Derek welcomes back to the pod , associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, to discuss the situations in Niger and Chad now that the two nations have respectively kicked out most US troops. They discuss the State Department’s underwhelming treatment of some African heads of state, how this dynamic differs when working with a military junta, what specifically precipitated the US withdrawals from Niger and Chad, AFRICOM’s security-focused framing, how Russia’s role in the region factors into things, and more.    Be sure to check out Alex’s new Substack Sawahil, the successor to his excellent Sahel Blog.  

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

E147 - State of the Sahel: Niger and Chad w/ Alex Thurston

A podcast from Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison that provides listeners with everything they need to know about what’s going on in the world. 

www.americanprestigepod.com

History

Society & Culture

News

Politics

Danny and Derek are innocent, with news to boot. This week: in Gaza, Israeli bombs displaced Palestinians in tents (0:29) despite the ICJ ruling calling for a halt in that operation (4:36), global opinion on Palestine continues to shift (7:12), Egyptian-Israeli border clashes (13:59), and more; some developments regarding Iran’s nuclear program (18:19); a summit attended by representatives of China, South Korea, and Japan (22:35); the DPRK/North Korea has a failed satellite launch (25:55); an update on Sudan, namely the besieged city of El Fasher (27:56); the Burkina Faso military junta delays the transition to civilian control (29:54); in Ukraine news, Vladimir Putin hints at a ceasefire recognizing the current territorial status (34:22) while Antony Blinken hints at the US greenlighting Ukraine using American long-range weapons to strike Russia (36:09); in Mexico, a presidential election on Sunday (39:56) while Mexico City is on the verge of losing its water supply (41:59).          

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

News - Israeli Strikes on Rafah Continue, US Hints Shift on Long-Range Weapons in Ukraine, South Africa Election

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.com

We’re back with the fifth episode of the collaboration between AP and Nonzero Newsletter! Paid subscribers get a discounted membership to Nonzero— just scroll below the paywall near the bottom of the description, where you’ll also find the video for the Overtime segment. 00:07 The Nonzero-American Prestige apocalypse aversion project 1:29 Are Bob, Derek, and Danny surprised the Gaza war is still going on?  4:31 Biden’s simple political calculus on Gaza  13:08 Would Trump greenlight the ethnic cleansing of Gaza? 25:12 Israel’s plan (or lack thereof) for post-war Gaza   31:49 Heading to Overtime

AP x Nonzero - Gaza, Biden, and Trump w/ Robert Wright

We all know about the United States’ deep commercial ties with China in this day and age, but has this been the case since America’s inception? Danny and Derek are joined by Stuart Rollo, postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney, for a discussion of his book Terminus: Westward Expansion, China, and the End of American Empire. The group examines the United States’ imperial evolution alongside China’s parallel trajectory, considering the (sometimes oblique) role of China in major US conflicts, domestic Chinese milestones’ effect on the US-China dynamic, the watershed change in their trade relations in the 1970s, and how America is trying to manage its current imperial decline. Note: Stuart was unfortunately ill with Covid when recording this episode, but said that the show must go on! 

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

E150 - Origins of American Empire in the Asia-Pacific Region w/ Stuart Rollo

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.americanprestigepod.com

Bryan Pitts, assistant director of the Latin American Institute at UCLA, once again sits down with Danny and Derek to help us make our way through Brazil’s history. The discussion picks up in the postwar era, covering Getúlio Vargas’ fall from power, his famous “Carta Testamento” letter, the country’s rural-to-urban migration, President Juscelino Kubits…

Bonus - The History of Brazil, Ep. 5 w/ Bryan Pitts

Danny and Derek return with the news roundup. This week: a Gaza update (0:35), three countries recognize Palestine (10:47), the ICC pursues arrest warrants (14:17), and an ICJ hearing wraps up (18:07); Yemeni Ansar Allah / Houthi forces down two US drones, plus the US admits its bombing campaigns have been futile (20:19); the death of Iranian president Embrahim Raisi (25:16); Taiwan inaugurates a new president and sees protests at the parliament while China conducts military drills nearby (27:38); protests and riots in France’s New Caledonia colony territory, prompting a visit from Macron (29:49); the US finally sets a date for withdrawing troops from Niger (33:52); Kenya’s William Ruto visits the US, with the former country’s mission to Haiti starting soon (34:40); an update on the Kharkiv offensive in Ukraine (36:58); and the UK schedules an election for July 4 (39:22).   

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

E147 - State of the Sahel: Niger and Chad w/ Alex Thurston

Download our free app to listen on your phone