Liam Collins is the executive director of the Madison Policy Forum and a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations. As a former Colonel in the United States Army, Liam was a career Special Forces officer serving combat deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, South America, and the Horn of Africa. He worked alongside now-retired General John Abizaid who was the Senior Defense Advisor to Ukraine, appointed by the then-Secretary of Defence. Today we talk about the reform of Ukraine's military since 2014 and how it has contributed to Ukraine's success in fighting Russian forces at the present moment.  

Marnie Lloydd is a lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington whose research looks into international law related to armed conflicts. Marnie worked for more than ten years as a Protection Delegate and Legal Adviser with the International Committee of the Red Cross, undertaking deployments in Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Chad, Afghanistan and DR Congo. Today we talk about foreign fighters leaving New Zealand and how these individuals could become open to prosecution from international law and terrorism laws here in New Zealand. We also discuss the Geneva Conventions and how they would apply in this context, looking at the political issues for legislation that might look to prevent individuals fighting in a conflict abroad. 

Douglas Atkinson is a Postdoctoral University Assistant at the University of Salzburg. His line of research uses game theory to understand wars like the one playing out between Ukraine and Russia at the moment. Here we discuss costs, where they come from and how they influence a conflict. Discussing war as a political activity, Douglas talks about how actors impose costs on each other and the role international actors have in shaping how the war in Ukraine will progress going forward. 

Professor Kenneth Cosgrove, at Suffolk University in Boston, has written extensively on branding and how it can be used effectively in politics. He has a lot to say about Republican and Democratic candidates and what is needed in order for them to market their message effectively to the American voter. Today we talk about the Biden Administration and how White House messaging is doing at the present. Does the Biden Brand from the last election continue to resonate with voters? We also talk briefly about Trump and whether his recent messaging makes him a candidate that can still resonate with American voters. 

Frank Ledwidge is a Senior Lecturer in Military Strategy and War History at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. A former reservist officer and holding a doctorate from Kings College London in War Studies, he has written extensively on the subject of strategy and war. Today we talk about the conflict in Ukraine, the strategy of Ukrainian and Russian forces and what events on the ground tell us about how this conflict might unfold in the medium to long term. 

John Blaxland is a Professor of Intelligence Studies and International Security at Australian National University. A former director of Joint Intelligence Operations, John is an academic who has written prolifically about Australia's military history and strategy as it applies to strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific. In this interview, I talk to him about tensions with China, events in Ukraine and how they are shaping strategic thinking in Australia and Asia. 

Grant Newsham is a Senior Research Fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies and is a former Colonel in the United States Marines. He writes regularly for the Asia Times and has been involved in advising private corporations on a number of strategic matters. Today we talk about the relationship between Japan and Korea and how this relationship might turn a corner in the future. We look at strategic thinking in Japan and how the perceptions of the Japanese public continue to evolve towards China. The challenges posed by North Korea and China towards Taiwan are also discussed. 

Dr. Edward Elder is a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research looks at candidates through the lens of marketing. Playing close attention to key aspects of how candidates communicate with their constituents, his research looks to understand what makes a candidate's leadership style successful. We discuss here former Presidents of the United States, Prime Ministers of New Zealand like John Key and Jacinda Ardern. We also discuss the leadership of Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom and Scott Morrison in Australia going forward. 

Nigel Inkster is the former Director of Operations and Intelligence at MI6 and is a Senior Advisor in Cyber Security and China at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He has recently published a book: The Great Decoupling: China, America and the Struggle for Technology Supremacy. In this episode, we discuss the rise of China and technology dominance, how the United States might engage with this challenge going forward, and where this leaves other countries like the United Kingdom. Existing threats from China and potential ones associated with technology dominance are also discussed. 

Dr. Thomas Preston is a Distinguished Professor at Washington State University. He specializes in American Foreign Policy, with published research in political psychology and foreign policy decision-making in the White House. In this episode, I am going to be asking him about former President Trump as well as current President Biden and how they fit compared to historical presidents. We also discuss foreign policy matters on the horizon for the Biden Administration and what kind of leader Biden is likely to be.