The Burn Bag Podcast

The Burn Bag Podcast is launching a limited miniseries entitled "Sri Lanka: Debt, Development, and Democracy?" The series will explore Sri Lanka's geopolitical position and developmental goals, in order to showcase how smaller countries can highlight U.S. foreign policy lapses amidst heightened U.S.-China competition, and will feature interviews with several key players from the Sri Lankan political landscape and Sri Lankan-based experts who will contextualize the country's story for us.In our first installment, A'ndre speaks with Uditha Jayasinghe, a veteran journalist who most recently worked as Deputy Editor of the Daily Financial Times, to provide an overview of Sri Lanka's political and economic landscape since the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Uditha delivers a background on some of the key players in Sri Lanka's political landscape, which includes profiles on the two brothers who currently govern the country, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, among others. We then contextualize Sri Lanka's developmental goals since the end of Civil War in 2009 and how the Sri Lanka-China relationship has unfolded over the past decade, including Sri Lanka's strategic importance for China's Belt and Road Initiative. Uditha provides her take on why China has succeeded in pulling Sri Lanka closer to its sphere, and answers questions on the state of Sri Lanka's debt to China, and how it relates to the debt it owes to other foreign entities.

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk to Ronald Marks about the Congress-Intelligence Community relationship. Ron, who  is a 38-year veteran of the IC, served as CIA Senate Liaison and Intelligence Counsel on Capitol Hill, among other positions. This conversation dives into the interests and perspectives of each institution, as well as Ron's experiences on both sides. Ron also provides his assessment of the success of Congressional oversight and the changes oversight committees should consider.  Ron is currently a Visiting Professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. 

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan are joined by Javed Ali to discuss the fall of the Afghan government. Javed talks about the deterioration of political, economic, and social rights, the threat of international terrorism, and regional geopolitics. 

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk with Daniel Levin about his new book, Proof of Life: Twenty Days on the Hunt for Missing Person in the Middle East. Daniel recounts the thrilling, brutal, and real-life story of how he was tasked with finding a Westerner who had gone missing in Syria, navigating the Middle Eastern underworld to find this man whose story had largely been ignored by governments and those in power. The backdrop of hostage executions by ISIS in Syria and Iraq looms large over the story, but Daniel's journey to find this man takes him to meetings with sheikhs, drug dealers, and other powerful and seedy individuals, while encountering others who are of noble and honorable spirit and victims of circumstance, juxtaposing the significant dynamics that present itself in a region racked by conflict. Daniel, who is an armed-conflicts negotiator, gives us a deep insight into the war economy that has come to dominate parts of the Middle East, with a unique, on-the-ground perspective that is at times tragic but hopeful.

In this week's episode, A'ndre and Ryan discuss the situation in Afghanistan, noting the Taliban's recent advances and the increasing concern regarding the security of U.S. personnel in country. They also talk about the consequences for the Afghan people, the mounting migration crisis, and responses from countries in the region. 

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak with Col. (ret.) Peter Newell, founder and CEO of BMNT, an organization seeking to drive competition within both the government and the private sector. Pete discusses his experience leading the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force, talking sourcing, acquisition, and personnel, and how his experiences there have translated into lessons on defense innovation. Peter also provides six take-aways from his military career that can be applicable to startups -- including how to address an adversary that may be "shrewder and faster" and how to get the right people in the same room.

In this week's episode, A'ndre begins by detailing his on-the-ground experience in Sri Lanka which is at the forefront of China's vaccine diplomacy. The conversation then moves to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and the U.S. Senate's bill to repeal the AUMF. A'ndre and Ryan then talk about the Olympics, where a Belarusian athlete who has sought refuge in Poland after the regime ordered her home. 

In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk with Andrew McCabe, former Acting and Deputy FBI Director. McCabe served as the FB's acting director following the firing of then-FBI Director James Comey and, during his tenure,  oversaw the Russia investigation. This conversation delves into the the before, during, and after of the Russia inquiry. McCabe not only dispels myths surrounding the investigation, but also discuses the difficulties of investigation a sitting president. The conversation then turns to McCabe's FBI career, particularly focusing on thee post-9/11 era. He further provides his insights on the terrorism landscape today, noting the recent prevalence of domestic terrorism versus International terrorism. The episode concludes with McCabe's perspective why the American people should trust the FBI and the difficulty of navigating partisanship as a career professional. Today's conversation was based off of Andrew's 2019 book, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump.

A'ndre and Ryan discuss the political turmoil engulfing Tunisia, China's increasing involvement in Afghanistan, a possible Iran-linked attack on an Israeli oil tanker, trouble with a new Iranian Nuclear Deal, the January 6th hearings in the House of Representatives, and Philippines' President Duterte's unorthodox and concerning approach to dealing with the unvaccinated.Plus, an update on our favorite shipping vessel, the Ever Given!

In this special episode, A'ndre and Ryan celebrate and reflect on The Burn Bag Podcast's first year. The two co-hosts recount how they started the podcast in July 2020 in the depths of the pandemic, and discuss their favorite episodes and highlights from the past year. A'ndre and Ryan also talk upcoming changes and a future revamping of the podcast!