Justin and John sit down with Amir Tibon, a journalist at Israel's Haaretz newspaper. Amir explains the controversial proposals for judicial reform that have sparked the largest protest movement in recent Israeli history. With Israeli democracy in a precarious position, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces unprecedented international criticism, including from crucial security partners such as the United States.Read more from Amir: https://www.haaretz.com/ty-WRITER/0000017f-da25-d42c-afff-dff77f020000

Justin and John sit down with Shadi Hamid, author of The Problem of Democracy. Shadi's book explores the "democracy dilemma," the challenge of accepting democratic outcomes that may be illiberal or alarming but win public support. He explains how the experience of the Egyptian Revolution informs his concern that elites are often unwilling to allow religiously conservative voters a chance to determine public policy. The group discuss "liberal backstops" on democracy and when those may be appropriate to protect social pluralism.Shadi is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, contributing writer at The Atlantic, research professor of Islamic studies at Fuller Seminary.Find the book here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-problem-of-democracy-9780197579466

With the deadly mercenary organization Wagner Group playing a key role in the Ukraine war, Justin and John sit down with Catrina Doxsee, associate director and associate fellow for the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).Catrina explains Wagner's opaque structure and murky dealings in countries from Mali and Madagascar to Ukraine. She describes the rise of Yevgeny Prigozhin from a restaurant owner to global mass murderer, evaluating his ties to Vladmir Putin and his agenda in openly mocking Russia's military elite.More from Catrina here: https://www.csis.org/people/catrina-doxsee

After U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Justin and John sit down with Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and an expert on Central Asia.Jen describes Central Asia's rich history and dynamic politics, noting the efforts of regional leaders to move beyond the Soviet legacy and build a globally-connected future. Though Central Asian countries have refused to support Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the United States has a limited ability to influence events in the region.More from Jen here: https://www.murtazashvili.org/

Justin and John discuss the newly-announced candidacy of Nikki Haley for U.S. President. The former governor of South Carolina, Haley enters the Republican Party primary with little support and record of conflicting statements on key issues. Still, her successful record in electoral politics and unique biographical narrative are assets in a competitive race.Subscribe, rate, and review if you enjoyed the conversation.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Justin sits down with Congressman Don Bacon, a decorated Air Force veteran who represents Nebraska's 2nd District in the U.S. House.Congressman Bacon makes a case for robust U.S. support for Ukraine. He comments on divisions within the Republican Party on this topic, providing insight into how the new House majority will approach governing.More from Congressman Bacon here: https://bacon.house.gov/news/

Justin and John sit down with Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who served for 24 years as a U.S. diplomat.The group discuss the twin crises unfolding as Israel inaugurates a new right-wing government: heightening tensions over West Bank settlements and a controversial proposal for judicial reforms. Aaron assesses the roles of the United States and other powers amid fears of renewed violence and anti-democratic drift.Find more from Aaron here: https://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1744

Justin and John discuss the recent controversies over the Republican positions towards popular entitlement programs. New debates around Medicare and Social Security, longstanding fault lines in American politics, were sparked by a dispute at President Biden's State of the Union address and comments from Senator Rick Scott.The two also discuss the sudden uptick in flying objects shot down by U.S. armed forces, including the infamous Chinese balloon.Subscribe, rate, and review if you enjoyed the conversation.

Justin and John sit down with Max Bergmann, director of the Europe Program at CSIS. Max joins after weeks of controversy over German and American provision of tanks to Ukraine. The group discuss whether arms provisions will continue, whether Russia considers this an "escalation," and what the consequences of that could be. They also address Turkey's moves to block the accession of Sweden to NATO, the state of populist politics on the European continent, and how European leaders view Joe Biden's performance as U.S. president.Read more from Max here: https://www.csis.org/people/max-bergmann

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Sports columnist Nancy Armour joins Justin and John to discuss the irreplaceable role of the NFL in American life. Football may be the only universally popular cultural product remaining, but it is not without controversies. The group address player advocacy, ownership responsibility, and the differences between the NFL and other sports leagues like the MLB and NBA.Read Nancy's work here: https://www.usatoday.com/staff/2646753001/nancy-armour/