The Limits of Monitoring the Situation w/ Tyler McBrien
None Of The Above
War in the Middle East keeps expanding, oil prices are rising, and an unpredictable American president has everyone trying to guess his next move. As trust in media institutions hits an all-time low and disinformation spreads online, how can we begin to make sense of things? The proliferation of open-source intelligence, or OSINT, offers one answer. While it’s possible to glean certain insights from these sources, they can also mislead people to wrong conclusions or game booming prediction markets. In this...
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The Economic War on Cuba w/ Ed Augustin
None Of The Above
After Venezuela and Iran, many are asking if Cuba is next. The island is enduring energy blackouts, food and medicine shortages, and halting public services. But while the most vulnerable Cubans are hit hardest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s apparent dream of toppling the regime does not appear close to fruition. In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Ed Augustin, an independent journalist based in Havana, to discuss the situation on the ground. Ed updates us on the unfolding...
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How Democrats Can Reimagine Foreign Policy w/ Matt Duss
None Of The Above
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave her first major foreign policy remarks at this year’s Munich Security Conference to lay out her vision of progressive foreign policy. Many are speculating that she is preparing for a presidential run in 2028. She has called for a reckoning with the United States’ history of intervention and repression abroad and attempted to offer an alternative to Trump’s “might makes right” approach. In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Matt...
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Food for Geopolitical Thought w/ Anny Gaul
None Of The Above
Food doesn’t often enter conversations about foreign policy, but it is integral to it. Our relationship to food shapes ideas of identity and nationalism and is continuously impacted by the forces of history. Technological, social, and political changes inform and alter global foodways over time. And in today’s interconnected world, food supply chains are inextricable from geopolitics. In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Anny Gaul, a cultural historian and professor of...
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What Washington Gets Wrong About Iran w/ Narges Bajoghli
None Of The Above
The United States largely misunderstands Iran. Historic anti-government protests rattled Iran this winter—and were met with lethal state repression and intensifying calls for regime change in Washington. Now, President Trump is again considering military strikes on the country, even as his envoys have sought to negotiate with Iranian leaders. Throughout, Iran has long been one of the most heavily sanctioned countries in the world, causing immense hardship for its...
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Making Sense of MAGA Foreign Policy w/ Curt Mills
None Of The Above
President Trump campaigned on promises of peace and putting America first, and heavily criticized past involvement in foreign wars. But one year into his second term, the United States has bombed Iran, kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, and threatened NATO allies. So, what exactly are his foreign policy goals? And who is shaping those decisions? In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Curt Mills, the executive director of The American Conservative, to break down the state of...
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Trump's Brazen Power Politics in Venezuela w/ Alejandro Velasco
None Of The Above
On January 3rd, 2026, the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — and shocked the world. The Trump administration has made no bones about its intent to dominate the Western Hemisphere, and the raid was a brazen show of force. But with the same regime still in place, it is unclear what exactly will change in Venezuela. In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Alejandro Velasco, a historian and professor at New York University, to...
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What the Future Holds for Gaza w/ Mohammed Mhawish
None Of The Above
Mohammed Mhawish did not set out to be a journalist. But studying Shakespeare while enduring Gaza’s wars, he was moved to convey the stories all around him. Mohammed fled the strip with his family in 2024, after receiving death threats and surviving Israel’s bombing of their apartment building. Now based in the United States, he continues to report on Palestine. In this episode, Mohammed joins the ’ Jonathan Guyer to discuss life under Israeli surveillance, the...
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American Power in a Multipolar World w/ Emma Ashford
None Of The Above
American foreign policy is in crisis. The bipartisan consensus that emerged after the Cold War has collapsed after a string of American failures, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, with the rise of China and the new ascendance of middle powers, the United States must rethink its engagement with the world. But where to start? In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, to discuss her new book First...
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How Foreign Influence Works in Washington w/ Nick Cleveland-Stout
None Of The Above
The United States is wealthy, powerful, and a democracy. That means there are many avenues for foreign countries vying to influence its politics and policy. Though many forms of foreign lobbying are legal and totally above-board, those efforts are largely misunderstood and all too understudied. But understanding the geopolitics of influence can help us understand how Washington really works. In this episode, the ’ Jonathan Guyer is joined by Nick...
info_outlineThe military and the very idea of national security changed a lot in the 1990s. Politicians promised a new period of peace and prosperity after the Cold War, but the military would not draw down from the international arena. On the contrary, the United States turned to policing the world, and the military carried out new types of missions meant to advance new ideals, ambitions, and interests.
In this episode of None Of The Above’s ‘90s Rewind miniseries, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah explores strategic, structural, technological, and social change in the US military. He is joined by military historian Max Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and columnist for The Washington Post. NPR’s Deborah Amos returns to provide insights and commentary.