The Red Line

While everyone has their eyes on its imploding neighbours Guyana is entering its own new phase, one that is likely to make it one of the world's next big geopolitical flashpoints. With Iranian missiles, Cambridge Analytica buying elections, and a country up for sale this isolated jungle nation could be the next launchpad to threaten the world superpower at home. Thie week we sit down with Brittany Kaiser (Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower) Ivelaw Griffiths (International Institute for Strategic Studies) Michael Unbehauen (US Army/Acamar Consulting) Find more info on the show at - www.theredlinepodcast.com Follow the show on @TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on @MikeHilliardAus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Often referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is simply a desert of contradictions. A nation where you memorize poems to get your driver's license, where the president raps on TV, and where many Guinness world records are broken; but more importantly a nation of starving people on top of the 4th largest gas reserves in the world. We go deeper into this reclusive society and talk about their abandonment of Moscow and their newfound masters in Beijing, as well as how this country tries its best to stay neutral in a very dangerous geopolitical neighborhood. Guests this week are Peter Leonard (Eurasianet) Naz Nazar (Radio Free Europe) Alexander Cooley (Harriman Institute) More info at -- www.theredlinepodcast.com Follow the show on - @TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on - @MikeHilliardAus Support the show on - https://www.patreon.com/theredlinepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan lies an island of Armenians in the middle of Azerbaijan, two countries now firmly at war with each other. The Armenians have invaded and now occupy a quarter of the Azeris territory, but they assert are only doing to protect their people from the government who threatens to "cleanse" the pocket of Armenians.  A complicated conflict with Russia selling to both sides and Turkey (and therefore NATO) obligated to defend the other, this war is a classic situation of "the tail wagging the dog". Will we see another 1914 with a small mountain nation dragging the great powers into war, well for that we turn to our experts? Svante Cornell (Institue for Security and Development) Tyrone Shaw (Conflict Zone Author) Thomas De Waal (Carnegie Europe) More details >> www.theredlinepodcast.com Follow the show @TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on @MikeHilliardAus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few geopolitical flashpoints in the world more dangerous than North Korea, and with instability at the top of the regime we can add another layer of complexity to an already shaky situation; one that few people truly understand. USA, China, Seoul and Pyongyang all have competing goals and needs to keep their own domestic politics in check, but some of those goals infringe upon others, and with a few minor missteps the Korean peninsula could easily break out in full war again. The difference this time is that there are 60+ nuclear weapons to factor into the equation.  So this week with sit down with Eric Gomez (CATO) Jacob Bogle (Access DPRK) Soo Kim (RAND/CIA/DHS) More information on --- www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a 30 year war with Sudan, South Sudan finally gained its independence, but with no external enemy, a power vacuum quickly told hold. Two men lead a nation into a civil war that destroyed the country and broke the future for this African nation even further.  Now peace talks are starting again and people are wondering if this will this be the peace deal that finally brings stability, or will the nation once again backslide into mass slaughter? That decision lies in the hand of just two men, the same two who started this war almost 7 years ago. Guests this week are Alan Boswell Ahmed Soliman John Campbell More info at ---  www.theredlinepodcast.com Follow the show on @theredlinepod Or Michael on @MikeHilliardAus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coldest battlefield in the world is opening up, and old regional rivalries are beginning to flare. This is moving trade routes from the US's backyard toward the Russians. A battle is about to begin for the far North, but only one side is really prepared. Russia is rolling out Arctic divisions, new bases and groundbreaking new missiles which threaten the US naval dominance across the world's oceans. Are these new missiles going to make carriers obsolete or are they just the next step in the rapidly changing landscape? We pose this question to our panel of experts. This weeks experts  Marlene Laurelle Stephanie Pezard Paul Josephson Rob Huebert More info available at - www.theredlinepodcast.com Follow the show on @theredlinepod or Michael on @MikeHilliardAus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private militaries or PMC's have been popping up in all of the worlds conflict zones, guns for hire being paid to the dirty work nation-states don't want to do. Is this the future of war or is this a slippery slope that takes all the accountability out of the battlefield? This week we do a deep dive into the Wagner group (Putin's private army) and Blackwater/Frontier Services Group (Erik Princes Hong Kong-based White House hit squad). We go through what they have been up to, and where they are likely to pop up over the next few years Guests this week are Sean McFate Alex Kirsch Sahar Khan and Candace Rondeaux Follow the show on @TheRedLinePod Follow Michael on @MikeHilliardAus More info at www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venezuela, home to the largest proven oil reserves in the world was once the jewel of South America, the envy of the Latin world, but now the country sits on the brink of collapse.  Venezuela has gone so far now that other nations like China, Russia, and the US have begun circling like hungry vultures, looking to smash apart the nation and divide up the assets. So this week we sit down and ask where will it all go, how did we get here and what is next for this South American titan. Giancarlo Fiorella -  (Bellingcat institute) Nick Mutch - (Conflict Journalist) Christopher Sabatini -  (Chatham House) More info at -- www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Libyan civil war is ramping to a climax, general Haftars forces have arrived at the gates on the capital Tripoli and the entire world is taking sides. Russia, the UAE, Turkey, France, Italy, Qatar and Egypt are all throwing fuel onto this already raging fire, not realising those flames are unlikely to remain contained inside Libya.  Three huge guests for this episode.  Jonathon Winer (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the USA) Jalel Harchaoui  Tarek Magerisi For more information check out -- www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Foreign aid is one of the most misunderstood parts of any nations budget, why would a country give money to another country when they have hungry people at home? What people may not realise is that that 0.22% of your budget may be the only thing standing between you and your enemy setting up its armed forces in your backyard.  This weeks guests are  Matt Mcdonald Tess Newton Cain and Will Clapton More info at >> www.theredlinepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices