When Obama left the White House he stated that the thing that kept him up at night more than anything else was the potential for Pakistan and India to stumble into an unplanned nuclear exchange. What was once a regional conflict has now drawn in a number of great powers such as China, and the US, but no side yet has a real plan to try to avert the risk of this simmering conflict going nuclear. The estimate is that in the event of an Indian invasion toward Islamabad the Pakistani command may only...
Mar 21, 2021•2 hr 43 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast For a number of years Iraq has been spiraling, with worsening insurgencies, sectarian violence and numerous regional players all treating Iraq like a political battleground. How did we get here though? What was the decision made to bring Iraq to the point we stand at now, and will decisions coming up better or worsen the situation? On the panel this week. JAMES LEBOVIC (George Washington University) DIYAR AMEEN (Kurdistan Mission to the EU) JOSEPH VOTEL (Rtr 4-Star US General) For more info plea...
Mar 07, 2021•2 hr 51 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast We dont think much about it but Rare Earth elements are a huge part of our everyday life, powering our phones, laptops, satellites and cars. The thing we all overlook though is where those Rare Earths are coming from, and right now China controls 98%+ of the market, meaning that every single high technology item we use at some point relies on China. That issue compounds as well when you realise that this problem extends to the defence industry, with state of the art US fighters such as the F-35 ...
Feb 21, 2021•2 hr 38 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Lake Chad has shrunk by almost 90% since 1960, and the situation on the ground is becoming a breeding ground for regional terrorism. Outfits like Boko Haram, and ISIS in Africa are now capturing big patches of land in Lake Chad Region. France, the US, and their regional partners are trying desperately to avoid the situation spinning out of control, but with a shrinking lake how successful can they be? This weeks panel Tomasz Rolbiecki (Uni of Gdansk) Vincent Foucher (CNRS + Crisis Group) John Ca...
Feb 07, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Russias entire defense strategy relies on a friendly or neutral Ukraine, so when Ukraine almost turned to the west in a revolution in 2014 panic swept the Kremlin; and Russia invaded and occupied the Crimean peninsula and the Donbas region in the East. Will this war slow down to frozen conflict like in Transnistria, or will it roar back to life like in Karabakh, we ask our expert panel. This week Steven Pifer (Brookings Institute) Gustav Gressel (European Council of Foreign Relations) Thomas Gra...
Jan 24, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Xi has thrown down the gauntlet and stated that Taiwan will return to the Peoples Republic of China by 2049, whether Taiwan wants it or not. So now a countdown timer has started, and Taiwan scrambles to prepare for what Beijing may throw at it. Should they build a large navy? Should they try and push the Chinese back into sea fighting on the beaches? Should the Taiwanese retreat to the jungles and fight a bloody insurgency from there? We ask our expert panel what strategy Taiwan is likely to tak...
Jan 10, 2021•2 hr 31 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast No country could possibly feel more like "the edge of the known world" than the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan. A nation where the president has been in power since '92 and has ruled the country with an iron fist, amassing a huge amount of wealth for himself using everything from Aluminum to Heroine; but things are beginning to change and Dushanbe could very soon be answering to new masters. Tajikistan is the latest battleground between Beijing and Moscow, the winner of which is yet to be ...
Dec 27, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Colombia has always been closely associated with the international Cocaine trade, but the situation there is far more complicated with wider ramifications for the entire region. The government of Bogota has been at war with the rebels in a 6-way struggle for almost 60 years, with a peace deal now sitting on the table. Is this deal a workable peace though, or just the start of the next phase? We ask our expert panel. Allison Fedirka (Geopolitical Futures) Ted Piccone (Brookings Institution) Chris...
Dec 13, 2020•2 hr 35 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Like many of the ex-soviet republics, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been part of the frozen conflict now since the early '90s, but Azerbaijan has spent the last few years building up a massive modern army. Baku has now used that army to engage in a full-scale war with Armenia in an attempt to recapture the land lost in 91. With the Armenians in full retreat and the Azeris moving into their old positions what will this mean for the region? Will Ankara or Moscow have the final say on the battlefield...
Nov 29, 2020•2 hr 48 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast With a new cold war between the USA and China looming on the horizon the balance of power in Asia is being drawn up, with Beijing and Washington vying for influence in the region. Of all the nations of importance though none will be as crucial as Indonesia. Set to be the 4th largest economy by the year 2050 Indonesia is quickly becoming a regional leader, one that could dictate the direction for ASEAN and SE Asia for decades to come. So we sat down with our expert panel to talk about the future ...
Nov 15, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast What was once considered a Soviet lake is now quickly becoming one of the most important strategic locations in the region, with Russia working hard to maintain its grip over the sea. The important part though may be what lies beneath its surface, that being enough gas to power Europe and blunt Russia's gas monopoly. So whoever controls the Caspian, will have major leverage over the European powers, but to discuss this further we turn to our expert panel. Eugene Chausovsky (Centre for Global Pol...
Nov 01, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast This week we take a deep dive into how to manipulate elections, whilst breaking open a large story connecting Brexit and the Russian ambassador. We also go through how Murdoch consolidates media outlets, how foreign nations conduct PsyOps as well as how companies likely Cambridge Analytica are hired to swing elections. 3 big stories on the 1 year anniversary of the show. with KEVIN RUDD (Fmr Australian Prime Minister) NICK MUTCH (The Daily Beast, Der Spiegel) WILLIAM MARCELLINO (RAND Corporation...
Oct 18, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Smashed between Russia and China, Mongolia has a difficult position to begin with; but it was from that position that it once managed to create the largest contiguous empire known to man. What is the situation in Mongolia today though? Why has Mongolia become a peacemaker in Asia? and where does the future for Mongolia lie, In Moscow, in Beijing or in Washington? We sit down with our expert panel this week. Morris Rossabi (Columbia University) Andrew Leung (International Consultant) Julian Dierk...
Oct 04, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast The US has now been at war in Afghanistan for almost 20 years, and three administrations have all failed to find a solution to this war. Now the clock is ticking, with the Taliban gaining more and more ground every day, and the US risks a second "Rout from Saigon". So the US is looking to a peace deal, but will it actually bring stability to the region or simply further splinter an already expanding civil war. This week's guests are Sahar Khan (CATO) John Glaser (CATO) Jarrett Blanc (Carnegie) F...
Sep 20, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Somalia is often referred to as a failed state, with the nation being fractured into 4 parts, piracy and Al Shabaab controlling large chunks of the country, but Somalia seems to be getting back on its feet now. What will this mean for the rest of East Africa, and who might be working to knock Somalia back down? We speak to our panel of experts about the regional ramifications. This weeks panel is Omar Mahmood (Crisis Group) Degan Ali (Adeso Africa) Alex De Waal (Tufts University) Follow the show...
Sep 06, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast India is fast becoming one of the world's great powers, set to take the number 2 or 3 slot by 2050. This is unless another country were to derail India's current path, and the list of potential derailers is fairly long. So this week we take a look into who will be India's great strategic threats over the next 3 decades, and where India sits in the power struggle for leadership of South Asia today. This weeks guests are Swaminathan Aiyar (CATO Institute) Dhruva Jaishankar (ORF/Brookings) Harsh V ...
Aug 23, 2020•2 hr 31 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Thailand has for a long time been the centerpiece of South East Asia, and many powers are starting to relearn its importance when it comes to shifting the direction of the region. With the boom in internationalism and regional trade, we also see a boom for drug cartels as well; so this week we layout just how chemicals in Southern China travel through a number of nations to be sold as Methamphetamine on the streets of Vancouver and Sydney. Guests this week are Matt Wheeler Josh Kurlantzick John ...
Aug 09, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast Kosovo has spent the last 2 decades fighting for its own independence, but with ever-increasing obstacles standing in their way will this mountainous nation ever achieve its lifelong dream? This week we take a look into the Western Balkans, Serbia's geopolitical aspirations, as well as Moscow's re-entry into an area it once viewed as its own backyard; and what it means for the future of the Kosovan people. On this episode Marija Ristic (Balkan Insight) Bodo Weber (Democratization Policy Council)...
Jul 26, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast When we covered the Libyan Civil War in February it looked like Haftar was about to be victorious, shelling the very gates of his enemies capital in Tripoli; but 5 months can make all of the difference. The GNA has turned the tide and now Haftar is on the run and held up in the fortress city of Sirte, taking the city though may mean Turkey and Russia escalating to all-out war. This weeks guests are Jalel Harchauoi (Clingendael Institute) Frederic Wehrey (Carnegie Centre) Jonathon Winer (Fmr Asst...
Jul 12, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast The South China sea is the new battleground between Beijing and Washington with the winner controlling the trades routes; and therefore the future of Asia. Caught in the middle is The Philippines, now torn between their military partners in Washington and their economic partners in Beijing, with the decision-maker being a wildly popular president accused of numerous human rights abuses. Manila is the linchpin for both sides, and we ask our guests in which direction the nation is heading. This we...
Jun 28, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast While everyone has their eyes on its imploding neighbours Guyana is entering its own new phase, one that is likely to make it one of the world's next big geopolitical flashpoints. With Iranian missiles, Cambridge Analytica buying elections, and a country up for sale this isolated jungle nation could be the next launchpad to threaten the world superpower at home. Thie week we sit down with Brittany Kaiser (Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower) Ivelaw Griffiths (International Institute for Strategic ...
Jun 14, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Often referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is simply a desert of contradictions. A nation where you memorize poems to get your driver's license, where the president raps on TV, and where many Guinness world records are broken; but more importantly a nation of starving people on top of the 4th largest gas reserves in the world. We go deeper into this reclusive society and talk about their abandonment of Moscow and their newfound masters in Beijing, as well as how this coun...
Jun 01, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast In the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan lies an island of Armenians in the middle of Azerbaijan, two countries now firmly at war with each other. The Armenians have invaded and now occupy a quarter of the Azeris territory, but they assert are only doing to protect their people from the government who threatens to "cleanse" the pocket of Armenians. A complicated conflict with Russia selling to both sides and Turkey (and therefore NATO) obligated to defend the other, this war is a cla...
May 17, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast There are few geopolitical flashpoints in the world more dangerous than North Korea, and with instability at the top of the regime we can add another layer of complexity to an already shaky situation; one that few people truly understand. USA, China, Seoul and Pyongyang all have competing goals and needs to keep their own domestic politics in check, but some of those goals infringe upon others, and with a few minor missteps the Korean peninsula could easily break out in full war again. The diffe...
May 03, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast After a 30 year war with Sudan, South Sudan finally gained its independence, but with no external enemy, a power vacuum quickly told hold. Two men lead a nation into a civil war that destroyed the country and broke the future for this African nation even further. Now peace talks are starting again and people are wondering if this will this be the peace deal that finally brings stability, or will the nation once again backslide into mass slaughter? That decision lies in the hand of just two men, ...
Apr 19, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast The coldest battlefield in the world is opening up, and old regional rivalries are beginning to flare. This is moving trade routes from the US's backyard toward the Russians. A battle is about to begin for the far North, but only one side is really prepared. Russia is rolling out Arctic divisions, new bases and groundbreaking new missiles which threaten the US naval dominance across the world's oceans. Are these new missiles going to make carriers obsolete or are they just the next step in the r...
Apr 05, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Private militaries or PMC's have been popping up in all of the worlds conflict zones, guns for hire being paid to the dirty work nation-states don't want to do. Is this the future of war or is this a slippery slope that takes all the accountability out of the battlefield? This week we do a deep dive into the Wagner group (Putin's private army) and Blackwater/Frontier Services Group (Erik Princes Hong Kong-based White House hit squad). We go through what they have been up to, and where they are l...
Mar 22, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast Venezuela, home to the largest proven oil reserves in the world was once the jewel of South America, the envy of the Latin world, but now the country sits on the brink of collapse. Venezuela has gone so far now that other nations like China, Russia, and the US have begun circling like hungry vultures, looking to smash apart the nation and divide up the assets. So this week we sit down and ask where will it all go, how did we get here and what is next for this South American titan. Giancarlo Fior...
Mar 08, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast The Libyan civil war is ramping to a climax, general Haftars forces have arrived at the gates on the capital Tripoli and the entire world is taking sides. Russia, the UAE, Turkey, France, Italy, Qatar and Egypt are all throwing fuel onto this already raging fire, not realising those flames are unlikely to remain contained inside Libya. Three huge guests for this episode. Jonathon Winer (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the USA) Jalel Harchaoui Tarek Magerisi For more information check out...
Feb 23, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Foreign aid is one of the most misunderstood parts of any nations budget, why would a country give money to another country when they have hungry people at home? What people may not realise is that that 0.22% of your budget may be the only thing standing between you and your enemy setting up its armed forces in your backyard. This weeks guests are Matt Mcdonald Tess Newton Cain and Will Clapton More info at >> www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...
Feb 09, 2020•59 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 
