Behind The Lines with Arthur Snell podcast

05.09.2024

A critical friend: Helene von Bismarck on Britain and the World

It was my huge pleasure to speak to German historian of Britain Helene von Bismarck. You can find her on Twitter and Bluesky and also on her website https://www.helenevonbismarck.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05.03.2024

What might a Labour government try to do in its relations with the EU?

Following on from the episode on 22 April, the second part of my conversation with Sydney Nash on the UK's relations with Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

04.26.2024

Kharkiv and Ukraine's will to survive with Jade McGlynn

At a time when the unbreakable city of Kharkiv faces untold destruction and sustained bombardment by Russian forces it was a privilege to speak to Dr Jade McGlynn, a scholar of Ukraine and Russia, who is based there. We discussed...

04.22.2024

Where is the EU going and what does that mean for the UK?

As ever, British debates about the EU tend to be debates about Britain. We might hope to rejoin, or at least regain a better-functioning trading relationship with the organisation, but we don't do enough thinking about where the EU is...

04.17.2024

Iran, Israel and the risks of a regional war

Iran and Israel have been on the brink of open conflict, in the light of Iran's barrage of drone and missile strikes on Israel, which in turn followed Israel's strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus. I spoke to Charlie Gammell,...

04.08.2024

Politics and Money: a Dysfunctional Relationship, with Seth Thevoz

How do British political parties get funded? What does that money buy? With only a few weeks to go until the local elections and in a year of a general election I spoke to Seth Thevoz, political and investigative journalist,...

03.30.2024

The tragedy of Haiti and what we can learn from it

Professor Amalendu Misra of the University of Lancaster is an expert in Latin America and the Caribbean, notably Haiti. I spoke to him about the current crisis there and what it tells us about the wider region. Hosted on...

03.22.2024

World War Three? What might it look like?

Mike Martin (who is on Twitter and elsewhere @threshedthought) is one of the most insightful thinkers on conflict and geopolitics active today. He served in the army in Afghanistan with some distinction and subsequently has worked as an academic and...

03.15.2024

Is Democracy for Sale? with Peter Geoghegan

Is Democracy for Sale? The degree to which dark money, powerful interests and political power intersects in this country is startling and depressing. One of the most dogged chroniclers of this phenomenon is the investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan whose book,...

03.08.2024

REJOINIACS with Jacob Öberg

Returning to our occasional episodes on Britain's relationships with Europe and the EU, I spoke to EU law professor Jacob Öberg about how Britain could evolve its relationship with the EU in future, the realistic possibilities of joining a customs...

03.01.2024

Ukraine, Russia and the Crisis in Western Militaries

Frank Ledwidge is a War Studies academic, a former serviceman and an expert on military matters. He made several visits to Ukraine since the start of the current conflict and offers an incisive, clear-eyed account of the challenges faced there,...

02.24.2024

Chemical Weapons, Poisons and Assassinations, with Dan Kaszeta

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

02.09.2024

What Does Iran Want?

At the heart of much of the discussion of the multiple crises facing the Middle East is Iran, whose proxies are active across the region. But what is it that Iran itself wants? What is it trying to achieve and...

02.02.2024

How to Solve a Problem Like the Houthis

Repeated airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen do not appear to have dampened their willingness or their ability to continue strikes against shipping. What are the appropriate responses to this determined and dangerous group? To get a better understanding of...

01.26.2024

Chainsaw Politics: Argentina's Anarchic President

Argentina's 'anarcho capitalist' president Javier Milei haș a series of policies that are barely believable. I spoke to Leiza Brumat about the political and economic background to his election, his political platform and whether he is likely to get it...

01.19.2024

YEMEN BONUS EPISODE: In conversation with Jason Pack

BONUS EPISODE In conversation with Jason Pack of the Disorder Podcast about Yemen. This is a joint episode with Disorder, so if you are already listening to that show, you won't find too much different between these two. There are some...

01.12.2024

S2Ep2: EMERGENCY EP: Yemen's Houthis with Hannah Porter - What do they want and why do they want it?

EMERGENCY EPISODE On 11 January US and UK airforces struck targets in Yemen associated with the Huthi militia which has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, purportedly in solidarity with the plight of the Palestinians. To try to understand the...

01.05.2024

Ukraine's Tough Year with Luke Harding

After a tough year in 2023 and a lack of major progress in regaining territory from the Russians, this year promises to be another challenging one for Ukraine. Looming over all of what Ukraine does is the question of Western...

12.27.2023

Holiday Special Ep 20: Shane O'Mara on the science of memory and what that tells us about nationalism

With all the pressure of the Christmas season I held off from putting out a 'geopolitical review of the year' or something like that: there's a lot going on and people need some space. Instead, I wanted to finish the...

12.15.2023

Ep 19 The Israel Palestine conflict with James Barr, part II - after the Holocaust

As the Israeli assault on Gaza, immediately preceded by the Hamas-led massacre in Southern Israel, continues, we return to the history of this conflict. This is the second part of my extended interview with the historian James Barr, author of several...

12.08.2023

Ep 18 James Barr on the History of the Israel Palestine dispute

The crisis in Israel - Palestine continues, currently unfolding with the Israeli attack on Gaza, immediately preceded by the Hamas-led massacre in Southern Israel. Unpicking the history and origins of these events remains a particularly difficult task, with history used...

12.01.2023

Ep 17 Can Parliament Take Back Control?

The sense that our politics isn’t working might be familiar to listeners of this podcast. If you heard last week’s episode you’ll know that I had James O’Brien discussing his book “How they Broke Britain”, which gets to the heart...

11.24.2023

Ep 16: James O'Brien on How they Broke Britain

James O'Brien is often described as the voice of liberal England. With this regular radio slot on LBC and his huge online following, he is a reminder that popular doesn’t have to be populism. His patient, forensic but totally accessible...

11.17.2023

Ep 15: Ukraine - Europe's Forgotten War?

After months of fierce fighting, mostly in the Donbas region, Ukraine's attempt to push through Russia occupation zone to reach the Sea of Azov appears to have failed. Russia's incredibly dense minefields, its increasingly sophisticated use of drones, and its...

11.10.2023

Ep 14: The Gardener of Laskhar Gah - Britain's Afghan Betrayal

When I worked at the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province, I was largely based at the Forward Operating Base in Lashkar Gah - the main city of Helmand. There, amid the dust and noise of an active military campaign,...

11.03.2023

Behind the Lines Episode 13: The UK's Long March back to Europe?

This week we’re covering arguably the most important question in British foreign policy: our relationship with Europe and, specifically - what the circumstances and process might be for Britain to rejoin the EU. Nobody thinks this is an easy issue, or something...

10.27.2023

Behind the Lines Ep 12: Bella Omnium Contra Omnes?

Dr Mike Martin, former soldier, military strategist and author of How to Fight a War joined me to discuss how Israel and Hamas are fighting their war. Our discussion took us into a wider exploration of conflict in the modern...

10.23.2023

BONUS EPISODE: Avoiding A Regional War

Understanding the risks of a regional war between Israel and its antagonists feels like the most important issue at the present time. I was able to speak to Michael Stephens, former head of the Middle East programme at RUSI, the...

10.20.2023

Behind The Lines Ep 10 - Trumps Dirty Roubles With Greg Olear

In this episode I wanted to go back to something that Paul Mason said in an earlier episode which struck a chord. He identified that the weakest link in International democratic politics is the world’s greatest democracy, the United States. Here’s...

10.13.2023

Behind The Lines Ep 9 - Israel’s Gaza challenge

Following Hamas’s horrific assault on Israel, attention turns to Israel’s reaction. Gaza is under siege and Israel has mobilised over 300,000 reservists. Israel claims that it plans to destroy Hamas. What does that mean in practice? And what does it...

10.10.2023

Behind The Lines Emergency Episode - Hamas' War Against Israel with Jason Pack

EMERGENCY PODCAST We’re only 4 days after the stunning horror of Hamas’s attack on Israel. Much remains unclear, but we now know that a major Hamas operation completely blindsided Israel’s defences and nearly 1,000 Israelis, mostly civilians are dead, with several...

10.06.2023

Behind The Lines Ep 7 - How to Stop Fascism, with Paul Mason

In 2021, Paul Mason, a veteran journalist familiar to viewers of Newsnight and Channel 4 News, published a book called How to stop Fascism, History Ideology, Resistance. His book came in the aftermath of the January 6th insurrection in Washington DC...

09.28.2023