Rational Security

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by special guest, Lawfare chief operating officer David Priess! They sat down to discuss:“In Byelorussia, Everything . . . Everything is Just Awful”: In an effort to hit back over sanctions, the authoritarian regime in Belarus is deliberately admitting refugees only to channel them across its borders with the European Union. How should Europe respond?“Taking ‘Tourist Trap’ Too Literally”: In recent years, foreign governments have taken an unprecedented number of U.S. nationals as effective hostages. Is this a failure of U.S. deterrence? Or something else entirely?“Space: The Littered Frontier”: A Russian test of an anti-satellite weapon has scattered refuse across outer space, threatening the safety of astronauts and potentially complicating space travel in the future.For object lessons, Scott made a PSA about Lawfare's upcoming online info session for law students interested in becoming student contributors, taking place this Thursday! Quinta brought attention to a recent article on former Washington Post reporter Felicia Somnez and her disturbing treatment after coming forward with her experience being sexually assaulted. Alan endorsed the Bonne Maman jam-based advent calendar he is using (and abusing). Scott urged listeners to check out the upcoming season of "The Expanse" and to keep an eye out for new about the forthcoming film adaptation of "Hyperion." And David encouraged RatSec fans to check out the latest Lawfare podcast offering, Chatter, a long form interview podcast exploring the fringes of national security and culture, which he is co-hosting along with former RatSec host Shane Harris!Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by special guest, Lawfare associate editor Rohini Kurup! They sat down to discuss:“I’ll Keep You, My Dirty Little Secret”: The Supreme Court has heard oral argument in not one but two cases relating to the controversial state secrets doctrine this term. Will the doctrine survive Supreme Court scrutiny in its current form?“Coming Home to Roost”: Last week, a Guantanamo Bay detainee’s unprecedented testimony regarding his torture at American hands led members of a military jury to recommend he receive clemency. Will this be a turning point for the military commissions?“Bark v. Bite”: A judge recently criticized the Department of Justice for describing the January 6 insurrection as an unprecedented criminal act while bringing only minor charges against many defendants involved in it. What do we know of the Department’s prosecutorial strategy thus far—and does it make any sense?For object lessons, Quinta shouted out a former obsession of hers, Neopets. Alan endorsed a number of Twitter accounts committed to things cute and fuzzy, including @dog_rates, @timelinecats, and @otteritarian. Scott proselytized for his favorite bean cult, Rancho Gordo Bean Club. And Rohini celebrated the anniversary of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping fiasco with a new documentary on the topic. Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by special guest, Rational Security editor Jen Patja Howell! They sat down to discuss:“Our Stand on Havana”: While pressure is building on the Biden administration to take a stand on Havana Syndrome, our understanding of what is happening to U.S. diplomats and other officials remains limited. What should the United States do next?“SupersonicNewBallisticsExquisiteBlastAdocious”: In the last few weeks, China’s unveiled a new supersonic missile capable of delivering nuclear warheads past U.S. defenses. At the same time, the United States has announced new technology that allows nuclear warheads to explode with “exquisite timing” that dramatically magnifies their effectiveness. Is this the beginning of a new sort of arms race?“International Lampoon’s European Vacation”: President Biden is meeting with a number of his foreign counterparts in Europe this week to discuss issues ranging from the global economy to climate change. Will Biden be able to repair these key relationships or is the Trump era still weighing down the United States’ international standing?For object lessons, Quinta noted the death of Viktor Bryukhanov, the former manager of the nuclear plant at Chernobyl at the time of its meltdown; Alan urged listeners to check out the hour long video introducing the post-Facebook company, Meta; Scott pulled a hat trick and endorsed an article on the strange origins of the symbols on the ISIS flag, published in the excellent New Lines Magazine, which he listened to on the surprisingly good text-to-speech app Speechify; and Jen took a moment to thank all the wonderful good samaritans doing the hard, thankless task of working as poll workers and other volunteers during Virginia's recent election.Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined once again by Lawfare executive editor Natalie Orpett! They sat down to discuss:“A Mess in Texas”: Texas’s Republican governor has appointed one of President Trump’s former election lawyers as Secretary of State. Are Trump’s supporters planning to steal the next election, or are Democrats’ concerns overblown?“In Mother Russia, Bear Poke You”: A Russian spy agency is still trying to penetrate U.S. networks, despite clear warnings of repercussions from the United States. Is the Biden administration’s strategy failing? And what should it do instead?“Chain of Fools”: The worst of the global pandemic may be behind us, but the disruptions to the global supply chain are still piling up. Has the drive for an integrated global economy hit its high water mark?For object lessons, Quinta urged listeners to get their flu shot; Alan celebrated his favorite kitchen unitasker, the spaetzle maker; Scott recommended rewatching the first season of Saturday Night Live for a phenomenal snapshot into mid-1970s culture; and Natalie put on her tourism board hat to sing the virtues of her home city of Chicago.Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by Lawfare cyber fellow Alvaro Marañon! They sat down to discuss:“Some Professional News”: LinkedIn is leaving China over the challenges of complying with its strict regulations on social media. Will other companies follow—and should they? “Diamond Joe’s Decryption Key Party”: Last week the White House hosted a summit on combating ransomware—but Russia wasn’t invited. What does it tell us about international efforts to combat cybercrime?“How Do You Stop a Schoolyard Brawl?”: What should the Department of Justice do about violent threats against school principals and other public employees responsible for enforcing masking policies?For object lessons, Quinta celebrated the return of Succession; Alan rejoiced at the long foretold coming of Mel Brooks's History of the World Part II; Scott recommended listeners binge the very podcast-oriented new show Only Murders in the Building; and Alvaro drew our attention to the recent purchase of soccer team Newcastle United by Saudi Arabia's public investment fund, and its apparent widespread acceptance just two years after that country's involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by Rational Security forefather and Washington Post reporter Shane Harris to discuss:“The Hunt for Bread October”: Which country did a U.S. Navy employee and his wife attempt to smuggle nuclear secrets to inside a peanut butter sandwich? And why did that country turn them over to FBI instead?“Turn After Leaving”: Is the intelligence community executing its own pivot to Asia—and will the post-withdrawal collapse of Afghanistan stymie its effort?“You Got Served”: Will the January 6 committee get the testimony and documents it is demanding, over former President Trump’s open direction not to cooperate?For object lessons, Alan steered listeners to do some self-guided learning via the Great Courses Plus program; Quinta brought some attention to the unique items former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham chose to put in her background during her recent appearance on Meet the Press; Scott encouraged D.C. residents to run and get the cocomotion, rum distillery Cotton & Reed's incredibly delicious rendition of a fermented piña colada, before temperatures get too chilly; and Shane doubled down on the Queen's endorsement of her new favorite show, Line of Duty. Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta, and Scott were joined by special guest and Lawfare associate editor Bryce Klehm to discuss:"The Problem with Nosy Neighbors": How concerned should we be about the Chinese military getting up in Taiwan’s business—and airspace—over the weekend?"If You Want to be Popular, Don't Go to Law School": Does the Supreme Court’s declining popularity mean it is headed for a legitimacy crisis? And finally:"Now That's Outside-the-Box Financial Planning": What do the recently unleashed Pandora Papers tell us about the world’s wealthy elites—and the people leaking information about them? For object lessons, Quinta encouraged listeners to check out pictures and other remembrances of the COVID memorial exhibit on the National Mall that ended this past weekend; Scott endorsed the YouTube channel of his favorite online bartender as well as his new favorite drink, the Trinidad Sour; Alan sang the praises of his favorite open source operating system, Linux, and urged others to convert; and Bryce spoke of his love for Ken Burns and his latest documentary on Muhammad Ali.And if you have questions for our forthcoming mailbag segment, be sure to send them to us!Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta, and Scott were joined by special guest (and our first-ever undisputed Generation Z guest) Lawfare managing editor Jacob Schulz! They discussed:From the Department of the End of the Republic: Should a recently revealed plan to manipulate the counting of the 2020 electoral votes in President Trump’s favor have us worried about 2024?A Prisoner Dilemma: What should we make of China’s use of hostage diplomacy to secure the release of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou? And,Hitting “Unfriend”: Is a federal court correct that Facebook has an obligation to share information on atrocities with international tribunals?For object lessons, Quinta endorsed "The Other Two" for some wholesome entertainment; Alan sang the praises of the newest pasta shape on the block; Scott dismissed Alan's pasta shape as a thing of nightmares, while endorsing the Tuscan classic "priest-strangler"  (and saying hello to some RatSec listeners in the family); and Jacob brought our attention to the trend of French presidents being abused by their constituents, exemplified most recently by the (unsuccessful) egging of French President Emmanuel Macron. Be sure to visit our show page at www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Alan, Quinta and Scott were joined by special guest Lawfare executive editor (and first-time podcaster) Natalie Orpett! They sat down to discuss:The AUKUS Awkwardness: Why does a new U.S.-U.K.-Australia agreement over submarines have France (and China) up in arms?Not Like on J6: What does the "Justice for J6 Rally" flop tell us about the state of right-wing extremism here in the United States and how the media covers it?Milley's Crossing: Did the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff step out of line in trying to assuage Chinese concerns over President Trump's intentions?For Object Lessons, Alan shared his Midwest pride in his wife's (vegetarian) hot dish (recipe here). Quinta celebrated the tearing down of the monument to inefficiency at the center of D.C.'s Dave Thomas Circle. Scott shared a scandalous discovery he recently made at a family wedding. And Natalie urged listeners to both visit the touching monument to Americans who died as a result of the COVID pandemic on the National Mall and celebrated the French language's special way with outrage, as embodied in the French national anthem. Be sure to visit our show page at http://www.lawfareblog.com and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare material supporter at http://www.patreon.com/lawfare! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode, Alan, Quinta, and Scott are joined by the fourth member of their Lawfare senior editor quartet, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow (and first-time Rational Security guest) Molly Reynolds!They sit down to discuss: the legacy of 9/11 and whether we’ve really done everything wrong since (including in Congress); the last tragic drone strike in Kabul that now appears to have killed an Afghan aid worker and his family, and what it tells us about the future of the U.S. drone program; and what the fences going up around the Capitol in advance of the right-wing “Justice for J6” rally this weekend mean for the state of our democracy. For object lessons, Alan mentioned this article in The Atlantic on "How Hollywood Sold Out to China"; Quinta highlighted Kim Kardashian's striking outfit at the 2021 Met Gala; Scott bore first-hand witness to the return of bald eagles to our nation's capital; and Molly recommended the new podcast "Bad Blood: The Final Chapter" on the Theranos trial.Be sure to visit our show page at http://www.lawfareblog.com/ and to follow us on Twitter at @RatlSecurity. And Rational Security listeners can now get a committed ad-free feed by becoming a Lawfare supporter at http://www.patreon.com/lawfare/! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.