

Fault Lines
National Security Institute
Fault Lines, the National Security Institute’s flagship podcast, gets you quickly up to speed, three-times-a-week, on the national security and foreign policy debates shaking up America.Our regular cast of foreign policy experts includes NSI Deputy Executive Director Martha Miller, NSI Senior Fellows Lester Munson and Morgan Viña, and Director of the NSI CTC - Howard University Cybersecurity Clinic Jessica Jones. Tune in to learn more about the issues dominating headlines and the news stories you may have missed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 27, 2021 • 44min
Episode 62: The Intellectual Underpinnings of Biden's Foreign Policy
The Biden Administration is in full swing but what does that mean for foreign policy? Les, Jamil, Loren, and first time guest Amira Valliani talk about Making U.S. Foreign Policy Work Better for the Middle Class and Biden’s first hundred days. Is a foreign policy focused on the middle class only about economics? Why isn’t Congress leading on foreign policy issues? What do the first 100 days of the Biden administration reveal about President Biden’s priorities? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines.In this week’s under the radar segment Les highlights Biden’s promise of $4 billion in Aid for Central America, Jamil focuses on the protests in Russia, Loren is tracking impeachment, Amira is watching for national security issues in space, and Grant talks about democracy promotion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 20, 2021 • 52min
Episode 61: From Trump to Biden with David Adesnik and John Hannah
Fault Lines welcomes David Adesnik, Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and John Hannah, Senior Counselor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to discuss From Trump to Biden a report which details the successes and failures of the Trump Administration and guidance for over 25 different areas of national security and foreign policy. Where did America First fail? Can Biden negotiate a better JCPOA? Is it possible to put Putin in his place? David, John and host Lester Munson, answer these questions and many more on this week’s episode of Fault Lines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 13, 2021 • 48min
Episode 60: Are We Bangui? - Continued Crisis on Capitol Hill
This week, Congress contemplates how to respond to the attack on January 6th. Les, Loren, Jamil, and Jodi discuss how the legislative branch should move forward and news out of China that you may have missed. How should Congress deal with members who supported the riots? With time winding down on the Trump Administration, is impeachment moving fast enough? How is China capitalizing on this moment? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines.In our under the radar segment Jamil talks about the designation of the Houthis as a terrorist group, Les compares the current situation in the US with that in the Central African Republic, Grant dives back into the politics of water, Jodi discusses the elections in Uganda, and Loren won’t be distracted from this moment in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 8, 2021 • 44min
Episode 59: Insurrection Aftermath
A mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to halt the certification of the electoral college vote. Les, Jamil, Loren, and returning guest Michael Gottlieb pick through the rubble and discuss the implications. How can America rebuild after this crisis? How does it impact our standing in the world? How will our adversaries use this against us? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 6, 2021 • 25min
Episode 58: Pandemics, Warning, and the IC with Jim Danoy
Fault Lines welcomes back Jim Danoy, former Defense Intelligence Executive, NSI Visiting Fellow, and author of a recent NSI Law and Policy Paper entitled Stopping the Spread: Pandemics, Warning, and the IC. What role should the IC have in warning about the next pandemic? Is the Department of Health and Human Services part of the IC? Can we afford to expand the mission of the intelligence community? Jim and host Lester Munson, answer these questions and many more on this week’s episode of Fault Lines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 30, 2020 • 34min
Episode 57: The NDAA, the Industrial Base, and the Future of Acquisitions
All eyes are on the NDAA because of President Trump’s veto but is the discussion focused on the right issues? Fault Lines welcomes Alex Gallo, Lindsay Rodman, and Moshe Schwartz, contributors to the recent NSI and Duco report The U.S. Defense Industrial Base: Can it Compete in the Next Century? Does China’s economic threat change the approach to its military threat? Can the DoD encourage competition in the defense industrial base? How can America be falling behind while spending so much on defense? These questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 23, 2020 • 28min
Episode 56: The Iron Butterfly with Megan Jaffer
Fault Lines welcomes Megan Jaffer, a Founding Member of the Amazing Women of the Intelligence Community (AWIC) and host of the Iron Butterfly Podcast which just completed its first season. Who was the Iron Butterfly? What can we learn from the stories of 15 senior women in the Intelligence Community? What can we expect from the second season of Iron Butterfly? Megan and host Lester Munson, answer these questions and many more on this week’s episode of Fault Lines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 16, 2020 • 46min
Episode 55: Trump's Administration Wrapped
The year is winding down but in Washington that means it’s time to argue about the NDAA and the legacy of the outgoing President. This week, Jamil, Loren, Les, and returning guest Michael Gottlieb discuss whether the NDAA will make it across the finish line and whether President Trump had any foreign policy wins during his four years. How did the NDAA become one of the only must pass bills? What hard calls did President Trump get right? Will any aspects of Trump’s legacy be left after Biden “Builds Back Better”? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines. In our under the radar segment, Loren highlights the increased use of ransomware to target K-12 schools, Les extends the conversation about Western Sahara, Grant opines about worsening relations between China and Australia, Jamil discusses the latest in the war in Yemen, and Michael talks about the potential of an Edward Snowden pardon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 9, 2020 • 26min
Episode 54: Who Writes Tech Standards - Government or Private Sector? with Megan Brown
Fault Lines welcomes Megan Brown, NSI Senior Fellow and author of a forthcoming NSI Law and Policy Paper on U.S. involvement in setting global technical standards for 5G and other future technologies. What are technical standards and why are they important? Is hawkishness against China bad for innovation? What can policymakers do to promote private sector participation in standards development organizations? Megan and host Lester Munson, answer these questions and many more on this week’s episode of Fault Lines! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 2, 2020 • 49min
Episode 53: The Empire Strikes Back or a New Hope?
President-Elect Joe Biden begun to name his senior foreign policy staff to various Cabinet and White House positions. Les, Jamil, Jodi, and first time Guest Michael Gottlieb former Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to President Obama discuss Biden’s picks and how they might take on the rapidly evolving situation in Iran. What do these selections say about Biden’s Foreign Policy? What are potential blind spots for this team of insiders? How can a President Biden limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines.In our under the radar segment, Les discusses the state of the civil war in Ethiopia, Mike highlights the continued issues in Venezuela, Jamil focuses on Jared Kushner’s trip to the Middle East during a fragile time, and Jodi and Grant both discuss corporations’ lobbying efforts with regards to the Uyghur Forced Labor Act currently making its way through Congress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


