Podcast appearances and mentions of jim townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the reconciliation package narrowly passed by the House that has bond markets worried that US debt is poised to grow; President Trump taps the vice chief of space operations, Gen Mike Guetlein, to spearhead the Golden Dome air and missile defense system that will cost some $170 billion to establish over the coming three years; the US Air Force takes possession of a Qatari Boeing 747-8 jet that will be converted by L3Harris into a presidential transport; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a review of the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan; after a two-hour conversation, Vladimir Putin convinced Trump to walk away from Ukraine talks; Iran doubts a deal with the United States labeling Washington's denuclearization demands as outrageous; the UK and EU agree strike a trade and security deal; the changing face of nuclear deterrence in the Indo-Pacific; the launch of North Korea's second big destroyer goes badly; two Israeli diplomats are gunned down outside a Jewish museum in Washington; Israeli forces end an 11-week total blockade of aid to Gaza as Bibi Netanyahu launched a massive new offensive to take the entire Palestinian exclave; and Israeli troops fire warning shots at European diplomats in the West Bank.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Republicans on Capitol Hill publicly squabble about how deeply to cut Medicaid to cover tax cuts; US and Chinese negotiators strike a 90-day pause on the steepest tariffs; the ceasefire between India and Pakistan; days after floating the idea of accepting a $400 million 747 jet from Qatar as a future Air Force One, President Trump visited the Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE where he struck deals and met with Syria's new leader, lifted sanctions, and delivered a message to Iran; Russian premier Vladimir Putin skips planned meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul meeting that would have been the first direct talks between the leaders in years; Taiwan reports five instances of undersea cable damage this year, compared with three in past years; and Israel Defense Force leaders worry Gaza may be sliding rapidly toward an even bigger humanitarian disaster as air strikes resume.

Renowned writer Dot Voline, aka Lady Death, isn't dead - yet. But journalist Nadine jumped the gun by publishing a plagiarized obit stating so and all hell broke loose. Rival journalist, and old classmate Wes, is also following this story and more so since Dot isn't actually dead. As competitors then and now, Nadine and Wes are only allowed to spend a very limited time with Dot, who has become invested in their real-life-enemies-to-lovers situation. After finding pretty much nothing out during their limited time before Dot actually dies, the pair stay in Lady Death's estate for 3 weeks to uncover clues regarding her life, her stories, and a political scandal that is dying to come to light. Join us as we venture through this old lady's wacky house with two people who are obviously going to put their differences aside, solve the mystery of Dot's story, and fall in love. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Senate and House response to President Trump's proposed $1 trillion defense budget; whether lawmakers are ready to push back against the president; the outline of a trade deal with the UK as US and Chinese negotiators prepare to meet in Geneva; DoD seeks to cut four-star ranks by 20 percent; India and Pakistan trade strikes two weeks after 26 Indian tourists are killed by Pakistani terrorists in Indian-controlled Kashmir; Frederick Mertz becomes Germany's chancellor and makes his first trip to Paris to talk about improving European security; Russia prepares to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a Victory Day parade that includes Xi Jinping as Ukraine makes clear it can't guarantee that attacks won't happen; CIA's former director of operations says the Biden administration gave Kyiv enough aid not to lose but not enough to win; Trump halts attacks on Houthis pending talks; Israel and Syria engage in talks as Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu says all of Gaza will be captured as reservists are recalled for a massive new offensive.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the Trump administration's proposed $1 trillion defense budget — a 13 percent increase over current spending — that according to a Bloomberg report prioritizes the Golden Dome missile defense project, shipbuilding and nuclear modernization, border security and a 3.8 percent military pay raise; House deliberations on $150 billion defense reconciliation package; Trump's declining popularity and it's impact on GOP lawmakers; continued disarray among Democrats; Trump's decision to fire National Security Adviser Tim Waltz and replace him with Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who will perform both jobs as Waltz will become America's next UN ambassador; China's decision to accept US offers to negotiate on tariffs, but ask White House to ease 145 percent customs duties on Chinese goods as a good will gesture; Washington and Kyiv finish a rare earth elements deal with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledging that Ukraine will remain sovereign and prosperous and that Russian entities that participated in the war wouldn't be rewarded; opposition to Trump propelled Mark Carney to victory in Canada and may help Antony Albanese stay in office in Australia; Britain's Reform Party takes historically Labor seat in by elections; Israel's two strikes on Syria; and the deadly explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas oil complex.

Sydney needs a break. Sure she killed off the main character and super beloved hero in her bestselling romance series but who would have thought that it would cause uproar and complete chaos amongst her fans? Just the die-hard ones who were in love with Vance… and now she's getting harassed and death-threats. What does she do to escape the madness and to find some peace and quiet to write her final book of this series? Wisdom, WY, of course. And who does she meet that completely knocks her ex off the bookshelf? Ranger, super smart, very sexy, and adorably awkward landlord of the place she rents for two months. Yes, yes sexual attraction, protection from stalker and paparazzi, but importantly fun fuck facts! Please read this if you haven't already - and the others that precede this one. Ranger is the best! ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

The world has dramatically changed since Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20th, 100 days ago. With an eye on the development of the West since the end of the 2nd World War, former Pentagon official, Jim Townsend, analyses whether there has been a single individual who has had a more profound impact in such a short time than the US President.The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. Watch moreRead morePhoto: Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's endorsement of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the wake of additional revelations of using messaging apps for official business; the president's shifting stance on tariffs and ousting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell after markets reacted furiously to his suggestion that the central banker's tenure should be ended; how the shifts are being interpreted in Beijing, Brussels and elsewhere; China lifts sanctions on European lawmakers to warm ties with Europe; after heavy attacks on Ukrainian cities, Trump called on Vladimir Putin to stop attacks while his administration continues to pressure Kyiv to recognize Crimea and other occupied territories as Russian otherwise America would walk away from peace negotiations; Vice President Vance visits India as the administration orders US diplomats to avoid events commemorating the end of the Vietnam War; and claims by Ronen Bar, the former chief of the Shin Bet, Israel's interior security force fired by Bibi Netanyahu that the prime minister wants to turn the country into a police state.

No kink shaming here. It doesn't matter what you do for a living, sometimes you need to get your socks rocked by something out of the norm. In this week's book, we meet ER nurse Aly and her social media crush/stalker/cat-daddy/ex's bff/circle yes or no boyfriend, Josh. After long, hard, horrendous days at work, Aly is always tired and nothing makes her feel better than to watch her favorite videos starring a super hot, masked man who she fantasizes about breaking into her home, being completely dominated and having her sexual fantasies come to life - safely, of course. And guess who gets her wish? Join us for some holy hotness, friends. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

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On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the crash in worldwide markets and the US bond market in the wake of President Trump's tariffs; how an unprecedented US bond selloff and spike in US borrowing rates drove the president to freeze tariffs for 90 days, but raise tariffs on China and demand Beijing call him to make a deal; instead, China retaliated by imposing tariffs on American goods and blocking rare earth mineral exports, stressing they will win a trade war and any other kind of war with America; Republicans lawmakers are driving a $5 trillion tax cut package just as US borrowing rates are going up; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cancelled $5 billion in contracts and fired the commander of the Pittufik Space Base for allegedly criticizing Vice President Vance as the administration steps up secret planning to acquire Greenland; recommendations for Lt Gen Dan Caine as the Senate confirms the US Air Force officer as the nation's next chairman of the joint chiefs; Ukraine surges war production and says it captured Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia; and Bibi Netanyahu visits Washington where he is pressured by Trump to not attack Iran and end the Gaza war and Israeli forces cut aid and work for drive Gazans out of the enclave.

This week, we bring you another episode of our series on How Government Can Get Sh*t Done, as host Debbie Cox Bultan sits down with NewDEAL alumnus Jim Townsend. Jim is a former Michigan state legislator now serving as the Director of the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, which promotes fact-based legislative oversight as a key to the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the government. Debbie and Jim discuss the false choice between defending institutions that aren't working and tearing the government to the ground and why DOGE and the current political climate might actually create an opportunity to remake the government to be more responsive and effective. Tune in to learn about the United States's very first congressional oversight hearing led by General George Washington and about the specific questions policymakers should be asking to ensure that legislation is actually achieving results for constituents.  IN THIS EPISODE:  • [01:04] Welcome to Jim Townsend and an overview of this episode on local government, public policy, and oversight. • [02:13] What oversight truly is and what good oversight might look like. • [06:16] The very first congressional oversight meeting that happened while George Washington was president. • [08:23] Understanding the foundation of compromise that our democracy is built on. • [10:53] Identifying the opportunity for fundamental reform that exists today. • [15:00] What local lawmakers should consider about oversight on a local level. • [18:21] Policymaking and problem-solving in local government. • [23:06] A current example of oversight that can serve as a model for others. • [26:46] Improving perception around Democratic efforts to improve government rather than demonize it. • [31:14] What originally drove Jim into public service and what keeps him there today.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's tariffs on nations worldwide — driving markets to their worst day since 2020 — as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warns nations not to retaliate otherwise they will face higher tariffs; president's decision to fire three National Security Council staffers and NSA Director Gen. Tim Haugh and his deputy at conservative activist Laura Loomer's request; Republican lawmakers near reconciliation measure to cut cuts and government spending as well as give the Pentagon more money; House Speaker Mike Johnson weakens his own grip on power over whether lawmakers with young children can vote remotely backfires; Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, speaks for 25 straight hours to inspire Democrats; Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats revolt with ranking member Sen. Jean Shaheen, D-NH, overheard telling her Chairman Jim Risch, R-ID, she's tired of Trump running the committee; days after his vice president lambasted Denmark's stewardship of Greenland, Trump said he wouldn't rule out force to take the island; as it pressures Ukraine, Washington hosted Russia's sovereign wealth fund boss Kirill Dmitriev; Beijing tests a new amphibious capability as it stepped up wargames around Taiwan; and Israel takes more territory in Gaza as a new chief of defense staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir adopts a new strategy to take a hold territory but also play a direct role in humanitarian aid as Gazans protest Hamas and its brutality and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu continues efforts to subordinate the judiciary and security services.

This week we are, again, joined by the amazing and talented, Jena Doyle - author of the Midsummer series and we are excited to be discussing the last three of this series, wrapping it all up. There are so many things to say about Samhain, Solstice, and Beltane but not enough time in a podcast episode so we hope you all read along. Here we'll discuss the lives, love, adventures, and trials of Lex, Ivy, Carter, and Miri, as well as the very steamy, squishy sex between them all. What happened to these four in that forest in Kilwaughter years ago didn't stay there but followed them until the end. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss an update on an appropriations measure and reconciliation package as US officials say America will run out of money in August; Maine Republican Sen Susan Collins sides with Democrats in arguing President Trump can't pick and choose what to fund after Congress decides on appropriations; worried they might lose National Security Adviser Mike Waltz's open congressional seat, GOP leaders have urged the White House to also rescind the nomination of New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as America's next United Nations ambassador; Trump imposes a 25 percent tax on all cars imported into the United States and threatens higher retaliation if Canada and the EU work together as Canadian officials warn the historically strong relationship with its southern neighbor will never again be the same; the White House continues to ratchet up pressure on Greenland sending Vice President Vance on an uninvited visit to the world's largest island to make the case for annexation; Russia demands sanctions be dropped before it considers ending the Ukraine war; the EU taps France to help negotiate the end of the Ukraine war on Europe's behalf as nations work to bolster spending; after America surrenders the airwaves and allies worry about Washington's commitment to the Indo Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits the region and America deploys the new Typhon missile system to the Philippines; Beijing steps up its regional intimidation and the EU tries to expand its role in Asia; concerns about the future of Israel's democracy as judicial changes raise questions about the future impartiality of the country's high court; Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu ends its ceasefire with Hamas with a wave of strikes on Gaza and fires Mossad Director David Barnea; and worries that Washington is planning to strike Iran.

Aaaaand we have done it. How did we actually get here?! We'll tell you how - with the help of our new friend Cecilia Rene and the amazing conversation we had about our two final books: Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross and Althea's Awakening by Maggie Sims. It was hard but we got deep into each book and even into our own feelings and made a final decision. Congratulations to…  ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

In this episode of The Skillwork Forum, hosts Tim Raglin and Brett Elliott talk with Jim Townsend, Training and Development Manager at Kawasaki, about the company's apprenticeship initiatives. They discuss how Kawasaki's structured training programs bridge the skills gap, develop a strong talent pipeline, and set an industry example for workforce development.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Congress averts a government shutdown and passes a full-year continuing resolution while continuing work on a reconciliation measure; lawmakers complain about the Trump administration's proposed consolidation of combatant commands including handing NATO's top military jobs to Europeans, but allow President Trump and Elon Musk to systemically gut government agencies; driven by Washington, Ukraine agrees to a ceasefire as Kyiv strikes Russian bomber base; historically, the first foreign trip by a Canadian prime minister is Washington, but this time, Mark Carney visited Paris and London as a French nuclear attack submarine visited Halifax; European leaders agree on a new defense strategy and plans to deploy up to 30,000 troops to Ukraine; Trump's move to strike Houthis and plan an attack against Iran; Israel ends its ceasefire with Hamas with large scale airstrikes across Gaza as Egypt moves troops and tanks to the southern Gaza border to keep Gazans from fleeing into Egyptian territory; and America's traditional allies in Asia move swiftly to mirror Europe in preparing for a future absent American leadership in the region.

Guys, we are down to our four books after battling it out in our last episode with 8 of our favorite dirty books. Join us here and on YouTube, if you want to see our smiling faces, as we enter the ring for round three of this dirty books face-off. Plus we have a very special guest to help us make this final decision! We hope you have been following along and making your votes. Which two books will make it to the final Head Two Head round next week? ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's move to avoid a government shutdown as lawmakers continue to wrangle a debt and budget deal; how retirements, firing of probationary employees and a travel freeze will impact DoD programs as the department was already struggling to bring aboard a new generation of talent; the partnership between Trump and Elon Musk as the world's richest man deposits another $100 million in the PAC the president has used to strong arm lawmakers; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to disband the Pentagon's long-range strategy and forecasting organization, the Office of Net Assessment; the White House ends an 11-day halt on weapons supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv agrees to Washington's ceasefire demands but Moscow — seeing battlefield gains and a new ally in America — demands greater concessions to pause much less end the war; as Trump escalates his trade war with Canada and Europe, European interest in US weaponry drops with Portugal reportedly deciding against buying F-35 Lightning II jets from the United States; Israel cuts electricity and supplies to Gaza as the ceasefire that allowed hostages to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners expires; Senate and House retirements and remembering Alan Simpson, the former Republican senator from Wyoming.

We are down to our explicit 8 for round two of our face-off. It was tough getting through our lists of 16 and facing off against all these amazing titles but we must move forward. Join us as we continue to battle until there is only one. In the episode, we narrow it down to four! Yikes! Check out our video of this face-off on our YouTube Channel: Shhh We're Reading Dirty Books. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss lawmakers' drive to target Medicare and Medicaid for savings as the US government rapidly runs out of money; President Trump takes a victory lap before a joint session of Congress and makes his case for tariffs, his approach to Ukraine and taking Greenland; after intensive counseling by his allies to swallow his pride, Volodymyr Zelenskyy moves to curry favor with Trump; as America cuts aid and intelligence to Kyiv, Britain and France work to shape a peace plan and European nations race to help Ukraine and bolster spending; Hong Kong's CK Hutchison sells management of the Cristobal and Balboa ports on either side of the Panama Canal through 2047 to Blackrock for $23 billion; China vows to fight tariff, trade and “any other war;” Trump again threatens Hamas with annihilation as Washington negotiates directly with the terror group as Arab League nations craft their own peace proposal and rebuilding plan for Gaza, and Washington reaches out to Tehran for nuclear talks. This program was recorded on Friday morning before Trump threatened Russia with “large scale” sanctions after Moscow's major attack on Ukraine.

We are excited to announce our first ever Dirty Books Face-Off! For the month of March we will be running a bracket-style tournament and pitting our 16 favorite books from the past 7 years against each other. Only one can emerge victorious! Join us weekly as Calina's 8 favorite books take on Saylet's 8 favorites. These episodes will also be posted on YouTube! ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss GOP lawmakers move toward a budget resolution and reconciliation measure as defense hawks work to boost Pentagon spending; prospects fora full-year continuing resolution; the race to redirect 8 percent from DoD spending a year for five years to the administration's new priorities; President Trump's firings of the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, the former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Vice Chief of the Air Force Gen. Jim Slife and the three military service judge advocates general; Elon Musk and his team continue to terrorize federal workers; Washington sides with Beijing, Pyongyang and Minsk by voting against a UN measure blaming Russia for the war against Ukraine as Washington extorts gas, oil and rare earths concessions from Kyiv without extending security guarantees; the suggestion that a neutral Ukraine will ensure peace; Trump's bizarre Gaza video as the first phase of hostage and prisoner exchanges end between Israel and Hamas.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's continuing demand for a “big beautiful bill” that includes all his priorities and the Senate passage of its version of the border bill without the massive tax cuts or other legislation the president wants; lawmakers seek to boost defense spending while the Pentagon presses military services to cut 6 percent a year over five years from their budgets that would be redirected to fund new priorities like border security, the Iron Dome air and missile defense initiative the border as well as unmanned systems, attack submarines and the strategic nuclear deterrent; in Riyadh, Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to betray Ukraine and rehabilitate Russia and its economy as Trump denounces Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an unpopular dictator who started the war, mirroring Moscow's propaganda; Washington took on an even more Stalinist flavor as the administration suggested it has submitted to Congress a list of senior officers that would be fired including the Chairman, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Army chief of staff, although sources said the list was “unofficial” and may have been floated as both a warning to those named and to distract attention after a bad week; European leaders met in Paris, vowing support for Ukraine and pledging to continue punishing Russia as faith in America as a reliable ally and global leader evaporates as many wonder whether Washington represents a threat; as America commits great power suicide, China mounts an aggressive PR campaign to paint the United States as an unreliable actor and pledges to fill the void left in the abrupt end American aid and leadership; what's next as the bodies of dead Israeli hostages including two small children are exchanged and Washington sticks to its plan to depopulate Gaza and redevelop it.

We've read fake-dating stories before but this one is between two best friends. Here we meet Laniah, a small-business owner who craves privacy and being homebound, and her BFF, Isaac, who is a sensational influencer and artist, living his best life in the limelight. When Laniah's small-business, co-owned with her mother, begins to struggle and is close to shutting down, Isaac springs an idea that he knows would guarantee a turn-around for her business - telling the internet that they are dating. Though Laniah is worried that this would wreck their life-long friendship, she rolls with it. And even though they both start falling for each other (in a non-bff way), Laniah has a tough time accepting how she feels and is worried that her health and their relationship will be ruined if they both accept that they are in love with each other. Join us to see where they end up - or read this book with us! ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss efforts to raise defense spending by $100 billion; President Trump's claim that billions in waste can be cut from the Pentagon as Elon Musk and the Muskovites set their sights on DoD; Trump proposed talks with China and Russia to allow Pentagon spending to be halved; Trump alarms America's closest allies after disclosing a 90-minute call with Vladimir Putin as the two negotiate ending the Ukraine war, rejecting NATO membership for Kyiv, pledging reciprocal visits and calling for Russia to return to the G7; Vice President Vance rips into allies at the Munich Security Conference; allies see Europe shielding Ukraine as Washington helps Putin get off the hook for a war he started that's caused more than 1 million casualties and displaced millions more; a day after getting out of jail free, Putin strikes the sarcophagus containing the reactor at Chernobyl that exploded in 1986; US allies in Europe and Pacific consider new alliances of like-minded democracies to better defend themselves and preserve free trade; president says US businesses shouldn't be constrained by laws against bribing foreign officials; King Abdullah visits the White House where he's put in a tough spot by the President's insistence that America would annex Gaza and force Jordan and Egypt to accept 2 million Palestinians who now live there; Bibi Netanyahu threatens to end the ceasefire and resume military operations; and America's indo-pacific commander warns that Chinese war games around taiwan are now so incessant they could serve as a fig leaf for a military invocation of the island.

Donald Trump's call with Vladimir Putin signals the start of Ukraine negotiations, sparking fears among allies that it may come at Kyiv's expense. Former Pentagon official Jim Townsend explains how early concessions could weaken Trump's position—and why the US is pushing Europe to take on more of the defence burden.The World in 10 is the Times' daily podcast dedicated to global security. Expert analysis of war, diplomatic relations and cyber security from The Times' foreign correspondents and military specialists. Watch more: www.youtube.com/@ListenToTimesRadio Read more: www.thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Cavas Ships co-host Chris Servello join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the latest on appropriations, appropriations, reconciliation and debt ceiling discussions on Capitol Hill as the prospect of a year-long continuing resolution and a government shutdown loom; the Senate moves to clear more of President Trump's nominees including Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services; Elon Musk and his small team move at lightning speed to siphon unprecedented amounts of personal and financial data from agencies under the guise of improving government efficiency and move to gut the US Agency for International Development, offer retirement packages across government including to the CIA's entire staff and fire some 40 percent of FBI agents; the implications of USAID's demise as China, Russia and autocrats rejoice; whether distracted intelligence, law enforcement, allies or senior leaders will result in a future terror attack at home or incident abroad; analysis of Trump's statement that the United States will take over Gaza and relocate more than 2 million Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan and redevelop it; and what to expect at the upcoming Munich Security Conference as America's closest allies increasingly question their relationship with Washington.

Sydney is going back home to Rose Bend - pregnant and divorced - hoping to settle back into her roots and find stability in a life she once knew in this small town. Although her relationship with her parents are rocky, after the death of sister many years ago, Sydney wants to raise her baby in a familiar, warm place. But even her ex-husband doesn't make her move easy by threatening to take their baby away by suing for full-custody. But Sydney asks for help from an old friend, Coltrane, who is a lawyer and Mayor of Rose Bend, and is more than willing to help Sydney navigate this impending suit. Even though there's an immediate attraction and intense feelings grow between these two, Cole is haunted with his own past and struggles with falling for Sydney while still in love with his wife, who died during childbirth with their unborn son. Join us as we discuss this contemporary love story about two people finding new beginnings while healing from their pasts. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate & review! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB & IG as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend now with the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Trump's address after the worst US air disaster in 15 years that killed 67, blaming the tragedy on his predecessors and diversity programs; update on defense budget, reconciliation and debt discussions; Trump threatens the federal reserve and sows chaos in his second week by freezing government grants; his new defense secretary Pete Hegseth arrives at the Pentagon where he has eliminated diversity programs; Europe weights how best to deal with a second Trump term; Asia worries that Trump's drive to change borders by acquiring Greenland and the terms under which the Ukraine war ends will shape Beijing's approach as China seeks to redraw borders across the region; Israel exchanges prisoners as Hamas releases hostages and Trump urges Egypt and Jordan to accept Gazans as the Netanyahu government works to annex the strip; and Syria's new leadership.

Friends! MMF ftw. Holy moly - before you listen to this episode, please read/listen to this book first - it was so good. This is our first MMF and different from other why-choose stories we've reviewed because there is hot-ass MM action! Here we meet Nathan, who's on his way to be with his family for the holidays until the snowy mountains of California makes him crash his car. But no need to worry - he is rescued by a logger-couple, who not only rescues and cares for him, but they also can't help but to be interested in him in other ways. Married couple Morgan and Fox have loved each other for over twenty years and are looking for a third person to join their relationship. While Nathan shows interest as well, he battles a little internally about who he really is when it comes to falling for a married logger-woman and, also, falling for her lumberjack husband. Seriously, join us for this juicy one. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Senate confirmation of President-elect Trump's cabinet appointments including Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, Marco Rubio as Secretary of State and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence as Congress weighs appropriations, a reconciliation package and a debt ceiling increase; covering California wildfire costs; Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire that will see several hundred Palestinian prisoners traded from 33 Israeli hostages, half of whom are dead; why Republicans forced the resignation of Lockheed Martin's widely respected head of government affairs; Ukraine war update and what's next as Trump returns to office; Trump and Xi Jingping talk by phone before the inauguration; the revelation of Beijing's new amphibious capabilities as Chinese planes and ships encircle Taiwan; the South Korea's impeached President Yeon Suk Yeol detention; and President Biden's legacy as he ends decades of service in elected office including his farewell remarks that warned of a “tech industrial complex” led by unaccountable billionaire oligarchs and undermines democracy.

Oh how we love the fake dating trope and this one did not disappoint. Paisley's family sucks. She's not only been invited to her little sister's wedding but she's also the maid of honor. The catch: little sister is marrying Paisely's ex. During the bachelorette party, dazzled with light-up penis party favors, she runs into an old college frenemy, whom she once shared a steamy, hot kiss with, Klein. Aspiring writer Klein is smart and funny, and has never gotten over Paisley. So when their paths cross again and they each find themselves in need of each other, they agree to fake date each other on the terms that Paisley helps Klein market his debut novel and Klein plays loving boyfriend at her sister and ex-boyfriend's island wedding. Join us in this fun story of two people who were serendipitously pulled together and though they are live-streaming this fake love story, one can't help but wonder if their relationship is really fake at all. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

Happy holidays, friends! Join us this season - on Christmas Day - as we each take a turn reviewing our own holiday romance story. We hope you read along for some fun, sexy, loving Christmas love stories. In Mistletoe Memories, we meet bakers Gretchen and Levi who, two years after breaking off their engagement, come together to defeat a local rival baker in a holiday baking competition. Then, come along to meet Lucy and Eric in two meet-cutes, and their excitable, sexy, wacky journey home to be with family for the holidays. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Elon Musk and Donald Trump's torpedoing of a bipartisan spending measure of keep government open through March, prospects of a government shutdown through the holidays — potentially spanning through the inauguration — analysis of the key events of 2024 that will shape the coming year the coming year, and predictions for the United States, China, the Ukraine war, Syria and the broader Middle East.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the increasing likelihood that Donald Trump will garner Senate approval for his controversial nominees including Pete Hegseth at DoD thanks to muscular intimidation tactics directed toward lawmakers, analysis of the $858 billion National Defense Authorization Act that includes another big military pay rise, support for Ukraine and Taiwan and an end to covid vaccine mandates, an update on an appropriations measure to keep government running as another debt debate looms, what's next now that militants backed by Turkey have ended Bashar al Assad's brutal regime as the Syrian dictator flees to Moscow, outlook for Ukraine as Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, China stages a massive military exercise around Taiwan to protest Taiwanese president Lai Ching Te's visit to Hawaii and Guam, South Korea still rocked by Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law, Washington's latest effort to help end the Gaza war, and what to expect at this year's 125th Army-Navy game outside Washington.

The Worst Duke in London is named Gage Croft and he is the Duke of Vale. He is tall, red-hair, Scottish, and deep in debt since the death of his older brother and father before him. Lady Evangeline Raine likes animals more than people and prefers to take over her own dowry than to be married off to a man who only desires her wealth. And poor Viola, her little sister can only date when Evvie starts dating and finds it completely unfair as she can tell that her sister is well on her to become a spinster. That is until Vale is offered an opportunity that can wipe away his large debt and bring wealth back into his home. All he has to do is pretend to be interested in Evvie and distract her London so that Huntington can make a salacious move on Viola - she is rich, too, after all. We love when authors retell famous works and Amalie did not disappoint! ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Donald Trump's top administration picks including Russ Vought at the Office of Management and Budget; Pete Hegseth's prospects as defense secretary; whether “outsider” leaders like Steve Feinberg as deputy secretary, John Phelan as Navy secretary and Dan Driscoll as Army secretary can succeed without more traditional deputies; an update on the National Defense Authorization Act, appropriations and a continuing resolution as lawmakers map a major tax cut package; House Speaker Mike Johnson makes clear he won't support more assistance for Ukraine as both the White House and European nations step up aid for an increasingly beleaguered Kyiv; Russia increases saberrattling with threats, exercises in the Mediterranean and Moscow's top general calls his US counterpart for the first time in more than two years; South Kore's President Yoon Suk Yeol comes under fire for declaring martial law; Trump's vow to block Nippon Steel from acquiring US Steel; rebels in Syria take the country's biggest city Aleppo and Hama as Georgia is roiled in antigovernment turmoil; Israel and Hezbollah strike a deal as operations continue in Gaza and the West Bank; and what to expect at the Reagan National Defense Forum this weekend.

Come on friends just look at the damn cover! We are super happy to report that book three, The Chosen, of the Black Arrowhead series by Dannika Dark did not disappoint. Much like the first two books, we meet a lovely new cast of people, as well as our first two couples. Tak is looking for people to join his pack so Hope sends out a message to those who may be looking to join one. Along comes Robyn, who is technically not a shifter, but has very good reasons as to why she wants to join Tak's pack. During her journey to the invite, she meets Montana and his shirt, steals his fries, and sleeps in tents. Join us as we discuss this amazing love story between two people who are escaping their past and trying to find a forever home with each other and their new found-family.. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On today's program, sponsored by HII, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security discusses President Biden's decision to allow Kyiv to use US supplied weapons against Russia steps up strikes on Ukraine's power grid and 50,000 Russian and North Korean forces entr the fray, whether the new weapons will change the course of the war that's expected to end the day Donald Trump returns to the White House, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz's phone call with Vladimir Putin; and Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners discusses Trump's picks for top jobs, the implications of the Department of Government Efficiency and deep cuts to spending as well as the federal workforce, takeaways from the Mitchell Institute's Airpower Future Forum and the Naval Submarine League's annual symposium, and a look at the week ahead with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim join host Vago Muradian discuss Donald Trump's cabinet picks including China hawks like Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as well as controversial picks like Tulsi Gabbard, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Fox host Pete Hegseth; whether House and Senate Republicans will agree to recess thereby allowing Trump's nominees to take office without a conventional confirmation process; implications of proposed cull of senior military officers under effort to counter DEI and lack of “warrior” ethos; US allies and partners work to repostion themselves to curry favor with incoming administration including Taiwan's preemptive proposal to boost defense including and buy US Aegis destroyers and F-35 fighters; Russia's efforts to influence Trump; what's next in the Middle East after Israeli leaders propose annexing of parts of West Bank and Saudi Arabia's Mohamed bin Salman labels Israel's actions as genocide and Qatar ends mediation role; and Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency.

Max and Donatienne are joined by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend, hosts of the Brussels Sprouts podcast at the Center for a New American Security, to discuss the implications of Trump's return to the White House for European security, Ukraine, and US-Europe relations. Learn more: Brussels Sprouts  Russian Roulette | CSIS Podcasts 

Ember is just a typical woman trying to find her own. Join us this week as we fall into this rom-com and meet Ember and Danuwoa (AKA Native Daddy) and their journey to identity, belonging, and self-acceptance. Even though Ember continues to dig herself deeper into a pit of white lies, she cannot deny her feelings for Danuwoa are real, nor can she keep suffering the blackmail, racism, and nepotism happening in the workplace. This is a lovely story about a woman who navigates not just the corporate world but also the conflicts between her cultural identity, personal ambition, and desire for a real love connection with Dan. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss Donald Trump's election to another term, what the trouncing of Vice President Kamala Harris means for the Democratic Party, whether Trump's second term will be more disciplined than his first, the outlook for defense spending with the Senate and House in GOP hands, allies brace for turmoil starting with Ukraine, whether Washington will force Kyiv to immediately end the war or adopt a longer-term lend-lease approach to support Ukraine, outlook for US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and Bibi Netanyahu's even freer hand in the region as he fires his defense minister Yoav Gallant.

This week we took it back to our roots and dived into a paranormal romance novel. Join us as we discuss The Watching, where we meet Kayla, a small town café waitress who is just trying to find her way through life with her tight knit group of friends and her penchant for buying stray cats cat food - oh, and falling for strange, hot dudes. While Kayla is fighting with mixed emotions about two different love interests, her friends become victims of strange animal attacks across town and they know that together, they can get to the source of all the craziness their little town is going through. With the help of their local law enforcement, Kayla and her friends may just be able to make it through this supernatural mess. ***We would love and appreciate it if you could Subscribe then Rate & Review us on iTunes! Follow us @ShhhDirtyBooks on FB, IG, Twitter as well as on our website at ShhhDirtyBooks.com. Thank you for joining us!*** Music by Jim Townsend

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Michael Herson of American Defense International, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Center for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the neck-and-neck US presidential race with days to go until the election; growing concern that Russia has turned the tables on Ukraine with 8,000 North Korea soldiers to help push Ukrainian forces from Kursk as the West runs out of weapons and interest in the war; Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's snap election backfires as the LDP loses ground; China's publicly announces its first ICBM test in four decades as message to Washington that Beijing can reach US soil with its new DF-41 missile; North Korea also tested a long-range missile; Australia says it will improve its missile defenses; Israel attacks Iran's air defenses and strikes its missile and drone industries as the war continues; and the LA Dodgers rout the NY Yankees in five games to win their eight World Series.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Cavas Ships podcast co-host Chris Servello, and Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US presidential race as it enters its last week, the world awaits Israel's strike on Iran as Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes his 11th trip to the Middle East to broker a ceasefire, the White House issues new national security AI guidance, Europe worries about North Korea troops fighting on Russia's behalf against Ukraine, a progress report on Germany's Zeitenwender and whether Europe can support Ukraine if America under a second Trump term withdraws support for Kyiv, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet for the first time since the bloody 2019 clash between the nations in the Himalayas after Canada again accused India of targeting and killing Canadian nationals critical of the New Delhi government — a charge endorsed by Washington — Japanese elections over the weekend, and the decision by the Washington Post and the LA Times against endorsing a presidential candidate over reprisal fears.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, former Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security, and former Pentagon Comptroller Dr. Dov Zakheim of the Venter for Strategic and International Studies join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss President Biden's call for Congress to approve emergency aid in the wake of two devastating and deadly hurricanes; electoral impact of historic amounts of disinformation that have hampered rescue and recovery efforts; update on Russia's war on Ukraine as as Moscow makes incremental progress as Russian casualties top 600,000; Ukraine's efforts to stockpile ammunition and protect itself from US election outcome next month; Laos hosts ASEAN; Beijing overreacts despite a measured address by Lai Ching-te on Taiwan's National Day; Vice President Harris names Iran as a leading threat; Israel Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu calls on Lebanon to rid itself of Hezbollah as Israel continues operations in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank, as Jerusalem considers retaliation against Iran's recent missile attack that's expected to target the country's oil infrastructure.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Washington Roundtable, sponsored in part by Hanwha Defense USA, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute think tank, Cavas Ships co-host Chris Servello, and Pentagon Europe chief Jim Townsend of the Center for a New American Security join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the US presidential race enters its last month as a devastating hurricane and growing unrest in the Middle East could decide who ends up in the White House, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran retaliates with a massive ballistic missile barrage, Jerusalem vows retaliation and President Biden confirms strikes on Iran's energy facilities have been discussed in a move that sends oil prices soaring, former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte succeeds Jens Stoltenberg as NATO's new secretary general, Ukraine retreats from Vuledhar as Russia's strategy of throwing of men and weapons into fight helps gain ground in Donbas, the People's Republic of China celebrates its 75th anniversary by dialing up coercion in the South China Sea, and Shigeru Ishiba succeed Fumio Kishida as Japan's 65th prime minister.