Foreign Policy Live

Political outrage is a constant part of modern life, from social media to surges of global protests. But what actually changes? Why do so many structural issues seem deeply entrenched despite high levels of voter turnout? Anton Jäger has a term for this mismatch: hyperpolitics. He joins FP Live to explain the paradox of politicization without institutionalization, why right-wing parties maneuver this era more successfully, and whether the Democratic Socialists of America party is a sign of a new political order. 

Plus, Ravi shares his read on why the United States canceled its joint military exercises with South Korea.

Alexandra Sharp: Is Trump Choosing North Korea Over South Korea?

Derek Grossman: Colby’s ‘Flexible Realism’ Won’t Work in the Indo-Pacific

Anton Jäger: The End of Political Parties

Steven A. Cook: Outrage Culture Is Ruining Foreign Policy

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Gulf countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have created entire cities and world-class airlines off the back of energy riches and U.S. security. The Iran war has upended the calculations of the Gulf monarchs. How are they rethinking their strategies? Allison Minor worked on Gulf policy in the Biden administration and joins FP Live to share her analysis. 

Plus, Ravi shares his read on what the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta means for the future of immigration policy.

Allison Minor and April Longley Alley: A Saudi-Emirati Thaw Can Help Contain Iran

Saeid Jafari: The Regional Order Iran Wanted Is Taking Shape Without It

Steven A. Cook: Economic Integration in the Middle East Is a False God

Rob Geist Pinfold: Discord in the Gulf

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The Strait of Hormuz may be the chokepoint of the moment, but it’s actually not even the one that’s most concerning to Eddie Fishman, the author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare. He explains why U.S. dollar dominance, Chinese critical mineral control, and the semiconductor supply chain are more potent in terms of how much they can impact geopolitics—and how countries and companies might weaponize them. 

Plus, why is China following such a radically different artificial intelligence strategy than the United States? Ravi shares his read.

Graham Allison: America’s Cosmic Bet on AI

Rishi Iyengar: China Is AI-Maxxing

Agathe Demarais: How China Is Winning the Global AI Race

Keith Johnson: America’s Economic Warfare Is Sowing Its Own Demise

Bob Davis: Does the United States Have the Weapons for Trade War?

Maximilian Hess: Trump Has Weakened America’s Sanctions Weapon

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The ongoing war in Iran has been called the biggest energy crisis in history. How is it changing the plans of countries and companies? Which changes will be permanent? Ravi turns to Daniel Yergin, the world’s foremost expert of the oil industry and its history. Yergin is the vice chairman of S&P Global and the author of The Prize, The Quest and, most recently, The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations.

Plus, Ravi shares his read on the expanding conflict in the Middle East.

Philip H. Gordon: There’s Only One Way Out of Trump’s Reckless War

Allison Minor and Nate Swanson: How to End the Iran War

Fatih Birol: The Global Energy Map Is Being Redrawn in Real Time

Michael Hirsh: How the Iran War Reshaped the Global Landscape of Power 

John V. Bowlus: Escaping the Hormuz Trap

Ali Ahmadi: The Oil Market Is Much More Vulnerable Than Trump Believes

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Iran and the United States are locked in a familiar pattern. Conflict has resumed, both sides seem caught in an escalation trap, and oil prices are rising. What would it take for Tehran and Washington to both save face and step back? Ravi Agrawal turns to career diplomat and Iran expert Nate Swanson, who was fired by the Trump administration last year. 

Plus, Ravi shares his read on India’s youth protests and the so-called “Cockroach Janata Party.” 

Sumit Ganguly: India’s Cockroach Movement Gains Momentum

Ellie Geranmayeh: How the United States and Iran Can Solve Hormuz

Dennis Ross: How to Isolate Tehran

David Ignatius: Trump Pushed the Reset Button. This is ‘Iran Fiasco 2.0.’

Keith Johnson: Energy Markets’ False Dawn May Be Over

Rob Geist Pinfold and Dania Thafer: The Gulf States That Iran Thinks It Can Attack

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Is the trans-Atlantic relationship over? Nathalie Tocci argues that it cannot be rebuilt as it was: The liberal order that birthed trans-Atlanticism is gone, and a fundamental breach of trust has occurred. Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer sees it differently: Trans-Atlanticism was never based only on values but also on security, economic, and technological interests. The relationship has now entered a period of geopolitical maturity, where the two sides will pick and choose areas of cooperation. The two European experts debate their takes.

Plus, Ravi shares his read on how renewed conflict in Iran hurts energy prices. 

Alexandra Sharp: U.S.-Iran Talks May Continue, but the Cease-Fire Is Over

Rebecca F. Elliott and Lisa Friedman in the New York Times: China’s Next Move May Decide Whether Oil Prices Soar

Nathalie Tocci: The End of Trans-Atlanticism

Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer: Trans-Atlanticism Isn’t Dead—It’s Being Renegotiated

Luke McGee: Washington Shouldn’t Fear NATO Expansion

Dimitar Bechev: Contain, Consolidate, and Co-Opt

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Ukraine has a new strategy in its full-scale war with Russia: using drones to attack deep into Russian territory and bring the war home to the Russian people for the first time. Has this put Moscow on the backfoot? What will it mean for the chances of a deal? Dmytro Kuleba, a former Ukrainian foreign minister and senior fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, joins FP Live for a frank and realistic assessment.

Plus, Ravi shares his read on the NATO summit in Ankara.

Charles Dainoff, Geoffrey Fain Williams, and Robert Farley: Is Ukraine’s Decentralized Drone Innovation a Blip or a Revolution?

John Kennedy and Jacob Parakilas: Putin May Escalate, but Ukraine Is Winning

Christian Caryl: Ukraine Finally Has a Theory of Victory. Will It Work?

Paul Hockenos: The Strategy Behind the Battle for Crimea

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After the United States ousted Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro in January and then took out Iran’s senior leadership in the following months, U.S. President Donald Trump set his sights on Cuba, claiming that he would have the “honor of taking” the island. Michael Bustamante, a leading historian of Cuban-American relations, joins FP Live to assess the White House’s strategy and Havana’s options. 

Plus, Ravi shares his read on the diverse United States seen by World Cup tourists. 

Oliver Stuenkel: Washington’s Cuba Policy Is Self-Sabotage

Howard W. French: Trump Is Playing With Fire in Cuba

William M. LeoGrande and Peter Kornbluh: Is the United States on the Verge of Military Intervention in Cuba?

Katrin Hansing: Blackouts, Food Shortages, and Water Scarcity

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SpaceX’s initial public offering broke records as the largest ever and one that (briefly) made Elon Musk the first trillionaire. But just how much power should one person or one company have in space? Quinn Slobodian, a co-author of Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed, joins FP Live to argue that Musk’s network of integrated companies—from X to Starlink—amplifies not only his economic power but his worldview. 

Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff: Elon Musk’s Self-Contradictory Military Policy

C. Raja Mohan: Elon Musk and the Rise of Space Capitalism

Adam Tooze: Elon Musk’s First Principles

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The United States and Iran have struck a memorandum of understanding to end the war that began in February. Will the deal last? And what does it mean for the United States, the Middle East, and the world? Ali Vaez has long been involved in unofficial dialogues with Iran and the United States, and he joins FP Live to analyze the deal.

Plus, Ravi shares his read on why the cease-fire deal, despite its flaws, will hold.

FP Staff: U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding: Full Text

Duncan B. Hollis: Is the MOU a Treaty or Not? And Why Should We Care?

Matthew Kroenig: The U.S. Won the War With Iran

Paul Musgrave: Iran Is a Bigger Defeat Than Vietnam

Will Todman: Everyone Lost the War With Iran

Daniel Byman: How the Iran Deal Sets the Stage for More Conflict

Nik Kowsar and Alireza Nader: Ordinary Iranians Won’t See a Dime of Trump’s Money

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