Pod Save the World

Tommy and Ben talk through Biden’s options in Afghanistan, updates on the coup in Myanmar, censorship in China, the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine in Israel, government transparency in Mexico, LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, crackdowns on activists in India and Egypt, and royal baby updates. Then Ben interviews Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about the dangers of reflexively tightening domestic terrorism laws.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld 

For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected].

Tommy and Ben discuss the farmers’ protests in India, updates on the situation in Myanmar, Biden’s big foreign policy speech, Canada’s classification of the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization, debate over definitions of anti-Semitism and the double standards when critiquing Israel, and the political situation in Haiti.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld 

For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected].

Tommy and Ben discuss the military takeover in Myanmar and how President Biden should respond, Alexey Navalny's sentencing in Russia, Poland's near-total abortion ban, the Biden administration's pause on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, textbook revisions in Saudi Arabia, and disparities in Israel's mass vaccination campaign. Then Ben talks to journalist and host of the Black Diplomats podcast Terrell Jermaine Starr about how domestic activism fits into American foreign policy.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. 

For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben discuss President Biden’s first call with Vladimir Putin as President and the US-Russia relationship, Rob Malley and the fight over Biden’s Iran policy, Biden’s approach to Venezuela, Chinese sanctions on former Trump officials, why Google might be leaving Australia, chaos in the Italian government and more. Then Russian journalist Alexey Kovalev joins to talk about the mass protests in support of Alexey Navalny and how the Kremlin is reacting

On the final Pod Save the World of the Trump presidency, Ben and Tommy talk about Joe Biden’s day-one foreign policy agenda, the arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, why the US dropped charges against a Mexican general accused of working with a drug cartel, how Trump is trying to keep his loyalists in the government after he leaves office, elections in Uganda, a State Department designation of genocide in Xinjiang, and more. Then activist Nathan Law joins Ben to talk about where the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong goes from here.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.

Tommy and Ben discuss last week’s violent coup attempt and the call for new domestic terrorism laws, how world leaders are reacting to Trump’s Twitter ban, Netanyahu’s announcement of new Israeli settlements and how Biden should handle it, and all the things Mike Pompeo is trying to screw up for the incoming Biden administration. Then former US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power joins to talk about how to restore American credibility at international organizations, Bill Burns as CIA director, last week’s mass arrests in Hong Kong and refugee policy.

Tommy and Ben discuss Joe Biden’s latest foreign policy staffing decisions, the huge (likely) Russian hack of American government and private networks, Iran’s latest moves on uranium enrichment, a big win for abortion-rights in Argentina, Jack Ma mysteriously disappearing from public view, the latest coronavirus lockdown in the UK, the anticlimactic finalization of Brexit, and more.

Tommy and Ben talk with former President and current Worldo Barack Obama about some of the biggest foreign policy challenges and accomplishments addressed in his book, A Promised Land. Those include the financial crisis and the rise of nationalism, the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan and tensions with the Pentagon leadership, the Cairo speech, dealing with Russia and Vladimir Putin, the politics of terrorism, including GITMO and the drone program, the rise of China and climate change, and some of the absurdities of traveling abroad as President.

For a transcript of this interview, visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.

Tommy and Ben talk through Joe Biden’s decision to nominate General Lloyd Austin for Secretary of Defense, a new wealth tax in Argentina, the mass vaccination campaign underway in the UK, reporting on how a Chinese spy developed ties to California politicians, a former Israeli official’s disclosures about space aliens, new Olympic sports, and more. Then Ben interviews French activist Assa Traoré about the fight for racial justice and changes to policing in France and her work as the leader of the Committee for Justice and Truth for Adama.

Tommy and Ben talk about the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist, what Biden’s national security team tells us about his foreign policy, protests over police brutality in France, infighting at the UN Human Rights Council, China picking (Twitter) fights, a soccer legend dying and Cher helping a lonely elephant find friends. Then Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy joins to talk Iran, Biden’s cabinet and how to make a more progressive foreign policy.