Tom Stevenson

Tom Stevenson & Tariq Ali discuss the myth of Britain as a global player and its subservience to the United States. They delve into topics such as Britain's relationship with the US, the actions of Israel and the US in Gaza and Iraq, the geopolitical importance of the Persian Gulf, and the decline of the British Empire. They also touch on foreign policy, the American decline, and domestic politics in the US.

Laleh Khalili, academic on global finance and technology, Patrick Cockburn, veteran Middle East correspondent, and Tom Stevenson, LRB editor and military-warfare specialist, discuss US tactics after 9/11. They tackle sanctions and financial warfare, US interventions from Venezuela to the Gulf, shifting alliances, erosion of civil liberties at home, and how grassroots resistance responds to state power.

In this engaging discussion, Tom Stevenson, a contributing editor at the London Review of Books, unpacks the Treasury's shift towards financial statecraft post-9/11 and the complex challenges of tracing al-Qaeda's finances. Alex de Waal, director of the World Peace Foundation, delves into the humanitarian crises caused by sanctions, framing starvation as a political weapon. They highlight the tragic consequences of financial policies on vulnerable populations, including the devastating famine in Somalia, and explore the implications of these strategies on global finance and humanitarian efforts.

Tom Stevenson and Iona Craig discuss the challenges facing the next foreign secretary in the UK, from Gaza to a possible Trump presidency. They question Labour's promise of 'Blair without the Iraq War' and how it may impact UK's foreign policy. The podcast explores global power shifts, Britain's role in the Middle East, and the complexities of implementing an ethical foreign policy.

Tom Stevenson, a contributing editor at the LRB and author, delves into the overlooked Tigray War in Ethiopia. He discusses Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s role in the brutal civil war despite his Nobel Peace Prize recognition. The conversation highlights the international indifference to the humanitarian crisis and the historical context shaped by colonial influences. Stevenson also explores Ethiopia's geopolitical ambitions for access to the Red Sea, revealing the complexities of external influences and local aspirations in a turbulent region.