Podcasts about Persian Gulf

We enter in the final years of Afonso de Albuquerque as he continues his master strategy to bring the Indian Ocean under Portuguese control. He heads west to subdue the Red Sea and the Persian gulf. In doing so, he earns his title "The Lion of the Sea"   PLEASE LEAVE A RATING AND REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS!  Flash Point History YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTYmTYuan0fSGccYXBxc8cA Contribute on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FPHx Leave some feedback: flashpointhistory@gmail.com Follow along on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FLASHPOINTHX/ Engage on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlashpointHx

M. P. Woodward is a veteran of both US intelligence ops and the entertainment industry. As a naval intelligence officer with the US Pacific Command, he scripted scenario moves and countermoves for US war game exercises in the Middle East. In multiple deployments to the Persian Gulf and Far East, he worked alongside US Special Forces, CIA, and NSA. After leaving the Navy, Woodward ran international distribution marketing for Amazon Prime Video. Today, he is a full-time writer based in Washington State. Visit his website at https://www.mpwoodward.com/ Spies, Lies and Private Eyes is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #authorsontheair #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors #thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers#writersinspiration #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #terrencemccauley #terrencemccauleybooks #bookouture #thrillers #TheTwilightTown #MPWoodward #TerminalVelocity

This week, it's the sensual adventure in Geopolitical ASMR you've all been waiting for.Our two men talking to themselves on their mobile phones in separate locations. With Philip Pilkington presently locked in a hotel room in China, it seems Andrew is penning him Sleepless in Seattle-style voice notes from Northumberland. Dynamic. Digital. Dangerous. Disestablishmentarian.How much of this you can handle is up to you? Two audio essays, half a world away. Later, Phillip Pilkington talks about how much he hates Javier Milei and how hard you should short your pesos.But first Andy Collingwood talking about a nuclear umbrella and how it could be flopped out right in the middle of a Persian Gulf. This is geopolitics, as you've never heard it before.You can get special paywalled premium episodes of Multipolarity every month on Patreon: https://patreon.com/multipolarity

Yes, September is Australian Appreciation Month on the Midrats Podcast. Building on our discussion earlier this month with Liz Buchanan, we are returning to the perspective from the Antipodes with returning guest Gray Connolly.From Afghanistan, to the Antarctic, to the approaches to the Arctic through the Pacific, we'll have a broad-reaching discussion of allied national security concerns from the Australian perspective.Gray Connolly served as a Naval Intelligence officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College and holds the King's Commission. Gray is a graduate in Arts (Honours - History) from the University of Sydney and in Law (Dean's Merit List) from the University of New South Wales.Gray served previously in Asia and the Middle East, including service in the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, East Timor, and the Middle East. Gray served in the Iraq War (two deployments) and Afghanistan.Gray is now a Barrister-at-Law in Sydney. He has advised the Australian Government on national security and public law matters and served as a Senior Member of the federal Administrative Appeals Tribunal.He keeps a blog at “Strategy Counsel” and his Twitter is @GrayConnollyAll of Gray's comments and opinions are his alone and do NOT represent the view of the Australian Government.SummaryIn this episode of Midrats, the discussion revolves around Australia's national security, particularly in the context of the AUKUS agreement, its relationships with major powers like China and India, and the importance of alliances. Gray shares insights on the public support for AUKUS, the challenges posed by Australia's geographic isolation, and the historical context of Australia's military contributions. The conversation also touches on the complexities of Australia's relationship with Indonesia and the implications of China's influence in Antarctica.TakeawaysAUKUS is popular among Australians, reflecting a bipartisan agreement.Australia's geographic isolation necessitates strong military capabilities.The AUKUS agreement is crucial for Australia's national security.Australia's resource management is complicated by economic dependencies.Alliances are vital for Australia due to its size and population.Australia values its historical military contributions to global conflicts.The Australian character emphasizes internationalism and support for allies.China's influence in Antarctica poses significant concerns for Australia.Australia's relationship with Indonesia has improved over the years.Cricket serves as a cultural bridge between Australia and India.Chapters00:00: Introduction to MidRats and Australia Appreciation Month02:30: AUKUS Agreement: A National Security Perspective03:50: Public Support for AUKUS in Australia06:20: Australia's Resource Management and Economic Dependencies08:28: The Importance of Alliances in National Security10:00: Australia's Geographic Challenges and Military Needs11:04: Australia's Commitment to the Alliance12:32: The Impact of European Defense Spending on Australia13:00: Australia's Historical Military Contributions15:22: The Australian National Character and Internationalism18:23: Concerns Over China's Influence in Antarctica40:06: Australia's Relationship with Indonesia55:04: Australia's Growing Ties with India

37 minutes Greg Proops Bio "Sharp dressed and even sharper witted." -LA Times "Proops has a fun, ranty, self-deprecating, flamboyant, quick comedy style with depth, range, and most importantly, great jokes." -SF Weekly Greg Proops is a stand up comic from San Francisco. He lives in Hollywood. And likes it. Mr. P has a spanking new stand up comedy CD called Proops Digs In. Available on iTunes and at http://www.aspecialthing.com Greg is shooting his second season on the hit Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP. Starring Keke Palmer, NAACP Image Award winner, as True. Weekly on Nickelodeon. Mr. Proops is a frequent guest on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately on E! and on Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News. Greg joins long time cohorts Ryan Stiles, Jeff Davis and Chip Esten in the live improv show Whose Live Anyway? They are constantly touring the US and Canada. Proop pod has appeared on such notable comedy podcasts as WTF with Marc Maron, Doug Benson's I Love Movies and Kevin Pollak's Chat Show. Gregela is happy to be in the Streamy-winning of Easy to Assemble starring Illeana Douglass, as the shallow agent Ben. Seen on easytoassemble.tv. The Proopdog is best known for his unpredictable appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway? The hit, improvised comedy show on ABC hosted by Drew Carey. Greg is also a regular on the long running British version of WLIIA? Whose Line is currently seen on ABC Family Channel. Proops has been a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,The View and The Bonnie Hunt Show. Proopworld provides the announcer voice Hank "Buckshot" Holmes for the forthcoming game Mad World for SEGA. Darth Greg is heard as the bad guy Tal Merrick in the animated TV series Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. Greg can also be heard as the voice of Bob the Builder on the popular children's series seen on PBS. The HBO series Flight of Conchords features Greg as Martin Clarke an advertising executive and weasel. Greg joined long time cohort Ryan Stiles in a two-man improvised show, Unplanned. They performed for sell out crowds at the Just For laughs Festival in Montreal and taped a gala for the CBC. Mr. Proops cares like Bono and has performed and hosted at many events for the ACLU including the 2008 membership conference and a rally to stop torture with Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Senator Patrick Leahy and Larry Cox, Director of Amnesty International USA. Mr. Proopwell aided and abetted Joan and Melissa Rivers on the red carpet at the 2007 Oscars, Emmys, SAG and Grammy awards as a wag and celebrity traffic cop on TV Guide Channel. Mr. Prooples regularly hosts his own live comedy chat show at the ridiculously hip Hollywood rock joint Largo. Guests have included Flight of the Conchords, Jason Schwartzman, Russell Brand, Jack Black, Dave Grohl, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Joe Walsh, Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, Margaret Cho, Dave Eggers, Joan Rivers, Aidan Quinn, Jeff Goldblum, Kathy Griffin, Lewis Black, Eddie Izzard and John C. Reilly. Providing musical magic is genius and imp Jon Brion. Mr. Proops has also performed his chat show in Aspen at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Montreal at the Just For Laughs Festival. He also accompanied Drew Carey to the 2006 World Cup and produced and starred in Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures on the Travel Channel. Mr. Proops other television sightings include, Last Comic Standing, Ugly Betty, The Bigger Picture with Graham Norton on BBC, Mock the Week on BBC2 and The Drew Carey Show. Mr. P is very pleased to improvise with Drew Carey, Ryan Styles, Kathy Kinney, Colin Mochrie and many talented others as part of the Improv All Stars. They had the honor of performing for the troops in Bosnia, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf as part of the USO. The All-Stars can be seen on a fabulous Showtime comedy special. When over the pond in London, Greg sits in with the renowned Comedy Store Players. Darth Proops was so excited to portray Fode, one half of the pod race announcer in the hit motion picture Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and all the subsequent video games. As well as many voices in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Greg went medieval as Cryptograf in the animated feature Asterix and the Vikings based on the popular French comic book. Greg may be heard as Gommi, the Articulate Worm in Kaena: The Prophecy a full length animated feature starring Kirsten Dunst. He was also Bernard, a mad scientist on Pam Anderson's animated series Stripperella. Mr. Greg was spotted hosting his own syndicated, national dating show Rendez View. He also hosted the now cult classic game show Comedy Central's VS. Senor Proops threw down an original half-hour of stand up on Comedy Central Presents. Which is repeated ad infinitum. Across the wide Atlantic in the United Kingdom Greg had his own chat show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland. Groovy guests like Candace Bushnell, Rich Hall, Geraldine Chaplin, Steven Berkoff and Garrison Keillor have snuggled his sofa. Mr. Proops performed stand up at How to Cook a benefit with Michael Palin and Terry Jones for the Peter Cook Foundation a BBC Christmas special. Greg was honored to be invited to rock the mike at Prince Charles' 50th Royal Birthday Gala seen on ITV in Britain. He performed a stand up half-hour on Comedy Store Five for Channel Five and has bantered on All Talk with Clive Anderson. The Proopkitty is a total smartyboots: he won The Weakest Link, Ben Stein's Money and Rock n' Roll Jeopardy. He also asked Dick Clark what his plans were for New Years Eve while guest hosting The Other Half. Proopmonkey rocks his stand up comedy all over the world and can be found most frequently performing in his beloved hometown of San Francisco. Mr. P. has toured the UK four times, sold out the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 28 years running and has kicked it live in Paris, Turkey, Milan, Aspen, Montreal, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. Below the Equator in New Zealand the Proopshobbit hosted the Oddfellows Comedy Gala for TVNZ and headlined the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. In Australia Speccy Spice jammed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and hosted, Hey, Hey it's Saturday! A national TV institution. Mr. Proops is married to a woman, Jennifer. He doesn't deserve her. They reside in Lower California with their pet ocelot, Lady Gaga. 110 minutes Steve Hofstetter has over a billion views on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, is a Nobel Peace Prize-nominated comedian. His book (Ginger Kid) is a top 5 pick on Amazon and debuted at number one in its category. Hofstetter was the host and executive producer of season one of Laughs (FOX) and he has been on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and E! True Hollywood Story, Comics Unleashed, Comedy All-Stars, Quite Frankly, White Boyz in the Hood, Countdown, and more. He's been in four movies, and he has had two top 20 comedy albums (including one that hit number 1 on iTunes comedy charts). He is a former columnist for Sports Illustrated and the NHL, and has also written for Maxim and the New York Times, among others. Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his charity work in the comedy community Has over 200 million views on YouTube and 700,000 subscribers Has over a billion views on Facebook and 800,000 followers His book "Ginger Kid" was a top 5 pick on Amazon One of the stars of Lifetime's "Handyman From Hell." Also in the Hallmark movie "Love Always, Santa", Lifetime's "Psycho Yoga Instructor" and "Psycho Storm Chaser", and Adam Carolla's "Road Hard" Former EVP of Film & Television for the Laugh Factory Senior Comedy Correspondent for Fox Sports Former Host and Executive Producer of "Laughs" on Fox Networks Former segment producer for Fox's "Dish Nation" TV includes CBS' "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson", hosting "Trial By Laughter" on Comcast, CNN's "Campbell Brown", the syndicated "Comics Unleashed", E's "True Hollywood Story", Showtime's "White Boyz in the Hood", ESPN's "Quite Frankly", VH1's "The Countdown", CW's "The Daily Buzz", G4's "Attack of the Show", Sundance's "On the Road in America", ABC's "Barbara Walters Special", "Good Day NY", "Good Day LA", "Fox & Friends", among others. His fifth album "Pick Your Battles" reached #1 on iTunes' comedy charts His third album "Dark Side of the Room" was first ever comedian Pay-What-You-Want Former weekly columnist for Sports Illustrated and the NHL Hosted "Four Quotas" on Sirius Satellite Radio for two years Hosted "The Sports Minute (Or So)", syndicated for four years on over 170 radio stations Collegehumor.com's original columnist From New York City, currently lives in Pittsburgh. Get Jeff's new book The Web We Weave Why We Must Reclaim the Internet from Moguls, Misanthropes, and Moral Panic 1:33 Jeff Jarvis is a national leader in the development of online news, blogging, the investigation of new business models for news, and the teaching of entrepreneurial journalism. He writes an influential media blog, Buzzmachine.com. He is author of “Geeks Bearing Gifts: Imagining New Futures for News” (CUNY Journalism Press, 2014); “Public Parts: How Sharing in the Digital Age Improves the Way We Work and Live” (Simon & Schuster, 2011); “What Would Google Do?” (HarperCollins 2009), and the Kindle Single “Gutenberg the Geek.” He has consulted for media companies including The Guardian, Digital First Media, Postmedia, Sky.com, Burda, Advance Publications, and The New York Times company at About.com. Prior to joining the Newmark J-School, Jarvis was president of Advance.net, the online arm of Advance Publications, which includes Condé Nast magazines and newspapers across America. He was the creator and founding managing editor of Entertainment Weekly magazine and has worked as a columnist, associate publisher, editor, and writer for a number of publications, including TV Guide, People, the San Francisco Examiner, the Chicago Tribune, and the New York Daily News. His freelance articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines across the country, including the Guardian, The New York Times, the New York Post, The Nation, Rolling Stone, and BusinessWeek. Jarvis holds a B.S.J. from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He was named one of the 100 most influential media leaders by the World Economic Forum at Davos. Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi Weekly Happy Hour Hangout's !  Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing Gift a Subscription https://www.patreon.com/PeteDominick/gift

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for conversation with M.P. Woodward, Navy veteran and bestselling author of Tom Clancy: Line of Demarcation, the newest installment in the legendary Jack Ryan series. We'll talk spycraft, storytelling, and how real-world experience in military intelligence shapes his fiction writing. Before becoming a full-time writer, M.P. Woodward served as a Naval Intelligence Officer with the U.S. Pacific Command, where he scripted war-game scenarios focused on the Middle East and coordinated joint missions with Special Forces, the CIA, and the NSA. He deployed multiple times to the Persian Gulf and Far East and served on a senior admiral's flag staff, often acting as liaison to foreign military officers. These experiences gave him a deep well of operational and diplomatic knowledge—one he draws from to deliver techno-thrillers that feel one step ahead of the headlines. In Line of Demarcation, Woodward thrusts President Jack Ryan into the center of an escalating crisis as Russia's war in Ukraine edges toward global catastrophe. Meanwhile, Jack Ryan Jr. undertakes a covert mission in occupied territory that could determine the fate of nations. With geopolitical intrigue and explosive action, the novel delivers all the hallmarks of classic Clancy—filtered through Woodward's sharp, informed lens. Don't miss this chance to hear from one of today's most authentic voices in military fiction. We'll discuss his path from the Navy to the bestseller list, and how his service continues to inform his storytelling today. We're grateful to UPMC for Life  for sponsoring this event!

The 12-day war between Iran and Israel revealed certain realities about the regional order for the Gulf Arabs, while also offering lessons for the future. The current order in the Persian Gulf is influenced by the US' “Pivot to the East” strategy and the containment of China. The effects of this approach are evident in Israel's increased presence in the region and the Abraham Accords. Following Hamas' 7 October attack on Israel, the decimation of the group, as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Tel Aviv has sought to impose its desired order in the region. Israel's recent attack on Iran, as well as the US' own strikes,  have heightened concerns about the dominance of Israel's preferred order in the region. On the other hand, Iran's response by hitting the American Al-Udeid base in Qatar, has raised Gulf worries about maintaining neutrality in a direct war between Israel/the US and Iran. These countries, in pursuit of an independent role, aim to continue diplomacy with Iran to shape their desired security order in the region — a diplomacy that largely prevented the expansion of war in the region.

Send me a messageThe Epic SAS battle in Oman - the battle of Mirbat 1972Become A PatronMake A DonationIn July 1972, nine SAS soldiers faced impossible odds in a forgotten battle that helped shape the Cold War. The Battle of Mirbat stands as one of the most extraordinary feats in British Army history - a modern-day Rorke's Drift where elite Special Forces held the line against overwhelming communist forces.Deep in the mountains of Oman's Dhofar province, a Marxist insurgency backed by China and the Soviet Union threatened to topple the Sultan and seize control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The Dhofar Rebellion had raged for a decade, with communist guerrillas controlling vast swathes of territory and pushing toward the vital oil routes of the Persian Gulf.Standing in their way was a small SAS team stationed in the coastal town of Mirbat. On the morning of 19 July 1972, over 400 heavily-armed PFLOAG fighters descended from the hills in a coordinated assault designed to deliver a knockout blow to the Sultan's forces. Their target: nine British Army Special Forces soldiers and a handful of local allies defending an old fort.What followed was four hours of desperate fighting that would become legendary within the SAS Regiment. Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba single-handedly operated a 25-pounder artillery gun - normally requiring six men - while under sustained enemy fire. Captain Mike Kealy coordinated the defense with extraordinary calm as bullets flew around him. When Labalaba was wounded, Trooper Tommy Tobin volunteered for a suicide mission to reach the isolated gun position.This is the incredible true story of courage under fire, of professional soldiers who refused to yield when everything seemed lost. The Battle of Mirbat was more than just a military engagement - it was a turning point in the Dhofar Rebellion that secured Oman's future and protected Western interests in the Gulf during the height of the Cold War.Support the show

David D. Kirkpatrick, staff writer for The New Yorker, breaks down his tally of President Donald Trump profiteering during his presidencies, including five Persian Gulf mega-projects, a luxury jet from Qatar and half a dozen projects involving crypto and MAGA merch.

China's rapidly expanding presence in the Middle East has sparked a mix of anxiety and excitement, depending on one's perspective. Washington regards Beijing's support of Iran and the Palestinian cause, among other things, as key threats to its strategic interests. While Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and other regional actors see Beijing as a valuable economic partner. A new book by two leading China-Mideast scholars, Mohamed Alsudairi at the Australian National University and Andrea Ghiselli from the University of Exeter, explores the future of Chinese engagement in the region by laying out three possible scenarios

Joely and Tricia Leigh Fisher talk about being the kids of stars, Connie Stevens and Eddie Fisher—the allure of show business, putting on shows in their living room, and deciding at a young age to make performing their career. They share stories of being on the road with their mom, the good and bad lessons they learned, going to Beverly Hills High School while living alone across the street, and what it means to inherit both talent and addictive behaviors. They also open up about being moms, singing, dancing, acting, writing, and becoming beauty entrepreneurs. Joely discusses her stint at SAG, while the sisters reflect on their parents' many relationships, trying to connect with a distant father, and moving forward in a new entertainment landscape. And of course, they share their mom's immortal line: “Once you date Elvis, everyone else is a disappointment.”Bio: Joely Fisher is an American actress and singer, the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens. She is best known for her roles as Paige Clark on the TV series Ellen and Joy Stark on 'Til Death. She is also the younger half-sister of the late actress Carrie Fisher. Her career spans television, film, and Broadway, and she is a political activist currently serving as SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer.Tricia Leigh Fisher is the daughter of legendary crooner Eddie Fisher and iconic actress/singer Connie Stevens. She spent her childhood on sets and in concert venues, then joined the family business as a teenager, playing Burt Reynolds' daughter in the film “Stick.” Tricia has performed on many stages around the world, including entertaining the troops in the Persian Gulf with the legend, Bob Hope and the USO. After years touring as a back up singer, she landed her own deal on ATCO Records and hit the hot 100 billboard charts. She has continued to work, as an actress, in television and film for the past thirty-five years, starring in films such as Book of Love, Pretty Smart, Arizona Dream, Saving Grace B. Jones, Hostile Intentions and CHUD II. Tricia has worked in television for decades, including her role as Heidi in The Heidi Fleiss Story, 911, Criminal Minds, Rizzoli and Isles, The Mentalist, No Ordinary Family, Ellen, Til Death, and many others. A few of her theater roles include a Los Angeles run and tour of Bermuda Avenue Triangle with Joe Bologna, Renee Taylor, and Lainie Kazan and Miracle on South Division Street at the New Theater in Kansas City. Tricia is currently the lead singer of her 70's band with husband, Byron Thames, and plays regularly to sold out shows in Los Angeles.

News items read by Laura Kennedy include: New study shows why early Persian Gulf communities were forced to design large-scale infrastructure (details) (details) New study traces transition from hunter-gatherers to the agricultural lifestyle (details) (details) First arrivals in Americas carried a genetic relic that helped fight diseases (details) New analysis of Neolithic cow's tooth found at Stonehenge confirms link to Wales (details) (details) (details)

In this week’s episode, Jennifer welcomes Brian Shortsleeve, a distinguished Marine Corps veteran, successful businessman, government reformer, and proud father of three boys. Brian’s career spans service in Bosnia and the Persian Gulf, a leading role in the finance sector, and a notable tenure as the General Manager and CEO of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA). He also served under Governor Charlie Baker, where he earned a reputation for instituting fiscal discipline within Massachusetts state government. Brian is currently running for Governor of Massachusetts, committed to revitalizing economic growth and restoring common-sense leadership. Jennifer and Brian dive into the critical challenges facing Massachusetts under current one-party Democratic rule, highlighting the rapid escalation in state taxes, fees, and regulation. Brian shares controversial insights on Governor Maura Healey’s policies, including her handling of the state's $62 billion budget, the ever-increasing utility bills, burdensome business climate, and spending on migrant shelters. The conversation exposes the exodus of young people and businesses from Massachusetts, the shrinking private sector job market, and the lack of government accountability. Brian details his bold plans to cut taxes, streamline government spending, audit wasteful state programs, and restore fiscal health—all while emphasizing the importance of keeping families and economic opportunity in the state. This episode is a must-listen for those interested in the future trajectory of Massachusetts policy and politics. “Healey’s spending is completely out of control. In the last three weeks, she announced that she’s still spending over $3 million a day on the migrant shelter program.” ~ Brian Shortsleeve This week on Political Contessa: Massachusetts’ record $62 billion budget under Governor Healey The impact of rising taxes, fees, and utility costs on working families and seniors The migration of young people and businesses from Massachusetts to states with better economic climates How government waste and lack of auditing has led to outrageous contract spending The decline in private sector job growth and lost opportunity for middle class families Prioritization of spending on migrant shelters over local needs such as police, education, and public defenders Brian Shortsleeve’s systematic approach to government reform and fiscal discipline The urgent need for checks and balances and balanced leadership in Massachusetts Connect with Brian Shortsleeve: Brian Shortsleeve for Governor Awaken Your Inner Political Contessa Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Political Contessa. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google Podcasts Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media. And if you’ve ever considered running for office – or know a woman who should – head over to politicalcontessa.com to grab my quick guide, Secrets from the Campaign Trail. It will show you five signs to tell you you’re ready to enter the political arena. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's guest is former Naval Intelligence Officer, global tech executive, and New York Times bestselling author M.P. Woodward. During his service with U.S. Pacific Command, Woodward developed strategic war games and deployed multiple times to the Persian Gulf and Far East, working alongside U.S. Special Operations Forces, the CIA, and NSA.After leaving the military, he earned his MBA and built a career in the tech sector, eventually leading international distribution marketing for Amazon Prime Video. His work at the intersection of media, geopolitics, and technology now informs his acclaimed espionage novels, including The Handler and Dead Drop, and his contributions to the Tom Clancy universe. In this episode, Jack and M.P. discuss his path from the Navy to the tech world, the lessons learned in uniform that translate to business, and how he approaches writing with both an operational and market-driven mindset. They dive into the research and process behind The Handler, the strategic vulnerabilities explored in his upcoming standalone thriller Red Tide, and the family and service themes woven into the novel. The conversation also touches on writing historical fiction, the art of a strong prologue, book cover design, and Tom Clancy's legacy, along with a few detours into classic films, Dark Wolf, True Believer, and Land Cruisers.FOLLOW MP WoodwardX: @MPWauthor Facebook:@MP_Woodward Website: http://mpwoodward.comFOLLOW JACKInstagram: @JackCarrUSA X:  @JackCarrUSAFacebook:  @JackCarr YouTube:  @JackCarrUSASPONSORSCRY HAVOC – A Tom Reece Thriller https://www.officialjackcarr.com/books/cry-havoc/Bravo Company Manufacturing - https://bravocompanyusa.com/ and on Instagram @BravoCompanyUSATHE SIGs of Jack Carr:Visit https://www.sigsauer.com/ and on Instagram @sigsauerinc Jack Carr Gear: Explore the gear here https://jackcarr.co/gear 

Thirty-five years ago, in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, the largest American military deployment since Vietnam. On Monday, August 11 at 7:00pm ET, the Veterans Breakfast Club hosts a special 90-minute livestream conversation with veterans who served during this critical moment in modern military history. Operation Desert Shield began in August 1990, just days after Saddam Hussein's forces stormed into Kuwait. As the world watched with rising alarm, President George H. W. Bush ordered a massive mobilization to defend Saudi Arabiaand deter further Iraqi aggression. Over the next six months, more than 500,000 American troops—alongside coalition partners from 34 nations—were deployed to the Persian Gulf, building up a formidable military force in the desert. Joining us will be Scott C. Stump, a Marine veteran who is President, CEO, and founder of the National Desert Storm Memorial Association. Scott served in eastern Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and conceived the memorial idea and has led the charge ever since. He marshaled private fundraising—including critical support from Kuwait—and steered the association through years of design approvals, legislative hurdles, and permit process. The National Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial is now rising near the Lincoln and Vietnam Veterans Memorials on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. It honors roughly 700,000 Americans who served in the Gulf War of 1990–91, grounded in a concept first envisioned in 2010 and formally authorized by Congress in 2014. Stump's determined leadership helped secure the March 6, 2025 construction permit and kick off building work, with a projected dedication in spring 2026—bringing to fruition a memorial born of both personal service and long‑term advocacy This program will also focus on the Desert Shield buildup itself—the staging, logistics, training, and uncertainty that defined Desert Shield: What was it like to deploy to Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of 1990? How did troops prepare for a possible war that was still months away? What do veterans remember about the sense of anticipation, camaraderie, and tension on the ground? How did Desert Shield set the stage for the lightning-fast Desert Storm offensive that followed in January 1991? Though Desert Shield is often overshadowed by the brief but intense ground campaign of Desert Storm, it was a vital operation in its own right. It marked a new era of rapid deployment, joint operations, and coalition warfare, and proved that the U.S. military could project overwhelming force across the globe in a matter of weeks. Join us to commemorate this important anniversary and honor the service of those who stood ready in the desert long before the shooting began. #DesertShield35 #OperationDesertShield #GulfWarVeterans #VeteransBreakfastClub #VBCLive #MilitaryDeployment #GulfWarAnniversary #DesertShieldStories #ModernMilitaryHistory We're grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!

Okay, here's a chapter breakdown with timestamps: (00:00:10) Introduction: Extreme Heat in Israel - Overview of the current weather event. (00:01:17) Intensity and Comparison - Comparing the heat to the Persian Gulf and discussing heat warnings. (00:02:21) Jerusalem's Humidity - Details about dew points and temperatures in various locations. (00:03:24) Forecasted Temperatures - Discussing forecasts from different weather models. (00:04:24) Dew Point Accuracy - Addressing the reliability of dew point measurements. (00:05:27) Humid Heat Wave - Contrasting this heat wave with typical dry desert heat. (00:06:28) Thunderstorm Prediction - Analyzing a European model's thunderstorm forecast for Jerusalem. (00:07:31) Dew Points and Humidity Levels - Discussing the definition of humidity and expected dew points. (00:08:35) Temperature Extremes - Predictions for high temperatures and lack of nighttime cooling. (00:09:50) Regional Comparisons - Comparing the heat and humidity to conditions in the Persian Gulf and the US. (00:11:04) Excessive Heat Warnings - Emphasizing the dangerous heat levels across Israel. (00:12:13) Event Confirmation and Causes - Confirming the ongoing heat wave and the search for explanations. (00:13:15) Closing Remarks - Mentioning potential droughts in the Midwest and ending the podcast. (00:14:12) Outro Okay, here's a chapter breakdown with timestamps: (00:00:10) Introduction: Extreme Heat in Israel - Overview of the current weather event. (00:01:17) Intensity and Comparison - Comparing the heat to the Persian Gulf and discussing heat warnings. (00:02:21) Jerusalem's Humidity - Details about dew points and temperatures in various locations. (00:03:24) Forecasted Temperatures - Discussing forecasts from different weather models. (00:04:24) Dew Point Accuracy - Addressing the reliability of dew point measurements. (00:05:27) Humid Heat Wave - Contrasting this heat wave with typical dry desert heat. (00:06:28) Thunderstorm Prediction - Analyzing a European model's thunderstorm forecast for Jerusalem. (00:07:31) Dew Points and Humidity Levels - Discussing the definition of humidity and expected dew points. (00:08:35) Temperature Extremes - Predictions for high temperatures and lack of nighttime cooling. (00:09:50) Regional Comparisons - Comparing the heat and humidity to conditions in the Persian Gulf and the US. (00:11:04) Excessive Heat Warnings - Emphasizing the dangerous heat levels across Israel. (00:12:13) Event Confirmation and Causes - Confirming the ongoing heat wave and the search for explanations. (00:13:15) Closing Remarks - Mentioning potential droughts in the Midwest and ending the podcast. (00:14:12) OutroBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/weather-with-enthusiasm--4911017/support.

A new week means new questions! Hope you have fun with these!What is the state capital of Wyoming?Ancient Persians and Greeks encountered the famous “reeds that produce honey without bees”, which we know today as what?What is the currency of Fiji?The Brokenwood Mysteries, Haka Life, and Tagata Pasifika are a few television series from which country?What is the only country to border the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf?Who wrote the the novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in 1916?Which ancient Greek was later referred to in Dante's Divine Comedy as "Poet sovereign", king of all poets?In 1921, folklorist Margaret Murray promoted the idea that all witches across Europe met in covens of how many people?Introduced in a linguistic sense by Lewis Carroll, which term is also called a blend word?Contact with water and oxygen causes iron to rust in what chemical process?Which current Premiere League team's badge features a lion on a sky blue background?MusicHot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Don't forget to follow us on social media:Patreon – patreon.com/quizbang – Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support!Website – quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question!Facebook – @quizbangpodcast – we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Instagram – Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Twitter – @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia – stay for the trivia.Ko-Fi – ko-fi.com/quizbangpod – Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!

Send us a textThe Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 21 hit Nepali migrant workers hard. Thousands working in India were blocked from crossing the border into Nepal. Others overseas were laid off and confined to living quarters with little or no food, no money, and no tickets home. We recorded this episode in the midst of that dark period. While it describes the terrible conditions and uncertainty affecting migrants, it is at the same time a good primer on some of the core issues around migration and Nepal. With my guests Bijaya Rai Shrestha of the NGO AMKAS and academic Ramesh Sunam we touched on topics including:the ban on women migrating to work in Persian Gulf countriesthe impact of caste on decisions to migratethe ‘invisibility' of Nepalis who migrate to work in India andthe need for stronger policies from Nepal's governments.Unfortunately it seems like some of the optimism you'll hear in this episode was unrealistic —little seems to have improved in the migration file in the past five years.ResourcesAMKASRamesh SunamSupport the showYou can subscribe to Nepal Now for as little as $3 a month. Your support will help to cover the costs of editing the show and for our hosting platform. And you'll also get a shout-out in a future episode. You can also show your love by sending this episode to someone who you think might be interested or by sharing it on social media:LinkedInInstagram BlueSkyFacebook Sign up to our newsletterMusic by audionautix.com.Thank you to PEI in Bakhundole and Himal Media in Patan Dhoka for the use of their studios. Nepal Now is produced and hosted by Marty Logan.

Mission Accomplished: Rob O'Neill on SEAL Team Six, Leadership, and Life After the Battlefield.  In this week's episode, Marcus and Melanie Luttrell meet with one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time—Robert J. O'Neill. With an incredible 400+ combat missions under his belt, Rob's experiences span across Liberia, The Balkans, The Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As a Navy SEAL, Rob served in SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four, and spent eight years with the legendary SEAL Team Six. Rob's heroic career is underscored by 53 decorations, including two Silver Stars for gallantry, four Bronze Stars with Valor for heroism, and a host of other prestigious commendations. His resume of skills includes elite qualifications like Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster, Naval Special Warfare Scout/Sniper, and Master Naval Parachutist, among many others. In this episode, we dive deep into Rob's role in some of the most significant military operations in recent history: Operation Red Wings, which saw the rescue of the Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell The lead jumper in the daring rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates Operation Neptune's Spear, the mission that brought down Osama bin Laden Beyond the battlefield, Rob is the co-founder of the Special Operators Transition Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping special operations veterans transition to successful careers in corporate America. He is also the author of the best-selling memoir, THE OPERATOR: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior. Throughout his post-military career, Rob has become a prominent public speaker, security consultant, and media contributor, sharing expert insights on military strategy and terrorism. Whether speaking to survivors of 9/11 or delivering keynote speeches to business leaders, Rob translates his elite training into actionable lessons on leadership, resilience, and success. Join us as we explore Rob O'Neill's incredible journey from the frontlines to the boardroom and hear his thoughts on leadership, transition, and how to thrive under pressure. Tune in to hear the untold stories and actionable advice from one of America's most decorated heroes! In This Episode You Will Hear: • I don't think I could beat Marcus at arm wrestling if I can't pick up a bowling ball. (1:58) • You do realize there's a thing called old man strength? (5:53) • [Rob O'Neil] I have a podcast as well, called “The Operator.” We're called The Operator because if you're doing anything, you're an operator. (6:18) • Having a big man to kick your ass and teach you wind a bobbin; you realize there is skill here. (9:59) • When people quit BUDS, it's not because “this is hard”. [It's because] I'm tired of the broken foot.; I'm tired of the shin splints; I'm tired of my dislocated shoulder; I'm tired. (21:20) • In BUDS, one of the biggest problems is eating too much. Like I want 5 cheeseburgers, but we have a 4-mile run afterwards. (26:35) • [Rob] and for everyone that doesn't know, can you explain what a SDV is? (39:20) [Marcus] Imagine a mini submarine and shrink it down. The difference is that a submarine is dry inside, and the SDV is completely full of water. (39:23) • Listen to Marcus discuss the details of being in an SDV for 8 hours. Talk about ultimate torture - If you have a deep freeze in your garage, fill that sucker full of water, crawl in there and sit down for 8 hours. (40:32) • The first time I got in there, I was terrified. (45:29) • [Marcus] There's stuff that happens to us out there. Sometimes safety gets in the way of it. (58:49) • [After falling down the mountain during Operation Red Wings] I could hear that stream running. I've got to get me water, but I kept thinking I can't drink out of it, because my buddies are in it. (81:07) • If you want to make God laugh, tell Him what your plan is. (92:04) • [Marcus] Bro, when you saw that son of a bitch's face [Osama Bin Laden], what was the first thing you saw? [Rob O'Neal] I saw his nose. He was skinny, wearing white – tall. (95:22 ) • My nickname was “Nisro” (Navy SEAL Rob O'Neal). When they asked “Who got him?” They go “Nisro,” and they said “Fuck! We're never gonna hear the end of it.” (97:30) Support Robert:   - IG: mchooyah - Host of The Operator Podcast Support TNQ   - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13   -  https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors:   - dripdrop.com/TNQ    -  cargurus.com/TNQ    - armslist.com/TNQ   - partnersinbuilding.com - Navyfederal.org        -    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - WARFARE IN THEATERS APRIL 11th Watch Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JER0Fkyy3tw First Look Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3DWuqiAUKg&t=3s    -   - PXGapparel.com/TNQ   - bruntworkwear.com/TNQ    - Selectquote.com/TNQ    - Groundnews.com/TNQ    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - shipsticks.com/TNQ    - Robinhood.com/gold    - strawberry.me/TNQ    - stopboxusa.com {TNQ}    - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]   -  kalshi.com/TNQ   -  joinbilt.com/TNQ    - Tonal.com [TNQ]   - greenlight.com/TNQ   - PDSDebt.com/TNQ   - drinkAG1.com/TNQ   - Shadyrays.com [TNQ]   - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]   - Hims.com/TNQ   - Shopify.com/TNQ   - Aura.com/TNQ   - Policygenius.com   - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]   - usejoymode.com [TNQ]

Trump's AI Action plan ... The contradictions inherent to Trump's plan ... How Trump's anti-globalism undermines his AI goals ... Anthropic's leaked memo: Ideals vs Persian Gulf cash ... Bob: Dario Amodei is the true AI ideologue ... How AI “safety” became a hawkish movement ... Why true objectivity in LLMs is a fantasy ... A Palantir exec dives into the movie business ... Is AI surgery around the corner? ... Why the Gaza ceasefire talks are collapsing—again ... Biden and Trump's allergy to using US leverage ...

Trump's AI Action plan ... The contradictions inherent to Trump's plan ... How Trump's anti-globalism undermines his AI goals ... Anthropic's leaked memo: Ideals vs Persian Gulf cash ... Bob: Dario Amodei is the true AI ideologue ... How AI “safety” became a hawkish movement ... Why true objectivity in LLMs is a fantasy ... A Palantir exec dives into the movie business ... Is AI surgery around the corner? ... Why the Gaza ceasefire talks are collapsing—again ... Biden and Trump's allergy to using US leverage ...

In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn's senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn's reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age (University Press of Kansas, 2020), provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place. Frank Leith Jones is professor of security studies and the General C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His published work includes Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy. Arya Hariharan is a lawyer in politics. She spends much of her time working on congressional investigations and addressing challenges to the rule of law. You can reach her at arya.hariharan@gmail.com or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn's senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn's reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age (University Press of Kansas, 2020), provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place. Frank Leith Jones is professor of security studies and the General C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His published work includes Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy. Arya Hariharan is a lawyer in politics. She spends much of her time working on congressional investigations and addressing challenges to the rule of law. You can reach her at arya.hariharan@gmail.com or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn's senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn's reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age (University Press of Kansas, 2020), provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place. Frank Leith Jones is professor of security studies and the General C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His published work includes Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy. Arya Hariharan is a lawyer in politics. She spends much of her time working on congressional investigations and addressing challenges to the rule of law. You can reach her at arya.hariharan@gmail.com or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn's senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn's reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age (University Press of Kansas, 2020), provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place. Frank Leith Jones is professor of security studies and the General C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His published work includes Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy. Arya Hariharan is a lawyer in politics. She spends much of her time working on congressional investigations and addressing challenges to the rule of law. You can reach her at arya.hariharan@gmail.com or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn's senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn's reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age (University Press of Kansas, 2020), provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place. Frank Leith Jones is professor of security studies and the General C. Marshall Chair of Military Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His published work includes Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy. Arya Hariharan is a lawyer in politics. She spends much of her time working on congressional investigations and addressing challenges to the rule of law. You can reach her at arya.hariharan@gmail.com or Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

This episode covers the stability of Islamic Republic of Iran in the aftermath of the 12 Day War, and how the regime will adapt to its new reality. Guest Biographies Michael Connell is an expert in Persian-Gulf security-related issues, the armed forces of Iran, U.S.-GCC security cooperation, and adversary cyber policy and strategy. He has served as CNA's Field Analyst to Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). Dov Zakheim a Senior Fellow at CNA and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He served as Undersecretary of Defense from 2001-2004. Further Reading CNA Report: The Nuclear Programs of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran CNA Report: The Evolving Russia-Iran Relationship CNA InDepth: Russia and China Respond—or Don't—to the 12-Day War in Iran CNA Talks: Syria After Assad

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Jerry Salyer to convince us why we should read the writings of Louis de Bonald! Jerry Salyer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics from Miami University and a Master of Arts from the Great Books Program of St. John's College, Annapolis. A veteran of the US Navy, Mr. Salyer has navigated ships, deployed to the Persian Gulf, and served as an assistant security officer at the American naval base in Naples, Italy. He works as an educator and as a freelance writer. We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now? Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up. We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center. Stay Connected Visit us at McConnellcenter.org Subscribe to our newsletter  Facebook: @mcconnellcenter Instagram: @ulmcenter  Twitter: @ULmCenter This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comEd is the US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times. Before that, he was the FT's Washington Bureau chief, the South Asia bureau chief, Capital Markets editor, and Philippines correspondent. During the Clinton administration, he was the speechwriter for Larry Summers. The author of many books, his latest is Zbig: The Life and Times of Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet.For two clips of our convo — on how China played Trump on rare minerals, and Europe's bind over Russian energy — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up in West Sussex near my hometown; the international appeal of English boarding schools; the gerontocracy of the USSR; Ed making a beeline to the Berlin Wall as it fell; Fukuyama's The End of History; Brzezinski's The Grand Failure — of Communism; enthusiasm for free markets after the Cold War; George Kennan warning against Ukraine independence; HW Bush and the Persian Gulf; climate change and migration; a population boom in Africa; W Bush tolerating autocracy in the war on terrorism; Trump tearing up his own NAFTA deal; the resurgence of US isolationism; the collapsing security umbrella in Europe leading to more self-reliance; Germany's flagging economy; the China threat; Taiwan's chips; TACO on tariffs; the clean energy cuts in OBBBA; the abundance agenda; national debt and Bowles-Simpson; the overrated Tony Blair; Liz Truss' “epic Dunning-Kruger”; Boris killing the Tory Party; the surprising success of Mark Carney; Biden's mediocrity; Bernie's appeal; and the Rest catching up with the West.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Scott Anderson on the Iranian Revolution, Shannon Minter debating trans issues, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, and Johann Hari turning the tables to interview me. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

While the U.S., India, and countries in the Persian Gulf are all moving quickly to establish new critical mineral supply chains, the European Union is struggling to follow suit, particularly in Africa. The EU currently lacks a cohesive policy framework that would bolster mining companies, support partner countries, and encourage the development of a mineral processing sector that can lessen Europe's current dependence on China. To do this, the EU should follow China's model in Africa, where it paired extraction with the development of vital infrastructure, according to a new commentary from the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM). The authors, Poorva Karkare and Karim Karaki, join Eric & Géraud from Brussels to explain why the EU should strive for strategic complementarity rather than competition with China in Africa. SHOW NOTES: ECDPM: The EU's playbook for African minerals amid China's dominance by Poorva Karkare and Karim Karaki AFRICA POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE: The tumultuous path toward EU-China-Africa trilateral cooperation on Critical Raw Materials in Africa by C. Géraud Neema JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Welcome to another episode in the “Prison Pulpit” series on the Fight Laugh Feast network’s China Compass podcast! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben, still trying to get settled here in Malaysia. Follow and/or message me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I post (among other things) daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. Lastly, to learn more about our ministry endeavors or get one of my missionary biographies, visit PrayGiveGo.us! Why did I begin this weekly Prison Pulpit series? To remind us all to pray for persecuted pastors and believers (such as Pastor Wang Yi) as Hebrews 13:3 teaches us to do (“as bound with them”), by sharing from his own published writings in China, as well as more prison stories and sermons from others like the late Richard Wurmbrand. Today we’re going to deviate a little bit from China and talk about the ongoing persecution of Christians in Iran. Believe it or not, I just got access to my show’s analytics, and I happened to notice that we have a handful of downloads from Iran of all places. If you’re out there, please know that we are praying for you! And I hope that many more will be praying for you after today’s episode! BTW, I’ve always been fascinated with Iran and I’m excited to know that the church is growing there! If there wasn’t an extremely high risk of getting arrested, I would love to visit personally. (I almost got a Peruvian passport for that very reason.) But the closest I have come is flying over the heart of the country (at least once) on a Europe to Asia flight, swimming in the Persian Gulf (across from Iran) with my son in 2009, and flying along the Iranian border with Iraq on a flight from Oman to London in May. Over 300 Prosecuted in Tehran, Nearly 100 Sentenced to Long Prison Terms for Practicing Faith https://iranhumanrights.org/2025/04/imprisonment-of-christians-jumps-six-fold-in-iran-as-persecution-intensifies/ Harsh punishments meted out to two Iranian believers who have already escaped the country https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/iran-christians-exile/ New Attacks in Nigeria Leave 200+ Dead https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/new-attacks-in-nigeria-leave-200-dead/ Follow China Compass Follow or subscribe to China Compass on whichever platform you use. You can also send any questions or comments on X: @chinaadventures or via email (bfwesten at gmail dot com). Hebrews 13:3!

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Benjamin Wittes and Natalie Orpett, and University of Virginia School of Law professor Ashley Deeks, to talk through the week's big national security news, including:“Bracing for Fallout.” In a surprise move, President Trump joined Israel's military campaign against Iran over the weekend, using a specialized U.S. ordinance to hit Iranian nuclear sites that were beyond Israel's early reach. It's unclear to what extent the attack set back Iran's nuclear ambitions, and debates continue to rage whether the president's actions were wise or legal. But it did trigger an Iranian response against U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf — action that was shortly followed by a tentative U.S.-backed ceasefire between Iran and Israel. What best explains the president's decision to join the military campaign? And what will the consequences be, both in the region and back home in the United States?“Destinations Unknown.” In a short, unexplained opinion in the matter of DHS v. DVD this past week, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court preliminary injunction that had barred the Trump administration from removing immigrants to third countries with minimal procedural protections against threats of torture and other mistreatment. But the exact ramifications of this holding are unclear, as the Justice Department has now returned to the Court asking for clarification as to whether its ruling also invalidates a later order applying the class-wide prohibition in the initial preliminary injunction to a specific group of individuals. What explains the Supreme Court's odd approach in this case? And what could its broader ramifications be for the Trump administration's immigration agenda?“‘Bove the Law.” A now-public internal Justice Department whistleblower report alleges that Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General—and current Third Circuit nominee—Emil Bove endorsed plans to disregard judicial orders that would have obstructed the removal of foreign nationals in directing the Department of Homeland Security that it did not need to return certain deportation flights already in the air after a judge directed as much from the bench. How serious a transgression has Bove committed if these allegations are true? And what impact will they have on his Third Circuit confirmation?In object lessons, forget day-of-the-week underpants (or pronghorn shirts)! Ben spurs on a need for more day-of-the-week monsters with the last weather report you'll ever need. Natalie is escaping, not just from reality but also from the heat, with her local bookstore, East City Bookshop. Scott shared the heartbreaking news that The Atlantic is stealing yet another Rational Security co-host emeritus as our beloved Quinta Jurecic begins her next crazy venture beneath the skies (Quinta, we miss you already!). And Ashley, channeling our bereavement at Quinta's departure, recommends Alone on the History Channel.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Scott sat down with his Lawfare colleagues Benjamin Wittes and Natalie Orpett, and University of Virginia School of Law professor Ashley Deeks, to talk through the week's big national security news, including:“Bracing for Fallout.” In a surprise move, President Trump joined Israel's military campaign against Iran over the weekend, using a specialized U.S. ordinance to hit Iranian nuclear sites that were beyond Israel's early reach. It's unclear to what extent the attack set back Iran's nuclear ambitions, and debates continue to rage whether the president's actions were wise or legal. But it did trigger an Iranian response against U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf — action that was shortly followed by a tentative U.S.-backed ceasefire between Iran and Israel. What best explains the president's decision to join the military campaign? And what will the consequences be, both in the region and back home in the United States?“Destinations Unknown.” In a short, unexplained opinion in the matter of DHS v. DVD this past week, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court preliminary injunction that had barred the Trump administration from removing immigrants to third countries with minimal procedural protections against threats of torture and other mistreatment. But the exact ramifications of this holding are unclear, as the Justice Department has now returned to the Court asking for clarification as to whether its ruling also invalidates a later order applying the class-wide prohibition in the initial preliminary injunction to a specific group of individuals. What explains the Supreme Court's odd approach in this case? And what could its broader ramifications be for the Trump administration's immigration agenda?“‘Bove the Law.” A now-public internal Justice Department whistleblower report alleges that Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General—and current Third Circuit nominee—Emil Bove endorsed plans to disregard judicial orders that would have obstructed the removal of foreign nationals in directing the Department of Homeland Security that it did not need to return certain deportation flights already in the air after a judge directed as much from the bench. How serious a transgression has Bove committed if these allegations are true? And what impact will they have on his Third Circuit confirmation?In object lessons, forget day-of-the-week underpants (or pronghorn shirts)! Ben spurs on a need for more day-of-the-week monsters with the last weather report you'll ever need. Natalie is escaping, not just from reality but also from the heat, with her local bookstore, East City Bookshop. Scott shared the heartbreaking news that The Atlantic is stealing yet another Rational Security co-host emeritus as our beloved Quinta Jurecic begins her next crazy venture beneath the skies (Quinta, we miss you already!). And Ashley, channeling our bereavement at Quinta's departure, recommends Alone on the History Channel.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important energy corridors in the world. It is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, it serves as the primary maritime route for oil exports from the Gulf. Any disruption to traffic through the strait would have implications for oil markets and regional stability.While some Gulf states have developed pipelines to bypass the strait, the volume of oil transported by sea is far greater, and for many countries, including key Gulf exporters, the waterway is essential to maintaining trade. China is the largest buyer of oil that travels through the strait, making it particularly exposed to any disruption.Iran itself relies on the Strait of Hormuz to sell its oil and any blockage of the route would likely damage Iran's own economy and could strain relationships with regional neighbours.Despite past threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway has remained open, including during the tanker wars of the 1980s, but any disruption could have a big impact on global oil supplies.Picture Credit: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesContributors: Camille Lons, Deputy Head of the Paris office of the Council on Foreign relations Elisabeth Braw, Senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Transatlantic Security Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and SecurityJacob P. Larsen, BIMCO's Chief Safety & Security OfficerPetter Haugen, Partner, Equity Research Shipping, ABG Sundal Collier, Nordic Investment BankPresenter Charmaine Cozier Producer Louise Clarke Researcher Maeve Schaffer Editor Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Production Coordinator - Tammy Snow

On this week's show Patrick Gray and Adam Boileau discuss the week's cybersecurity news: We roll our eyes over the “16 billion credentials” leak hitting mainstream news Some interesting cyber angles emerge from the conflict in Iran Opensource maintainer of libxml2 is fed up with this hacker crap Shockingly, there are yet more ways to trick people into pasting commands into Windows Veeam “patches” its backup software RCE like it's 2002 … by breaking the public PoC This week's episode is sponsored by Internet-wide honeypot reconnaissance platform, Greynoise. Founder Andrew Morris joins to talk about their journey spotting Chinese ORB-builders hacking thousands of ASUS routers, and why they're destined for the woodchipper. This episode is also available on Youtube. Show notes No, the 16 billion credentials leak is not a new data breach Canadian telecom hacked by suspected China state group - Ars Technica Telecom giant Viasat breached by China's Salt Typhoon hackers WarTranslated on X: "Iran's jamming GPS in the Strait of Hormuz, messing with ~970 ships, per Windward. UKMTO confirms the interference. Faulty AIS coordinates are screwing up navigation in the Persian Gulf. The IRGC threatens to shut the strait down in hours. https://t.co/kdMJvshOGC" / X Dmitri Alperovitch on X: "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine says @US_CYBERCOM supported this strike mission" / X Top Pentagon spy pick rejected by White House - POLITICO DHS warns of heightened cyber threat as US enters Iran conflict | Cybersecurity Dive Exclusive: Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites, sources say U.S. braces for Iran's response after overnight strikes on nuclear sites Assessing the Damage to Iran's Nuclear Program Iran Hacks Tirana Municipality in Retaliation Over MEK - Tirana Times Iran's government says it shut down internet to protect against cyberattacks | TechCrunch Aflac discloses cyber intrusion linked to wider crime spree targeting insurance industry | Cybersecurity Dive Tonga Ministry of Health hit with cyberattack affecting website, IT systems | The Record from Recorded Future News Alleged Ryuk ransomware gang member arrested in Ukraine and extradited to US | The Record from Recorded Future News Russia releases REvil members after convictions for payment card fraud | The Record from Recorded Future News OneLogin, Many Issues: How I Pivoted from a Trial Tenant to Compromising Customer Signing Keys - SpecterOps Triaging security issues reported by third parties (#913) · Issue · GNOME/libxml2 README: Set expectations straight (35d04a08) · Commits · GNOME / libxml2 · GitLab What's in an ASP? Creative Phishing Attack on Prominent Academics and Critics of Russia | Google Cloud Blog FileFix - A ClickFix Alternative | mr.d0x Address bar shows hp.com. Browser displays scammers' malicious text anyway. - Ars Technica Researchers urge vigilance as Veeam releases patch to address critical flaw | Cybersecurity Dive ASUSpicious Flaw - Millions of Users' Information Exposed Since 2022 | MrBruh's Epic Blog Perth dad who created ‘evil twin' Wi-Fi did so to access pictures of women GreyNoise Discovers Stealthy Backdoor Campaign Affecting Thousands of ASUS Routers

This week we talk about OPEC, the Seven Sisters, and the price of oil.We also discuss fracking, Israel and Iran's ongoing conflict, and energy exports.Recommended Book: Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock by Maud WoolfTranscriptThe global oil market changed substantially in the early 2000s as a pair of innovations—horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing—helped the plateauing US oil and gas market boom, unlocking a bunch of shale oil and gas deposits that were previously either entirely un-utilizable, or too expensive to exploit.This same revolution changed markets elsewhere, too, including places like Western Canada, which also has large shale oil and gas deposits, but the US, and especially the southern US, and even more especially the Permian Basin in Texas, has seen simply staggering boosts to output since those twin-innovations were initially deployed on scale.This has changed all sorts of dynamics, both locally, where these technologies and approaches have been used to tap ever-more fossil fuel sources, and globally, as previous power dynamics related to such resources have been rewired.Case in point, in the second half of the 20th century, OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which is a predominantly Middle Eastern oil cartel that was founded by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela in 1960, was a dominant force in geopolitics, as they collaboratively set global oil prices, and thus, were able to pull the strings connected to elections, war, and economic outcomes in nations around the world.If oil prices suddenly spiked, that could cause an incumbent leader in a country a hemisphere away to lose their next election, and if anyone threatened one of their number, they could conceivably hold back resources from that country until they cooled down.Before OPEC formed and established their position of primacy in global energy exports, the so-called Seven Sisters corporations, which consisted of a bunch of US and European companies that had basically stepped in and took control of global oil rights in the early 20th century, including oil rights across the Middle East, were the loci of power in this space, controlling about 85% of the world's petroleum reserves as of the early 1970s.That same decade, though, a slew of governments that hosted Seven Sisters facilities and reserves nationalized these assets, which in practice made all these reserves and the means of exploiting them the government's property, and in most cases they were then reestablished under new, government-controlled companies, like Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia and the National Iranian Oil Company in Iran.In 1973 and 1979, two events in the Middle East—the Yom Kippur War, during which pretty much all of Israel's neighbors launched a surprise attack against Israel, and the Iranian Revolution, when the then-leader of Iran, the Shah, who was liberalizing the country while also being incredibly corrupt, was overthrown by the current government, the militantly Islamist Islamic Republic of Iran—those two events led to significant oil export interruptions that triggered oil shortages globally, because of how dominant this cartel had become.This shortage triggered untold havoc in many nations, especially those that were growing rapidly in the post-WWII, mid-Cold War world, because growth typically requires a whole lot of energy for all the manufacturing, building, traveling around, and for basic, business and individual consumption: keeping the lights on, cooking, and so on.This led to a period of stagflation, and in fact the coining of the term, stagflation, but it also led to a period of heightened efficiency, because nations had to learn how to achieve growth and stability without using so much energy, and it led to a period of all these coming-out-of-stagflation and economic depression nations trying to figure out how to avoid having this happen again.So while OPEC and other oil-rich nations were enjoying a period of relative prosperity, due in part to those elevated energy prices—after the initial downsides of those conflicts and revolutions had calmed, anyway—other parts of the world were making new and more diversified deals, and were looking in their own backyards to try to find more reliable suppliers of energy products.Parts of the US were already major oil producers, if not at the same scale as these Middle Eastern giants in the latter portion of the 20th century, and many non-OPEC producers in the US, alongside those in Norway and Mexico, enjoyed a brief influx of revenue because of those higher oil prices, but they, like those OPEC nations, suffered a downswing when prices stabilized; and during that price collapse, OPEC's influence waned.So in the 1980s, onward, the previous paradigm of higher oil prices led to a surge in production globally, everyone trying to take advantage of those high prices to invest in more development and production assets, and that led to a glut of supply that lowered prices, causing a lot of these newly tapped wells to go under, a lot of cheating by OPEC members, and all of the more established players to make far less per barrel of oil than was previously possible.By 1986, oil prices had dropped by nearly half from their 1970s peak, and though prices spiked again in 1990 in response to Iraq's invasion of fellow OPEC-member Kuwait, that spike only last about nine months, and it was a lot less dramatic than those earlier, 70s-era spikes; though it was still enough to trigger a recession in the US and several other countries, and helped pave the way for investment in those technologies and infrastructure that would eventually lead to the US's shale-oil and gas revolution.What I'd like to talk about today is the precariousness of the global oil and gas market right now, at a moment of significantly heightened tensions, and a renewed shooting conflict, in the Middle East.—As of the day I'm recording this, the Islamic Republic of Iran is still governing Iran, and that's an important point to make as while Israel's official justification for launching a recent series of attacks against Iran's military and nuclear production infrastructure is that they don't want Iran to make a nuclear weapon, it also seems a whole lot like they might be aiming to instigate regime change, as well.Israel and Iran's conflict with each other is long-simmering, and this is arguably just the most recent and extreme salvo in a conflict dating back to at least 2024, but maybe earlier than that, too, all the way back to the late-70s or early 80s, if you string all the previous conflicts together into one deconstructed mega-conflict. If you want to know more about that, listen to last week's episode, where I got deeper into the specifics of their mutual dislike.Today, though, I'd like to focus on an issue that is foundational to pretty much every other geopolitical and economic happening, pretty much always, and that's energy. And more specifically, the availability, accessibility, and price of energy resources like oil and gas.We've reached a point, globally, where about 40% of all electricity is generated by renewables, like solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower-generating dams.That's a big deal, and while the majority of that supply is coming from China, and while it falls short of where we need to be to avoid the worst-case consequences of human-amplified climate change, that growth is really incredible, and it's beginning to change the nature of some of our conflicts and concerns; many of the current economic issues between the US and China, these days are focused on rare earths, for instance, which are required for things like batteries and other renewables infrastructure.That said, oil and gas still enable the modern economy, and that's true almost everywhere, even today. And while the US changed the nature of the global oil and gas industries by heavily investing in both, and then rewired the global energy market by convincing many of its allies to switch to US-generated oil and gas, rather than relying on supplies from Russia, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine a few years ago, a whole lot of these resources still come from at-times quite belligerent regimes, and many of these regimes are located in the Middle East, and belong to OPEC.Iran is one such belligerent regime.As of 2025, Iran is the 9th largest producer of oil in the world, and it holds 24% of the Middle East's and about 12% of the world's proven oil reserves—that's the total volume of oil underground that could be pumped at some point. It's got the world's 3rd largest proven crude oil reserves and it exports about 2 million barrels of crude and refined oil every day. It also has the world's second-largest proven natural gas reserves.Iran isn't as reliant on oil and gas exports as some of its neighbors, but it still pulled in about $53 billion in net oil exports each year as of 2023; which is a lot less than what it could be making, as international sanctions have made it difficult for Iran to fully exploit its reserves. But that's still a huge chunk of its total income.This is important to note because Israel's recent series of attacks on Iran, in addition to taking out a lot of their military leaders, weapons manufacturing facilities, and nuclear research facilities, have also targeted Iran's oil and gas production and export capacity, including large gas plants, fuel depots, and oil refineries, some located close to Tehran in the northern part of the country, and some down on its southwestern coast, where a huge portion of Iran's gas is processed.In light of these attacks, Iran's leaders have said they may close the Strait of Hormuz, though which most of their exports pass—and the Strait of Hormuz is the only marine entryway into the Persian Gulf; nearly 20% of all globally consumed oil passes through this 90-mile-wide stretch of water before reaching international markets; it's a pretty vital waterway that Iran partially controls because its passes by its southern coast.Fuel prices already ticked up by about 9% following Israel's initial strikes into Iran this past week, and there's speculation that prices could surge still-higher, especially following US President Trump's decision to strike several Iran nuclear facilities, coming to Israel's aide, as Israel doesn't possess the ‘bunker-buster' bombs necessary to penetrate deep enough into the earth to damage or destroy many of these facilities.As of Monday this week, oil markets are relatively undisrupted, and if any export flows were to be upset, it would probably just be Iran's, and that would mostly hurt China, which is Iran's prime oil customer, as most of the rest of the world won't deal with them due to export sanctions.That said, there's a possibility that Iran will decide to respond to the US coming to Israel's aid not by striking US assets directly, which could pull the US deeper into the conflict, but instead by disrupting global oil and gas prices, which could lead to knock-on effects that would be bad for the US economy, and the US's relationships with other nations.The straightest path to doing this would be to block the Strait of Hormuz, and they could do this by positioning ships and rocket launchers to strike anything passing through it, while also heavily mining the passage itself, and they've apparently got plenty of mines ready to do just that, should they choose that path.This approach has been described by analysts as the strategic equivalent of a suicide bombing, as blocking the Strait would disrupt global oil and gas markets, hurting mostly Asia, as China, India, South Korea, Japan, and other Asian destinations consume something like 80% of the oil that passes through it, but that would still likely raise energy prices globally, which can have a lot of knock-on effects, as we saw during those energy crises I mentioned in the intro.It would hurt Iran itself more than anyone, though, as almost all of their energy products pass through this passage before hitting global markets, and such a move could help outside entities, including the US, justify further involvement in the conflict, where they otherwise might choose to sit it out and let Israel settle its own scores.Such energy market disruption could potentially benefit Russia, which has an energy resource-reliant economy that suffers when oil and gas prices are low, but flourishes when they're high. The Russian government probably isn't thrilled with Israel's renewed attacks on one of its allies, but based on its lack of response to Syria's collapse—the former Syrian government also being an ally of Russia—it's possible they can't or won't do much to directly help Iran right now, but they probably wouldn't complain if they were suddenly able to charge a lot more per barrel of oil, and if customers like China and India were suddenly a lot more reliant on the resources they're producing.Of course, such a move could also enrich US energy companies, though potentially at the expense of the American citizen, and thus at the expense of the Trump administration. Higher fuel prices tend to lead to heightened inflation, and more inflation tends to keep interest rates high, which in turn slows the economy. A lot of numbers could go in the opposite direction from what the Trump administration would like to see, in other words, and that could result in a truly bad outcome for Republicans in 2026, during congressional elections that are already expected to be difficult for the incumbent party.Even beyond the likely staggering human costs of this renewed conflict in the Middle East, then, there are quite a few world-scale concerns at play here, many of which at least touch on, and some of which are nearly completely reliant on, what happens to Iran's oil and gas production assets, and to what degree they decide to use these assets, and the channels through which they pass, in a theoretical asymmetric counterstrike against those who are menacing them.Show Noteshttps://archive.is/20250616111212/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/an-overview-irans-energy-industry-infrastructure-2025-02-04/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/15/which-iranian-oil-and-gas-fields-has-israel-hit-and-why-do-they-matterhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/17/mapping-irans-oil-and-gas-sites-and-those-attacked-by-israelhttps://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/6/13/oil-markets-are-spooked-as-iran-israel-tensions-escalatehttps://archive.is/20250620143813/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-20/eu-abandons-proposal-to-lower-price-cap-on-russian-oil-to-45https://apnews.com/article/russia-economy-recession-ukraine-conflict-9d105fd1ac8c28908839b01f7d300ebdhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/business/us-iran-oil.htmlhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9r4q99g4ohttps://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/04/clean-energy-electricity-nature-and-climate-stories-this-week/https://archive.is/20250622121310/https://www.ft.com/content/67430fac-2d47-4b3b-9928-920ec640638ahttps://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Oil-Markets-Brace-for-Impact-After-US-Attacks-Iran-Facilities.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/business/energy-environment/iran-oil-gas-markets.htmlhttps://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504&utm_medium=PressOpshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/business/stocks-us-iran-bombing.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Oilhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracking_in_Canadahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracking_in_the_United_Stateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_in_the_United_Stateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shale_gas_in_the_United_Stateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_Warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolutionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970s_energy_crisishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_oil_price_shockhttps://www.strausscenter.org/energy-and-security-project/the-u-s-shale-revolution/https://archive.is/20250416153337/https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-crude-oil-output-peak-by-2027-eia-projects-2025-04-15/https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/030415/how-does-price-oil-affect-stock-market.asp This is a public episode. 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Heightened tensions in the Middle East have caused ⁠spot rates for large crude oil tankers from the Persian Gulf to China to surge over 50%⁠. This surge comes after a U.S. attack on Iran and threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about 20% of the world's oil, equating to over $57,000 per day for a roundtrip charter.  Frederick W. Smith, who founded FedEx Express Corp. fifty-four years ago and revolutionized parcel delivery by using aircraft for overnight delivery, ⁠passed away over the weekend at the age of 80⁠. FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam stated that "Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of FedEx – its People-Service-Profit culture, values, integrity, and spirit," underscoring his profound impact.  The Supreme Court has weighed in on California's ability to create its own environmental regulations via waivers from the EPA, a ruling that was more procedural than substantive on regulatory lawmaking. This decision, which overruled a D.C. Circuit Court case regarding a challenge to California's Clean Cars One Act, could ⁠benefit how trucking groups fight state regulations impacting their industry going forward⁠.  Don't miss ⁠What The Truck?!?⁠ live at noon today on FreightWaves TV, with the replay available on SiriusXM channel 146. Also, mark your calendars for the free ⁠Enterprise Fleet Summit on July 23rd⁠ and the ⁠Supply Chain AI Symposium on July 30th⁠ in Washington D.C., with a special combo ticket available for the latter and the Future of Freight Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global tensions as oil prices react to geopolitical events, with Brent crude ticking up after the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, though prices later flattened as tankers moved through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite Iran's parliament voting to close the strategic waterway, top leadership approval is required, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to discourage such a shutdown given its critical impact on global oil consumption. Spot rates for large crude oil tankers from the Persian Gulf to China have surged dramatically amid heightened Middle East stability concerns, nearly doubling to over $57,000 per day for the largest crude carriers. Despite threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, major container lines like Maersk and CMA CGM continue their sailings, closely monitoring the situation while maintaining operations. In industry news, we pause to honor the passing of Frederick W. Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx, who died at age 80, transforming a college term paper idea into an $87.7 billion global overnight delivery powerhouse. Smith's pioneering concepts, military service, and strategic financial moves, like a high-stakes blackjack win, shaped FedEx into a company whose legacy touches virtually every corner of global logistics. The US truckload market continues to face significant challenges, with carrier revocations, or trucking businesses shutting down, running 16% higher year-over-year through mid-2025, reflecting sustained industry vulnerability. Recent regulatory enforcement, including renewed English language proficiency rules and stricter CDL fraud crackdowns, may be raising entry barriers, while softening demand and rising operating costs further squeeze profitability. Supply chain investments are on the rise in Mexico to support growing trade with the US, its largest trading partner. This includes Evans Transportation opening a new office in Laredo, DP World launching a freight forwarding hub in Mexico City, Geodis Logistics opening a new office in Guadalajara, We Store Frozen building a cold storage facility in Laredo, and Japanese firms Tokai Kogyo and Benchmark Electronics expanding their manufacturing footprints. FreightWaves is proud to spotlight the dawn of a new era with the AI Excellence in Supply Chain Award, recognizing game-changing use of artificial intelligence in logistics. The Supply Chain AI Symposium in Washington, D.C., happening this July, will crown industry leaders harnessing AI, machine learning, and large language models to drive smarter, more resilient, and sustainable supply chains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Morrison's son is captain of a ship in the Persian Gulf and started a war because his dad is being used as a fifi by Parisian prisoners and Oscar Wilde who is still alive. That is the plot of our new indie game which has already been cancelled because it became real life. Man Scouts are teaching my uncle to have fun again and the troop leader is a boy.   Full episode at https://www.patreon.com/posts/132005079

The White House says that President Trump is trying to decide about a war with Iran and...he needs a few weeks. 

Today, the audio file delves into C.H. Robinson's groundbreaking AI agent, a proprietary technology poised to revolutionize less-than-truckload (LTL) freight classification by adapting to upcoming changes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system. As North America's largest third-party logistics (3PL) provider for LTL freight, C.H. Robinson's innovation promises enhanced efficiency and accuracy across the logistics industry by automating tasks that previously defied automation for decades. The podcast also covers the swift resolution of the legal dispute between factoring company OTR Solutions and DAT Freight & Analytics, with OTR voluntarily dismissing its lawsuit. This settlement enables DAT to fully launch Outgo, a recently acquired financial services and factoring company, through the DAT One platform. In global news, the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has not yet severely impacted freight markets, but significant concerns persist regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic passage is vital for Persian Gulf nations, exporting 20% of the global oil supply, and any disruption could dramatically affect oil prices and international shipping routes. Listeners can catch Tim Dooner on What the Truck?!? for the latest on the Project44 and Fourkites feud, and Mario Connell on Running on Ice discussing cold chain efficiency with E-Road. Registration is open for the upcoming Enterprise Fleet Summit on July 23rd and the Supply Chain AI Symposium on July 30th in Washington D.C.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message directly from President Donald Trump on a potential U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks." 3:10pm- Is an internal MAGA feud brewing on social media? During a Tuesday interview, Tucker Carlson accused Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) of wanting to “topple” Iran without knowing anything about the country. Sen. Cruz responded by suggesting Carlson is an isolationist—comparing his misguided foreign policy preferences to those of former Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter. 3:15pm- CNN pollster Harry Enten revealed data showing 79% of Americans agree with President Trump—Iran cannot be allowed to develop and possess a nuclear weapon. Remarkably, even 79% of Democrats are in agreement with the president. 3:30pm- According to The New York Times, the Trump Administration is considering ways in which Iran can retaliate in the event the U.S. strikes fortified nuclear facilities in Fordo. One of the possibilities is Iran using mines to shut down the Strait of Hormuz—where 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass through. The move would potentially isolate U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. 3:40pm- On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to investigate former President Joe Biden's alleged physical and mental decline while in office—and whether he was fit to serve towards the end of his presidential term. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MI) called for an investigation into the Biden Administration's use of the auto pen.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: 4:05pm- What should President Trump do regarding Iran? Listeners call into the show and voice their opinions. 4:20pm- According to The New York Times, the Trump Administration is considering ways in which Iran can retaliate in the event the U.S. strikes fortified nuclear facilities in Fordo. One of the possibilities is Iran using mines to shut down the Strait of Hormuz—where 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass through. The move would potentially isolate U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. 4:45pm- “World's Best Farter.” Jefferson County Judge Raquel West scolded a Texas man for his wardrobe choice during a recent felony court appearance.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (06/19/2025): 3:05pm- On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message directly from President Donald Trump on a potential U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks." 3:10pm- Is an internal MAGA feud brewing on social media? During a Tuesday interview, Tucker Carlson accused Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) of wanting to “topple” Iran without knowing anything about the country. Sen. Cruz responded by suggesting Carlson is an isolationist—comparing his misguided foreign policy preferences to those of former Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter. 3:15pm- CNN pollster Harry Enten revealed data showing 79% of Americans agree with President Trump—Iran cannot be allowed to develop and possess a nuclear weapon. Remarkably, even 79% of Democrats are in agreement with the president. 3:30pm- According to The New York Times, the Trump Administration is considering ways in which Iran can retaliate in the event the U.S. strikes fortified nuclear facilities in Fordo. One of the possibilities is Iran using mines to shut down the Strait of Hormuz—where 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass through. The move would potentially isolate U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. 3:40pm- On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to investigate former President Joe Biden's alleged physical and mental decline while in office—and whether he was fit to serve towards the end of his presidential term. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MI) called for an investigation into the Biden Administration's use of the auto pen. 4:05pm- What should President Trump do regarding Iran? Listeners call into the show and voice their opinions. 4:20pm- According to The New York Times, the Trump Administration is considering ways in which Iran can retaliate in the event the U.S. strikes fortified nuclear facilities in Fordo. One of the possibilities is Iran using mines to shut down the Strait of Hormuz—where 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas pass through. The move would potentially isolate U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. 4:45pm- “World's Best Farter.” Jefferson County Judge Raquel West scolded a Texas man for his wardrobe choice during a recent felony court appearance. 5:05pm- A man has proposed to his AI chatbot “girlfriend”—and it said “YES!” Meanwhile, CBS News spoke with a woman named Irene who has developed a “steamy” relationship with her AI chatbot. Are we all doomed? 5:30pm- During a segment of The View, Whoopi Goldberg bizarrely said that being Black in America is exactly the same as being a citizen of Iran. 5:40pm- On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message directly from President Donald Trump on a potential U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks." 6:00pm- Tom Azelby in for Rich!

A dramatic incident happened in the Persian Gulf, where a "dark fleet" tanker collided with another crude oil vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, igniting a fire amidst rising GPS disruptions in the region. This critical maritime choke point, responsible for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply, continues to be a hotspot for geopolitical tensions. Shifting to international trade, President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have announced a significant easing of tariffs between their nations. This new agreement zeroes out aerospace import tariffs from the UK and reduces auto tariffs to 10% on the first 100,000 vehicles, a sharp drop from the previous 27.5% duty. On the fuel front, benchmark diesel prices have seen their biggest upward move since January, rising 10 cents per gallon to $3.571, largely driven by escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. While crude oil prices briefly dipped, market anxieties over tightened diesel availability persist, especially given Iran's role as a supplier of heavier crude. In North America, DHL Express Canada is preparing to suspend parcel operations due to a tough labor dispute with Unifor, impacting 2,100 workers. A new Canadian law prohibiting replacement workers has forced DHL's hand, leading to an indefinite shipment embargo starting Tuesday night with full operations pausing by Friday. A serious crackdown on safety and fraud in Florida has led to the arrest of eight individuals, including two state employees, for selling fraudulent driver's licenses to undocumented migrants. Shockingly, some of these illicitly obtained licenses were commercial, enabling unqualified individuals to potentially operate tractor-trailers, posing a significant threat to highway safety. Finally, in the skies, Saudi Arabia-based AviLease has made a bold entry into the widebody air cargo market with a direct order for 10 Airbus A350 freighters. These state-of-the-art jets promise remarkable fuel efficiency and the capacity to carry up to 120 tons, featuring the industry's largest cargo door for oversized shipments and even 20-foot containers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Solo in the Death Zone: Brian Dickinson's Blind Descent from Everest This week's Team Never Quit guest is no stranger to adversity. Brian Dickinson, a former U.S. Navy Special Operations Aviation Rescue Swimmer and elite mountaineer, joins us to share the harrowing true story of his solo summit and descent of Mount Everest after being left without a guide—and without sight. After his Sherpa fell ill near the South Col, Brian pushed onward alone to the top of the world, only to be struck by sudden snow blindness on the way down. What followed was a seven-hour descent with no vision, no oxygen, and no margin for error. Brian holds the record for the highest solo blind descent and has completed the Seven Summits, conquering the tallest peaks on each continent. Before his mountaineering feats, Brian served six years in the U.S. Navy with the elite NSO (Naval Special Operations) community, deploying on high-risk rescue and combat missions in the Persian Gulf. Now the host of Calm in the Chaos, a podcast that highlights raw, untold rescue stories from America's unsung heroes, Brian brings the same courage, insight, and humility to this conversation. Whether you're a fan of extreme adventure, military resilience, or human endurance—you won't want to miss this one. In This Episode You Will Hear: • {Marcus] I'm a Charlie Sheen SEAL. (8:19) • It's weird when you go from jumping put of helicopters to something less interesting. (14:11) • You can't really plan for giving up in the death zone – 26,00 feet. But you can train for the things in your control. (18:07) • You can't acclimate to 26 [thousand feet]. You're slowly dying. Like if you cut your finger, it won't heal. There's not enough air. (23:23) • At Camp 3, this is where you see a straight up ice wall. If you fall, you're falling for a mile. (24:32) • When I got about a thousand feet above Camp 3, I had to anchor off to get some water. I had an oxygen mask and goggles, and I took my goggles off to put them around my wrist, and as I was getting my mask off to drink water, my foot slipped, I went to grab the rope, and my goggles slid off and 4they're just like… down. And you don't bring extra gear. (25:35) • There're over 300 bodies still on the mountain. (30:38) • You live and die by the decisions you make in life. (31:34) • When you climb any mountain at night, the sun is your first indication of hope. (37:33) • According to the Himalayan Database, I'm one of two people to ever have the summit to myself on a given day. (39:07) • Everything just went completely white. I went Snowblind. And I remember at that moment, dropping down, grabbing the rope, and assessing the situation thinking: I'm at the highest point in the world, I'm completely blind; no one's coming to get me. (41:07) • I just witnessed a miracle. It was like someone reached down and picked me up. An unexplained energy. The first thing I did was try the extra oxygen bottle and it started working, and I got 5 full beaths – reeling it in – and it burned. It felt like fire going through my veins. (48:02) • Everyone loves a survival story. They could care less about the survivor. (53:43) • That whole time, Jesus was walking alongside me. I felt that presence. (47:05) Support Brian PERSONAL SITE: Https://briandickinson.net CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST: Https://calminthechaospodcast.com BLIND DESCENT: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1414391722 CALM IN THE CHAOS: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1493078534 INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/BrianCDickinson FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/BrianCDickinson YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCalmintheChaosPodcast X: https://x.com/BrianCDickinson Support TNQ   - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13   -  https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors:   - armslist.com/TNQ   - partnersinbuilding.com   - cargurus.com/TNQ - Navyfederal.org        -    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - WARFARE IN THEATERS APRIL 11th Watch Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JER0Fkyy3tw First Look Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3DWuqiAUKg&t=3s    -   - PXGapparel.com/TNQ   - bruntworkwear.com/TNQ    - Selectquote.com/TNQ    - Groundnews.com/TNQ    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - shipsticks.com/TNQ    - Robinhood.com/gold    - strawberry.me/TNQ    - stopboxusa.com {TNQ}    - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]   -  kalshi.com/TNQ   -  joinbilt.com/TNQ    - Tonal.com [TNQ]   - greenlight.com/TNQ   - PDSDebt.com/TNQ   - drinkAG1.com/TNQ   - Shadyrays.com [TNQ]   - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]   - Hims.com/TNQ   - Shopify.com/TNQ   - Aura.com/TNQ   - Policygenius.com   - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]   - usejoymode.com [TNQ]

This week, Scott sat down with a particularly baritone cast of Lawfare colleagues—co-host emeritus Benjamin Wittes, Foreign Policy Editor Dana Stuster, and Senior Editor (aka Legal Correspondent) Roger Parloff—to discuss the week's biggest national security news stories, including:“Let's Sheikh On It.” President Trump completed a surprisingly historic trip to the Persian Gulf last week, which began with the type of fanfare that Trump loves and only Saudi Arabia can provide and ended with the controversial gift of a new Air Force One from Qatar at the president's reported request. In between, however, Trump reiterated his calls for an end to the Gaza conflict, became directly involved in negotiating the release of the last living American-Israeli hostage from Hamas, and announced a dramatic about-face in U.S. sanctions policy toward the new regime in Syria that caught even his closest advisers by surprise—all measures that are unlikely to be greeted warmly by the man who has traditionally been Trump's closest regional ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. How big a pivot point was Trump's trip? And what could its implications be for U.S. policy towards the region?“Not Retiring from a Fight.” The Supreme Court issued an unprecedented third opinion off its emergency docket this past week in the inaptly named A.A.R.P. v. Trump, part of the ongoing litigation over the Trump administration's controversial efforts to remove Venezuelan nationals under the Alien Enemies Act. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the summary notice and opportunity to challenge that U.S. officials had provided to some individuals prior to their removal was inadequate. But as litigation through the lower courts continues, what impact is this holding likely to have on the administration's broader immigration policies?“Shell Shocked.” Former FBI Director James Comey found himself at the center of an unlikely controversy this week, when his decision to relay a photo of shells arranged to form the numbers “8647” that he reportedly found on the beach was interpreted as a death threat against President Trump, triggering a Secret Service interview and potentially more legal consequences to come. How seriously should this incident be taken? And what does it tell us about the Trump administration's use of prosecutorial discretion?In Object Lessons, as white smoke rose over the Vatican, Roger also turned his gaze heavenward—diving into Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner's “The Sistine Secrets” to uncover the subtexts Michelangelo left behind. Inspired by the same papal events, Scott turned to Conclave for a peek inside the process. Ben planted seeds of solidarity and resilience (or was that resistance?) across from the Russian embassy. And Dana's incoming students at Franklin and Marshall College are about to share in his appreciation for Osamu Dazai's “The Setting Sun.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Scott sat down with a particularly baritone cast of Lawfare colleagues—co-host emeritus Benjamin Wittes, Foreign Policy Editor Dana Stuster, and Senior Editor (aka Legal Correspondent) Roger Parloff—to discuss the week's biggest national security news stories, including:“Let's Sheikh On It.” President Trump completed a surprisingly historic trip to the Persian Gulf last week, which began with the type of fanfare that Trump loves and only Saudi Arabia can provide and ended with the controversial gift of a new Air Force One from Qatar at the president's reported request. In between, however, Trump reiterated his calls for an end to the Gaza conflict, became directly involved in negotiating the release of the last living American-Israeli hostage from Hamas, and announced a dramatic about-face in U.S. sanctions policy toward the new regime in Syria that caught even his closest advisers by surprise—all measures that are unlikely to be greeted warmly by the man who has traditionally been Trump's closest regional ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. How big a pivot point was Trump's trip? And what could its implications be for U.S. policy towards the region?“Not Retiring from a Fight.” The Supreme Court issued an unprecedented third opinion off its emergency docket this past week in the inaptly named A.A.R.P. v. Trump, part of the ongoing litigation over the Trump administration's controversial efforts to remove Venezuelan nationals under the Alien Enemies Act. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the summary notice and opportunity to challenge that U.S. officials had provided to some individuals prior to their removal was inadequate. But as litigation through the lower courts continues, what impact is this holding likely to have on the administration's broader immigration policies?“Shell Shocked.” Former FBI Director James Comey found himself at the center of an unlikely controversy this week, when his decision to relay a photo of shells arranged to form the numbers “8647” that he reportedly found on the beach was interpreted as a death threat against President Trump, triggering a Secret Service interview and potentially more legal consequences to come. How seriously should this incident be taken? And what does it tell us about the Trump administration's use of prosecutorial discretion?In Object Lessons, as white smoke rose over the Vatican, Roger also turned his gaze heavenward—diving into Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner's “The Sistine Secrets” to uncover the subtexts Michelangelo left behind. Inspired by the same papal events, Scott turned to Conclave for a peek inside the process. Ben planted seeds of solidarity and resilience (or was that resistance?) across from the Russian embassy. And Dana's incoming students at Franklin and Marshall College are about to share in his appreciation for Osamu Dazai's “The Setting Sun.”To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The House of Representatives began debating sprawling new tax legislation in Congress this week. President Trump touted it as “one big, beautiful bill” that will address spending, taxes, and national security. It focuses on extending the tax cuts created during President Trump's first term, increasing defense funding, and slashing federal spending across the board. Republican leadership is expecting a difficult road to passage as internal struggles over cuts to social programs have spilled out into the media. Will the party's fiscal conservatives or more moderate members win the day? If it does make it out of the House, will it survive a Senate vote?President Trump was focused on business in the Middle East this week. He made his first official state visit to the Persian Gulf, where he planned to meet with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Trump is seeking $1 trillion in investment from the region, but what's the political significance?Joe Biden reemerged with interviews this week on the BBC and ABC's The View. The sit-downs preempted the release of two separate books claiming to detail Biden's decline at the end of his term. Is a focus on the former president and the 2024 election holding Democrats back from moving towards their future? 

The Democrat mayor of Newark is arrested after a heated confrontation with ICE officials and members of Congress at a New Jersey detention center, with DHS warning more charges could follow. President Trump kicks off his first international trip with stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as reports swirl about a luxury Qatari jet as the new Air Force One, and a bold plan to rename the Persian Gulf. In his first Sunday address, Pope Leo XIV calls for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Ukraine, and praises a truce between India and Pakistan. Alberta's Premier signals support for a possible independence vote, as frustration over federal oil policy fuels talk of breaking from Canada and even joining the US.Tax Network USA: Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit https://TNUSA.com/MEGYN to speak with a strategist for FREE todayHerald Group: Learn more at https://GuardYourCard.com