Talking Geopolitics

GPF Chairman George Friedman joins Director of Analysis Jacob Shapiro to give thoughts on issues ranging from new alliances in the Middle East to US-China relations. Also: how bad is the societal divide in the United States? Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

The heat is on Iran. Its economy is faltering. The currency is falling. The people are protesting. The government is threatening to close down the Strait of Hormuz. Renewed U.S. sanctions didn’t directly cause all these problems, of course, but they sure didn’t help. And they wouldn’t be an issue had U.S. stayed party to the Iran nuclear agreement. Is this the end of the reconciliation, or just a minor setback? If the deal is forever dead, will Iran now go nuclear? Would doing so achieve its regional objectives? Does deterrence strategy still hold? In this episode, recorded not-live but in-person, Jacob, Cole, Phil and special guest Ryan answer these questions and probably a lot of others you never thought to ask. And they do it without the comfort of an air conditioner. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

The U.S. and Turkey have a lot of big mutual problems (Iran, the Islamic State, Bashar Assad) yet seem to be preoccupied by much smaller ones (pastors and alleged deep state operatives). To help explain why this is so, this week’s episode checks in on the status of U.S.-Turkey relations. Also, what’s with the stories about Rex Tillerson preventing a Saudi invasion of Qatar? Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

Is populism an ideology? Is it a political tool? A political weapon? The term has been bastardized over the years, so much so that it is nearly devoid of any meaning, and yet it is invoked nearly every day, levied against politicians of every political persuasion in every region of the world. In this week’s episode, the team digs into what it means to be populist and applies it to Mexico’s newly elected president. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

This week, the head of NATO wrote a column politely reminding everyone about the use of the military alliance. Can NATO continue to meet the needs of all its members? Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

GPF Director Jacob Shapiro welcomes special guest Dario Fabbri, Senior Analyst at Limes, to talk about Italy's view of Europe. Along the way, they touch on Italy's relationship with the U.S., Germany's lack of strategy and France's double-edged demographic advantage. Intro music: Antonio Vivaldi, Concerto No. 1 In E major, performed by John Harrison (violin) with Robert Turizziani conducting the Wichita State University Chamber Players. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

The unprecedented meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un raises an important question: So what? Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

This week, Jacob and Cole stitch together a few separate recordings that were made throughout the week. We have George Friedman with a special guest on war games, Phillip Orchard on Malaysia’s political drama, and Xander Snyder on the so-called Libya model. Also, basketball. Music credit for this week's podcast: Paul Cantrell playing Frédéric Chopin's Prelude Op. 28, No. 4, and "Off to The Shaman For Ancient Medicines" by The Koreatown.  Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

In this bonus episode, GPF Chairman George Friedman sits down for a short conversation with Limes magazine director Lucio Caracciolo in Genoa, Italy. George and Lucio discuss Italy's perspective on U.S. foreign policy in Europe, Germany's true nature, and the future of the European Union. Exit music is a recording of Italian baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli's Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 4, graciously provided by the Advent Chamber Orchestra. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx

After two weeks off, it’s time to catch up on the world’s events – perfect timing, considering this week may prove to be such a geopolitically consequential one. Jacob and Cole discuss Putin’s continued tenure in Russia, Israel’s combat readiness, Xi’s Marxist beliefs, the Iran deal and more. Sign up for free updates on topics like this! Go here: https://goo.gl/zt6tzx