Fault Lines

Today, Jamil, Morgan, and Les discuss Sunday’s drone attack in Jordan by Iranian-backed militias that killed 3 U.S. servicemembers and wounded over 30 more. President Biden has vowed to respond to this attack, which was the first U.S. fatalities after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.Was this attack only a matter of time? How should the U.S. respond to this lethal attack? How can the Biden administration effectively deter future attacks? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/28/politics/us-troops-drone-attack-jordan?cid=ios_apphttps://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/three-u-s-troops-killed-in-drone-attack-in-jordan-b45ddb6bhttps://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/28/us-service-members-killed-drone-attack-jordanhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/28/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-attack-on-u-s-service-members-in-northeastern-jordan-near-the-syria-border/Follow our experts on Twitter: @jamil_n_jaffer@lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Les, Morgan, and John discuss the potential collapse of the bipartisan Senate deal to pair border enforcement measures and Ukraine and Israel aid after former President Donald Trump called on Republicans to reject any deal unless given everything regarding immigration.Was this deal destined to fail? What are the geostrategic implications of failure to fund aid to Ukraine? Who is ultimately to blame for the collapse of the deal? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://www.newsweek.com/mitch-mcconnell-border-bill-trump-campaign-1863916https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bipartisan-border-deal-trump-senate-republicans_n_65b284c6e4b0166fc7711d79https://www.newsweek.com/maga-cant-sink-border-deal-negotiator-1864128https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226883552/bipartisan-border-deal-at-risk-of-collapse-under-pressure-from-trumphttps://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879 Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@morganlroach@JohnCLipseyLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jess, Morgan, and Les discuss Tuesday's Turkish parliament vote to approve Sweden’s membership bid to NATO, lifting a major hurdle to Sweden’s entry into the military alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who previously linked his country’s support of Sweden to Turkey’s desire to buy fighter jets from the U.S., must still sign the protocol into law. Once signed, Hungary becomes the only NATO ally to have not ratified Sweden’s accession.Will Congress allow the sale of F-16s to Turkey? How does the 2024 U.S. presidential election impact the NATO alliance? Will NATO’s largest military exercise since the Cold War provoke a response from Russia? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://apnews.com/article/turkey-sweden-nato-kurdish-militants-quran-ff81aa2d36160428d766579963f97fcehttps://apnews.com/article/orban-invites-swedish-leader-discuss-nato-membership-32d50b876dccded5c7c2f60ca7cf204bhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/01/23/europe/turkey-vote-sweden-nato-intl?cid=ios_apphttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/19/sweden-young-people-national-service-civic-duty-nato-war Follow our experts on Twitter: @notTVJessJones@lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe. And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jamil, Jess, Morgan, and Les discuss last Friday’s Special Episode - NSI on the Ground in Iowa - where average Iowans gave their thoughts and opinions on the national security and foreign policy debates shaking up America!Were the Fault Lines crew surprised at Iowan opinions on U.S. engagement in the world? Do we think that Friday’s conversations show U.S. policymakers need to more clearly show why national security issues matter? Did the interviews leave us feeling optimistic about American engagement with national security issues? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fault-lines-special-episode-nsi-on-the-ground-the/id1481982630?i=1000642248705 https://www.foxnews.com/elections/2024/primary-results/voter-analysishttps://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/centers/peace-through-strength/reagan-national-defense-survey/ Follow our experts on Twitter: @jamil_n_jaffer@notTVJessJones@lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, on this special episode of Fault Lines, NSI’s Founder and Executive Director Jamil Jaffer interviewed Iowan voters on their thoughts on the national security issues and debates shaking up America.Do national security issues matter when voting? Should the U.S. continue to support Ukraine in its war with Russia? How should the U.S. deal with Iran? Listen to what voters had to say about these issues and more in this special episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our interviews!https://www.foxnews.com/elections/2024/primary-results/voter-analysis https://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/centers/peace-through-strength/reagan-national-defense-survey/ Follow our experts on Twitter: @jamil_n_jaffer Like what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jess, Morgan, and Les discuss the escalating situation in the Red Sea where the U.S. and allied forces have continued their campaign of strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, while two U.S. Navy SEALs have gone missing while interdicting a ship in the Gulf of Aden meant to deliver weapons to the Houthis, and China and Russia voted for a UN Security Council resolution calling for the immediate end to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping.What are we accomplishing with our current approach? Can the U.S. walk the fine line of responding without escalation? Should we change our approach with the Houthi Rebels and other Iranian-backed groups? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-carries-new-airstrike-houthis-yemen/story?id=106414037 https://apnews.com/article/us-houthis-red-sea-jake-sullivan-yemen-ff507d06a7a44d6f3644f128e7766b3dhttps://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/01/iran-strikes-inside-pakistan-following-irgc-missile-attacks-iraq-syriahttps://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/us-seizes-iranian-weapons-houthis-yemen/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-calls-an-end-attacks-civilian-vessels-red-sea-2024-01-14/?taid=65a3eec108e2720001fef900&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitterhttps://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/two-navy-seals-are-missing-after-mission-off-coast-of-somalia/ https://apnews.com/article/un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-resolution-attacks-f26262fe055c8a1e39dee0c3c0d6f7f6 Follow our experts on Twitter: @notTVJessJones@lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jamil, Jess, Morgan, and Les discuss the developing situation in Guyana where on Tuesday, Venezuela’s dictator Nicholas Maduro ordered the creation of a new state dubbed “Guyana Esequiba” in the wake of the recent referendum in which Venezuelan voters overwhelmingly approved the annexation of the oil-rich land from its neighbor. How does this impact the stability of the region? What role, if any, does the United States have in this developing crisis? Or is this just a domestic political tactic to ensure the survival of the Maduro regime? Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://apnews.com/article/guyana-us-military-aid-venezuela-essequibo-cdb2b1ac1e469c7324d1be8f18c507c6 https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-conduct-flight-operations-guyana-concerns-mount-over-border-spat-2023-12-07/https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/06/americas/venezuelas-president-orders-creation-of-new-state-and-map-including-land-from-guyana/index.htmlhttps://www.state.gov/secretary-blinkens-call-with-guyanese-president-ali/ https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-12-08/nicolas-maduro-stirs-up-guyana-conflict-in-an-attempt-to-corner-maria-corina-machado.htmlFollow our experts on Twitter: @notTVJessJones@jamil_n_jaffer @lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jamil, Jess, Morgan, and Les assess the current situation in the Middle East. Recent U.S. strikes in Iraq, an ultimatum against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and attacks from Hezbollah against Israel amid its conflict in Gaza has caused increased worry over a widening conflict in the region.Is this worry of a widening conflict justified? What role does China play in these Middle Eastern developments how do they benefit? Is the Biden Administration getting in its own way when it comes to effective policy in the region?  Get the answer to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines!Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/hezbollah-drone-strike-hits-key-israeli-command-centre-safed https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/us/politics/iran-us-israel-conflict.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AM%20JAN%208%20Punchbowl%20News%20AM&utm_term=Punchbowl%20AM%20and%20Active%20Subscribers%20from%20Memberful%20Combined https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/04/war-gaza-widen-biden-getting-ready-00133949 Follow our experts on Twitter: @notTVJessJones@jamil_n_jaffer @lestermunson@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jamil, Jess, and Les discuss U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s recent hospitalization and the breakdown of communication that had President Biden, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Secretary Austin’s own Deputy Kathleen Hicks, who was on vacation, out of the loop. Sec. Austin’s absence occurred as the U.S. and its allies gave an ultimatum to Houthi rebels, as well as conducted a successful airstrike on the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia in central Baghdad.Is the Secretary of Defense out of the Biden Administration’s decision-making loop? Why were key administration and Pentagon officials left in the dark over the Secretary’s hospitalization? Who ultimately should be held responsible for this breakdown?  Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/07/politics/austin-hospitalization-leaders-not-informed/index.html https://apnews.com/article/defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-hospitalized-biden-859cc79631d6c96dbdff161faf8e4f96 https://www.reuters.com/world/us/top-military-officials-were-initially-unaware-austins-hospitalization-media-2024-01-07/ https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/06/pentagon-took-3-days-to-inform-white-houses-nsc-of-austins-hospitalization-00134176https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3633506/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-medical-care/ Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@jamil_n_jaffer@notTVJessJonesLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Les, Morgan, and Jamil discuss the recent U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq that killed commander Abu Taqwa of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, an Iran backed militia group. This airstrike happened during a busy week for Middle East, with the continuation of the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza, Houthi forces’ attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea, and the recent ISIS bombing in Iran that killed 80 people. U.S. strikes in Iraq are a rare. While the U.S. states that the airstrike was necessary and proportional in the wake of recent attacks against U.S. forces stated in the Middle East, the Iraqi government argues that the strike is a breech of trust and sovereignty. Is the U.S. airstrike a sign of a strengthened deterrence policy by the Biden Administration? Does the U.S. maintain credible deterrence in the region? What does the airstrike mean for the stability in the Middle East? How does this strike alter current U.S. policies and agreements with Iraq?Check out the sources that helped shaped our experts discussion!https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/04/us-strike-baghdad/https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-strike-kills-iran-backed-militia-leader-in-iraq-71256676https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/world/middleeast/us-drone-strike-baghdad-iraq.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/three-iran-backed-militia-fighters-killed-baghdad-drone-strike-sources-2024-01-04/https://www.axios.com/2024/01/04/isis-iran-explosions-responsibility-kermanFollow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@jamil_n_jaffer@morganlroachLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.