Fault Lines
345 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 37 ratingsFault 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 Executive Director Jamil Jaffer, NSI Senior Fellow Lester Munson, and NSI Deputy Executive Director Jessica Jones.
Tune in to learn more about the issues dominating headlines and the news stories you may have missed.
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Episodes
Episode 235: Modi Comes to Dinner
June 23, 2023 15:54 - 9 minutes - 4.25 MBToday, Jamil, Jess, and Morgan discuss Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit and Thursday night’s state dinner at the White House. President Biden and PM Modi reached several strategic cooperation and defense agreements during PM Modi’s visit. Both India and the U.S. share China as a pressing security threat, so a strong partnership in the region could be indispensable to both moving forward. What does the Fault Lines crew think of this budding relationship? Is it the “partnership of...
Episode 234: Tony’s China Conundrum
June 21, 2023 20:24 - 10 minutes - 4.6 MBToday, Jess, Jamil, Les, and our now official co-host Morgan Viña discuss Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China. Secretary Blinken’s visit comes at a time when the U.S.-China relationship has been strained due to China’s support of Russia, the deployment of spy balloons, and repeated provocations in the South China Sea. What score does the Fault Lines crew give Secretary Blinken on his China visit? Was Blinken’s visit timely? How, and will, the...
Episode 233: China & the Palestinian Authority: An Alliance of Convenience, Necessity, or Boredom?
June 16, 2023 15:47 - 8 minutes - 3.94 MBToday, Jamil, Les, and Morgan, discuss China’s strategic cooperation agreement with the Palestinian Authority. China has forged a number of strategic relationships in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, and now, the Palestinian Authority. In light of China’s strategic efforts in the this region, some worry, the U.S. is too focused on China, leaving behind its leadership role in the other parts of the globe. Should the U.S. be alarmed by this strategic cooperation agreem...
Episode 232: UNESC...nO: Does the U.S. Need a Seat at the Table?
June 14, 2023 16:06 - 8 minutes - 3.79 MBToday, Jess, Les, and Morgan, debate the Biden Administration’s decision to rejoin UNESCO. There have been concerns for a decade over mismanagement. This prompted the U.S. to leave under the Trump Administration. The Biden Administration recently announced that the U.S. will return to UNESCO as well as pay $600 million in back dues. Is the $600 million of taxpayer dollars in back dues worth the benefits we receive from the organization? Is membership to UNESCO like a participation trophy a...
Episode 231: We Will Always Have Havana
June 12, 2023 15:44 - 9 minutes - 4.16 MBToday, for a Fault Lines first, there are four incredible hosts! Les, Jess, Jamil, and Morgan discuss the Biden Administration’s handling of the Chinese spy base in Cuba. While the Administration initially denied the reports from the Wall Street Journal it has now come full circle to acknowledge the existence of Chinese spy bases around the world. What letter grade should the Biden Administration received in its handling of this situation? What message does this flip flopping send domestica...
Episode 230: LIV, Laugh, Love
June 09, 2023 15:52 - 9 minutes - 4.39 MBToday, Jess, Les, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow, Morgan Vina, discuss the shocking merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is backed by a Saudi wealth fund. The PGA tour has recently faced backlash, including a possible DOJ antitrust investigation, following this deal. Some argue this merger is a key step in Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2023 plan to create a “vibrant society.” What does the Fault Lines crew think of this merger? Is it sportswashing or part of Saudi’s ...
Episode 229: Alien Pilots: The Truth is Out There
June 07, 2023 17:42 - 8 minutes - 3.95 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Air Force veteran and former member of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, David Grusch’s claims of the US government secretly recovering alien spacecraft accompanied by “pilot” remains for decades as part of a top-secret UFO retrieval program. What does the Fault Lines crew think of the possibility of UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena)? How credible are David Grusch’s claims? Are there alien life forms surveilling Earth? Hear our experts d...
Episode 228: Top Gun China Policy
June 05, 2023 15:50 - 10 minutes - 4.7 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss rising tensions between the U.S. and China due to recent encounters between Chinese and US aircraft over the SCS, and in the Taiwan Strait between a US destroyer and a Canadian ship that were intercepted by a Chinese destroyer. Furthermore, at the Shangri-La dialogue over the weekend in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shook hands with Chinese Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, but they did not have a meeting. What does the Fault Lines crew think...
Episode 227: Hey Siri: Is AI Taking Over?
June 02, 2023 15:48 - 8 minutes - 3.83 MBToday, Jamil, Jess, and NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser discuss the dangers and benefits of AI in a national security context and questions whether government regulation is needed. This conversation was prompted after a joint statement where AI experts concluded that “artificial intelligence may lead to human extinction and reducing the risks associated with the technology should be a global priority.” Should (and will) the U.S. government take action to limit the proliferation of U.S.- or al...
Episode 226: Uganda Loses Its Mind
May 31, 2023 15:50 - 8 minutes - 4.07 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Uganda’s passage of one of the world's toughest anti-gay laws that calls for life imprisonment for anyone convicted of homosexuality. The legislation received widespread condemnation from many Western governments and human rights activists. How should the international community push back? Should the US cut off aid to Uganda? If not, what can be done to influence Uganda’s - and potentially other countries' similar - laws? Hear our experts debate these is...
Episode 225: China Attempts Guam Tip-Over
May 26, 2023 15:34 - 7 minutes - 7.28 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss this week’s announcement by Microsoft and the U.S. government that they detected a Chinese cyber hack by hacking group, Volt Typhoon, directed at critical infrastructure systems, including telecommunications gear, located in Guam and elsewhere in the United States. Is China hacking Guam a prelude to a Taiwan invasion? Should the U.S. ramp up its response against China? Is the U.S. prepared to deter enemy action in the cyber domain? Hear our experts deb...
Episode 224: Let’s Make A Deal: Saudi Edition
May 24, 2023 19:05 - 9 minutes - 4.26 MBEpisode 224: Let’s Make A Deal: Saudi Edition Today, Les, Jess, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow, Morgan Vina, discuss NSA Jake Sullivan’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince MBS last week to discuss, among many things, about the possibility of Saudi-Israeli normalization. MBS does not want to take any more incremental steps toward warming relations with Israel, but instead, wants to work towards US deliverables like advanced weapons systems and US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation ag...
Episode 223: Gaga at G7
May 22, 2023 16:15 - 8 minutes - 4.05 MBToday, Les, Jess, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow, Morgan Vina, discuss the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan last week. During the meeting, the Biden Administration agreed to not oppose the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine and to help train Ukrainian pilots. President Biden also called for “de-risking” the US-China economic relationship rather than “de-coupling” the world’s two biggest economies. What does the Fault Lines crew think of Biden’s timing and stance on F-16s for Uk...
Episode 222: Harvard in Bangkok?
May 19, 2023 15:47 - 8 minutes - 3.94 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss how the progressive Move Forward Party in Thailand, led by 42-year-old Harvard-and-MIT-educated business executive Pita Limjaroenrat, gained over 150 seats in the lower house of Thailand’s bicameral parliament. How will the political landscape of Thailand continue to change? How will Thailand balance its relationship with the U.S. and its willingness to also work with China? Should the U.S. be pushing back more aggressively against human rights violations...
Episode 221: The Khan Kerfuffle
May 17, 2023 16:03 - 8 minutes - 3.94 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest by almost 100 paramilitary forces on charges of corruption. The Pakistani Supreme Court subsequently declared Mr. Khan’s arrest unlawful but said he should remain for now at a police guest house under court supervision. He was then granted bail and released from police custody. Does the Fault Lines crew think a coup will emerge – as Pakistan has suffered four coups in its first fifty years of independ...
Episode 220: Turkey Votes
May 15, 2023 15:46 - 9 minutes - 4.45 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss yesterday’s vote in Turkey, which will result in a runoff vote on May 28 between President Erdogan and his chief rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, as neither candidate received over 50% of the vote. If Kilicdaroglu wins, which would end Erdogan’s 20-year rule, he indicated that he will seek better ties with the United States and the West. Do we expect that bilateral relations will improve if Kilicdaroglu wins? If Erdogan prevails again, how should President Bide...
Episode 219: South Africa Gets in Warm Water
May 12, 2023 15:19 - 9 minutes - 4.46 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss yesterday’s announcement from the US Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, that the South African government had provided arms and ammunition to Russia in its over a year-long war against Ukraine. Should the White House be making this announcement instead of the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa? Why is the South African government supporting Russia? Should the U.S. government impose sanctions on South Africa? Hear our experts debate these issues and...
Episode 218: The Biden Doctrine: Let’s Go Backwards Pt. 2
May 10, 2023 16:01 - 10 minutes - 5.03 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil, in a Fault Lines-first, resume their debate from Monday about the Biden Doctrine that stemmed from a Fareed Zakaria’s Washington Post op-ed, which laid out concerns about NSA Jake Sullivan's ongoing statements that claim, in order to remain competitive with China and protect US national security and economic interests, the US Government needs to take a more active role in promoting and growing a handful of critical industries here in the US. What are some concer...
Episode 217: The Biden Doctrine: Let’s Go Backwards
May 08, 2023 15:48 - 10 minutes - 4.62 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss an op-ed by Fareed Zakaria that appeared in the Washington Post this weekend. Zakaria dives into his concerns centered on the "Biden Doctrine," and the use of industrial policy to further U.S. government goals. What does the Fault Lines crew think of the doctrine? Is America trying to emulate China’s economic model and if so, why? How can America both continue to innovate while making sure national security needs are being met? Hear our experts debate ...
Episode 216: The Kremlin’s Dodged Drones
May 05, 2023 15:46 - 9 minutes - 4.27 MBToday, Les, Jess, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow Morgan Viña discuss the alleged intercepted drone attacks that occurred over the Kremlin. Russia accused Ukraine of trying to assassinate President Putin, though Putin was not in the Kremlin at the time of the explosions, and Kyiv has denied any involvement. Yesterday, Russia blamed the U.S. for the attack on the Kremlin and said that Washington has “direct involvement” in the war in Ukraine. What does the Fault Lines crew think...
Episode 215: Haiti Somehow Gets Worse
May 03, 2023 15:46 - 7 minutes - 3.42 MBToday, Les, Jamil, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow Morgan Viña discuss how a dozen gang members were lynched by ordinary Haitians who were fed up with the gangland violence that has engulfed their country. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for an international peacekeeping force, saying that the violence is comparable to countries in armed conflict. Why is President Biden ignoring Haiti? Who should take the lead in forming an international peacekeeping force? Wi...
Episode 214: Sudan Crisis: Americans Remain At Risk
May 01, 2023 15:45 - 7 minutes - 3.65 MBToday, Les, Jamil, and special guest host and NSI Senior Fellow Morgan Viña discuss how ten-thousand Americans citizens and green card holders—many of them dual-U.S. and Sudanese nationals—are currently stuck in the middle of Sudan’s growing civil war with limited routes for escape. What should the U.S. government be doing now about Americans still stranded in Sudan? Why have the Europeans and international orgs, like the U.N., been more effective than the U.S. at getting their people out? ...
Episode 213: Is Nuclear Diplomacy as Easy as American Pie? 🥧
April 28, 2023 16:17 - 9 minutes - 4.16 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss this week’s meeting between President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, during which President Biden promised to include South Korea more substantially in strategic planning in the event of a nuclear conflict with North Korea. What are the consequences of abandoning the notion of a “denuclearized” Korean peninsula? How much of this announcement was about China? How will the regime in Pyongyang respond? Hear our experts debate these issues a...
Episode 212: Hanging Chad
April 26, 2023 15:36 - 8 minutes - 3.75 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss reports stemming from recent intelligence leaks which point to the threats Chad, an important security partner to the U.S., is facing. Documents describe efforts by Russia’s Wagner Group to recruit rebels from Chad and establish a training site for fighters in the neighboring Central African Republic as part of an evolving plot to topple the Chadian government. How widespread and dangerous is the Wagner Group’s presence on the African continent? How can t...
Episode 211: Let’s Go to Syria
April 24, 2023 15:48 - 8 minutes - 3.72 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the Washington Post’s story that Ukraine was planning attacks against Russian forces in Syria. According to documents in the Jack Teixeira leak, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency was considering multiple ways to attack Russian forces in Syria, particularly focused on the Wagner Group, Russia’s mercenary company. Is the Teixeira leak more damaging than we originally assessed? Could expanding the battlefield be beneficial to Ukraine? Should the Biden A...
Episode 210: Corruption and Collective Security
April 21, 2023 15:52 - 6 minutes - 3.06 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s surprise visit to Kiev. During Secretary General Stoltenberg’s visit, he said, “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” his strongest statement about the relationship between Ukraine and NATO since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began nearly 14 months ago. What does the Fault Lines crew think will be Ukraine’s fate with NATO? Will the U.S. partake in a collective defense commitment for Ukraine? Should wartime support to Uk...
Episode 209: The New Peace Club
April 19, 2023 15:57 - 7 minutes - 3.62 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Brazilian President Lula’s recent visit to Beijing and Russian Minister Sergei Lavror's visit to Brazil, and the feather ruffling all of this has caused. When meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, Lula suggested that both Ukraine and Russia were responsible for the conflict, as well as called for China’s territorial integrity to be respected with regards to Taiwan. What do we make of Brazil’s many diplomatic overtures? Is Brazil’s “peace club” actually going t...
Episode 208: Civil War in Sudan?
April 17, 2023 15:45 - 9 minutes - 4.17 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss violence that broke out in Sudan over the weekend. Forces loyal to Sudan’s military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan are battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – who has also has ties to Russian military forces, including the Wagner Group. Are there U.S. interests at stake? What should the U.S. response be? Should the U.S. be worried about Sudanese ties to China and Russia? Hear our experts debate these issu...
Episode 207: Spying Amongst Friends
April 14, 2023 15:54 - 8 minutes - 4.11 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the cache of leaked documents that revealed a range of highly classified information from the U.S. government, including that we spied extensively on our allies, including nations like South Korea and Israel. Are world leaders surprised by intel found in the latest leaks? Should we continue or refrain from ally surveillance? How do we prevent more intel leaks in the future? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minutes on our late...
Episode 206: Macron Unscripted
April 12, 2023 15:07 - 9 minutes - 4.15 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Beijing last week and the interview he gave to reporters during his flight home. In the interview, Macron emphasized the concept of European “strategic autonomy" and punted on the topic of Taiwan. Does Macron speak for other European leaders? Did Macron just make Biden’s job of maintaining support to Ukraine harder? How happy did Macron's interview make the CCP? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in ...
Episode 205: Classified Document Discord
April 10, 2023 15:52 - 9 minutes - 4.35 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the treasure trove of classified documents from the U.S. Government that was first posted on the computer gamer site, “Discord,” and which has now been shared on other platforms, including Twitter, that contains sensitive information about the war in Ukraine, the internal deliberations of the Israeli intelligence service, the activities of the Wagner Group in Africa, and more. Is there a pattern in these leaks of classified information? Was there a politi...
Episode 204: Chip Wars Heat Up in China
April 07, 2023 15:48 - 8 minutes - 3.8 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the Chinese government’s recent announcement that it would conduct a “cybersecurity review” of Micron Technology, a leading U.S.-based memory chip maker, ostensibly to ensure that its computer infrastructure supply chain was protected against foreign threats. How is this going to affect trade between China and the U.S.? Does the Fault Lines crew think this is a move by China to prove they can play the trade restrictions game? How far are the U.S. and Chin...
Episode 203: Saudi’s Broken Nuclear Light Switch
April 05, 2023 16:01 - 8 minutes - 3.83 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Saudi Arabia’s continued push and look to the U.S. for help developing a nuclear energy program even as they resist U.S. conditions for support. However, while Saudi Arabia has been trying to renew talks with the U.S., Saudi officials are also exploring options to work with other countries, including China and Russia. What does the Fault Lines crew think of Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions? Do we believe that they have nuclear weapons ambitions? Do we thi...
Episode 202: AUMF: Repealing from the Middle East?
April 03, 2023 18:58 - 8 minutes - 3.98 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the Senate’s recent vote to repeal two Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMFs). One, from 1991, authorized the original Persian Gulf War to push Iraq out of Kuwait. The second, from 2002, authorized the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq over weapons of mass destruction that were never found. Are either of the 1991 or 2002 AUMFs still necessary? Does this impact the President's ability to act? Does the vote represent a Congressional willingness for ...
Episode 201: Nukes in Belarus: Return of The 80s?
March 31, 2023 15:52 - 7 minutes - 3.23 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that Russia would be placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a neighboring country and ally of Russia. Is there anything the U.S. should do about the Russian deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus? Will Putin’s nuclear weapons storage facility even come to fruition? Or is this another stunt by Putin to attempt to divide allies? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10 minutes on...
Episode 200: The Week-long Bandaid
March 29, 2023 15:45 - 8 minutes - 3.81 MBToday, on the 200th episode of Fault Lines, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Vice President Kamala Harris’s week-long tour of Africa – visiting Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia. Harris is the highest-ranking Biden administration official to visit Africa so far. What do we think African leaders make of VP Harris’s visit? Do African leaders think that they can remain neutral in the growing U.S.-China geopolitical divide? What can the U.S. do to strengthen ties on the continent? Hear our experts debat...
Episode 199: Fighting in Syria!
March 27, 2023 15:55 - 9 minutes - 4.35 MBToday, Jess, Les, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Ambassador at the UN, discuss the self-detonating drone that struck a U.S. facility in northeast Syria and killed an American military contractor, as well as injured five U.S. troops and a second contractor. In retaliation, U.S. F-15 fighter jets from al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar struck locations near Deir el-Zour, targeting the Iran-backed militias believed responsible for the attack. Was t...
Episode 198: Doubling Down on No Limits
March 24, 2023 15:48 - 8 minutes - 3.72 MBToday, Jess, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Ambassador at the UN, discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The autocratic leaders met to reaffirm and expand upon the key tenets of their “no limits” partnership. What, if anything, can the U.S. do to break up this partnership? Should the Russia threat and China threat be viewed as one and the same? How will China’s and Rus...
Episode 197: Neighborly Election Meddling
March 22, 2023 15:51 - 8 minutes - 4.08 MBToday, Jess is joined by special guest hosts NSI Fellow Morgan Viña and NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser to discuss the leaked reports from Canadian intelligence sources that detail alleged attempts by China to interfere in the last two federal Canadian elections. Why should Americans care about election interference happening in our neighbor to the north? Will we see a hardening in Canada’s China policy? Does the Fault Lines crew think we’ll see Canada becoming more active in the national sec...
Episode 196: I(don’t)C Putin’s Arrest
March 20, 2023 15:53 - 7 minutes - 3.43 MBToday, Jess is joined by special guest hosts NSI Fellow Morgan Viña and NSI Senior Fellow Andy Keiser to discuss how the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that the Kremlin is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. How do these ICC charges affect the Kremlin’s global movements? Will the ICC’s arrest warrants actually deter world leaders from interacting with a ...
Episode 195: TikTok Don’t Stop?
March 17, 2023 15:49 - 8 minutes - 3.84 MBToday, Jess, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss how the Biden Administration and Congress is tackling TikTok, the highly popular Chinese-owned social media app. What are the national security concerns revolving around TikTok? Is the White House on the brink of banning the app? Does the one-third of the U.S. population using TikTok understand its risks? Hear our experts debate these issues and more in less than 10...
Episode 194: Dunkin' Drones
March 15, 2023 15:52 - 8 minutes - 3.72 MBToday, Les, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss the recent collision between two Russian fighter jets and a U.S. drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, forcing the U.S. to bring the MQ-9 Reaper drone down in international water and intentionally ditch the drone in the ocean. How should the U.S. respond to this incident? Should there be serious consequences for Russia causing damage to U.S. military equipment? Does the...
Episode 193: China Brokers Peace!
March 13, 2023 15:50 - 8 minutes - 3.78 MBToday, Les, Jamil, and special guest host Morgan Viña, NSI Fellow and JINSA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, discuss China’s recent “diplomatic breakthrough” with Iran and Saudi Arabia. The two Middle Eastern, oil-producing nations will ostensibly resume diplomatic relations under an agreement facilitated by the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. Is it a good thing that China is brokering peace deals? Does the Fault Lines crew think China’s diplomatic efforts are likely to fail? Wha...
Episode 192: Global Threats: What’s Real and What’s Not
March 10, 2023 16:46 - 9 minutes - 4.34 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the release of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2023 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA), a yearly report that lays out what the IC thinks are the critical challenges facing our nation in the year ahead. What are the major differences between the ODNI’s 2022 ATA and 2023 ATA? Does the ODNI’s ATA contain any surprises? Does the Fault Lines crew think the ODNI’s ATA report is too politicized? Hear our experts debate these issues and more i...
Episode 191: Kidnapping Aftermath: A Militarized Mexico?
March 08, 2023 16:46 - 9 minutes - 4.24 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the kidnapping and deaths of Americans who crossed the U.S./Mexico border on Friday and, who, within hours, were abducted by gunmen. Two of them were killed before the two others were rescued Tuesday. Is a more militarized presence and a stricter travel advisory necessary in the aftermath of this kidnapping? Should cartels be labeled as terrorist organizations? How will this impact U.S./Mexico border relations moving forward? Hear our experts debate thes...
Episode 190: Havana Syndrome: More than Coincidence?
March 06, 2023 16:51 - 8 minutes - 4.06 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Havana Syndrome, a mysterious ailment that has caused dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, cognitive difficulties and memory loss among U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers. Last week, after a years-long assessment, a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concluded that it is very ‘unlikely’ that people experiencing symptoms were targeted and sickened by a clandestine enemy. How worried should American officials be ...
Episode 189: North Korea Starves. Again.
March 03, 2023 16:46 - 8 minutes - 3.81 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the current hunger crisis in North Korea. Reports indicate that over 40% of North Koreans are facing malnutrition and hunger, and North Korea has asked the World Food Program for help. How should the United States respond to the hunger crisis in North Korea? Will North Korea allow more of the international community to help feed its people? What role does China and Russia's support of North Korea play in all this? Hear our experts debate these issues an...
Episode 188: The House Tackles China
March 01, 2023 16:45 - 10 minutes - 4.6 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss the new House Select Committee on China’s first public hearing, which aired last night in prime time. This first hearing set the table for what is likely to be a year or two of Congressional focus on China and laid out the multitude of threats posed by the country. How much should the U.S. prioritize the competition with China? How far should the U.S. go in decoupling economically from China? How can Congress get the American public to pay attention to th...
Episode 187: A Deepening China-Russia Alliance
February 27, 2023 17:11 - 8 minutes - 3.96 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss recent headlines about China's consideration of providing lethal military assistance to Russia - including statements from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. However, on Sunday, the U.S. made clear there is no evidence that China has already provided lethal aid. How concerned is the Fault Lines crew that China may come to Russia’s aid? What will the Biden Administration do about China’s relationship with Russia?...
Episode 186: New START of Arms Race?
February 24, 2023 16:49 - 9 minutes - 4.24 MBToday, Les, Jess, and Jamil discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent announcement that Moscow would “suspend” its participation in the New START treaty, a nuclear nonproliferation agreement entered into in 2011 that puts limits on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads deployed by the U.S. and Russia. Is Putin playing nuclear games? Will Russia still abide by the the treaty’s limitations? Does the Fault Lines crew think the U.S. is headed towards ano...