Fault Lines

Crypto is having, as this week's guest puts it, a "moment of legitimacy". We're joined by Juan Zarate, Global Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at K2 Integrity, Chair of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at FDD, and former Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Combating Terrorism for a deep dive on cryptocurrency.What role does crypto play in Russia's war on Ukraine? Could Russia's increased use of cryptocurrencies pose a threat to financial stability? What can Congress be doing? These questions and more are addressed on this week’s episode of Fault Lines.Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more.For further reading on crypto, K2 Integrity, where Juan is the Global Co-Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, recently published a policy alert, found here, on the risk global markets may face as Russian actors use virtual currencies to bypass sanctions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Les, Martha, Sarah, and Matt continues to discuss the ever-developing Russian invasion of Ukraine. How have Ukrainians thwarted President’s Putin invasion? Should a no-fly zone be instituted? What are the implications of the ban on Russian oil imports? These questions and more are answered on the latest episode of Fault Lines!   Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Note: This episode was recorded at 1:00 PM ET on March 8, 2022. The National Security Institute acknowledges that the situation is rapidly changing and that some of the conversation held may no longer be accurate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Against the backdrop of the continued Russian invasion of Ukraine, Megan Stifel, NSI Visiting Fellow and Chief Strategy Officer at the Institute for Security and Technology, addresses the cyberattacks that have played a role in Russia’s efforts. How has Ukraine fended off the cyber attacks? Has collaboration between the U.S. and Ukraine been successful? We then pivot to last week’s news that the Department of Justice is ending the China Initiative. How frequent were the cases of false convictions and racial discrimination that drove the DoJ to end the initiative? Does ending the initiative change the work the DoJ is doing? Will the DoJ’s focus shift given the violence in Ukraine? These questions and more are addressed on this week’s episode of Fault Lines.Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this special episode of Fault Lines, host Lester Munson discusses Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine with guests Scott Cullinane, Executive Director of the US-Europe Alliance, Martha Miller, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, and Sarah Stewart, Executive Director of the Silverado Policy Accelerator.Our episode begins with an assessment of the situation in Ukraine, followed by a discussion on the response from the West to Russia's aggression, the sanctions placed by the Biden administration, and the implications the invasion could mean for European neighbors to Ukraine.If you like what we're doing, be sure to like, rate, and subscribe to Fault Lines. If you have ideas for future episodes, be sure to email us at nsi@gmu.edu or tweet us at @MasonNatSec.Note: This episode was recorded at 9:00am ET on February 25th, 2022. The National Security Institute acknowledges that the situation is rapidly changing and that some of the conversation held may no longer be accurate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Les, Mario, Carmen, and Rob discuss the ever developing Russia-Ukraine crisis and China’s rocket debris that will be hitting the moon. Is President Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine because of legitimate strategic concerns, toxic masculinity or something else? Is NATO unified in their response to Russia? Why is it important to be aware of the amount of debris in space? These questions and more are answered on the latest episode of Fault Lines! Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s no denying that China’s global standing has drastically changed - in their favor - in the past half century. How has Chinese diplomacy contributed to this change? Is the bullying that China attempts to use to achieve diplomatic goals effective in today’s world? Will China ever pivot away from their aggressive tactics and act with the degree of prestige expected of a global superpower?  This week’s episode of Fault Lines features a deep dive with Peter Martin, Defense Policy and Intelligence Reporter for Bloomberg Business, author of China’s Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy, and expert on all things Chinese diplomacy. Find Peter’s book here.Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Les, Sarah, Scott, and Andy discuss the ongoing computer chip supply chain issues and North Korea’s launch of seven missiles last month. How are our European allies impacted by the ongoing computer chip crisis? Is Congress doing enough to alleviate the situation? What does it mean for North Korea to launch seven missiles in one month? How has the Biden administration handled the U.S. relationship with North Korea differently from the Trump Administration? These questions and more are answered on the latest episode of Fault Lines!   Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by guest Anaise Kanimba, daughter of Paul Rusesabagina, the famed manager of a hotel in Rwanda where he protected hundreds of Rwandans – both Hutu and Tutsi – from the genocide that engulfed that country in 1994. How did Anaise’s father save lives in 1994? How has he dedicated his life to advocating for human rights? What is Anaise doing to now free her father from unfair imprisonment in Rwanda? These questions and more about Anaise and her father’s moving stories are addressed on this week’s episode of Fault Lines.Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more.Want to become more involved in the #FreeRusesabagina campaign? Get involved by visiting their website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Les, Rob, Carmen, and Jamil discuss the massive underwater volcano eruption near Tonga and Russia’s dismantling of the hacker group known as REvil. They will also cast their predictions on whether or not Russia will invade Ukraine. Is the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai a national security issue that Americans should care about? What does it mean for Russia to dismantle REvil? These questions and more are answered on the latest episode of Fault Lines!  Think a panelists got the right prediction or had the most persuasive argument on Russia’s actions with Ukraine? Be sure to send us a Tweet or e-mail us at nsi@gmu.edu! Like this episode? Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe for more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NSI welcomes Morgan Viña and Lester Munson, two of NSI’s Fellows and co-authors on a recent NSI Paper, “Will the US Compete with China in Africa?”. What is China trying to accomplish in Africa? How do the Trump and Biden administration’s approaches to Africa differ, and what do they both have right – and wrong – in their Africa policy? Is there an opportunity for the U.S. to implement our foreign aid initiatives as a policy component? These questions and more are answered in this week’s episode of Fault Lines! Be sure to read Les and Morgan’s paper on our website here. If you like what you hear, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to future episodes of Fault Lines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.