The Burn Bag Podcast

On this week's What in the World, A’ndre chatted with Tahra Jirari, Director of Economic Analysis at the Chamber of Progress, on the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles and the urgent need for systemic reform. A'ndre and Tahra talked about the unprecedented scale of destruction caused by the wildfires, and why Tahra believes they have been exacerbated by regulatory hurdles, housing policies, and insufficient wildfire prevention efforts. Tahra explained how frameworks like the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other regulations have inadvertently slowed crucial wildfire prevention projects, contributing to the crisis. Tahra outlined some of her policy recommendations, emphasizing the need for reforms to CEQA, fire-resistant construction mandates, and proactive wildfire prevention programs to address the growing risks. She also explored why urban neighborhoods tend to be more fire-resistant than suburban areas, the role of housing policy in pushing development into high-risk zones, and the implications of Proposition 103 for California’s insurance market. Tahra advocated for an Operation Warp Speed-style initiative to tackle the wildfire crisis in Los Angeles, integrating innovative solutions and regulatory reforms to build long-term resilience.You can read Tahra's Medium op-ed, where she outlines her recommendations, here.

This episode is the second in a two-parter in collaboration with the Climate Migration Council, to highlight the Council's recent position statement on the linkages between security, climate change, and human migration.In December, A’ndre hosted Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate and Security and a former Deputy Director on the National Intelligence Council, for a discussion on the national security implications of climate migration. The conversation centered on a new statement from the Climate Migration Council, co-authored by Sikorsky and prominent figures such as Leon Panetta, Michael Chertoff, Michael Morell, and Sharon Burke. The statement outlines urgent recommendations to address the security risks of climate change-driven displacement, including expanding the definition of security, investing in resilience, adopting anticipatory migration policies, and integrating climate migration into risk assessments.You can listen to A'ndre's conversation last week with Secretary Michael Chertoff on climate migration here.

This episode is the first in a two-parter in collaboration with the Climate Migration Council, to highlight the Council's recent position statement on the linkages between security, climate change, and human migration.This week, A’ndre welcomed former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to discuss the intersection of climate change, human migration, and national security. Reflecting on his experiences during the federal response to the 2007 California wildfires, Secretary Chertoff compared them to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, highlighting surprises from the current crisis and offering insights on preventing similar disasters in the future. He also explored how human migration is manifesting in the context of the fires and could do so in similar scenarios. The conversation delved into the DHS’s role in managing natural disasters, immigration, and countering threats like arson and terrorism exacerbated by climate change. Secretary Chertoff emphasized the need for bipartisan support to address climate risks, enhance community resilience, and adopt a holistic approach to these interconnected challenges.You can listen to A'ndre's 2023 conversation with Secretary Chertoff on climate migration here.

RE-RELEASE: This episode was originally released in April 2024. The TikTok ban took effect late Saturday night, but may be revoked by President-elect Trump.This week, A'ndre is joined by Lindsay Gorman, the Managing Director & Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s GMF Tech, to delve into the controversies surrounding TikTok and its implications for national security. Lindsay sheds light on ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, and discusses the concerns surrounding its data storage practices. A'ndre and Lindsay explore the concept of data sovereignty and discuss whether China can access ByteDance's data at will, and why it's different from how the U.S. Government engages with U.S.-based social media companies. Lindsay outlines the types of user data TikTok gathers, and touches upon how China can exploit this collected data. The conversation extends to China's history of leveraging social media platforms for targeting dissenters and the workings of TikTok's algorithms in content recommendation -- particularly with regards to misinformation and polarization. Lindsay offers insights into the likelihood of a TikTok divestiture (and why it's not a ban), legal challenges it might face, and the possibility of a U.S.-based firm acquiring TikTok. The discussion concludes with an examination of China's reaction to the scrutiny, and what Lindsay sees as the biggest myths surrounding TikTok.CORRECTION: A'ndre referenced a dispute between the FBI and Apple, incorrectly attributing it to the Boston Bombing investigation, when in actuality it was the 2015 San Bernardino Terror Attack

On Friday, A’ndre chatted with Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, a presidential historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, to explore President Jimmy Carter’s presidential and post-presidential foreign policy legacy following his passing at age 100. The discussion began by addressing public reactions to Carter’s death and why the dichotomy of a “failed presidency but outstanding post-presidency” is misleading. Dr. Chervinsky highlighted Carter’s foreign policy achievements, including the Camp David Accords, normalization of relations with China, handling of the Cold War, and the Panama Canal Treaty, as well as Carter's difficulties in dealing with the Iranian Hostage Crisis and inflation.They examined Carter’s presidency in the context of the geopolitical landscape of the late 1970s and his approach to diplomacy, contrasting his administration with the subsequent Reagan era. The conversation also touched on Carter’s post-presidential influence on foreign policy through the Carter Center and drew parallels between his legacy redefinition and that of John Quincy Adams.

On January 2nd, A'ndre sat down with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (2019-2020) to discuss key security challenges facing the United States in 2025 and the Department of Defense's preparedness in addressing them. They began their conversation with a focus on the Middle East, analyzing the aftermath of Assad's ouster and the HTS takeover in Syria, exploring the potential regional consequences of these developments. Secretary Esper also shared his insights on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and explained why he believes Iran is weaker than previously thought.The discussion then shifted to U.S.-China relations, with Secretary Esper offering his assessment on why the U.S. must do more to deter China in both security and economic spheres. A'ndre and Secretary Esper also delved into the state of innovation within the Department of Defense, examining the effectiveness of innovation initiatives in the U.S. Armed Forces. Secretary Esper reflected on his experience establishing Army Futures Command during his time as Secretary of the Army and discussed the challenges facing the U.S. defense industrial base, including potential munitions shortages related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.The conversation concluded with A'ndre asking Secretary Esper about Ukraine's struggles on the battlefield against Russia, why a negotiated settlement appears increasingly likely, and some of the overlooked threats facing the incoming Trump administration.You can find Secretary Esper's auto-biography, A Sacred Oath, here.

Retired General David Petraeus, former CIA director and military strategist, dives into the evolution of warfare since 1945. He analyzes shifts from nuclear strategies to guerrilla tactics and unmanned systems, emphasizing lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan. Petraeus offers insights on the unique aspects of the Ukraine conflict, with its blend of traditional and modern tactics. He reflects on military ethics, particularly in Gaza, and advises future leaders on prioritizing the Indo-Pacific region for global security. His expertise paints a vivid picture of contemporary military challenges.

On Thursday, Israel announced that it had killed Hamas' de facto leader Yahya Sinwar near Rafah, a significant development for the ongoing War in Gaza. A'ndre chatted with his old friend and mentor Javed Ali, former Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the U.S. National Security Council, about his reactions to the development and what it could mean for the broader crisis in the Middle East. Javed compares the killing of Sinwar to the elimination of Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, contrasting what effect those leadership deaths could have on both organizations. A'ndre and Javed also discuss whether the outlook for the military campaign will change in the days ahead, and if there could be a spike in potential lone wolf terror attacks.

In this re-release of our popular episode from October 2021 (excuse the old theme music!), A'ndre and Ryan speak with George Will, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author, on what it means to practice a 'conservative' foreign policy. Dr. Will, who has published a twice-weekly column in The Washington Post since 1974, provides his definition of what it means to be conservative, discussing the intellectual conservative movement that prospered in the post-war era. He then goes into his views on what a conservative foreign policy actually means, why Reagan and Eisenhower were exemplars of it, and why Donald Trump was not, in his view, conservative. Distinguishing between conservatism and neoconservatism, Dr. Will discusses why he believes liberal internationalism is 'armed humanitarianism',  and the mistakes made in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. Touching on recent events in the news, Dr. Will talks the U.S.-China rivalry, and his thoughts on the Intelligence Community and the equation of whether security trumps freedoms. We close out the conservation with a short conversation on Dr. Will's new book, American Happiness and Discontents: The Unruly Torrent, 2008-2020, and why Dr. Will abhors denim. Yes, denim.

This week, A'ndre welcomes a unique guest: The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Some of our audience may recall Bishop Curry's captivating sermon during the 2018 Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. He has been an outspoken advocate on various social and political issues, discussing the Episcopal Church's role in policy advocacy amid rising toxicity in discussions about religion and politics.Bishop Curry addresses the church's unique stance on LGBTQ+ rights and reflects on the divisions within the global Anglican communion, particularly regarding Uganda's severe penalties for LGBTQ+ individuals. He also shares his perspective on the ongoing conflict in Gaza and how he approaches conversations about it, given the region's significance to the three major Abrahamic religions.A'ndre and the Bishop conclude the episode with a discussion on Christian Nationalism, where Bishop Curry offers strong critiques of the concept.