The Burn Bag Podcast

The Burn Bag will be covering the Israel-Gaza War over the course of several episodes, sourcing multiple perspectives on the conflict. The Burn Bag does not officially endorse any views expressed by our guests, but rather bring those perspectives to you, the audience. Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy returns to The Burn Bag to discuss his views and reactions to the ongoing War in Gaza, a potential ceasefire, a two-state solution, and Egypt's role in the conflict. A'ndre and Mr. Fahmy discuss Egypt's relationship with Israel and what Egypt's policy on Gaza has been since 2006, including the rationale behind Egypt's support for Israel's blockade on Gaza. Mr. Fahmy reacts to the news that the Biden Administration aims to build a port in Gaza for humanitarian aid, in addition to outlining why Egypt will not open its border near Rafah to Gazans. The two delve into Egypt's role in negotiating a ceasefire, the political goals of Hamas, and what political entity should represent the Palestinians given their fractured political landscape. Mr. Fahmy responds to suggestions that Arab Governments should 'govern' Gaza after the war, and also shares his view on media echo chambers.

NOTE: Shebhaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz Sharif, was sworn in as Prime Minister on 3/4. This episode was recorded several days before, on 2/29.This week, A'ndre chatted with Uzair Younus, Principal at The Asia Group and host of Pakistonomy, about Pakistan's recent elections involving jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, recently-unexiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and the military actors who may ultimately call the political shots. Uzair provides a general history of Pakistan's politics, giving context around each of the major players and dissecting the claim that 'the military' is in charge of Pakistan, and why 'the military's' preferred Prime Minister has changed over the years. A'ndre and Uzair also chat about who exactly 'the military' is, and why it should not be considered a single entity but rather as several key actors in the security and defense apparatus. Uzair provides key political profiles on Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif, and outlines why it appears neither of them will be named Prime Minister after a chaotic election cycle. The two discuss why Pakistan's elections are so significant, and conclude with a conversation on what the implications  for U.S.-Pakistan relations are.

This week, Andrew is joined by Dave Sterling, CEO of Royce Geo. Royce Geo, based in Arlington, Virginia, supports mission partners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community with geospatial analytics and training platforms. Andrew and Dave discuss the usefulness of geospatial information in decision-making, the growth of the commercial industry supporting GEOINT capabilities, and what the future looks like in the geospatial analysis field.

This week, A'ndre chatted with Bonnie Glaser, one of the country's premier Taiwan experts and the Managing Director of the German Marshall Fund's Indo-Pacific program, on all things related to Taiwan. Bonnie provides a quick overview of Taiwan's contemporary history, outlining how the U.S. and China have engaged with Taiwan's Government, the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity, and why China aims to claim Taiwan as its own. Bonnie discusses why she believes that China will NOT invade Taiwan in the near-future, and also what the recent Taiwanese Presidential Elections mean for Cross-Strait relations. A'ndre and Bonnie also chat about the significance of Taiwan's economy to global supply chains (particularly in the technology domain), and why any conflict over island would likely upend the global economy.You can check out Bonnie's book (co-authored with Brookings' Ryan Hass and Dr. Richard Bush), U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Will China's Challenge Lead to a Crisis? here.

This week, Andrea and Andrew sit down with Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware to discuss their new book God, Guns, and Sedition. Hoffman and Ware are both fellows at the Council on Foreign Relations specializing in counterterrorism and share their insights regarding the evolution of domestic terrorism in the United States, motivations behind acts of terrorism, organizational tactics, and how to combat disinformation. Check out God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America here.

This week, Andrea speaks with Matthew McKnight, General Biosecurity Manager at Ginkgo Bioworks. Matthew and Andrea discuss the multitude of opportunities available for developments in biotechnology and mitigating national security threats through biological innovation. A new form of intelligence collection, BIOINT, is threaded into the conversation and posits a new way of identifying biological threats. Learn about all of this, including government and private sector biological security threat mitigation, in this episode. Check out additional links to supplement our conversation here: BIOINT as an Intelligence Collection Method Increasing Threat of Zoonotic Spillover EventsMatthew McKnight on the Intersection of Biosecurity, Biodefence, National Security, and Related Issues

Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group, returns to The Burn Bag for a chat with A'ndre on his Top Risks 2024 report -- Eurasia Group's annual forecast of the top geopolitical risks most likely to play out over the coming year. A'ndre and Ian started the conversation with the #1 Risk, the "United States vs. Itself," as Ian outlines why the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election will test American democracy to a point unseen since the Civil War. The Middle East Tinderbox, in the wake of the Israel-Gaza War, defines Risk #2 as Ian explains why the risk of a regional war breaking out is so high given the many actors involved in the conflict. The two then discuss why Ukraine is likely to be de facto partitioned, and why Ukraine can 'lose' the war but Russia can't 'win'. Ian talks at length about the risks around 'ungoverned AI', discussing why governments are unable to keep up with rapid developments in artificial intelligence. A'ndre and Ian discuss other risks during the episode, such as the Axis of Rogues (Russian, Iranian, and North Korean alignment) and some Red Herrings, including why the U.S.-China relationship isn't a top risk this year.

Over the holidays, A'ndre chatted with AUKUS Defense Investor Network Co-Chairs Heather Richman (U.S.), Adrian Jones (U.K.), and Jamie Watson (Australia) about how AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, aims to fill key gaps in critical technologies. We talk about what AUKUS is, how it works, and why it is unique as a defense technology sharing agreement. The three co-chairs summarize the differences between Pillar I and Pillar II (why AUKUS isn't just about submarines, but way more!), highlighting some of the key tech focus areas in Pillar II. They also share insights into how their respective countries view AUKUS and defense innovation, and discuss why they co-founded the AUKUS Defense Investors Network.

In light of the recent U.S./U.K. air strikes on the Houthis in Yemen, A'ndre chatted with Dr. Michael Knights (The Washington Institute) about the Yemeni militant group that has been launching attacks at ships in the Red Sea since the advent of the Israel-Gaza War. Dr. Knights, a long-time expert on Middle East militia groups, breaks down who the Houthis are, discusses their supremacist ideology, their history, and what their popular support has generally looked like. A'ndre and Dr. Knights steep the conversation in the context of the Yemeni Revolution and Civil War, working to explain how the Houthis' rise to power was exacerbated by those significant developments. Dr. Knights also discusses how the Houthis aim to enmesh themselves in Iran's 'Axis of Resistance', and why he believes that the attacks on commercial shipping and U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea aren't necessarily to express solidarity with Gaza, but rather to showcase alignment with Iran, who has provided mentorship and weaponry to the militant group. A'ndre and Dr. Knights wrap the conversation with some points on the on/off designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization, and whether U.S. conflict with the Houthis will increase in the days ahead.NOTE: This episode was recorded on January 15th. The Biden Administration re-designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization on January 17th.

This week, Curtis Fox speaks to Christina about his new book, Hybrid Warfare: The Russian Approach to Strategic Competition and Conventional Military Conflict. As an expert on Russia and military strategy, Curtis is able to give us insight into the workings of the Russian military, how its longstanding corruption helps Putin maintain power, and the successes of the Kremlin's propaganda campaigns around the world. Fox also provides a somewhat pessimistic outlook on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, reflecting on the the rest of the Western world's reliance on American dollars to fund their defense capabilities. Check out Hybrid Warfare here: https://www.hybridwarfare.info/