Foreign Podicy

According to host Cliff May, "Mark Montgomery is an admirable admiral. Another adjective I’d use to describe him: peripatetic. Which is a fancy way of saying he’s on the road more than Willie Nelson—whom he does not otherwise resemble."Most recently the retired flag officer has been in Lithuania, which on the east shares a border with the Russian vassal state of Belarus, and on the southwest has a border with the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad, which was called Königsberg until Russia took it from Germany following World War II.You start a war and lose that war, you may lose territory. Which is a good segue to Israel, another country Mark has recently visited. Also on the list is Taiwan.And, perhaps most mysteriously, he very recently spent time in an elaborate private wine cellar in California. Which is odd because he’s not much of a drinker. It had something to do with a cyber security conference and... The Godfather?So many mysteries, so little time. 

Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at FDD and an associate professor at the Marine Corps University, sheds light on Turkey's complex identity and political landscape. He discusses Erdogan's shift from promising democratic reforms to embracing authoritarianism, highlighting public dissatisfaction and rising opposition. Ciddi delves into Turkey's historical tensions, particularly the Armenian genocide, and examines contemporary geopolitical dilemmas, including its ties with Hamas and military relations with NATO, offering a captivating insight into Turkey's evolving role on the world stage.

Filling in for host Cliff May is FDD CEO and host of The Iran Breakdown, Mark Dubowitz, joined by former Israeli national security advisor Jacob Nagel, now a senior fellow at FDD.Following President Trump’s recent signaling that he's open to nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic, Mark and Jacob revisit the flaws of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the  general complexities of Iran's nuclear program. They discuss Iran's current nuclear capabilities and the implications of the program for regional security—and explain why addressing weaponization and delivery systems in any potential deal is of utmost importance.

Lord Andrew Roberts has written or edited 20 books which have been translated into 28 languages and have redefined our understanding of leaders and leadership, of empires and nations, of the forces that have shaped—and in some cases misshaped—the modern world.He’s won many awards, including the Bradley Prize for which he was nominated by host Cliff May.In 2022, he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Roberts of Belgravia.His most recent work: Chairing the 7 October Parliamentary Commission report, the first publication aimed at establishing and preserving an accurate record of the barbaric pogrom carried out by Hamas and Hamas-adjacent Gazans against Israelis.He joins Cliff to discuss.

The Indo-Pacific is one of the most consequential regions in the world. It’s home to economies, trade routes, and allies vital to American prosperity and security.It is also a region where the Chinese Communist Party, building on decades of defense sector cooperation with Russia, has expanded its military capabilities at a breathtaking pace. The more capable the Chinese military has become, the more aggressively Beijing has acted to coerce its neighbors and undermine American interests.Someone who grapples daily with this reality is General Ronald Clark, the Commander of U.S. Army Pacific, or USARPAC.For those who are not denizens of the Department of Defense, USARPAC is the Army service component command within U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. In other words, you can think of him as the top American soldier in the Pacific. A combat leader with decades of experience, General Clark has led American soldiers in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. He’s a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. But now he focuses full time on the Pacific.He joins guest host Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss why the Indo-Pacific matters to Americans, the role of land power there, and what the Army is doing to deter and defeat adversaries—including forward-positioning forces, conducting rigorous training, and deepening cooperation with key allies such as the Philippines.

The Abraham Accords offer peace and prosperity, an era of repose from some of the constant warfare that plagues the Middle East.The UAE, a signatory of the Accords, houses the Abrahamic Family House—a synagogue side-by-side with a mosque and side-by-side with a church. It’s a beautiful symbol of tolerance and peace between the world’s Christians, Jews, and Muslims.But if Jihad against unbelievers is what Islam demands of the faithful, is it a paradox? On the contrary, say Amjad Taha and Ed Husain.They tell Cliff May that warm relations between Muslims and Jews shouldn’t be considered breaking the norms of Islam, and recall when the Prophet saw a funeral procession go by in Medina and stood up. When his friends asked him, “Why are you standing up for a Jewish funeral?” The Prophet responds, “Is this not a human soul?”“We are friends. We are cousins. We are brothers. We have the same father in Abraham. It’s not that we’re apostates—if anything, we’re family,” Ed says.But given the mosaic of diversity that is the Muslim world—from North Africa and the Middle East to south and Southeast Asia—how widely (or not) are these sentiments actually held?

Episodes 1-3 of The Iran Breakdown drop on Wednesday, March 19. Follow now wherever you get your podcasts, including on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.About this exclusive sneak peekIn this special edition of Foreign Podicy, we're excited to introduce FDD's new podcast series hosted by Mark Dubowitz: The Iran Breakdown. Episodes 1-3 drop on Wednesday, March 19, but Foreign Podicy followers can enjoy the below exclusive preview of The Iran Breakdown, Episode II. In this sneak peek, Mark gets a masterclass on the Iran nuclear file from his FDD colleague Rich Goldberg, who previously served as the White House National Security Council's director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction. Rich helped coordinate key elements of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, aimed at denying the regime pathways to nuclear weapons. Like Mark, Rich is sanctioned by the Islamic Republic of Iran.About The Iran BreakdownTehran’s fingerprints are on some of the most critical challenges that the world grapples with today. Because its illicit activity spans the globe, the Islamic Republic dominates international headlines. From exporting terrorism and racing for the nuclear bomb to brutal human rights violations, news on Iran is often dark and convoluted. Further widening this information gap, many consequential stories from inside Iran—like the regime's decaying legitimacy and the restless population's insatiable hunger for freedom— don’t always make it out of Iran. That has regime fingerprints on it, too. The international community's conflicting views on 'the Iran threat' also muddy the water. To make it make sense, Mark sits down with some of the top voices on Iran to unpack and explore the fundamental dynamics that shape it. In 10 episodes of The Iran Breakdown, viewers and listeners will build a sturdy foundation for responsible Iran-watching.Episodes 1-3 of The Iran Breakdown drop on Wednesday, March 19. Follow now wherever you get your podcasts, including on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

In this insightful discussion, Peter Pomerantsev, a senior fellow at the NSF Agora Institute and expert on Russian propaganda, teams up with Ivana Stradner, a research fellow focusing on Russia's security strategies. They dive into the surreal landscape of Russian disinformation, revealing how media consumption has evolved under authoritarianism. They also highlight the stark contrast between Ukraine's push for democracy and Russia's entrenched regime. The conversation touches on the complexities of Putin's legacy and the ongoing struggle for freedom amidst sophisticated propaganda tactics.

In this discussion, Marcus Ruzek, a combat veteran and Senior Program Director at The Marcus Foundation, joins Dan Goldenberg, a retired Navy Captain leading the Call of Duty Endowment. They delve into the vital connection between veterans' well-being and national security. Key topics include the importance of supporting veterans for moral reasons, the challenges they face in transitioning to civilian life, and the urgent need for reform in veteran mental health services. Their insights emphasize that veterans are not just a burden but valuable assets for society.

Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at FDD and former IDF member, joins Rich Goldberg, an experienced national security advisor, to dissect the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They discuss the long history of two-state proposals rejected by Palestinian leaders and the shifting foreign policy landscape influenced by Trump. They also critique the effectiveness of international institutions like the UN, analyze ongoing hostage negotiations, and explore the geopolitical complexities surrounding Gaza and Lebanon. Their insights provide a fresh perspective on a deeply rooted conflict.