The Un-Diplomatic Podcast

While America's war in Iran slides into higher casualties and greater costs, most of the world remains distracted from America's illegal blockade of Cuba--an act of war. Why the oil crisis is going to fuel a food crisis, which is going to sow revolutionary conditions around the world. How imperialism does and doesn't help explain the US bombing a dairy farm in Ecuador. Pete Hegseth's pastor praying for the death of Texas senate candidate James Talarico signals a wave of far right violence that will confront the victories of left populist democrats in 2026 and 2028. Tracking the latest in the Iran war reveals just how much we're experiencing epistemic collapse--did Iran even fire missiles at Diego Garcia? And who pays for war?  Subscribe to the Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.com/  Watch Un-Diplomatic Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@un-diplomaticpodcast  Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the individuals and not of any institutions.

Free episode crossover with The Bang-Bang Podcast! You might know Morgan Spector as the critically acclaimed leading man in The Gilded Age and The Plot Against America. Or for his appearances in Boardwalk Empire, Suits, Homeland, How to Make It In America (one of Van’s favorites), or even as a producer on The Big Scary “S” Word. What you might not know is that Morgan is both an impressive critic of policy and an advocate for democratic socialism. We invited Morgan on to talk about Independence Day (1996), a delicious conversation that’s next in our queue. But we also recorded an in-depth installment of “Politics Behind the Scenes,” our occasional side-convos with guests about the urgent real-world issues of the day. In this special episode, Morgan chops it up with Van Jackson  and Lyle Rubin about: Meaningful anti-imperialist positions on Russia’s war with Ukraine; The illegal war in Iran is also evil; Nationalizing the defense industry and taking the profits out of war; How we might envision a peace economy; Why we all love Graham Platner; The Israel problem in US foreign policy; Why we’re bullish on electoral leftism; and How the Democratic Party has shit the bed so bad that left populists have a real opportunity to takeover the party from within. A lot going on here. You don’t want to miss this episode with one of Hollywood’s best political minds. Subscribe to The Bang-Bang Podcast: https://www.bangbangpod.com/ Subscribe to The Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.com Catch The Un-Diplomatic Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@un-diplomaticpodcast

Why the Iran war is creating a global financial crisis. Why China doesn't want global hegemony, but if it did, now is the best time imaginable. Signs of American hegemonic decline. And Joe Kent's resignation from the Trump administration and how to read it in light of anti-semitism. Van Jackson and Matt Duss chopping up all that and more in this episode. Subscribe to the Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.com/  Watch Un-Diplomatic Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@un-diplomaticpodcast  Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the individuals and not of any institutions.

What is the US shortage of standoff weapons? What's Iran's strategy? Why are missile defense systems moving from South Korea to the Middle East? And why is it wrong to believe that war with Iran comes at the expense of war with China? Can the US even defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion? In this episode live from the Kapiti Coast, Dr. Van Jackson analyzes the latest in the US and Israeli war with Iran and what it means for the balance of power in Asia. Subscribe to the Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.com/  Watch Un-Diplomatic Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@un-diplomaticpodcast  Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the individuals and not of any institutions.

Maddy Crowell, freelance journalist who covered techno-industrialism for Harper's Magazine. She unpacks the push to revive U.S. manufacturing using AI and rearmament. Conversations cover movement leaders, gender dynamics, labor visibility, VC and defense ties, China framing, and whether a weapons-driven industrial revival can be redirected toward peaceful, equitable priorities.

Live from the coast, a scholar lays out how regional power politics shape the conflict with Iran. He describes strategies meant to weaken Iran’s social and state structures. The talk links the war to signs of imperial decline and shortages in military capacity. It also connects a permanent war economy to oligarchy and social control. Tensions are expected to escalate with heavy costs.

A breakdown of recent Joint Staff dismissals and how social media and AI are policing military officers. A look at US munitions shortages and what they reveal about capitalism and the permanent war economy. Discussion of AI companies, Pentagon pressure, and war games where chatbots favor nuclear escalation. An examination of party ties to defense contractors and the risks of military-AI entanglement.

A deep dive into a progressive foreign policy vision linking anti-oligarch economics and anti-fascism to international strategy. Tense buildup and legal risks of a looming U.S. confrontation with Iran are outlined. The Democratic Party’s identity crisis is examined through recent polling and focus-group signals. Tech labor pushback and a clash over AI’s use in military operations are explored.

David Cortright, peace activist and scholar who co-founded Win Without War, shares an oral history of antiwar movements. He traces activism from Vietnam to SANE and the Iraq protests. He explores how grassroots pressure shaped policy, the rise of militarism, and the need for a new generation of peace activism linked to democracy and justice.

A field recording from New Zealand interrogates why American power is waning. The conversation rejects shallow labels and argues for imperialism as the deeper cause. Primitive accumulation, resource seizure, and dispossession are spotlighted as drivers of modern statecraft. Geopolitical rivalry, profit-driven seizure, and the risks of a declining empire are explored in short, sharp segments.