American Prestige

Danny welcomes Christopher Layne, professor of international affairs and Robert M. Gates Chair in Intelligence and National Security at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, to discuss the recent article he co-authored with Benjamin Schwarz for Harper’s, “Why Are We in Ukraine?” They get into the discourse around the conflict among the public and international relations (IR) scholars, the history and nature of the field of IR, the role of NATO expansion in the current Ukraine conflict, US nuclear doctrine, the solipsism of the US foreign policy establishment, and more.

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

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

Danny and Derek welcome author China Miéville, whose most recent book is A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto. They discuss the role of the artist and intellectual in 2023, the genre of manifesto and potential for enacting change, labor relations without a workplace, private vs. personal property, criticism of Marx from a left perspective, ps…

Danny and Derek are back with another news roundup for all! This week: more updates on the Wagner uprising in Russia (0:34), Sweden hits a speed bump in its path to NATO membership (10:53), a Ukraine update (17:04), conservative Mitsotakis wins re-election in Greece (19:46), Biden cuts funding for West Bank institutions (21:27), a Sudan update (22:39), the UN peacekeeping operation in Mali looks to be shut down (25:54), a new UN report on the the US’s human rights violations in Guantanamo Bay (28:59), a new study on devastating rainforest loss (30:07), and a New Cold War update featuring a meeting between China and New Zealand (33:19) and a Pew survey on the US’s reputation around the world (35:58).

Recorded Thursday, June 29, 2023

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

Danny and Derek welcome Kelly Grieco, senior fellow in the Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, and Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow in the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the US’s presence in the Indo-Pacific. The group defines what exactly constitutes the “Indo-Pacific”, touches on how the Beltway sees the US’s role in the region vs what it is actually doing there, how China is perceived in the region, the Taiwan issue, the dynamic with US regional allies such as Australia, strategic empathy, the future of the US’s role in the region, and more.

Check out Kelly and Jennifer’s article in Foreign Policy, “The Indo-Pacific Has Already Chosen Door No. 3”!

Kelly also recently authored the pieces “Reality Check #11: America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Requires Tough Choices” and “Trying Harder Is a Bad China Strategy”.

Likewise, Jennifer recently wrote “Japan’s New Defense Budget Is Still Not Enough”.

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

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

Danny and Derek welcome Mark Ames, co-host of Radio War Nerd, to the show to analyze the weekend’s events in Russia involving the Wagner Group, speculating on what Prigozhin’s aim was, what this all might suggest about the Russian state and power structure, Wagner’s future, the “Russia experts” who mobilized around the incident, and more.

Recorded Monday…

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

Danny and Derek give an update and analysis of the events in Russia yesterday involving the Wagner Group.

Check out the special from yesterday!

Recorded Sunday morning, June 25, 2023

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

Danny and Derek welcome Anton Jäger, historian of political thought, to the program to discuss the end of mass politics, or “hyperpolitics”, as he calls it. They touch on why this is a major issue for the left, the feasibility of organizing under the present structural conditions, Occupy Wall Street, where there is room for movement in the next decade, …

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

Danny and Derek give an update on the situation with the Wagner Group in Russia.

Recorded midday EST, Saturday, June 24, 2023

Danny and Derek return with absolutely no submersible-related news, and that’s a guarantee. This week: flights resume between Yemen and Saudi Arabia (0:31), the IDF and settlers clash with Palestinians in the West Bank (2:19), Mali wants UN peacekeepers removed (6:22), a Sudan update (9:53), NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg stays in power (14:59), a Ukraine update featuring an African peace delegation (16:00), the Ukrainian counteroffensive (18:29), and a Crimea bridge attack (20:33), and a New Cold War update featuring a recap of Antony Blinken’s visit to China (21:36), Biden insulting Xi (23:09), and Indian prime minister Modi’s visit to the US (24:38).

Recorded Thursday, June 22, 2023

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

Danny and Derek welcome journalist Emily Tamkin to the podcast to discuss American Jewish identity and politics over the past 100 years. They get into the salience of the term “Bad Jew”, how Jews fit into American social and legal definitions of whiteness, how American Jews have grappled with the Zionist project, generational shifts among American Jews, and more.

Be sure to grab a copy of Emily’s book Bad Jews, and check out her recent article for +972, “‘A moment of disillusionment’: American Jews torn as Israel turns 75”.

Recorded in March 13, 2023

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