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The Sound and Fury of Trump’s Paris Pull Out

The Russian Revolution: A New History

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with our own Jamie Horgan about Trump’s latest snub of the global order before discussing the Russian revolution with Sean McMeekin.

First, Jamie Horgan, staff writer and podcast producer here at TAI, discusses the aftermath of Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, taking a look at what’s changed—and what hasn’t.

Then, Sean McMeekin, professor of history at Bard College, speaks with Richard about the Russian revolution (or, more accurately, the two revolutions) of 1917, and what lessons we can learn today, one hundred years later.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Jamie Horgan @JamieHorganAI and Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

It is with great sadness this Memorial Day weekend that we report that Zbigniew Brzezinski has passed away.

Dr. Brzezinski was a founding editorial board member of The American Interest and a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He was the National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter from 1977-81. He was also a friend of the podcast, having appeared on the program to talk with host Richard Aldous twice—once in February 2015 and, most recently, in May of last year.

During that last appearance, he discussed the ongoing realignment of global power in the 21st century. Have another listen to that conversation with one of America’s most important foreign policy thinkers and practitioners.

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Through the Mist

Russia House (of Cards)

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with George Walden about the recent terrorist attack in Manchester, before discussing allegations of Trump’s collusion with Russia with Kirk Bennett.

First, George Walden, a former diplomat and government minister who is now a writer, speaks with Richard about how a 59 year old autobiography of Lord Robert Vansittart can help us better understand the challenges of both ISIS and Russia in the 21st century.

Then, Kirk Bennett, a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer who has written extensively about Russia and the post-Soviet space, returns to the podcast to discuss the implausibility of the special prosecutor Robert Mueller finding stand-up-in-court proof showing collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in last year’s election.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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Making Diplomacy Great Again

Who Killed the Liberal World Order

The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with James Jeffrey about what diplomacy can (and cannot) do, before talking with James Kirchick about former president Obama’s culpability in the deterioration of the liberal world order.

James Jeffrey is the Philip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and he joins the program to discuss the state of the State Department and the need for better American diplomacy.

Then, James Kirchick, author of the new book The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age, speaks about the ways in which the Obama administration weakened the liberal world order, perhaps fatally.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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Unmuzzling the Pastors

Transatlantic Ties in a Populist Era

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with Blake Seitz about the Johnson amendment before discussing how populist politics is affecting America’s relations with Europe.

First, Blake Seitz, assistant editor at the Washington Free Beacon, explains what the Johnson amendment is, why it matters, and why the Trump administration wants to “get rid of, and totally destroy” it.

Then, Michael Doran, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, takes a look at how Europe is grappling with rising populism, and explains why many of Trump’s domestic policy priorities are resonating across the Atlantic as well.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Blake Seitz @BlakeSeitz, and Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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Immigration Reform: Hard, But Not Impossible

One Nation Undecided: Clear Thinking about Five Hard Issues That Divide Us

The Specter Haunting France (and Europe)

The Dark Side of European Integration

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with Peter Schuck about the difficult (but not impossible!) task of immigration reform, before discussing the current state of play in French and European politics with Alina Polyakova.

First, Peter Schuck, a professor emeritus at Yale Law School, makes his debut on the podcast to discuss why immigration policy is such a tough nut to crack, and how the country might go about making serious, thoughtful changes on that front.

Then, Alina Polyakova, the director of research for Europe and Eurasia at the Atlantic Council, returns to the program to look at the upcoming French election, and what it says about where European politics are today.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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Now It’s France’s Turn

Despite differences, GOP should defend Soros in Hungary

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with Patrick Chamorel about the upcoming election in France, before discussing the thorny issue of the Central European University with Jeffrey Gedmin.

First, Patrick Chamorel, a senior resident scholar at Stanford University’s Stanford in Washington program, returns to the program to discuss the results from the most recent round of the French election, and what to expect from the Le Pen-Macron runoff.

Then, Jeffrey Gedmin, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, senior advisor, Blue Star Strategies, and former president and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, speaks about the controversy surrounding new legislation in Hungary that would shut down the George Soros-backed Central European University in Budapest.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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The Pacific Power

Good evening, listeners! We have a great episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with Charles Edel about the volatile situation in North Korea.

Charles Edel is associate professor of strategy and policy at the U.S. Naval War College and was a special assistant to the Secretary of State on North East Asia, the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific region in the State Department’s Office of Policy Planning from 2015–17, and he joins the program to discuss what exactly is happening in North Korea, and what America’s policy options are.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

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ARPA-E On the Chopping Block

The Stakes of the Gorsuch Filibuster

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with William Bonvillian about Trump’s proposed elimination of ARPA-E before discussing Gorsuch and the “nuclear option” with Jason Willick.

William Bonvillian, a lecturer at MIT, discusses the value of ARPA-E (the Advanced Research Projects Agency — Energy), a 7-year old agency focused on the development of breakthrough energy technologies that has come into focus after Trump’s draft budget proposed defunding it entirely.

Then, TAI staff writer Jason Willick returns to the program to discuss the Senate Democrats’ decision to filibuster Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination, and the Republicans’ decision to use the “nuclear option” to eliminate the filibuster for this and future Supreme Court nomination votes.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Jason Willick @jawillick and Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

[EDITOR’S NOTE — At 12:10 in this week’s episode, it should be noted that Senator Lamar Alexander, not Senator Lamar Smith, supports ARPA-E.]

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My Pivotal Role in Iran Contra

Good evening, listeners! We have another great episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with Roger Gran Harrison his role in the Iran Contra drama.

Roger Gran Harrison was Ambassador to Jordan under President George H.W. Bush, and he speaks with Richard about what the Iran Contra scandal was about, describes his experience of it, and looks at how it might help us understand why Paul Manafort volunteered to testify before the House Intelligence Committee in a closed session.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can leave a review, and follow Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.