The Truth of the Matter

CSIS’s Ryan Berg joins the podcast to discuss the reelection of Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, the Central American leader who calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator.”

CSIS’ Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss the recent U.S. strike in Baghdad and what U.S. policy is seeking to achieve in the Middle East in combating Iranian proxies. 

CSIS’ Seth Jones joins the podcast to discuss U.S. strikes on targets in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. In addition, Dr. Jones discusses his recent trip to Israel and meetings with senior officials there.

CSIS’ Joseph Majkut and Ben Cahill join the podcast to discuss the Biden Administration’s decision to pause the permitting process for new liquified natural gas export facilities in order to analyze their impact on climate change, the economy and national security.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Gregory C. Allen, director of the Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies and discuss 2023 AI biggest developments, newest policies, and our responses to it all. This episode is a crossover with the AI Policy Podcast, a podcast by CSIS' Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies.

CSIS’ Eliot Cohen joins the podcast to discuss how the United States should respond to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, plus, Dr. Cohen describes what he saw and experienced during his recent visit to Israel. 

Former national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, CIA senior official and current CSIS senior adviser Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss the war in Gaza against Hamas and how Iran and its proxies are provoking a potentially expanded Mideast war.

Jonathan Shank, CEO of Terrapin Station Entertainment joins the podcast to discuss live music, immersive entertainment and the impact of the Grateful Dead on social media and the future of rock and roll. 

CSIS’ Daniel Byman, who just returned from Israel where he met with senior military officials, joins the podcast to discuss how the war in Gaza is progressing, why the Israeli campaign has been so destructive and what success looks like for Israel and for Hamas.

CSIS’ Jon Alterman and Washington Post columnist Jason Rezaian, who serve as executive directors of the CSIS Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention, join the podcast to discuss the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza, lessons from the Israel-Hamas hostage deal, and how global thought and policymaking regarding hostage situations should evolve.