Front Burner

Jeremy Bowen, BBC international editor and longtime Middle East correspondent; Jonathan Landay, skeptical national security reporter known for probing WMD claims; Jane Arraf, seasoned Middle East correspondent with deep Iraq reporting. They compare Iraq 2003 and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, probe how intelligence and rhetoric were used, examine coalition legitimacy and regional fallout, and warn about unintended long-term consequences.

Brett Forrester, CBC Indigenous reporter who uncovered declassified RCMP racial intelligence files, discusses covert surveillance of Indigenous leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. He outlines how informants, phone taps and provocateurs infiltrated political groups. He also covers legal gaps, institutional fallout and how those programs echo in today’s Crown-Indigenous relations.

Peter Kornbluh, senior analyst at the National Security Archive and Cuba expert, guides a lively tour of U.S.–Cuba relations. He traces 19th-century ambitions, the Platt Amendment and Guantanamo, Batista and Castro’s rise, the Bay of Pigs and missile standoff, Cuba’s global role, and the swing from Obama’s rapprochement to recent hardline rhetoric.

Ellen Thomas, an investigative reporter at Business Insider who has tracked the AI data centre boom, discusses the scale and lifespan of massive server farms. She covers water and power strain, why AI cooling uses so much water, local pushback and cancelled projects, and hidden environmental costs like wetlands loss and backup fuel emissions.

Tyler McBrien, managing editor at Lawfare and OSINT writer, digs into how civilians use satellite photos, flight radars, social media and AI dashboards to monitor Iran. He traces OSINT’s origins, shows where it succeeds and where it misleads, and explores how prediction markets and tech shape incentives and risks around remote monitoring.

Hillary Dudding, a criminal defence lawyer focused on pretrial detention and plea pressure; Nader Hassan, defence counsel who handled a high-profile bail case and critiques political backlash; Mike Murray, former Crown attorney with decades of prosecutorial experience. They discuss how bail decisions are made, political pressure and reform proposals, costs of pretrial detention, and possible impacts of Bill C-14.

Aaron Ettinger, a Carleton University political science professor focused on international security, breaks down the Iran–U.S. standoff. He explains why allies balk at military action. He outlines what reopening the Strait of Hormuz would require, Iran’s leverage, and the diplomatic and escalation risks. He also considers possible multinational paths and China’s potential broker role.

David A. Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic known for deep political reporting, explains the risks to U.S. elections. He outlines rhetoric treating midterms as existential, federal moves that raise alarm, and plans to reshape election administration. Conversations cover conspiracy durability, raids and legal maneuvers, and fears of nationalizing or militarizing voting.

Rania Abouzeid, Beirut-based journalist with over two decades covering Middle East conflicts, paints a vivid picture of Lebanon under fire. She recounts life amid airstrikes and displacement. She traces Hezbollah’s rise, its military and social roles. She explores why violence escalated now and what paths — from armed resistance to fraught diplomacy — might lie ahead.

David Smith, Washington bureau chief for The Guardian, provides sharp analysis of Pete Hegseth, a former TV host turned defense secretary. He dissects Hegseth’s bellicose rhetoric, media battles, Christian nationalist framing, and role as a telegenic amplifier rather than strategic leader. The conversation also covers Pentagon culture shifts, press restrictions, and potential effects on troop morale.