international repercussions, topics covered include the role of South-East Asian countries, and the role of statehood of small islands in Oceania. Detailing harmonization of laws and policies in the context of international security and maritime law, the book focuses on the impact of climate change and other topical issues such as cyber security and the protection of cultural identity. The book will be of interest to researchers in the field of international law, law of the sea, international relations and security.Dr. Joanna Siekiera is an expert in international law, NATO consultant, trainer, and educator. She currently works as the Assistant Professor at the War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland. She is also a fellow at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Quantico and supports various military institutions as a legal SME and course facilitator.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

International Law and Security in Indo-Pacific: Strategic Design for the Region (Routledge, 2025) edited by Dr. Joanna Siekiera uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss international law and conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, covering topics such as maritime security, climate change and international relations. Detailing how international relations and particular state interests govern regional and global partnerships, the book provides suggestions for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. Exploring how conflict within the region has international repercussions, topics covered include the role of South-East Asian countries, and the role of statehood of small islands in Oceania. Detailing harmonization of laws and policies in the context of international security and maritime law, the book focuses on the impact of climate change and other topical issues such as cyber security and the protection of cultural identity. The book will be of interest to researchers in the field of international law, law of the sea, international relations and security.Dr. Joanna Siekiera is an expert in international law, NATO consultant, trainer, and educator. She currently works as the Assistant Professor at the War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland. She is also a fellow at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Quantico and supports various military institutions as a legal SME and course facilitator.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

International Law and Security in Indo-Pacific: Strategic Design for the Region (Routledge, 2025) edited by Dr. Joanna Siekiera uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss international law and conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, covering topics such as maritime security, climate change and international relations. Detailing how international relations and particular state interests govern regional and global partnerships, the book provides suggestions for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. Exploring how conflict within the region has international repercussions, topics covered include the role of South-East Asian countries, and the role of statehood of small islands in Oceania. Detailing harmonization of laws and policies in the context of international security and maritime law, the book focuses on the impact of climate change and other topical issues such as cyber security and the protection of cultural identity. The book will be of interest to researchers in the field of international law, law of the sea, international relations and security.Dr. Joanna Siekiera is an expert in international law, NATO consultant, trainer, and educator. She currently works as the Assistant Professor at the War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland. She is also a fellow at the U.S. Marine Corps University in Quantico and supports various military institutions as a legal SME and course facilitator.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

In this essential episode, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome two returning guests and leading strategic thinkers: retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, author of “The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire,” and Zack Cooper, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and co-host of the Net Assessment Podcast. Together, they dissect the Trump administration's newly released National Security Strategy and its implications for U.S. alliances, Indo-Pacific security, and the evolving competition with China.​NSS Unveiled: Zack explains what the National Security Strategy (NSS) is - the connective tissue linking U.S. objectives to the ways and means of achieving them - while noting the internal contradictions and lack of central logic. Released with minimal fanfare in early December, this NSS marks a significant departure from conventional approaches to American global engagement.​Regional Winners and Losers: Mick offers his characteristically candid, “she'll be right, mate” assessment, arguing that while Europe faces a much more civilizational challenge under this strategy, Indo-Pacific allies like Australia, Japan, and Taiwan emerge relatively intact. The document maintains U.S. commitment to the defense of the first island chain, though the beleaguered Philippines notably goes unmentioned.​Spheres of Influence and Inconsistencies: The experts dissect the document's troubling embrace of spheres of influence - asserting U.S. primacy in the Americas while condemning Chinese ambitions in Asia. This contradiction, combined with transactional mercantilism replacing values-based alliances, signals a fundamental shift in American grand strategy.​The China Challenge: Both guests critique how the NSS reduces all of Asia to a China problem, ignoring critical issues in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. They explore China's aggressive response to Japanese Prime Minister Takeuchi's Taiwan comments and what Beijing's gray zone operations reveal about testing U.S. resolve.​Deterrence and Taiwan: Zack warns that U.S. strategy focuses too narrowly on preventing a Taiwan amphibious invasion while neglecting China's political warfare strategy. Mick emphasizes that Xi Jinping views Taiwan as a political problem, not primarily a military one, and may seek a grand bargain with President Trump.​Technology and National Security: The conversation addresses the controversial decision to allow Nvidia to sell advanced H200 chips to China, which both view as a significant national security mistake that undermines the technology competition goals in the NSS.Congressional Pushback: The recently released National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes provisions constraining troop withdrawals from South Korea and other guardrails, reflecting bipartisan congressional frustration with lack of Pentagon consultation.​Episode 118 provides indispensable analysis for understanding how U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy is developing under Trump 2.0, and why allies and adversaries alike are recalculating their positions in the world's most dynamic and consequential region.

Episode 539: Live from RNDF: Ambassador YuiAs part of our crossover series of Fault Lines and CTRL+F, “Modern Deterrence: Allies, Innovation, and the Future of Defense,” recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Jess and Jamil sit down with Ambassador Yui, Taiwan's Representative to the United States. With more than 35 years of diplomatic experience—including senior leadership roles in Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and postings across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S.—Ambassador Yui offers a uniquely informed view of the shifting security landscape in the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan's evolving role within it.How does Taiwan assess the current deterrence environment amid intensifying PLA activity and hybrid pressure from Beijing? Where are the biggest opportunities, and remaining obstacles, in United States–Taiwan defense, economic, and technological partnership? And as Taiwan advances major modernization efforts, from asymmetric defense to cyber resilience and semiconductor security, what should Washington understand about the capabilities, priorities, and challenges shaping Taiwan's strategic future?@jamil_n_jaffer@nottvjessjonesLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this 57th edition of The World According to Irina Tsukerman, the bi-weekly geopolitical series on The KAJ Masterclass LIVE, national security lawyer and geopolitical analyst Irina Tsukerman breaks down escalating US–Venezuela tensions, Israel's complex diplomatic balancing act, Ukraine's security calculus, and emerging fractures across Europe, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific. Drawing from legal, strategic, and intelligence frameworks, Irina connects global flashpoints—from energy diplomacy and sanctions to elections, ceasefires, and national security doctrine—to reveal what today's power shifts mean for policymakers and global leaders.About the guestIrina Tsukerman is a human rights and national security lawyer, geopolitical analyst, editor of The Washington Outsider, and president of Scarab Rising, Inc., a media and security and strategic advisory. Her writings and commentary have appeared in diverse US and international media and have been translated into over a dozen languages.Connect with Irina here:https://www.thewashingtonoutsider.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-tsukerman-4b04595/In The World According to Irina Tsukerman, we embark on a fortnightly journey into the heart of global politics. Join us as we explore the complex geopolitical landscape, delve into pressing international issues, and gain invaluable insights from Irina's expert perspective. Together, we'll empower you with the knowledge needed to navigate the intricate world of global politics. Tune in, subscribe, and embark on this enlightening journey with us.Catch up on earlier episodes in the playlist here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt7IEKOM1t1tKItNEVaStzsqSChTCGmp6Watch all our global politics content here:https://www.youtube.com/@kajmasterclassPolitics=========================================

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Randy Schriver and Mike Kuiken join us to discuss key findings from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission's 2025 Annual Report to Congress, which they helped draft. They examine how Beijing is increasingly using the PLA for political signaling, how China's treatment of space as a warfighting domain marks a notable shift, and how China's dominance across key supply chain choke points creates structural vulnerabilities for the U.S. and global markets. The conversation also covers several other recommendations from the report, including proposals related to Taiwan's role in supporting U.S. posture initiatives and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.  Randy Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) and a partner at Pacific Solutions LLC. Prior to this, he served for two years as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs during the first Trump Administration.  Mike Kuiken is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and spent over two decades in the Senate.   Both are commission members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureCalifornia is destroying their gasoline market, they want the state to own it, socialism. Oil prices are dropping, gas prices are dropping soon gas will be close to $1. Trump is reversing the [CB] illusion, jobs are being returned to the private sector. All in preparation to go back to the Constitution. The [DS] will continue to push back and try to delay everything Trump is trying to do. The House is prepared to make his EO into law, this will protect the country into the future. Trump had the real Generals stand behind him, these are the individuals that will protect the Republic from the [DS]. Trump is undoing decades of corruption, exposing the [DS] treasonous crimes, they will fight to hide their treasonous acts but this will fail. In the end the Military is the only way. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/US_OGA/status/2000639453866651711?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2000951982874636662?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2000628845918265518?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2000925538131829101?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2000925018281402525?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2000952081012940948?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2000966123274068007?s=20 https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2000936248370717073?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000922549060858200?s=20   $2,000 per household, depending on the number of workers.” “[The economy] is gonna start lifting off in Q1 and Q2.” This is HUGE! Political/Rights https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000701268806062358?s=20 https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000713713423196652?s=20 https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2000766725231665257?s=20 https://twitter.com/KnightsTempOrg/status/2000645606964933100?s=20 WEIRD? Police Publish and Quickly Delete Photos of Rob Reiner's Son Being Cuffed for Slaughtering Parents, Give No Explanation Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of liberal activist and famed director Rob Reiner, has been arrested and charged with the brutal murder of his parents. The LAPD Gang and Narcotics Division published dramatic photos of Nick's handcuffed arrest on Instagram on Monday, but quickly deleted them without explanation. Rob Reiner, 78, known for classics like The Princess Bride, Spinal Tap, and When Harry Met Sally, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday afternoon. The New York Post reports: Nick Reiner, whose face is blurred out, is seen being forced to the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back, according to one photo. Another snap showed law enforcement pushing the suspect against the front of a squad car. In the caption, the unit only identified the man as “a double homicide suspect.” The arrest was made by US Marshals with the assistance of the LAPD's robbery homicide division, according to the post. An LAPD spokesperson declined to comment when asked why the force's gang and narcotics unit deleted the arrest photo shortly after it was published. The since-deleted photos: Nick, who has long battled severe drug addiction starting in his teens, co-wrote and starred in the 2016 semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, directed by his father, which chronicled a young man's struggles with substance abuse and rehab. Insiders report that Nick “really resented” his father and “hated himself for not being as successful,” amid ongoing family tensions. The night before the murders, Rob and Nick reportedly got into a “very loud argument” at Conan O'Brien's Christmas party, loud enough for other guests to notice. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2000870292227260695?s=20 https://twitter.com/barrycunningham/status/2000736216354853228?s=20   lists are…well you know. TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/RealSLokhova/status/2000919590449394156?s=20 Real Texas Conservative  The tragic deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele on December 14, 2025, have cast a somber shadow over Hollywood, prompting reflections on legacy, loss, and the lingering scars of political division. In response, President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on December 15, 2025 – framing their passing through the lens of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) – has ignited controversy. Yet, when examined against the backdrop of Reiner’s decade-long barrage of vitriolic rhetoric against Trump, the statement emerges not as callous, but as an appropriate blend of pointed satire, genuine sympathy, and a timely concern for mental health. This piece builds an ironclad case for its fittingness, rooted in factual history, psychological insight, and legal precedent. To understand the appropriateness of Trump’s words, one must first confront the unyielding hostility Reiner directed at him since 2015. Reiner, celebrated for directing classics like “This Is Spinal Tap” and “The Princess Bride,” transformed into one of Trump’s most vocal detractors after his presidential candidacy. In a 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Reiner labeled Trump a “con man” and “dangerous,” warning he would erode democratic norms. This escalated over the years. By 2018, Reiner tweeted comparisons of Trump to Hitler, accusing him of fostering fascism and white supremacy. His 2024 documentary “God & Country” explicitly tied Trump’s influence to Christian nationalism, portraying it as a threat to American democracy. Reiner’s social media feed became a relentless stream of attacks, calling Trump a “pathological liar,” “sociopath,” and “existential danger” in posts that amassed millions of views. Even in 2025, shortly before his death, Reiner urged boycotts of Trump-related events, framing his re-election as apocalyptic. These were not isolated jabs but a sustained campaign, often personal and inflammatory, that Reiner himself admitted stemmed from deep-seated outrage. This history of antagonism, predominantly initiated by Reiner, sets the stage for why Trump’s response is not only defensible but proportionate. Far from escalating the feud posthumously, Trump’s post acknowledges Reiner’s talents – “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star” – while attributing the tragedy to TDS, a “mind-crippling disease” fueled by “raging obsession.” This framing isn’t baseless invention; it’s grounded in credible psychological analysis. Critics have questioned the timing of Trump’s post, issued just a day after the tragedy, as potentially too raw or opportunistic. However, this immediacy is precisely what makes it authentic and effective, aligning with Trump’s longstanding style of direct, unfiltered leadership in a 24/7 news cycle where narratives solidify within hours. Historical precedents abound; consider how President Lincoln addressed critics’ deaths or political losses with prompt wit during the Civil War, using fresh moments to foster national introspection and prevent distorted legacies. Similarly, Trump’s swift response cuts through emerging media spin – already framing Reiner solely as a heroic anti-Trump voice – by injecting balance and psychological truth right when public discourse peaks. Delaying would risk seeming calculated or detached, whereas this timing underscores sincerity, especially paired with the post’s sympathetic close. In essence, it’s not haste but strategic candor, transforming grief into a teachable moment on division’s dangers before emotions calcify. Transitioning from personal history to broader insight, TDS has been recognized by mental health experts as a manifestation of intense political polarization leading to real psychological strain. Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow, in analyses shared on platforms like the Mark Simone Show, described TDS as rooted in “mass hysteria,” where individuals project anxieties onto a political figure, resulting in paranoia, chronic stress, and potential health declines. Research in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology supports this, linking partisan hatred to elevated cortisol levels, anxiety disorders, and weakened well-being. Trump’s reference to TDS isn’t mockery; it’s a diagnostic observation, highlighting how Reiner’s fixation – evident in his own words – might have contributed to personal tolls, especially amid reports of familial strife surrounding the deaths. By raising this, Trump shifts the narrative from vendetta to vigilance, urging awareness of how ideological obsessions erode lives. Moreover, the post’s satirical edge aligns with a storied tradition of political commentary, making it intellectually apt rather than insensitive. Trump employs hyperbole – “driving people CRAZY” amid America’s “Golden Age” – to underscore the irony of Reiner’s paranoia against tangible achievements like record economic growth, Middle East peace accords, and energy independence during his administration. This mirrors Jonathan Swift’s exaggerated proposals in “A Modest Proposal” or Abraham Lincoln’s witty rebukes of critics, using humor to expose societal flaws without literal malice. Legally, such expression is shielded by the First Amendment; the Supreme Court’s ruling in Hustler Magazine v. Falwell affirms that satirical opinions about public figures, absent provable falsehoods, are protected speech. Trump’s “reportedly due to” phrasing acknowledges speculation, ensuring it remains opinion, not defamation. What elevates the statement to appropriateness is its undercurrent of grace amid past unkindnesses, including Trump’s rare direct engagement with Reiner pre-tragedy despite the instigations. The post concludes with “May Rob and Michele rest in peace!” This isn’t perfunctory; it’s a sincere extension of sympathy, humanizing both parties and transcending the feud while modeling reciprocity in an era of unrelenting acrimony. Trump’s words match rhetoric’s intensity yet cap it with compassion and a mental health caveat, turning potential gloating into a nudge toward understanding division’s toll. In conclusion, Trump’s response is ironclad in its fittingness because it reciprocates a decade of Reiner’s attacks with measured satire, validates psychological realities, and prioritizes sympathy over score-settling. It doesn’t diminish the tragedy but illuminates division’s costs, encouraging reflection. Postscript: While the author is not an attorney or mental health practitioner, his nearly two decades as a seasoned content writer and editor have honed expert research skills, enabling rigorous analysis grounded in verifiable facts and legal precedents. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2000931274744324237?s=20 https://twitter.com/AlecLace/status/2000700955457630718?s=20 https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/2000694706054029700?s=20  reason for it. Sadly, past experience, teaches us that the most likely reason for the lack of transparency is that the answers are not going to support the left-wing agenda of the local Rhode Island Democrats. I could be wrong. But if I was wrong, I have a nagging suspicion. I would've had answers to those questions already. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of this man. Trump blames Brown, not FBI, for delay in finding shooting suspect President Trump blamed Brown University for the delay in locating the suspect in the fatal mass shooting on the school's campus in Rhode Island on Saturday. “You'd really have to ask the school a little bit more about that because this was a school problem,” Trump said when asked on Monday if FBI Director Kash Patel has told him why it's been difficult for the FBI to identify the suspected shooter. “They had their own guards. They had their own police. They had their own everything, but you'd have to ask that question really to the school, not to the FBI. We came in after the fact, and the FBI will do a good job, but they came in after the fact,” he said. Source: thehill.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000694318512652750?s=20 JUST IN: US OBLITERATES 3 More Venezuelan Drug Boats Just Hours After President Trump Designates Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction United States Southern Command on Monday announced that Joint Task Force Southern Spear took out three narcotrafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific.  A total of eight “narco-terrorists” were killed in the strikes. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking,” US SOUTHCOM said. Video from the strikes shows massive explosions on each boat, turning them into burning piles of rubble. https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2000756230252314901?s=20 Source: thegatewaypundit.com Trump: Syria is a key part of peace efforts in the Middle East Washington, Dec. 16 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump described the developments in Syria this year as “remarkable,” highlighting that the United States is committed to ensuring lasting peace in the Middle East, with Syria playing an essential role in that peace. Source: sana.sy 1306 Q !xowAT4Z3VQ ID: e7b971 No.1248119 Apr 30 2018 10:51:06 (EST) Define the terms of the Iran nuclear deal. Does the agreement define & confine cease & desist ‘PRO' to the republic of Iran? What if Iran created a classified ‘satellite' Nuclear facility in Northern Syria? What if the program never ceased? What other bad actors are possibly involved? Did the U.S. know? Where did the cash payments go? How many planes delivered? Did all planes land in same location? Where did the U1 material end up? Is this material traceable? Yes. Define cover. What if U1 material ended up in Syria? What would be the primary purpose? SUM OF ALL FEARS. In the movie, where did the material come from? What country? What would happen if Russia or another foreign state supplied Uranium to Iran/Syria? WAR. What does U1 provide? Define cover. Why did we strike Syria? Why did we really strike Syria? Define cover. Patriots in control. Q British Intelligence Head Says Prepare for War Against Russia  The newly appointed head of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, formerly known by her position as “Q”, is literally the granddaughter of factual Ukraine Nazi, Constantine Dobrowolski.  Now, as head of MI6 Metreweli wants war with Russia. In a rather remarkable speech to the British people, Blaise Metreweli proclaimed Europe is in “the space between peace and war,” with a direct military conflict with Russia looming as the biggest threat.  Metreweli declared, “Our world is being actively remade, with profound implications for national and international security.” Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2000898313579561365?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000896186413441184?s=20   have already been filed. The World Bank estimates the total at $524 billion over the next decade – triple Ukraine’s 2024 GDP. Zelensky: “It’s not enough to force Russia into a deal. It’s not enough to make it stop killing. We must make Russia accept that there are rules in the world.” Mechanism: Register of Damage (created 2023): collects claims from individuals, companies, and the Ukrainian state. Claims Commission: reviews, validates, and awards compensation case-by-case. Categories: sexual violence, child deportations, infrastructure destruction, religious sites bombed. Funding plan: Frozen Russian assets held by the EU, supplemented by member contributions. Dutch FM David van Weel: “The goal is to have validated claims that will ultimately be paid by Russia.” Enforcement? Still being worked out. Complication: Trump's team floated amnesty for war crimes as part of a peace deal – makes prosecuting the very individuals being billed impossible. Next steps: Convention takes force after 25 nations ratify it (if funds secured). Russia calls frozen-assets proposal “illegal,” denies war crimes, threatens retaliation. Reality check: This is post-WWII-style reparations applied to an ongoing conflict. The $524B estimate covers through 2024 only – 2025's escalated attacks on utilities, transport, and civilians already make the number outdated. https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/2000626884145754206?s=20   breaking out. Their position is legitimately insane. Sadly, what’s clear is that the European leadership is comprised of war-mongering, bloodthirsty psychopaths. The idiom, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” comes to mind. Only in this case, it’s not a sarcastic observation. ______ EU Globalists Threaten to Dump $2.34 Trillion in U.S. Debt to Stop Trump's Ukraine Peace Deal JUST IN: Senate Advances $900 BILLION Defense Spending Bill with Military Aid to Ukraine Senate advances $900 billion defense spending bill The US Senate on Monday voted to end the filibuster and advance the National Defense Authorization Act to a final vote.  The bipartisan vote, 76-20, invoked cloture on the bill, bringing it one step closer to final passage, which could still take days. Still, some lawmakers seek to amend the bill further, which would then require House passage before landing on the President's desk. Burchett: Big vote tonight was the NDAA, National Defense Authorization Act, and it was $900.6 billion. There’s money in there for, of course, Ukraine, $800 million total, and some other things, money in there for recognizing an Indian tribe out of North Carolina— has nothing to do with national security— Syria, money, Iraq. But we just got to quit this stuff. Somebody's, America’s got to start paying attention. Trump didn’t even ask for that. You’ve got the war pimps that push for this stuff. And they always will tell you, Oh, it’s, “Burchett, man, they’re gonna spend all that money here buying those missiles.” You know, is that what we’re basing our votes on is they’re going to buy implements to kill other people on? I’m all for getting rid of our enemies, but this is just too much, way too much, and things are just not what they appear. We need to wake up. I voted no. Over 100 Democrats voted to pass this. That ought to tell you right there what this is about. Got some liberal stuff tucked in there, and it’s over 3000 pages. We get it on Sunday, and we’re voting on it today. There’s no way, no way, we will ever know what was in there, and just— anyway, frustrated, we’ll keep fighting. Thank y’all for sending me here. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000775317577744797?s=20   commands down to 8. Under the plan expected to be presented to Secretary Hegseth this week: U.S. Central Command, European Command, and Africa Command would be downgraded and placed under a new “U.S. International Command.” U.S. Southern Command and Northern Command would merge into “U.S. Americas Command” (Americom), reflecting the administration’s shift toward Western Hemisphere operations. The remaining commands: Indo-Pacific, Cyber, Special Operations, Space, Strategic, and Transportation. A senior defense official on the urgency: “Time ain’t on our side, man. The saying here is, ‘If not us, who, and if not now, when?'” The plan aligns with Trump’s national security strategy declaring that “the days of the United States propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over.” Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed concern: “The world isn’t getting any less complicated. You want commands that have the capability of heading off problems before they become big problems.” Congress has required the Pentagon to submit a detailed blueprint before any changes can take effect. The Monroe Doctrine comes to CENTCOM. https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000687672936030583?s=20   been done long ago, which is eradicate the cartels that are plaguing the Western hemisphere via drug/human trafficking. The cartels have gone unchecked for decades, while they murder millions of Americans and commit heinous crimes against humanity. Trump confirms that designating the cartels as a foreign terrorist organizations “is a big deal from a legal and military standpoint”. Trump is going to use the full force of the US MIL to shut this entire corrupt network down. The Dems/MSM, and the weaklings on the Right, are going to squeal and moan the entire way, but this must be done. Trump is going to neutralize this threat to the American People and do what past Presidents failed to do. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000857179142680769?s=20   been part of it. Her late father served as a colonel in the Somali army under dictator Siad Barre, whose regime carried out mass killings in the 1980s. That makes her backstory more complicated than she lets on. A resurfaced video shows a man resembling Omar's father discussing brutal tactics. There's no proof he committed war crimes, but some say he was close enough to know what was happening. Photos also show Omar's siblings with General Morgan – known as the “Butcher of Hargeisa” – and Omar herself at a 2022 event where Morgan was present. One relative even referred to him as “uncle.” Omar hasn't commented on the new findings, and her silence has led some to question how she can call for accountability abroad without addressing her own family's history. https://twitter.com/JamesRosenTV/status/2000723473182965780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2000723473182965780%7Ctwgr%5Eb493e83212e9c33013500c56069b3622c19b2e21%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Frusty-weiss%2F2025%2F12%2F16%2Fice-officials-rip-ilhan-omar-over-ridiculous-story-about-her-son-being-racially-profiled-n2197175 https://twitter.com/thestoicplumber/status/2000748048683815183?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000742064959455252?s=20 U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro: D.C. Authorities Were Artificially Deflating Crime Stats With ‘Manipulated' Numbers https://twitter.com/USAttyPirro/status/2000637280789188855?s=20  into MPD's reported deflation of crime statistics. The need for accurate information to fight crime is essential. After a review of almost 6000 reports and the interview of over 50 witnesses, it is evident that a significant number of reports had been misclassified, making crime appear artificially lower than it was. The uncovering of these manipulated crime statistics makes clear that President Trump has reduced crime even more than originally thought, since crimes were actually higher than reported. His crime fighting efforts have delivered even more safety to the people of the District. The conduct here does not rise to the level of a criminal charge. However, it is up to MPD to take steps to internally address these underlying issues. Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2000822708389745055?s=20 There is FEC data analysis that strongly suggests that Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan and Maggie Goodlander have been recipients of illegally laundered campaign funds. Kelly is currently under investigation. They’re all backed by Soros!! President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2000710555674325272?s=20  extremists after transitioning. https://twitter.com/george18kennedy/status/2000781888152129887?s=20   Staff of the Army (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Army, member of the Joint Chiefs). – Admiral Daryl Caudle – Chief of Naval Operations (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Navy, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General Eric M. Smith – Commandant of the Marine Corps (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Marine Corps, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, USAF – Chief of Staff of the Air Force (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Air Force, member of the Joint Chiefs). – General B. Chance Saltzman, USSF – Chief of Space Operations (senior uniformed leader of the U.S. Space Force, member of the Joint Chiefs). https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/2000668738203312188?s=20 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2000725299420352640?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000916623243300901?s=20   Something BETTER be done about this. https://twitter.com/RobLutherLawyer/status/2000697951295840722?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2000961090612813971?s=20 https://twitter.com/SusieWiles/status/2000943061627548148?s=20   story. I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team. The truth is the Trump White House has already accomplished more in eleven months than any other President has accomplished in eight years and that is due to the unmatched leadership and vision of President Trump, for whom I have been honored to work for the better part of a decade. None of this will stop our relentless pursuit of Making America Great Again! https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000957946352820238?s=20  codification of the President’s executive orders.” “A very aggressive legislative agenda coming right out of the gates in January. We’re going to continue to work, for example, on health care to continue to bring costs down for the American people, to bring down the cost of living overall.” “He’s up to about 200 of those [orders], probably about 150 of them are codifiable by Congress and we’re working steadily through that list.” “You’re going to see us delivering for the American people while the effects of that giant piece of legislation that we did on July 4th, got signed on July 4th, comes into implementation.” “So much more, much more yet to do and the President and I talk about that almost every day and he’s excited about it and I am.” https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2000685717497004167?s=20 to procedurally gum up the works behind the scenes. JD Vance Points Out the Consequence of the Senate “Blue Slip” Veto of Judicial Nominees It was passed by Congress on May 13, 1912, and ratified on April 8, 1913 The 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution grants Congress the authority to impose and collect income taxes without the need to apportion them among the states or base them on census data. constitution.congress.gov It was passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified on February 3, 1913. all of this is an outcome of the 17th Amendment, which stopped the state legislatures from having control over their senators.  Under the original constitutional framework, the Senate was designed to represent the interests of the state, as the Senators were appointed by state legislature, not popular votes.  The Sea Island assembly destroyed this cornerstone when they triggered the 17th Amendment. Repeal the 17th Amendment, and just about everything in federal government changes. Machiavelli said, “It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who gain by the new ones.”  A prescient and oft repeated quote that is pertinent to the situation. When our founders created the system of government for our constitutional republic, they built in layers of protection from federal control over the lives of people in the states.  Over time, those protections have been eroded as the federal bureaucracy has seized power.  One of the biggest changes that led to the creation of the permanent political class was the 17th Amendment. Our founders created a system where Senators were appointed by the state legislatures.  In this original system, the Senate was bound by obligation to look out for the best interests of their specific states.  Under the ‘advise and consent‘ rules of Senate confirmation for executive branch appointments, the intent was to ensure the presidential appointee -who would now carry out regulatory activity- would not undermine the independent position of the states.  .When the 17th Amendment (direct voting for Senators) took the place of state appointments, the perspective of ‘advise and consent' changed.  The Senate was now in the position of ensuring the presidential appointee did not undermine the power of the permanent bureaucracy, which is the root of power for the upper-chamber. Senate committees, Homeland Security, Judiciary, Intelligence, Armed Services, Foreign Relations, etc. now consists of members who carry an imbalanced level of power within government.  The Senate now controls who will be in charge of executive branch agencies like the DOJ, DHS, FBI, CIA, ODNI, DoD, State Dept and NSA, from the position of their own power and control in Washington DC. In essence, the 17th Amendment flipped the intent of the constitution from protecting the individual states to protecting the federal government. Seventeenth Amendment- “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures. When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.” (link)   The biggest issue following the passage of the 17th Amendment became Senators who were no longer representing the interests of their state.  Instead, they were representing the interests of the power elite groups who were helping them fund the mechanisms of their re-election efforts. A Senator only needs to run for re-election every six years.  The 17th Amendment is the only amendment that changed the structure of the Congress, as it was written by the founders. Over time, the Senate chamber itself began using their advice and consent authority to control the executive and judicial branch.  The origination of a nomination now holds the question: “Can this person pass the Senate confirmation process?” source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/j3669/status/2000683161273897213?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000952036238746070?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000671858417422538?s=20   is going to save the GOP, AGAIN. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

A global adaptation to a new state of the world driven by the White House's approach to international relations will headline 2026. Efforts to de-escalate the war in Ukraine will persist and gain some traction. In the Middle East, the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will hold as tensions among Israel, Syria, and Iran continue to mount. A U.S.-China trade truce will keep the Indo-Pacific relatively stable economically, as the rival powers continue to vie for influence with diplomatic and security repercussions that extend well beyond the region. Global trade flows are expected to stabilize, supported by improving logistics conditions and more resilient supply-chain networks. At the same time, renewable energy will expand through new installations and a rising share in power generation, reinforced by efficiency gains from AI-driven technologies. Deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the possibility of armed conflict in Venezuela, and youth-driven protest movements will pose destabilization risks to various degrees around the world. Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

How might a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan unfold? China's anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategy—a combination of missiles, submarines, sensors, and air defenses—is designed specifically to block and disrupt US air, sea, and even space and cyber power.But the true outcome of the operation will hinge on the rapid mobilization of People's Liberation Army (PLA) ground forces, argues recently retired four-star general Charles Flynn, former commander of U.S. Army Pacific.He warns that the real “center of gravity” of a Chinese invasion will lie in its ability to rapidly assemble, deploy, and transport land forces across the Taiwan Strait.“What keeps me up at night is their ability to actually pull that off in 96 hours,” Flynn says.He is convinced that building a “strategic land power network” and forging deep, enduring ties with partner armies in Asia will be vital to deterring the Chinese regime.In this episode, Flynn lays out a roadmap for how the U.S. military should rethink its strategy, technology, and partnerships to deter Beijing and safeguard its allies in the Indo-Pacific.“This century is going to be defined by the relationship between the United States and China. … We've said we've pivoted to the Pacific for more than a decade, and in actual behavior and actions, that's not accurate,” Flynn says.Before commanding U.S. Army Pacific, Flynn served as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training (G3/5/7). He is the brother of General Michael Flynn, former national security advisor to President Donald Trump.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In Ep. 117, Washington Post Southeast Asia Bureau Chief Rebecca Tan joins co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to discuss her investigative reporting on the massive surge of methamphetamines flooding the Asia-Pacific. While the U.S. remains focused on the fentanyl crisis, Tan explains how the same network of Chinese chemical manufacturers is simultaneously fueling a "meth tsunami" that is overwhelming law enforcement from Thailand to Australia.The Global SyndicateRebecca details how Chinese chemical companies—often the very same entities supplying Mexican cartels with fentanyl precursors—are shipping vast quantities of drug ingredients into Southeast Asia. Unlike the U.S. opioid crisis, the Asian market is being inundated with methamphetamine produced in Myanmar's lawless borderlands. Tan explains that this is not a parallel problem but a singular, global supply chain rooted in China's massive chemical industry.The New Golden TriangleThe conversation explores how drug production has shifted from mainland China to the "Wild West" of Myanmar's Shan State. Following crackdowns by Beijing, criminal syndicates relocated to border areas controlled by ethnic militias like the United Wa State Army. Tan describes the surreal atmosphere of border towns like Tachilek, where casinos, scam compounds, and drug trafficking operations thrive under a distinct set of rules, shielded by the chaos of Myanmar's civil war.Geopolitics of PrecursorsA key takeaway is the geopolitical leverage Beijing holds over this trade. Tan notes that while China has the capacity to clamp down on these exports—as it does with critical minerals—it treats counternarcotics cooperation as a political bargaining chip. The hosts and Tan discuss the frustration of regional powers like Thailand and Australia, who lack the geopolitical weight of the U.S. to demand action from China, leaving them vulnerable to a flood of cheap, potent narcotics.

As part of our crossover series of Fault Lines and CTRL+F, “Modern Deterrence: Allies, Innovation, and the Future of Defense,” recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Jess and Morgan sit down with Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former U.S. National Security Advisor. Drawing on insights from his decades of service and his work shaping the U.S. military's future force, McMaster helps us understand what's truly new in today's era of great-power competition and rapid technological change - and why this moment might be when Russia is at its weakest. (If I am remembering correctly talked a lot about Russia)How should policymakers think about deterrence in a world where battlefields stretch from Europe to the Indo-Pacific to cyberspace? What historical “rhymes” matter most right now? What gives McMaster confidence in America's ability to compete and what keeps him up at night?@nottvjessjones@morganlroachLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/UPUQgEVSV08 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Donald Trump's security doctrine speaks of something that scholars used to discuss, but defence policy documents rarely did. Can ethnic or racial diversity undermine national security? Trump has no doubt it can, and it does. Scholars have always said: It depends on history and institutions," says Ashutosh Varshney. Watch:----more----Read full article here: https://theprint.in/opinion/for-trump-india-matters-only-for-indo-pacific-security/2801621/

Tensions between China and Japan have spiked since November 7 when Japan's newly elected prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said in the Japanese parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a situation threatening Japan's survival. Under Japan's 2015 security laws, that suggests Japan's self-defense forces could be activated to respond. The following day, the Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, posted that China had no choice but to cut off the prime minister's head. China-Japan relations have since plummeted. China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, stated that Takaichi had “crossed a red line that should not have been touched.” China has taken retaliatory actions, restricting tourism to Japan and banning imports of Japanese seafood, among other actions. Why has Beijing reacted so strongly and how far are China-Japan relations likely to deteriorate?Joining us today to discuss the latest episode in China-Japan relations is Professor Akio Takahara. Professor Takahara is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University and an Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo. He is also an Honorary Senior Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[02:07] The State of China-Japan Relations Pre-Dispute[02:49] Beijing's Reaction and Intended Audience[05:42] Continuity in Takaichi's Stance [10:31] Why a Chinese Takeover of Taiwan is Existential to Japan [13:03] China's Signals and Restraint[16:30] Recommendations for De-escalation[19:18] Senkaku Islands Dispute in Connection to Taiwan Dispute[22:04] Beijing's Potential Claims on Okinawa[24:23] View in Japan of the US Reaction[26:36] Takaichi's Support in Japan

PREVIEW — Brandon Weichert — Trump Administration Prioritizes Business Deals Over Military Strategy. Weichert predicts the incoming Trump administration will prioritize commercial business transactions and corporate profit objectives over rigorous military and geopolitical strategy, potentially authorizing high-end semiconductor chip sales to China despite critical American technological military advantage implications. Weichert warns that this approach, unchecked by a "compromised" Congress lacking geopolitical sophistication, suggests the administration may deliberately abandon strategic commitment to the "first island chain" (Japan, Taiwan, Philippines) to secure access to critical minerals and agricultural soybeans from Chinese-influenced suppliers. Weichert characterizes this as a fundamental erosion of American military dominance and regional security architecture in the Indo-Pacific.

PREVIEW — Steve Yates (Heritage Foundation) — Beijing's "Wolf Warrior" Aggression and Regional Economic Threat. Yates analyzes Beijing's escalating "wolf warrior" diplomatic aggression directed at Japan and the broader Indo-Pacific region, characterizing this as systematic coercive pressure combining military intimidation with economic and informational warfare. Yates argues that China's blended military and civilian-sector capabilities threaten control over approximately 50% of global container shipping traffic and maritime commerce, transforming this geopolitical conflict from an internal Chinese regional matter into a pressing global economic and security crisis affecting international commerce, supply chains, and energy security. Yates warns that Beijing's coercive strategy represents a fundamental threat to rules-based international commerce and global economic stability transcending bilateral China-Japan relations.

In Part One, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson explores how Trump's new National Security Strategy revives the Monroe Doctrine in a sweeping attempt to reassert U.S. dominance across the Americas. Pushing China out of Latin America, he argues, will not prevent a showdown—only shift its timing, as the United States simultaneously pours resources into Indo-Pacific military power. With Washington drawing back from Europe and targeting Venezuela and its neighbors under the convenient banner of the "war on drugs,” Wilkerson suggests that this doctrine risks undermining the Constitution and edging the country toward a real war. With host Barry Stevens.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) President Trump stands to gain significant new authority as the Supreme Court signals support for overturning a 1935 precedent that limits presidential control over independent agencies. The ruling could reshape how Washington works and dramatically increase executive power. The White House announces a $12 billion bailout for farmers harmed by the tariff war with China, sparking frustration from small businesses that say they have been hit even harder. Legal challenges to the tariffs raise new questions about whether the funding will ultimately remain available. Trump's new National Security Strategy marks a seismic shift in US foreign policy, prioritizing the Western Hemisphere, confronting China in the Indo-Pacific, and sharply distancing from Europe. Bryan walks listeners through the document using a historical lens, asking how President George Washington might view America's path forward.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Supreme Court presidential power, Humphrey's Executor, Trump executive authority, farmer bailout, tariff war, small business tariffs, National Security Strategy, Western Hemisphere focus, China Indo-Pacific strategy, Europe relations, George Washington Farewell Address

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews the new 2025 National Security Strategy document released by the White House, highlighting key elements involving the shifted focus to Indo-Pacific defense initiatives with attention to China and Taiwan. Next, Miles covers China's latest episode of anti-Japanese sentiment during a cultural festival in Shanghai, and how this rising xenophobic trend has backfired for the Chinese Communist Party. Finally, Miles responds to the Chinese Communist Party's attempt to discredit his own published statements on Beijing's goal for the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland, and unpacks the larger implications of the CCP's focus on narrative dominance in cross-strait dialogue. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

In Ep. 116, Senator Todd Young of Indiana sits down with co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to discuss why what happens in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and across the first island chain directly shapes America's prosperity and national security. Senator Young, a former Marine Corps intelligence officer and one of the Senate's leading voices on Indo-Pacific security, explains that he's championing the Ships for America Act and the HARPOON Act because he believes the U.S. cannot afford to turn inward in an era of intensifying competition with China.​Drawing on his experience from a recent visit to the Philippines, Senator Young describes a population that feels “under siege” as China's coast guard and maritime militia harass commercial and fishing vessels, challenge Manila's sovereign rights, and test U.S. treaty commitments in one of the world's most dangerous sea lanes. He explains how the northern Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and the broader first island chain form a critical maritime corridor for global trade - and how Beijing's push to control these waters could give it leverage over shipping, energy flows, and supply chains that Americans rely on every day.​Young walks through two signature legislative initiatives: the HARPOON Act, which equips the U.S. and its partners to push back against China's illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and broader resource predation, and the Ships for America Act, which aims to revive U.S. commercial shipbuilding capacity from just a handful of ocean-going vessels per year to a resilient fleet able to support both peacetime commerce and wartime logistics. He highlights how allies such as South Korea and Japan can bring capital, technology, and best practices to U.S. shipyards while expanded training pipelines build the welders, skilled trades, and merchant mariners needed to crew and maintain a larger fleet.​The conversation also explores why the U.S. Coast Guard may be one of Washington's most powerful but underutilized tools in countering China's “gray-zone” activities, from illegal fishing to coercive law-enforcement-style operations far from China's own shores. By combining Coast Guard authorities with new legislation and deeper capacity-building for regional partners, Young argues the U.S. can deter escalation, protect vital ocean resources, and help Indo-Pacific nations enforce their own laws in their own waters.​

Top security officials from the United States and Australia have met in Washington, confirming that the AUKUS security pact is moving "full steam ahead," despite the Pentagon's five-month review of the deal remaining secret. Both nations emphasised increased defence spending, critical minerals cooperation, and greater burden-sharing from allies to confront growing Indo-Pacific tensions.

As part of our crossover series of Fault Lines and CTRL+F, “Modern Deterrence: Allies, Innovation, and the Future of Defense,” recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Jamil, Morgan, and Jess discuss the Trump Administration's newly released National Security Strategy. They break down the major pillars of the strategy, from the administration's call for “peace through strength” and its renewed emphasis on economic security, reindustrialization, and energy dominance, to its focus on burden-shifting with allies, deterring adversaries, and reasserting U.S. primacy in key regions, including the Western Hemisphere, the Indo-Pacific, and Europe.What does this strategy signal about the Trump Administration's priorities heading into 2026? How does it reshape America's approach to allies, competitors, and emerging technologies? And what does it reveal, explicitly and implicitly, about the administration's theory of deterrence in an age defined by simultaneous regional crises and great-power rivalry?Check out these sources that helped shape our fellows' discussions: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf@morganlroach@jamil_n_jaffer@nottvjessjonesLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @faultlines_pod and @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/xxSDkMBoVl8 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have spent a lot of time talking about Combat Collaborative Aircraft, or CCA. On this episode, Aaron sat down with Billy Byrne, the Director of Strategy for Defense at Saildrone. The two talked about the future of unmanned naval systems, the lessons learned from Ukraine's operations in the Black Sea, the challenges of operating in the Indo-Pacific, and the need to have both endurance and to “pack a punch” in naval combat.Explore more from Behind the Front here. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

The Donald Trump administration revealed the US empire's new plan for global dominance in the 2025 National Security Strategy. The goal is to impose hegemony in the Western Hemisphere, reviving the colonial Monroe Doctrine, to move supply chains out of Asia and bring manufacturing into Latin America via "nearshoring", in order to economically decouple from China and prepare for conflict in Cold War Two. Ben Norton analyzes the important document. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idkurWogst8 Topics 0:00 Summary of US National Security Strategy 2:45 US economic dependency on China 5:25 USA loses China war games 6:45 Why Trump targets Latin America 7:41 Marco Rubio, war hawk 9:34 (CLIP) Marco Rubio on China "threat" 10:17 Main goals of Trump's foreign policy 10:35 Improve Russia relations 11:30 Brief summary of US strategy 12:01 Western media misunderstands report 13:24 Whitewashing US imperialism 14:45 Obama's pivot to Asia 15:18 Asia is 1/2 of global economy 16:05 Hillary Clinton's "Russia reset" 16:34 Second Cold War aims at China 17:38 Main goals of US foreign policy 21:29 First target: Latin America 23:13 Second target: China 24:37 US dollar dominance 25:47 (CLIP) Trump threatens BRICS 26:16 Weaponizing technology 26:44 Natural resources in Americas 27:27 Hypocritical buzzwords 29:38 Culture war 32:00 Regions targeted by US empire 32:22 Colonial Monroe Doctrine 33:51 "Enlisting" US vassals 35:30 Nearshoring manufacturing 37:58 Militarizing Latin America 39:04 USA threatens countries 40:30 Natural resources 41:30 "US must be preeminent" 41:55 Cutting off Chinese technology 42:58 Goal: "an American-led world" 43:59 US government serves corporations 45:51 Strategy in "Indo-Pacific" region 46:21 Criticizing China's independence 47:17 Pacific: 21st century's "battleground" 47:52 Asia is half of world GDP (PPP) 49:08 Decline of Western hegemony 51:04 Supply chains 51:31 Economic war 52:21 India 55:12 Japan, South Korea, Australia 57:22 Dollar as global reserve currency 57:45 Taiwan 1:01:28 Europe 1:02:20 Russia 1:03:15 EU as captive US market 1:04:47 West Asia (Middle East) 1:05:18 Oil and natural gas 1:06:19 Israel 1:06:56 Africa 1:08:15 Conclusion 1:08:49 Outro

The White House unveiled a new national security strategy, framing China as America's primary competitor. The policy emphasizes economic and technological competition and calls on Indo-Pacific allies to take on greater defense responsibilities. The president also urged Europe to reclaim its identity, secure its borders, and take the lead in its own security, with Washington providing support.President Trump's effort to restrict birthright citizenship is headed to the Supreme Court, which announced it will hear the case in the coming months. The high court also approved a new congressional map for Texas, improving Republicans' chances to pick up five seats in the midterms. Meanwhile, the Indiana House approved a new map that would give Republicans a two-seat advantage in the 2026 elections.The man suspected of placing two pipe bombs near the RNC and DNC buildings on the eve of Jan. 6, 2021, made his first court appearance today. The 30-year-old from Northern Virginia was arrested Thursday and is charged with interstate transportation and attempted use of an explosive device.

In this 56th edition of The World According to Irina Tsukerman, the bi-weekly geopolitical series on KAJ Masterclass LIVE, we break down escalating US –Venezuela tensions, the next phase of the Gaza plan, the Ukraine leadership crisis, and the China–Japan standoff reshaping Indo-Pacific strategy. Irina explains the forces driving these conflicts — from shifting war doctrines and intelligence rivalries to oil power plays and regional alignments. Viewers will walk away with a clear, fact-driven understanding of how today's flashpoints could redefine global security and the balance of power.About the guestIrina Tsukerman is a human rights and national security lawyer, geopolitical analyst, editor of The Washington Outsider, and president of Scarab Rising, Inc., a media and security and strategic advisory. Her writings and commentary have appeared in diverse US and international media and have been translated into over a dozen languages.Connect with Irina here:https://www.thewashingtonoutsider.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-tsukerman-4b04595/Catch up on earlier episodes in the playlist here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt7IEKOM1t1tKItNEVaStzsqSChTCGmp6Watch all our global politics content here:https://rumble.com/c/kajmasterclasshttps://www.youtube.com/@kajmasterclassPolitics=========================================

In this episode, Mike speaks with three leading experts on international security: Elizabeth Saunders, Director of the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies and Professor of Political Science at Columbia University; Luis Simón, Director of the Research Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy and Research Professor in International Security at the Brussels School of Governance; and Chung Min Lee, Senior Fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Together, they discuss the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) NATO partner nations—Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand—and examine where the IP4 and the broader Euro-Atlantic–Indo-Pacific security relationship are heading in light of shifting U.S. policy priorities.

What does "peace through strength" mean in 2025—when AI, drones and great-power rivalry are reshaping the battlefield? In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with David Trulio, President & CEO of the Reagan Foundation and head of the Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF), to unpack how one of the nation's most influential defense gatherings is responding to a far more dangerous world. Trulio walks through the origin story of RNDF, why it was designed as a bipartisan space for national security leaders, and how this year's forum, taking place at the Reagan Library in California, shapes the tone of debate. Kelly and Trulio discuss this year's agenda - from AI and "deterrence by design" - to fixing the defense industrial base and making acquisition fast enough to compete with China. They also explore former President Ronald Reagan's enduring principles—from "trust but verify" to the centrality of allies and partners—and how those ideas are being stress-tested today in Europe, the Middle East and in the Indo-Pacific. 

Happy Thanksgiving!  It's Thursday, November 27th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes written by Jonathan Clark and heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  Filling in for Adam McManus I'm Ean Leppin. (Contact@eanvoiceit.com) 18 Church Leaders Arrested in China Authorities in China arrested 18 leaders from Zion Church last Tuesday. Zion Church is one of the largest unregistered church in the country. The congregation has faced persecution for years. In the latest crackdown on the church, police detained at least 30 Christians across seven cities since October. The arrested leaders can effectively be held indefinitely in pre-trial detention. Scott Bower with Christian Solidarity Worldwide said the church leaders were “targeted solely for the peaceful exercise of their religious belief.” Taiwan Spends Extra $40 billion on Defense The self-ruling island of Taiwan plans on spending an extra $40 billion on defense in the face of threats from China. The Chinese government continues to claim the island as its own.  Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te announced the plan yesterday. He said, “China's threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region are escalating. . . . History has proven that compromising with aggression only brings war and enslavement.” The U.S. State Department welcomed the plan. And Japan recently stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo. Poland Facing Changes to Marriage Law In Europe, Poland is facing challenges to its marriage law. The country currently bans faux same-sex marriage and defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.  However, the European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday that Poland must recognize the faux same-sex marriages of other European Union countries.  Some Polish lawmakers are trying to change the marriage law. But Poland's President Karol Nawrocki has said he would veto “any bill that would undermine the constitutionally protected status of marriage.” Jesus said in Mark 10:6-8, “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.' ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.” Roman Catholic Church Praises Monogamous Marriage The Roman Catholic Church recently praised monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released the document Tuesday. The doctrinal note came in response to concerns from bishops in Africa where polygamy is still practiced. The document stated, “Polygamy, adultery, or polyamory are based on the illusion that the intensity of the relationship can be found in the succession of partners.” However, the Vatican's doctrinal dicastery has previously allowed priests to give a blessing to same-sex couples in certain cases.  U.S. Highschoolers Losing Interest in Marriage In the United States, high schoolers are losing interest in eventually getting married. Pew Research reports 67% of 12th graders in 2023 said they would want to get married in the future. That's down from 80% in 1993. Twelfth graders are also less likely to want children or to stay married to the same person for life if they do get married. In particular, high school girls are much less likely to want to get married someday. Boys' interest in eventually getting married has remained relatively unchanged over the last 30 years. U.S. State Department Addresses Human Rights Violations  The U.S. State Department announced a list of acts it considers human rights violations. These acts include transgender surgeries, government funded abortions or abortifacient drugs, attempts at coerced euthanasia, and violations of religious freedom.  Tommy Pigott is the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of State. He told The Daily Signal, “In recent years, new destructive ideologies have given safe harbor to human rights violations. The Trump administration will not allow these human rights violations, such as the mutilation of children.” Do People Still Thank God on Thanksgiving? And finally, Lifeway Research reports two in three Americans say they typically give thanks to God at Thanksgiving. Lifeway Research also shared the Bible verses Christians turn to at Thanksgiving based on Bible-reading apps. Many of them are from the Psalms. One of the most-read verses at Thanksgiving over the last five years was Psalm 9:1-2. The passages says, “I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous works. I will rejoice and boast about you; I will sing about your name, Most High.” The most popular verse last year was 1 Chronicles 16:34. The verse says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 27th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. Filling in for Adam McManus I'm Ean Leppin (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Give Thanks and seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Geopolitics of the Gulf and Eurasia: US-Saudi Relations and China's Global Strategy — Victoria Coates, Vice President, Heritage Foundation — Victoria Coates addresses U.S.-Saudi relations, noting that technology transfer risks from China exist but remain manageable through export-controlled F-35 versions. She argues that Russia is dependent on Beijing in the Ukraine war, which serves China's strategic objective of distracting the West from Indo-Pacific developments. A perceived Russian victory would embolden China toward aggression in East Asia. Coates identifies security guarantees and Saudi openness to the Abraham Accords as key priorities for regional stability.  1922 PEKING

The American president has a ... different approach to strategy than his predecessors. To make sense of the extent American strategy can work and is working at the moment, Ryan was joined by Frank Hoffman, Justin Logan (Cato Institute), and Rebecca Friedman Lissner (Council on Foreign Relations). Join for the brilliant minds. Stay for the spicy takes on American statecraft in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific.