The Focus

With temperatures in the low 50s, it is true to say that it is hot in the Iraqi city of Baghdad. The country, run by a care-taker administration since last year’s parliamentary election, has failed to solve its political problems. The care-taker government has no authority to pass spending bills. A problem when the country’s temperature is playing havoc with Iraq’s electricity grid and parts of this grid aren’t working leaving Iraqi’s with no means to cool down. But for Iraq, Climate Change is still a First World problem and without a proper government, the country can’t take the international stage and contribute to relevant global policy. Then there’s Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Attempting to exploit the Iraqi political power vacuum, his Sadrist bloc commands a majority of seats in the Iraqi parliament but can’t translate it into decisive political power. In this episode we’re joined by Prof. Scott Lucas from the University of Birmingham, UK, to discuss Iraqi politics and much more besides.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we are joined by the Council on Foreign Relation’s (CFR) Dr. Benn Steil to talk about his book: The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War. This is a fascinating discussion about the political and strategic manoeuvrings that led to a divided Europe and US global ascendancy in the post-World War II international order.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we are honoured to have on one of the giants of the Realist School of International Relations, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University, Professor Stephen M. Walt. Stephen talks with John about China’s position in the Indo-Pacific inclusive of China-Russia relations, how America’s rebalance to Asia is proceeding, where India fits in and how strong Australia’s ties are to the US and much more besides. If you want to know about the Indo-Pacific and the key characteristics Sino-American rivalry, then this episode is a must-listen.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, John is joined by Toby Walsh. Toby is a leading researcher in Artificial Intelligence. He is a Laureate Fellow and Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence in the School of Computer Science and Engineering at UNSW Sydney. Here, we talk about how AI is being used today and where AI is going. Also, is much of the reporting on AI developments a gross overestimation or misrepresentation of the facts?Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, John is joined by author and journalist John Higgs where they talk about John’s new book, William Blake Versus The World. In this podcast you will get to learn about the extremely forward-thinking English poet and artist about his unique cosmology and way of thinking. If you thought you knew something about Blake before, you’ll know much more after listening to this fascinating interview.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we are joined once more by former UK Labour politician, best selling author and investigative journalist, Chris Mullin. John speaks to Chris about the fate of the Johnson government, who’s likely to replace him, Scottish nationalism, the Labour Party and much more. Considering this podcast was recorded just prior to Boris Johnson’s resignation, at the time were were talking about the prospect of what will happen next at Number 10. Now that the resignation has taken place, the rest of the subject matter for this podcast is still on point. We’d also like to acknowledge that Producer Neil has moved back to New Zealand and so we are now a very international, remotely networked show! Anzac forever! Please note that this podcast was recorded before Boris Johnson's resignation on 07/07/2022.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode John speaks with author and journalist David de Jong on his latest book, NAZI Billionaires published by Harper Collins, April 2022. Here we explore the dark history of a handful of German elite families which survived World War II to prosper in the postwar period.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Russia-Ukraine War grinds on, the Western media have been replete with stories of Russian war crimes against Ukrainians. But do these war crimes amount to genocide? The language of genocide has certainly been used by the Russian president, but saying something doesn’t necessarily make it real. And what exactly are the legal parameters of genocide? Join us as John speaks with Prof. Dirk Moses on this thorny issue, Dirk is Frank Porter Graham Distinguished Professor of Global Human Rights History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode John is joined from New York by returning guest Prof. Massimo Pigliucci. John and Massimo speak frankly about the problems posed by modern celebrity looking at the two recent controversies that caught out prolific American podcaster, Joe Rogan. They also look at the celebrity of Canadian Clinical Psychologist Emeritus Prof. Jordan B. Peterson. Hang onto your hats folks, this is a broadranging and interesting take on Stoicism and its response to modern celebrity.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, the US military-industrial complex has been hard at work perfecting weapon systems that can leave a lighter footprint wherever the American military is deployed. It's not a perfect path. Indeed there have been many military missions instigated by Washington that have failed despite the technologies employed. Nonetheless, with increasing accuracy, fewer manned weapons are needed to accomplish a military operation and, historically speaking, war is becoming ‘cleaner' over time. For the US and its allies that is, but what about for the rest of the world? Today, from the US, we are joined by Prof. Samuel Moyn. Sam is Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School and Professor of History at Yale University. In this episode we’ll be examining the major themes from his latest book, Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War.Support the show: https://www.sageinternational.org.au/strategikon-merch/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.