The Precision-Guided Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Behind the Article: "Mobilized, Forgotten, Ignored: Russia’s Control Mechanisms of its Minority Populations Amid the Russo-Ukrainian War" by Nick Lekkas Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

In a debut format, host Shawn Rostker presents a narrated version of a peer-reviewed journal article from Nick Lekkas, a senior columnist at the Georgetown Security Studies Review and fellow SSP colleague. Nick’s article, titled “Mobilized, Forgotten, Ignored: Russia’s Control Mechanisms of its Minority Populations Amid the Russo-Ukrainian War,” explores the disproportionate effect that Russia’s conscription efforts have had on ethnic groups from the Buryat, Kuban, and Dagestan regions. Nick analyzes the Kremlin’s political motivations for sparing its Slavic population from front-line deployment, and explains why this imbalance may become a greater vulnerability for the Russian regime than it realizes.

SSP Weekly: Episode 6 - Saudi Grand Strategy and Update on Ukraine Nov 03, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to SSP Weekly! This week, host Gareth Smythe sits down with guest Katherine Wells to discuss Saudi Arabia's grand strategy and how they view the current conflict in the Middle East. Next, Miriam Pasternak sits down with Veronika Melkozerova, a Ukrainian reporter for Politico, who has been providing coverage of the war in Ukraine to the biggest media outlets in the world. Veronika explains how the war is connected to the Israel-Hamas conflict, how Ukrainians view the situation today and how U.S. politics are critical for continued support to Ukraine. We hope you enjoy.

SSP Weekly: Episode 5 - AI and AUKUS Oct 27, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to SSP Weekly! This week, host Miriam Pasternak sits down with guest Harrison Durland, a fellow SSP student, focusing on tech and emergent technology, to talk about the recent U.S. export controls on China. After this, host Gareth Smythe sits down with Anna Bassoli, the Associate Editor for the Indo-Pacific at the Georgetown Security Studies Review (GSSR), about the Australian state visit to DC and the ongoing implementation of AUKUS, the trilateral partnership on submarines and emerging technology between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

SSP Weekly: Episode 4 - The significance of Donald Tusk’s return Oct 20, 2023

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Welcome back to SSP Weekly! This week’s theme is the Polish elections and the surprising victory of Donald Tusk, a political giant both in Poland and the European Union. Host Miriam Pasternak sits down with Jan Gerber, a fellow SSP student born and raised in Poland. The two discuss how Donald Tusk managed to defeat the current right-winged government which has been in power since 2015, and how Tusk's return might influence European security in the coming years.

Episode 50: Going Green or Red? The West’s Reliance on Chinese Renewable Energy with Jeremy Mathis Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

The global effort for “going green” is creating dependency on Chinese renewable energy because China is dominating the renewable energy market. While moving forward with environmentally friendly energy alternatives is a crucial movement, should the West choose that option even if it means dependency on China? Can the West protect the environment and also win the Great Power Competition with China? Has the West already lost the game for dominance on “going green?”

Iku Tsujihiro (SSP’24) hosts Dr. Jeremy Mathis to explore the complex challenges the West faces in the current environmental security affairs.

SSP Weekly: Episode 3 - Understanding the Hamas Attack Oct 14, 2023

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This week, hosts Miriam Pasternak and Gareth Smythe sit down with guest Zach Markenson to put the events in Israel and Palestine this past week into historical context. In the episode, Zach sheds light on the prolonged relationship between Israel and Hamas, provides an overview of long-term Israeli policies toward Palestine, and helps unpack the dynamics between many of the myriad actors in the region.

SSP Weekly: Episode 2 - Drama in the House and Trouble in the Balkans Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back to SSP Weekly: a new format from Georgetown University’s Precision-Guided Podcast! This week, hosts Miriam Pasternak and Gareth Smythe follow up on the updates since last episode's government shutdown story, and talk about the ousting of House speaker, Kevin McCarthy. Next, we discuss the recent brewing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, as a result of a violent attack on Kosovar police officers on September 24th. Our guest for the story is Robert Shala, a fellow graduate student from the Georgetown Security Studies Program, born and raised in what is today the Republic of Kosovo. Enjoy!

SSP Weekly: Episode 1 - US Government Shutdown and Poland v. Ukraine Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the SSP Weekly: A new format from Georgetown University’s Precision-Guided Podcast, in which our two hosts, Miriam Pasternak and Gareth Smythe, dissect security and foreign policy stories from the week. This week, we are talking about the possibility of a US Government shutdown and its impact on national security, and the Polish-Ukrainian dispute over weapons and grain supplies. Our first guest is Christian Trotti, Associate Editor for Defense at GSSR. Our second guest, Kamil Lungu, is a graduate student in the German and European Studies Program at Georgetown. Kamil focuses on transatlantic trade, agriculture and energy policy. Enjoy!

Episode 49: A New Era For Nuclear Deterrence in Northeast Asia with Dr. Keir Lieber Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

The DPRK’s nuclear missile program is growing every day. The DPRK has conducted a number of missile tests against the ROK and Japan recently. Does the growing threat of the DPRK’s missile program destabilize the security balance in Northeast Asia? Does China’s nuclear program threaten nuclear non-proliferation in Northeast Asia? Should Japan and the ROK gain their own nuclear arsenals? Iku Tsujihiro (SSP’24) invited Dr. Keir Lieber to discuss the emerging threat of the DPRK’s nuclear missile program, and how it is changing the security perception in Northeast Asia.

Episode 48: Connecting Climate, Energy, and Security with Kate Gordon Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

The destabilizing effects of global climate change represent key security challenges for the United States. These challenges are manifested at both the strategic level, in how climate impacts are fueling global trends like instability and mass migration, and at the tactical level, as climate change threatens critical national security infrastructure like military installations. How the United States adapts to the impacts of climate and works to mitigate further climate change has key implications for military readiness, industrial policy, and the resilience of communities across the country and around the world.

To discuss the key intersection between climate and security, host Gareth Smythe sat down with Kate Gordon, who just completed a two-year tenure as the Senior Advisor to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Kate has spent the past two decades working at the intersection of climate change, energy policy, and economic development, and is a prominent voice knitting these important aspects together into a cohesive response. Kate and Gareth discuss the place-based impacts of climate change, how climate impacts present strategic and tactical challenges to security, the role of the military in climate adaptation and resilience, how the Department of Energy’s place at the forefront of America’s 21st Century Industrial Policy can support the Department of Defense’s industrial policy work, and the role of US allies, partners, and even potential adversaries in advancing climate security.

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