American Prestige

Bonus - The Military and Video Games w/ Jesse Robertson (Preview) Mar 02, 2025

Jesse Robertson, writer and doctoral student in history at Harvard University, sits down with Danny to talk about the history of video games and their connection with the Pentagon. They explore the history going back to 1962’s Spacewar!, the army’s turn toward creating simulations in the 1970s and SIMNET, the neoliberal turn of more private companies developing military gaming, the Doom series, figures like Michael Zyda leading the connection between the Pentagon and the digital entertainment sector, the Call of Duty series, and more.

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Read Jesse’s piece for The Nation, “Call of Duty: Pentagon Ops”.

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Special - The Trump and Zelensky Falling-Out Mar 01, 2025

Danny and Derek talk about yesterday's hostile meeting between Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the media and what that might signal for the two countries' relations going forward.

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News - PKK Disarmament, US/Ukraine Mineral Deal, German Election Feb 28, 2025

Danny and Derek, the greatest news anchors since Lennon/McCartney. This week: Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan calls for the group’s disarmament (0:32); Syria hosts a “National Dialogue” conference to work through the country’s transition (6:34); Israel and Hamas salvage a hostage deal, but the end looms on Saturday (10:07); Yoon’s impeachment trial concludes in South Korea (20:46); in Sudan, increased fighting rages around Al-Fashir (23:27), the military makes gains in the country’s south (25:13), and the RSF and military set up dueling governments (26:43); Ukraine and the US potentially agree on a minerals deal (29:42); the results of the German election (34:41); Austria’s government attempts to form a coalition (38:17); Trump ends a sanctions waiver for Venezuela (40:35); the Trump admin muses kicking Canada out of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network (42:29); the US announces tariffs on the EU, potentially Canada, and maybe even Mexico (44:20); Trump announces the “gold card” visa plan (46:45); and Trump’s attempts at a humanitarian aid blockade continue (48:45).

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E199 - MAGA Defense Cuts? w/ William Hartung Feb 25, 2025

William Hartung, a senior research fellow focusing on the arms industry and US military budget at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins the program to discuss reports that the Trump administration is planning “sweeping budget cuts” for the Pentagon. They talk about these “cuts” being more accurately termed “reinvestments” into other areas, the enormous amount of defense spending and the culture that engendered this, how the defense industry has changed in the past 20 years, actual moves that could meaningfully reduce the military budget like reducing bloated systems (F-35s, aircraft carriers) and overseas bases, whether there exists an influential constituency to support military budget cuts, and more.

Read William’s recent piece on this, “Hegseth orders 8% cut to Pentagon budget. Not so fast.”

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Bonus - Musk and Silicon Valley in the Government w/ Becca Lewis and Eoin Higgins (Preview) Feb 23, 2025

Derek welcomes to the program Becca Lewis, postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Department of Communication, and Eoin Higgins, journalist and author of Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left, for a discussion about Elon Musk, his role in the new Trump administration, and how Silicon Valley has interacted with the government since the 1990s. They talk about what exactly Musk seems to be doing, how he is leveraging his new access for business interests, the precedent of unelected positions in the executive branch, the reactionary tech industry showing its true colors, the self-delusion of Silicon Valley oligarchs, the atomization of media allowing for opportunities to shape narratives around tech, and more.

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Be sure to read Becca’s piece for The Guardian, “‘Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley”.

Also subscribe to listen to our series with Margaret O’Mara “The Making of Silicon Valley”.

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News - US-Ukraine Tension, RSF Attempts to Form Government in Sudan, Trump Proposes Defense Budget Cuts Feb 21, 2025

Danny and Derek are back with the news, but without much of a choice. This week: the US and Russia meet in Riyadh to discuss future bilateral discussions to end the war in Ukraine (0:38); Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump feud in public comments (3:38); The Daily Telegraph reports on a US mineral rights deal that Zelenskyy rejected (8:22); in Israel-Palestine news, Saturday’s hostage exchange was successful (12:55) and Hamas offers an expedited hostage release schedule (15:08); Israel decides to ignore the withdrawal deadline in Lebanon (19:32); the US State Department decides to change the wording on a fact sheet about Taiwan and China responds negatively (22:03); in South Korea, former president Yoon goes on trial (24:48); the RSF militia in Sudan attempts to form a government and controversy ensues (26:40); in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, M23 (supported by Rwanda) takes Bukavu while continuing to advance north and south (31:16); Argentinian president Milei is accused of a rug pull after the cryptocurrency he endorsed collapses (33:40); and in the United States, Trump and Musk fire National Nuclear Security Administration workers without understanding what their jobs meant (35:40), and Trump proposes cutting the defense budget (39:15).

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E198 - A Stable, Post-Unipolar World w/ Trita Parsi and Aslı Bâli Feb 18, 2025

Danny and Derek are joined by Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, and Aslı Bâli, professor of law at Yale Law School and nonresident fellow at Quincy, to talk about the Institute’s Better Order Project, a collaboration between over 130 people from more than 40 countries creating proposals for a stable, multipolar world. They talk about the vision of moving beyond the current “rules-based” order in favor of an inclusive, global one rooted in international law, the major variables around which the project’s proposals and reforms are organized, how to address great powers prioritizing short-term, political thinking, the atmosphere in the worlds of think tanks, nonprofits, and elite law as we begin Trump 2.0, how these communities have been reckoning with the US policy on Gaza, and more.

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Bonus - (Mis)understanding the Political Right in 2025 w/ Matthew Ellis (Preview) Feb 16, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with Matthew Ellis, professor of literature and film at Portland State University, about how to understand the right in this particular moment. They talk about Elon Musk’s infamous Roman salute at Trump’s inauguration, how the right engages with these symbols, media literacy among liberals and the left, the business model around outrage, the end of mass culture, Trump’s rhetorical similarities to fascists, lost opportunities to reform liberalism over the last 20 years, and more.

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News - Trump and Putin Talk Ukraine Ceasefire, M23 Continues DRC Advance, Sudan's Forces Make Gains Feb 14, 2025

Danny and Derek reveal their true faces. This week: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agree to start bilateral peace talks for the war in Ukraine (1:05), with anticipated fallout for the latter nation (6:17); Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth makes some frank comments on Europe, Ukraine, and NATO (8:06); an update on the situation in Israel-Palestine, including Hamas threatening to delay the next hostage release over Israeli transgressions (12:06) and Trump continuing to push a US takeover of Gaza (16:53); in Lebanon, a new government is formed (21:22) and the IDF seeks to extend its occupation there (23:28); a Washington Post report suggests Israel might be planning to strike Iran (25:33); in China news, Trump reinstates a de minimis tariff exemption, but there is still no sign of a meeting with Xi Jinping (28:46); the Sudanese military is close to driving the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) out of the Khartoum region (31:20); the so-called Islamic State group appears to be on the rise in Somalia (33:36); a regional summit demands a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo as M23 continues its advance (35:38); and back in the United States, Trump announces new steel and aluminum tariffs (39:03) in addition to presenting exciting new opportunities for corruption (40:57).

News updates will also be on our YouTube channel going forward. Check out this week’s!

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E197 - American Jews, Israel, and Palestine w/ Peter Beinart Feb 11, 2025

Peter Beinart speaks with Danny and Derek about his book Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning, American Jews’ conception of and relationship with Israel, and how things have changed since the start of the genocide in Gaza. They explore why Peter centers being Jewish at this moment, what he’s seen happen in the Jewish community since October 7, Palestinian dehumanization among American Jews, liberal Zionism and the two-state solution, the loss of agency for Palestinians, American Jewish institutions, and more.

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Bonus - American Idealism and the Struggling Left w/ Nathan J. Robinson (Preview) Feb 09, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome to the program Nathan J. Robinson, editor of Current Affairs, to talk about the state of the left as well as the book he recently co-authored with Noam Chomsky, The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World. They explore what role the myth plays, the international turn in history, understanding propaganda and the American polity, the left’s rejection by the liberal coalition in the US, what we can do in terms of strategy and tactics, and whether a new labor movement can contend with the massive new billionaire class aligned behind the right.

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News - Rubio in Latin America, M23 Ceasefire Ends, Trump Proposes Gaza Takeover Feb 07, 2025

This week: Donald Trump proposes the US take over the Gaza Strip (0:32), prompting mixed responses at home (9:16) as well as abroad (15:18); the US vows to return to a "maximum pressure" Iran policy (17:08); in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the M23 ceasefire fizzles out (20:04); Trump threatens to cut off funding to South Africa over certain land policies (22:10); Ukraine offers minerals in exchange for Trump's support (25:02); Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels to Latin America, addressing tension over the Panama Canal (28:37), entertaining an offer from El Salvador to take in US convicts (30:44), as well as an offer from Guatemala to aid in deportations (32:14); China responds to Trump's tariffs (36:43); and the Trump Administration rigs Google searches concerning deportation cases (38:37).

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Special - USAID: Trump's Attack and a History w/ Jonathan Guyer and Timothy Gill (Preview) Feb 05, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with Jonathan Guyer, program manager at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group, about the Trump administration's attack on USAID. They then speak with Timothy Gill of the University of Tennessee about the organization's background.

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E196 - M23, the DRC, and Rwanda w/ Marie-Rose Tshite Feb 04, 2025

Derek speaks with Marie-Rose Tshite, a peacebuilding advocate and Ph.D. student in Political Science with a concentration in Feminist Comparative and International Politics at the University of Cincinnati, about M23 and the situation in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They explore the group’s origins, its ties with the Rwandan government, other external actors, the recent seizure of Goma, minerals and the economic factors driving the conflict, the humanitarian situation, and more.

Read Marie-Rose’s recent article on Congolese women's experiences during the Second Congolese War between 1998 and 2003, “Capturing Congolese Women’s Memories of War and Peacemaking”.

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Special - The Trump Tariffs w/ Marshall Steinbaum (Preview) Feb 02, 2025

Economist Marshall Steinbaum joins Danny and Derek to try and make sense of the tariffs Donald Trump is imposing on Canada, Mexico, and China. They succeed in part.

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Bonus - Biden’s Foreign Policy Legacy w/ Jeet Heer (Preview) Feb 02, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome to the program Jeet Heer, national affairs correspondent for The Nation, to talk about his new piece “How Biden’s Foreign Policy Destroyed His Presidency”. They discuss Biden’s origins and FP grounding, his conception of himself as an FP specialist, his fondness for military Keynesianism, how his views changed in the Obama era, the sanctions regime, his policies toward Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, “democracy vs autocracy”, and more.

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News - Sudan Army Advances, IDF Remains in Lebanon, US Foreign Aid Freeze Jan 31, 2025

The paperboy has been laid off, but fear not, for Danny and Derek are here with the headlines. This week: in Israel-Palestine, detainees were exchanged on Thursday (0:31), the IDF continues its operation in the West Bank (6:05), an update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza (7:40), and Trump proposes the idea of ethnically cleansing the Strip (10:34); in Lebanon, the IDF ignores its withdrawal deadline (15:02); in Syria, the political transition continues (17:00), the IDF remains in the country’s south (19:04), and negotiations with Russia are underway over its bases in Syria as well as the fate of Bashar al-Assad (20:32); the rollout of China’s DeepSeek AI roils tech stocks (23:00); the Sudanese army sees a string of military successes around Khartoum (25:24); in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the M23 military group takes Goma while advancing south (27:59); Putin comments on peace talks regarding Ukraine (32:43); Colombia and the US get into a spat regarding deportation flights (34:12); and in US news, arms sales hit a new record in 2024 (37:16), Donald Trump vows to build a migrant detention facility at Guantánamo (38:20), and some details on the effects of his foreign aid freeze (39:35).

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E195 - Decolonization as Advocacy, Pt. 2 w/ Lydia Walker Jan 28, 2025

Lydia Walker, historian at Ohio State University, is back with Danny and Derek to conclude the conversation about her book States-in-Waiting: A Counternarrative of Global Decolonization. This time, the group explores post-colonial states following colonial borders, how business interests shaped things in states like Namibia, progressive capitalism, how the Cold War defined horizons of political possibility for nationalist actors, legitimacy as dictated by outside forces, and where decolonization stands in the modern day.

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Bonus - Biden's Legacy and Trump's Return w/ Alex Aviña and Emily Tamkin (Preview) Jan 26, 2025

Alexander Aviña, associate professor of history at Arizona State University, and journalist Emily Tamkin join Danny and Derek for a final look at what Joe Biden leaves as his legacy, impressions of Trump's inauguration, and the current state of American politics as the executive branch makes this transition. Topics include the Democrats and what they believe in 2025 (if anything), discourse around immigration and the border, the multiracial coalition that brought Trump back to power, Musk's antics and the state of American Jewish politics, Trump's first executive orders, and more.

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Listen to our "Lessons of Guerrero" series with Alex, which largely covers his book Specters of Revolution: Peasant Guerrillas in the Cold War Mexican Countryside.

Check out Emily's books Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities and The Influence of Soros: Politics, Power, and the Struggle for an Open Society.

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News - Trump's First Week, Colombia Rebel Fighting, M23 Advances in DRC Jan 24, 2025

Danny and Derek plug into the mainframe. This week: in Gaza, the ceasefire takes effect (0:37), allowing a surge of humanitarian aid (3:51), the latter being partly facilitated by Hamas’s police force back in power (5:50). Meanwhile, an agreement on the second phase of the ceasefire remains to be seen (7:56); the IDF launches a new operation in the West Bank (14:38); negotiations between the government and SDF continue in Syria (17:11); Turkey hints at a possible thaw with the Kurdish PKK (20:13); Afghan refugees who’d already been granted asylum are stranded after Trump’s executive order (24:54); China brokers a new ceasefire in Myanmar (27:49); M23 makes a new advance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (29:31); Trump threatens myriad economic penalties against Russia if it doesn’t end the war in Ukraine (31:42); NATO’s defense spending might be on the rise (34:19); Colombia breaks off peace talks with the ELN (37:48); Mexico and Honduras react to Trump’s deportation plans (40:10); Oxfam releases a new report on the rise in inequality (42:44); and Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders only a few days into taking office (44:44).

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Be sure to listen to our post-election special with Alexander Aviña on Trump’s plans regarding immigrants and deportations.

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E194 - Decolonization as Advocacy, Pt. 1 w/ Lydia Walker Jan 21, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with Lydia Walker, historian at Ohio State University, about her book States-in-Waiting: A Counternarrative of Global Decolonization. The group discusses narratives of decolonization that Lydia wanted to challenge before exploring the “transnational advocacy network” and non-state actors she features in the book like Naga nationalist leader Angami Zapu Phizo, Indian politician Jayaprakash Narayan, anti-apartheid minister Michael Scott, the latter two’s World Peace Brigade and “anti-Algiers” initiative, and more.

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Unlocked - The Ceasefire in Gaza w/ Mohammad Alsaafin Jan 19, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the ceasefire in Gaza. They go into detail about the ceasefire itself, the reaction in Gaza, the respective roles of the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, what the ruling body might look like in Gaza following this, the implications for normalization with Israel, and more.

Read Mohammad's piece on the ceasefire for The Nation, "We Have a Ceasefire Deal, but This Isn’t the End".

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Bonus - Capitalism and Fire in the 19th Century United States w/ Daniel Immerwahr (Preview) Jan 19, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program historian Daniel Immerwahr to talk about his piece “All That Is Solid Bursts into Flame: Capitalism and Fire in the Nineteenth-Century United States”. They delve into the general significance of fire in American and Western European history, “hot and cold capitalism”, fire as a way to obfuscate history, seminal fires in the American psyche, economic incumbents vs insurgents, great American fortunes and their relationship to fire, and more.

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Special - The American Historical Association and the Palestine Exception w/ Ussama Makdisi Jan 18, 2025

Ussama Makdisi, May Ziadeh Chair in Palestinian and Arab Studies and professor of history at UC Berkeley, speaks with Danny about the American Historical Society's decision to veto the resolution opposing Israeli scholasticide in Gaza.

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News - Gaza Ceasefire, Yoon Arrested, Farewell to Biden Jan 17, 2025

Danny and Derek with your pre-Shabbat news roundup. This week: the terms and concerns of the Gaza ceasefire (0:30); Lebanon elects Nawaf Salam as its new PM (8:02); worries arise over foreign fighters in Syria’s new administration (12:21); in Sudan, the military takes Wad Madani, leading to reprisal killings (14:40); Somalia and Ethiopia agree to restore full relations (18:59); the TikTok saga continues (21:28); President Yoon of South Korea is finally arrested (23:55); in Russia-Ukraine, the US issues new sanctions (26:27) and Russia makes more advances (29:11); the US removes Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list (30:57); and Danny and Derek bid farewell to Joseph Robinette Biden (32:55).

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Take a look at journalist Sam Hosseini confronting Antony Blinken.

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Special - The Gaza Ceasefire w/ Mohammad Alsaafin (Preview) Jan 16, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the ceasefire in Gaza. They go into detail about the ceasefire itself, the reaction in Gaza, the respective roles of the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration, what the ruling body might look like in Gaza following this, the implications for normalization with Israel, and more.

Read Mohammad's piece on the ceasefire for The Nation, "We Have a Ceasefire Deal, but This Isn’t the End".

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E193 - Israeli Domestic Politics w/ Udi Greenberg Jan 14, 2025

Udi Greenberg, associate professor of history at Dartmouth, is back on the podcast to talk about the state of politics within Israel. They discuss the major factors driving domestic politics, the ruling coalition, ultra-Orthodox military exemption, the “centrist” faction, Yoav Gallant, the politics around national security, Israeli media narratives about Gaza, resettling the Strip, and more.

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Special - Domestic Acts of Violence and Military Veterans w/ Lyle Jeremy Rubin (Preview) Jan 12, 2025

Danny and Derek welcome back Lyle Jeremy Rubin, veteran of the war in Afghanistan, host of the Bang-Bang podcast, and author of the memoir Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body: A Marine’s Unbecoming, to talk about the January 1 attacks allegedly perpetrated by two former American servicemen. They discuss the attacks themselves (one in New Orleans and one in Las Vegas), the manifesto from the New Orleans attack, domestic violence, the ideologies at play, and more.

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Bonus - 20th Century Iraq and the Rise of Ba'athism, Ep. 4 w/ Brandon Wolf-Hunnicutt (Preview) Jan 12, 2025

Brandon Wolfe-Hunnicutt, associate professor of history at California State University, Stanislaus, is back to conclude the series on his book The Paranoid Style in American Diplomacy: Oil and Arab Nationalism in Iraq. The group delves into the aftermath of the 1963 coups, American narratives that formed around the Middle East in light of "petro dollar Christianity", President Abdul Salam Arif, the founding of the Iraq National Oil Company, the Ba'athist return in the 1968 17 July Revolution, and the state of play in US-Iraqi relations in the 1970s.

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AP x Nonzero - Jimmy Carter vs. Donald Trump w/ Robert Wright Jan 10, 2025

The bi-monthly collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter continues! Our dear paid subscribers also get access to the additional "Overtime" conversation and a discounted membership to Nonzero, so subscribe now for that and much more content!

Video

0:00 The NonZero-American Prestige punk-rock crossover continues

1:49 Is it time to freak out about Trump?

9:06 Are international norms eroding?

21:16 Jimmy Carter’s legacy

28:38 Heading to Overtime

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News - Lebanon Elects a President, Afghanistan and Pakistan Skirmish at the Border, Trump Embraces Imperialism Jan 10, 2025

Danny and Derek return to the newsroom for the first time in 2025! This week: the transition process continues in Syria (1:48) as the US government beginning relations with the new Syrian leadership (7:11), but fighting continues between Turkey and the SDF (10:25); in Lebanon, the IDF faces a withdrawal deadline (13:48) and the parliament finally elects a new president (15:46); yet more Gaza ceasefire talks are underway (19:37); the downing of a civilian aircraft strains Azerbaijan-Russia relations (22:54); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange cross-border fire (26:05); South Korea is still trying to arrest impeached president Yoon while the interim president is also impeached (27:55); the Biden administration determines that the RSF is committing genocide in Sudan (31:13); as a new Ukrainian offensive is underway in Kursk (33:49), the Russians continue advancing in eastern Ukraine (35:36); Austria looks to be getting a far-right government (37:21); Justin Trudeau resigns as prime minister of Canada (40:21); and Donald Trump appears to warm up to the idea of conquering everything (43:12).

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Special - The LA Fires and Lifeboat Capitalism w/ Hamilton Nolan Jan 09, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with journalist Hamilton Nolan about the current LA fires, how we contend with climate change under capitalism, the prospect for labor organizing to help move things in a more sustainable direction, and more.

More of Hamilton's work:

Read Hamilton's piece "Lifeboat Capitalism".
Also take a look at his book The Hammer: Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of Labor.
Follow him on Bluesky.

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E192 - Y2K: The Future That Never Was w/ Colette Shade Jan 07, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with Colette Shade, who just released her debut collection of essays Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was). They discuss the fine line between ordinary nostalgia and lamenting the decline in material conditions, the advent of the internet and how it shaped a generation, how the millenials who grew up with the promise of the 90s compare with Gen Z and Alpha, the reality of globalization, how 9/11 magnified some of the more unfortunate trends of the 90s, the '08 recession, and more.

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Go to Colette's website for more of her work and more information on her upcoming live appearances!

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Bonus - 20th Century Iraq and the Rise of Ba'athism, Ep. 3 w/ Brandon Wolf-Hunnicutt (Preview) Jan 05, 2025

Brandon Wolfe-Hunnicutt, associate professor of history at California State University, Stanislaus, joins Derek to continue the series on his book The Paranoid Style in American Diplomacy: Oil and Arab Nationalism in Iraq. This episode delves into the February 1963 coup, Abdul-Karim Qasim and his ideology, the US role in the coup itself, the tenuous Nasserist-Ba'athist coalition, the subsequent November 1963 coup, and more.

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Special -The US Goverment Funding a Major Journalism Project w/ Ryan Grim and Yann Philippin Jan 03, 2025

Danny and Derek speak with Ryan Grim of Drop Site News and Yann Philippin of the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) about Drop Site's story on revelations about the US government being the largest funder of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the journalistic organization working with outlets to bring to light such stories as the Panama Papers or the Pandora Papers.

Read the full piece, "A Giant of Journalism Gets Half its Budget From the U.S. Government".

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E191 - Grand Strategies of the Left w/ Van Jackson Dec 31, 2024

Danny welcomes back to the program Van Jackson, senior lecturer in international relations at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, to explore grand strategy and a progressive foreign policy to make a more just and stable world. They discuss where grand strategy falls in the fields of political science and international relations, dominant grand strategies like offshore balancing, neoliberal institutionalism, and anti-hegemonism, how these strategies relate to what's happening in DC, and more.

Grab a copy of Van's book Grand Strategies of the Left: The Foreign Policy of Progressive Worldmaking.

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Special - Jimmy Carter w/ Michael Franczak (Preview) Dec 30, 2024

Danny and Derek welcome back to the podcast historian Michael Franczak to talk about the political career of Jimmy Carter. Topics include his aspirations upon becoming president, the Trilateral Commission, human rights, Iran, and more.

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Bonus - 20th Century Iraq and the Rise of Ba'athism, Ep. 2 w/ Brandon Wolf-Hunnicutt (Preview) Dec 29, 2024

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Brandon Wolfe-Hunnicutt, associate professor of history at California State University, Stanislaus, to continue the series on his book The Paranoid Style in American Diplomacy: Oil and Arab Nationalism in Iraq. This episode picks up in WWII, exploring how that conflict changed the West's relationship with oil, building anti-British sentiment in Iraq, how that country became a higher priority after Iran began asserting itself in the 1950s, the 1958 officers' coup and how it compares with that of Nasser's in Egypt, and more into the early 1960s.

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Bonus - Eyes Wide Shut w/ Justin Boyd (Preview) Dec 27, 2024

Danny once again chats with television writer and producer Justin Boyd, this time to examine Stanley Kubrick's 1999 film Eyes Wide Shut. Besides its holiday setting, the two discuss the film's place in Kubrick's oeuvre, its standing as an "end of history" piece of art, Kubrick as a true "20th century man", the Austro-Hungarian setting of the source novella vs. the dreamlike New York of the adaptation, and more.

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Re-Post - The Medievalist's Guide to Christmas w/ Eleanor Janega Dec 24, 2024

Danny and Derek welcome back to the podcast Eleanor Janega, medieval historian, author, and broadcaster, to get down to brass tacks: What is Christmas? They discuss its practice in early and medieval Christian societies, mummers’ plays and gambling, Saint Nicholas providing dowries and resurrecting boys killed for their meat, the post-Reformation treatment of Christmas, and more.

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Grab a copy of Eleanor’s book The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society.

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E190 - 20th Century Iraq and the Rise of Ba'athism, Ep. 1 w/ Brandon Wolf-Hunnicutt Dec 24, 2024

Danny and Derek speak with Brandon Wolfe-Hunnicutt, associate professor of history at California State University, Stanislaus, for the first episode in our series on his book The Paranoid Style in American Diplomacy: Oil and Arab Nationalism in Iraq. In this episode, they lay the groundwork of 20th century Iraq, covering the Hashemite monarchy, sectarianism and the country and the role of Western actors, the Iraqi Petroleum Company, the origins of the communist movement in Iraq, Rashid Ali and anti-British movements, and more until World War II.

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Bonus - US-China Relations Under Biden and Going Forward (Preview) Dec 22, 2024

Jake Werner, acting director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, is back on the program, this time to talk about the current state of US-China relations and where they might be heading under Trump 2.0. They talk about the Biden administration's bimodal approach of collaborating with China while trying to threaten it, the regional alliance structure, how Trump appears to be positioning himself toward China in his new administration, how the US might navigate trade upheaval given the lack of domestic manufacturing, consumption and climate change, and more.

Don't forget to listen to our episode on Jake's brief "A Program for Progressive China Policy".

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News - Russian General Assassination, Turkey-SDF Tensions, Israel in Syria Dec 20, 2024

Our last roundup before the holidays, but stay tuned for other fun AP programming! This week: in Palestine-Israel, yet more Gaza ceasefire talks (1:16) and two new reports on Israeli conduct in the Strip (6:37); in Syria, reports of reprisal attacks (12:02), the US fails to broker a Turkey-SDF ceasefire (16:07), and Israel occupies the country's south (20:24); Russia appears to have moved military assets from Ukraine to Libya (23:16); the RSF carries out more attacks in Sudan's Al-Fashir (26:57); South Korea's Yoon is impeached again (28:05); in Russia-Ukraine, a prominent Russian general is assassinated (30:30), Russian forces close in on Pokrovsk (32:31), and Zelenskyy is in Brussels to talk peacekeepers (34:36); and a New Cold War update featuring the US and China extending a research agreement (37:03), a US naval vessel docking in Cambodia (38:10), and the Trump FP team targeting China (40:43).

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E189 - The Financialization of Modern Media w/ Andrew deWaard Dec 16, 2024

Danny speaks with Andrew deWaard, assistant professor of media and popular culture at UC San Diego, about his book Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture. The two discuss how the falling rate of profit shapes the modern media landscape, the increased drive toward consolidation in entertainment companies, the big movers like private equity firms, hedge funds, asset managers, and venture capitalists, artists' limited ability to defend themselves, the rise of IP, and more.

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Bonus - Political Violence w/ Rachel Kleinfeld (Preview) Dec 15, 2024

Danny and Derek speak with Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about her recent article co-authored with Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, "How to Prevent Political Violence". They explore different types of political violence, the connection between online threats and real life action, the rise of political violence in the US since 2015, "violence entrepreneurs", polarization, the role of ideology, and more.

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Note: This interview was recorded December 3, 2024, i.e. one day before UHC CEO Brian Thompson was shot.

Further reading:

George Herkin, The Georgetown Set: Friends and Rivals in Cold War Washington
Kathryn McGarr, City of Newsmen: Public Lies and Professional Secrets in Cold War Washington
Hugh Wilford, The CIA: An Imperial History

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News - Ethnic Cleansing in Northern Gaza, German Government Collapses, Potential End to Ukraine War Nov 08, 2024

Heads of state come and go, but not all of them make the news roundup with Danny and Derek. This week: in Palestine-Israel, Netanyahu fires defense minister Gallant (0:57), a leak scandal involving Netanyahu's office (6:36), an update on the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza (8:52), and the IDF appears to admit to committing ethnic cleansing (13:05); in Lebanon, the ceasefire push collapses (15:39), the IDF looks to create a "buffer zone" (17:46), and the Washington Post reports that Israeli evacuation warnings are misleading civilians (19:31); in Iran, Supreme Leader Khamenei threatens an attack on Israel (27:19); a new report details the mistreatment of migrant workers in Arabian Gulf states (30:35); the DPRK/North Korea conducts a new ICBM test (33:09); new RSF massacres in Sudan (36:41); in Russia-Ukraine, North Korean soldiers join combat operations (38:35), future concerns in the US about how the war will be conducted under Trump (41:38), and Russia floats the possibility of ending the war (44:36); the German government collapses (46:59); and in Bolivia, protesters supporting former president Evo Morales pause roadblocks amid clashes with the police (49:54).

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Special - The U.S. Presidential Election, the Latino Vote, and the Deportation Regime w/ Alexander Aviña (Preview) Nov 08, 2024

Alexander Aviña, associate professor of history at Arizona State University, joins Danny and Derek to talk about narratives forming around the election regarding a Latino shift to the right, Biden and Trump's respective records on the border, whether Trump will be able to carry out his threats of mass deportation, right-wing anti-migrant rhetoric vs. businesses that depend on that labor force, and more.

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Special - The 2024 US Presidential Election (Preview) Nov 06, 2024

Danny and Derek jump on the mic to break down Donald Trump's decisive election victory. Topics include the crisis of liberalism, the end of the road for the Democrats' status quo, what Trump and Vance mean for American foreign policy, the Boomers and members of the Silent Generation holding onto power, and the profound alienation of our time.

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When you subscribe now, you'll get access to the AP Discord to connect with fellow subscribers and members of the AP team.

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E183 - Foreign Policy and the 2024 US Presidential Election w/ Eli Clifton Nov 04, 2024

Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Eli Clifton, senior advisor and investigative journalist at large at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, to talk about the role of foreign policy in US presidential elections (namely tomorrow's). They talk about chatter on the ground regarding Palestine/Lebanon, whether the Democrats are capable of "learning lessons" from a loss, how to once again make FP relevant to American voters, the broken discourse around China, how money in politics defines the parameters of FP discussion in Washington, and more.

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Subscribers can check out our 2022 episode with Eli on think tanks.

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Bonus - Trump, Isolationism, and a Democrat-Led "America First" Agenda w/ Charles Kupchan (Preview) Nov 03, 2024

Danny and Derek speak with Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, about his essay for Foreign Affairs "The Deep Roots of Trump’s Isolationism". They define "isolationism" and whether Trump even knows what that is, then discuss the history of American intervention, the so-called rules-based order, anti-democratic liberalism, the necessity of maintaining American interests abroad, the implications of the Cold War triumph of capitalism, and more.

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News - Knesset Bans UNRWA, Sudan Massacre, Georgia Election Nov 01, 2024

Nothing's spookier than the news, but Danny and Derek find their courage. This week: in Israel-Palestine, a new report of the Biden administration ignoring Israeli war crimes (0:30), the Knesset votes to ban UNRWA (2:43), and yet more ceasefire talks (8:12); in Lebanon, Hezbollah names a new leader (10:32) and a push for a ceasefire there (12:25); regarding Iran, the aftermath of the Israeli strikes (15:36) and reports of an imminent retaliation (19:10); North Korea/DPRK tests an ICBM (22:07); Japan's Liberal Democratic Party loses its parliamentary majority (24:33); in Sudan, a new massacre by the RSF (26:52) and a UN report on sexual violence in the conflict (29:18); Somalia kicks out another diplomat from Ethiopia (30:28); in Russia-Ukraine, North Korean soldiers in Kursk (32:49), Russia makes gains in Donetsk (34:50), and new talks on sparing energy sites (36:56), the results of Georgia's election (37:59); Venezuela withdraws its ambassador from Brazil over BRICS (41:07); and the annual UN General Assembly's vote over the embargo of Cuba (42:43).

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E182 - The Ongoing Catastrophe of Sudan's Civil War w/ Khalid Medani Oct 29, 2024

Danny and Derek welcome back to the podcast Khalid Medani, associate professor of political science, director of the Institute of Islamic Studies, and chair of the African Studies Program at McGill University, to talk about the state of play in Sudan's civil war. They delve into the military stalemate between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the humanitarian crisis reaching 13 million displaced and 26 million on the brink of starvation, involvement from outside actors including Egypt and the UAE, the strategic importance of the besieged city El Fasher in Darfur, the defection of the RSF’s Gezira commander, Abuagla Keikal, over to the Sudanese military, and more.

Note: After the recording of this episode, the RSF massacred 120 people in eastern Sudan.

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Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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Special - Where Things Stand: Iran, Israel, and Lebanon w/ Séamus Malekafzali (Preview) Oct 28, 2024

Séamus Malekafzali once again joins Danny and Derek, this time to talk about Iran's lack of a retaliation (so far) to Israel's strike this weekend, what Israel might be hoping to get out of that and its invasion of Lebanon, the effect of the latter on Lebanese Americans, Iran's grand strategy, and more.

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Bonus - The Current US Foreign Policy Moment w/ Adam Tooze (Preview) Oct 27, 2024

Adam Tooze, the Shelby Cullom Davis chair of history at Columbia University and director of the European Institute, is back on the program, this time to talk about his recent piece for The Guardian, "Facing war in the Middle East and Ukraine, the US looks feeble. But is it just an act?". They get into the "post-Cold War order", how Biden's foreign policy compares with that of Trump's, US "allies" vs adversaries' "axes", US policy in Palestine, the state of "international law", Russian Keynesianism, and more.

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Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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Special - Israeli Strikes on Iran (October 2024) (Preview) Oct 26, 2024

Danny and Derek talk about what we know so far regarding Israel's strikes on Iran last night, their apparent targets, to what extent they're performative, whether there will be a counterstrike, how this factors into domestic US politics, and more.

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Special - Yahya Sinwar and the Situation in Gaza w/ Mohammad Alsaafin (Full Episode) Oct 25, 2024

This the full version of the special episode we posted last Friday after the death of Yahya Sinwar. Subscribe now for immediate access to all specials.

Derek welcomes back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the death of Yahya Sinwar, the Israeli offensive in northern Gaza, the potential for resettlement, IDF assassinations of Hezbollah leadership, where the Biden administration currently stands, and more.

You can follow Mohammad on Twitter @malsaafin

Check out his video for AJ+, "What Does Hamas ACTUALLY Want?"

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News - BRICS Summit, IDF Assault on Lebanon, India-China Border Agreement Oct 25, 2024

It's 80 degrees in late October here at AP headquarters, but Danny and Derek remain cool as a cucumber to bring you the news. This week: the 2024 BRICS summit was held, featuring Vladimir Putin pushing for a dollar alternative and potentially alienating some member states (1:36); in Palestine-Israel, an update on Northern Gaza (9:10), Antony Blinken visits (12:31), and a leaked document on Israel's planned counterattack on Iran (16:22); in Lebanon, the IDF targets the Qard al-Hassan banking network (18:22), US special enovy Amos Hochstein visits with special demands (21:13), and the IDF targets Tyre for the first time in this assault (23:45); in Turkey, a terrorist attack interferes with the Kurdish peace process (25:19) and Fethullah Gülen of (of the eponymous movement) dies (28:02); India and China negotiate a border agreement, with Xi and Modi meeting while at the BRICS summit (31:11); in Sudan, an RSF commander defects (34:18); the M23 ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo appears to have failed (36:03); in Ukraine, Russian forces are pressuring several towns (37:57) amid talk of DPRK/North Korean soldiers being deployed (40:18); and finally, a new UN climate report says countries have made no progress in cutting emissions to tackle climate change (43:42).

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Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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E181 - The State Department, Weapons Deals, and Israeli Obstructions of Humanitarian Aid w/ Brett Murphy Oct 22, 2024

Derek speaks with ProPublica's Brett Murphy about recent revelations showing the US government's continued arming of Israel despite the State Department's knowledge of Israel preventing humanitarian aid getting into Gaza. They delve into the laws regarding arming countries engaging in such policies, Antony Blinken's denial of knowing Israel's humanitarian aid obstruction in Gaza, America's rationale for an unconditional flow of arms, and more.

Brett's pieces on the matter:

Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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Bonus - FEMA, Climate Castrophe, and Western North Carolina w/ Jessica Pishko (Preview) Oct 20, 2024

Asheville-based journalist and lawyer Jessica Pishko chats with Danny and Derek about the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and the state response. They discuss the state of affairs in Western North Carolina, the model of FEMA as part of the Department of Homeland Security, the federal government's messaging around this disaster, the proliferation of disinformation, the future of disaster relief as climate change worsens, and more. They also preview a future discussion about Jessica's book The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy.

Check out Jessica's pieces on Helene and Asheville, "Climate Catastrophe Comes to Asheville" and "Outrage and Paranoia After Hurricane Helene".

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Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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Special - Yahya Sinwar and the Situation in Gaza w/ Mohammad Alsaafin Oct 19, 2024

Derek welcomes back to the program Mohammad Alsaafin, journalist at AJ+, to talk about the death of Yahya Sinwar. Then, for subscribers, they discuss the Israeli offensive in northern Gaza, the potential for resettlement, IDF assassinations of Hezbollah leadership, where the Biden administration currently stands, and more.

Subscribe now for the full episode.

You can follow Mohammad on Twitter @malsaafin.

Check out his video for AJ+, "What Does Hezbollah ACTUALLY Want?"

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News - Death of Yahya Sinwar, Sudan War, Defense Contractors Cash In Oct 18, 2024

It's another dose of doom, but we tacked on a relatively feel-good animal story. Otherwise, this week: It appears that Israel has killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (1:32), the IDF's brutal operation continues in northern Gaza (4:56), and the Biden administration floats withholding arms over the Strip's humanitarian situation (6:42); an update on Israel's invasion of Lebanon (13:09); the world continues to await Israel's response to Iran's ballistic missile strike (16:07); a diplomatic crisis for India and Canada (19:28); the DPRK/North Korea strikes unused rail lines connecting it with South Korea (21:04); an update on the war in Sudan (22:50); a devastating drought in southern Africa (26:12); in Russia-Ukraine, a Russian counteroffensive in Kursk makes progress (27:44) while Zelenskyy reveals part of his Victory Plan (31:19); stock prices soar for US defense contractors (34:22); and China has sent pandas to the National Zoo in Washington, DC (36:04).

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Don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

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Special - ¡No Pasarán! w/ Chris Wade Oct 17, 2024

Chris Wade, producer of Chapo Trap House (and its spinoffs, including Hell of Presidents and The Inebriated Past) joins the program to talk about the project of putting together Matt Christman's first book as a solo author ¡No Pasarán! Matt Christman's Spanish Civil War.

Grab your copy of ¡No Pasarán! today! Pre-orders are available through October 31.

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E180 - India's Homeland Security and Israel w/ Rhys Machold Oct 15, 2024

Danny and Derek are joined by Rhys Machold, senior lecturer in international relations at the University of Glasgow, to talk about how India tries to achieve homeland security through its relationship with Israel. They talk about the watershed 2008 Mumbai attacks (aka 26/11), the origins of India's relationship with Israel, the latter's security tech industry, post-Mumbai attack ramifications like Modi and Hindutva's rise, and how the concept of homeland security permeates many aspects of the culture.

Buy a copy of Rhys' book Fabricating Homeland Security: Police Entanglements Across India and Palestine/Israel.

And don't forget to get your copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here.

Further Reading:

Lisa Stampintzky Disciplining Terror: How Experts Invented 'Terrorism'

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Bonus - Gun Country, Ep. 3 w/Drew McKevitt (Preview) Oct 13, 2024

Drew McKevitt, the John D. Winters Endowed Professor of History at Louisiana Tech University, joins the program to conclude his conversation with Danny and Derek about his book Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America. This episode explores the repercussions of the 1968 Gun Control Act, grassroots gun control groups formed in its wake, gun rights groups, the Firearm Owners' Protection Act of 1986, the rise of the militia movement, UN attempts to regulate guns in the 1990s, school shootings and mass shootings, and where things stand today.

Pick up a copy of Drew's book here.

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Grab a copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here!

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News - US Complicity in Gaza Crimes, President Sheinbaum of Mexico, Pont Sonde Massacre in Haiti Oct 11, 2024

Another week when we learn where our US tax dollars go. This week: In Palestine-Israel, the one year anniversary of October 7 (1:45), damning ProPublica and Drop Site reports on US complicity in aid worker deaths (5:10), a new IDF siege in northern Gaza (10:55), and Biden and Netanyahu discuss a retaliation for Iran (13:47); Netanyahu threatens to turn Lebanon into Gaza (17:27) while the IDF invades and orders evacuations of southern Lebanon (19:40), Beirut's airport seems to be the next target (21:50), and more Hezbollah leadership is killed (23:15); the DPRK/North Korea is cutting road and rail ties to South Korea (25:32); Japan has a new PM and snap election (27:51); in Sudan, new fighting in North Darfur state (30:28); escalation in Ethiopia's Amhara region (31:42); several Russian advances in Ukraine (33:43); the UK and Mauritius reach an agreement on the Chagos Islands (39:57); Claudia Sheinbaum takes office as president of Mexico (43:28); and Haitian armed groups kill dozens in Pont Sonde (45:17).

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Grab a copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here!

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E179 - Marx's Capital Re-Translated w/ Paul North and Paul Reitter Oct 08, 2024

Translating Marx's Capital might be daunting to some, but Paul North, professor of Germanic languages and literature at Yale, and Paul Reitter, professor of Germanic languages and literature at Ohio State University, felt up to the task. Danny and Derek talk to them about their new translation of Capital, what goes into capturing the nuances of the original German text, why they chose the second edition in particular, the cosmopolitanism of the book, Marx's anger, and what they each brought to the table in taking on this massive project.

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Bonus - Gun Country, Ep. 2 w/Drew McKevitt (PREVIEW) Oct 06, 2024

Danny and Derek continue their conversation with Drew McKevitt, the John D. Winters Endowed Professor of History at Louisiana Tech University, about his book Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America. This episode picks up in the late 1950s with America's push for gun regulation, baby boomers' access to surplus military weapons, militant groups in the 1960s, European countries' gun exports to the US, the Gun Control Act of 1968, and more.

Pick up a copy of Drew's book here.

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Grab a copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here!

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Special - Letting It All Burn w/ Derek Davison Oct 04, 2024

Although host Derek Davison has mentat-like abilities to aggregate an enormous amount of world news each day for his Foreign Exchanges newsletter (and once a week for our AP news roundup), even he needs a break every now and then. This week, instead of the news, Danny interviews Derek about his piece for FX, "Letting it All Burn". They talk about what goes into Derek's journalistic work, what drove him to write this unusually reflective column, what he thinks is particularly different (or not) about the current moment in the Middle East, and whether he sees any way out of the status quo in Western/North Atlantic politics.

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Grab a copy of Matt Christman’s Book ¡No Pasarán! here!

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Special - The Middle East Regional War (PREVIEW) Oct 02, 2024

Danny and Derek give an update on Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Iran's ballistic missile strikes, what this means for Gaza, and the strategy (?) of Joe "does not have a doctorate in foreign affairs" Biden.

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Special - Hurricane Helene Hits North Carolina w/ Jake Aron Oct 01, 2024

Danny speaks with American Prestige's own producer Jake Aron, who lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and which is among many places in the region devastated by Hurricane Helene. Jake shares his observations from the city over the past few days, including the state response, people's access to basic needs, and how this catastrophic event at home mirrors our foreign policy.

Some places where you can donate to help:

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E178 - Gun Country, Ep. 1 w/Drew McKevitt Oct 01, 2024

Danny and Derek talk with Drew McKevitt, the John D. Winters Endowed Professor of History at Louisiana Tech University, about his new book Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America.

Pick up a copy of Drew's book here.

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