CNA Talks: A National Security Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Next Generation 911 Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

This episode explores how the Fairfax County 911 Center is using Next Generation 911 systems to better serve its jurisdiction.

Guest Biographies

Heleana Melendez is an expert in criminal justice research and policing. At CNA, Melendez supports projects focused on violence prevention, system improvement, crisis intervention and use of force for law enforcement agencies across the nation.

Further Reading

Fairfax County (Virginia) Department of Public Safety Communications: Next Generation 911

How Stable is Iran? Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

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

Planning for Respiratory Pathogens in Prisons Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

We examine efforts to prevent the spread of resporitory viruses in America's jails and prisons and what practices were identified from this experience.

Guest Biographies

NhuNgoc Pham is a research scientist with CNA's Center for Public Health Preparedness and Resilience.

Jim Alexander is a senior advisor with CNA's Center for Justice Research and Innovation.

Darren Sieger is the Director of the Administration Broward Sheriff's Office and has helped correctional facilities implement steps to mitigate respiratory viruses.

Further Reading

Bueru of Justice Assitance: Planning for Respiratory Pathogen Pandemics A Guidebook for Corrections Systems and Confinement Facilities

South Korea's Extraordinary Snap Election Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

We examine what happened in South Korea's snap election and its implications for South Korea's relations with the US, Japan, China, Russia, and North Korea.

Guest Biographies

Dr. Thomas Bickford is a principal research scientist in the CNA Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Program. His research has focused on Chinese maritime strategy, Chinese national security policy, and China's relations with its neighbors.

Carita Reid is the Research Assistant for the China and Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division. Her research focuses on the Korean peninsula, and she is interested in the domestic environment of both Koreas, nuclear proliferation, democratization efforts, and human rights.

Further Reading

CNA Talks — South Korea: Martial Law and President Yoon's Impeachment

India, Pakistan, and Nuclear Deterrence Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

We cover the recent conflict between India and Pakistan, why they were able to desescalate so quickly, and what this tells us about nuclear deterrence and escalation.

Guest Biographies

Stephanie Stapleton is a Research Scientist with CNA's Strategy and Policy Analysis Program. She is an expert in nuclear policy and strategic deterrence, with a focus on strategic competition within the emerging two-near-peer security environment.

Decker Evelth is an Associate Research Analyst with CNA's Countering Threats and Challenges Program. He specializes in open-source analysis.

Further Reading

CNA: Nuclear Research

Under Fire: Supporting Navy Operations During the Red Sea Crisis May 21, 2025

Show notes

Two CNA field analysts discuss their work assisting operations to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

Guest Biographies

Dr. Keith Zirkle is a research scientist in CNA's Fleet Operations and Assessments Program. He is CNA's field representative at Naval Forces Central Command.

Kevin O'Connell is a research analyst in CNA's Fleet Operations and Assessments Program. He is currently CNA's field representative to Commander, Seventh Fleet, but he deployed with Carrier Strike Group 2 during the Red Sea crisis.

Further Reading

CNA Field Program

DeepSeek and China's AI Ecosystem May 07, 2025

Show notes

This episode examines what DeepSeek's AI model tells us about China's AI ecosystem, military applications for this technology, and other developments in China's high-tech sector.

Guest Biographies

April Herlevi is a senior research scientist in CNA's China and Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division.

Christopher Cairns is a research scientist in CNA's China and Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Division.

Further Reading

Intersections: Issue 13

To subscribe to Intersections, email Intersections@cna.org.

Retrospective on Russia Studies with Dmitry Gorenburg Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

Dmitry Gorenburg, winner of this year's Trustees Award, joins the show to discuss his 20-year career at CNA and how the study of Russia has changed during that time.

Guest Biography

Dmitry Gorenburg is a Senior Research Scientist in CNA's Russia Studies Program. He is an expert on security issues in the former Soviet Union, the Russian military, Russian foreign policy, and ethnic politics and identity. His recent research has focused on decision-making processes in the senior Russian leadership, Russia's relationship with China, Russian naval strategy, and Russian influence operations.

Further Reading

News Release: CNA Trustees Award Presented to Dmitry Gorenburg

CNA Report: Russian Military Mobilization During the Ukraine War

CNA Report: Crafting the Russian War Economy

What Can We Learn About Drones from the Ukraine War Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

This episode examines how uncrewed systems have been used in the Ukraine war and how the US can use this information to develop countermeasures.

Guest Biographies

Samuel Bendett is an advisor with CNA's Russia Studies Program. His research focuses on Russian defense and technology developments; uncrewed, robotic, and autonomous military systems; artificial intelligence; and Russian military capabilities. His analysis of Russia's war against Ukraine has appeared in globally read news outlets such as VICE and The Washington Post.

Michael Petersen is a principal research scientist in CNA's Russia Studies Program. He is an expert on Russian military strategy, operations, and net assessments of high-intensity conflict. From 2023-2024, he served as senior advisor to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

Further Reading

CNA InDepth: Drones Over Ukraine

CNA Report: Russia's Use of Uncrewed Systems in Ukraine

Russia and Iran's Evolving Relationship Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

This episode explores the political, military, and economic dimensions of the relationship between Russia and Iran.

Guest Biographies

Dr. Elizabeth Wishnick is an expert on China-Russian relations, Chinese foreign policy, and Arctic strategy. At CNA, Wishnick contributes her dual regional expertise on China and Russia, including professional proficiency in both languages, to research and analyze Xi Jinping's risk-taking, Sino-Russian military cooperation, China's Arctic policy, and Chinese and Russian disinformation. She was part of a team that won CNA's CEO Teamwork Award for Arctic research.

Dr. Julian G. Waller is a Research Analyst in the Russia Studies Program at CNA and an applied analyst of Russian political-military affairs, elite strategic decision-making, adversary systems of governance and civil-military relations, and the politics of authoritarian rule and illiberal ideologies globally.

Further Reading

CNA Report: The Evolving Russia-Iran Relationship CNA Talks: Syria After Assad

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