This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler
Podmasters
Exploring threats to global stability from Ukraine to China to the Middle East with host Gavin Esler – former BBC News presenter, Washington correspondent and host of Newsnight – plus Ukraine-based war reporter Oz Katerji and independent conflict analyst Emma Beals. This Is Not A Drill dives deep into the dangers, corruption, conflicts, disinformation, rivalries and ruthless realpolitik that are making our world ever more dangerous.Support This Is Not A Drill on Patreon from just £3 per month to get each episode early plus bonus material and exclusive merchandise. From Podmasters, the team behind Oh God, What Now?, Paper Cuts and The Bunker.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 26, 2026 • 32min
Iran vs. the Gulf – Is there any going back to normal?
Alison Minor, director at the Atlantic Council who studies Middle East integration, breaks down the Gulf crisis. She explores why the UAE was targeted and how Gulf states balance military limits with non‑kinetic responses. She discusses proxy warfare, risks to shipping and oil, and the strain on mediators and regional alliances.
Mar 19, 2026 • 30min
Trump says he wants to end the Iran war. Can he?
Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, offers expert analysis on Iran and regional security. She discusses the dynamics of the Iran conflict, limits of decapitation strategies, Gulf states' dilemmas, the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz, and who might broker or benefit from a settlement. Short, sharp takes on the regional stakes and diplomatic constraints.
Mar 13, 2026 • 32min
Despatch from Beirut – Oz Katerji reports as Trump's Iran war rocks the Middle East
Karim Safieddine, Lebanese political writer and organiser, guides listeners through Lebanon’s mounting humanitarian crisis and political unraveling. He describes mass displacement, shortages and grassroots relief efforts. He examines shifting Shia attitudes toward Hezbollah, questions about disarmament, and what leadership and economic change might replace militia power.
Mar 5, 2026 • 30min
Trump's Iran doom spiral – Where does this end?
Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Middle East security expert at RUSI, explains Iran's strategy and regional ripple effects. She outlines recent strikes and retaliation. She explores internal survival, succession risks, and why any new leadership would need U.S. cooperation. She warns how Iran's actions could push Gulf states closer to the U.S. and raise the danger of a prolonged conflict.
Mar 2, 2026 • 30min
Trump’s deadly Iran gamble – Emergencycast with Paul Salem in Beirut
Paul Salem, senior fellow and founder of the Carnegie Middle East Center, offers expert analysis on regional security. He explains why the strike came now and weighs US aims of regime change against Israel’s push for destruction. He maps proxy responses across the region and explores Iran’s institutional resilience and the risks of chaos if the country is dismantled.
Feb 26, 2026 • 30min
Does Putin really think he can still win in Ukraine?
Samuel Greene, Professor of Russian politics at King’s College London, explains Kremlin strategy and the war in Ukraine. He discusses the slow battlefield stalemate and attacks on civilian infrastructure. He outlines shifting Kremlin objectives, Russia’s manpower and economic strains, risks around fragile negotiations, and hybrid threats to Europe.
Feb 19, 2026 • 25min
Friend or foe? – Do Rubio's words in Munich change anything for Europe?
Dr. Liana Fix, senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains shifts in US‑European relations and the Munich Security Conference mood. She contrasts Marco Rubio's conciliatory tone with prior provocations. They explore Greenland's fallout, rising European defence spending, and the limits of transnational far‑right alliances. Conversation probes whether Europe can build defence strategies independent of the US.
Feb 12, 2026 • 31min
AI vs. The World – Can we handle the threats of artificial intelligence?
Alex Hern, Technology and AI journalist at The Economist, offers sharp analysis of AI’s spread into everyday life. He discusses AI as infrastructure, hallucinations and verification risks, deepfakes and visual persuasion, military uses from logistics to autonomy, job and labor shifts, global US–China dynamics, environmental strain, and the knotty challenge of regulation.
Feb 5, 2026 • 23min
The Winter War — How Ukraine is facing Russia’s cruelty
Oz Katerji, Kyiv-based conflict reporter who provides on-the-ground analysis of the war in Ukraine. He describes life in an Arctic winter with damaged power infrastructure. He explains which household services still work and unequal impacts across the city. He discusses morale under terror bombing, slipping global attention, winter frontlines, and prospects for spring offensives and negotiations.
Jan 29, 2026 • 35min
Xi's world – Will China control the future?
Elizabeth Economy, political scientist and Hoover Institution fellow, explains how China is pushing into frontier domains from the Arctic and deep seabed to space and the internet. She outlines Beijing’s strategic use of commerce, rule-making and technology. Short, sharp takes on rare earths, renminbi ambitions, Taiwan risks and China’s internal limits.
