The DSR Network

There is good news in America--from progress in getting relief to Americans wracked by COVID and its economic aftershocks to slowly getting a new government in place including, finally, the confirmation of Attorney General Merrick Garland. Where do we go from here though in securing the country and fixing our broken politics. We speak with two veterans of the Trump Administration who broke away to challenge it, former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Neumann and former Mike Pence senior staffer Olivia Troye. Don't miss it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a speech outlining the priorities of Biden-Harris Administration foreign policy. It differed from past such speeches in focus, tone and objectives. It described an approach in which, in the words of Blinken, the distinctions between foreign and domestic policy have "fallen away." It was also showed more humility and awareness that America had much work to do to repair our own democracy, immigration policies, and relationships around the world if we are to be successful. We discuss the speech and its implications with Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute, Rosa Brooks of Georgetown University Law School and Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations. We also begin with some observations on International Women's Day. Don't miss it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weren't we supposed to get a break from being angry at DC? At the political inanity? The recklessness? The law breaking with impunity? Sure its the same old people being inane and reckless and breaking the law but even with Democrats in charge in the White House and in both houses of Congress, progress is painfully hard to come by, setbacks are frequent, Republicans seem disciplined and Democrats can't get together around core ideas. Or can they? Are there glimmers of hope? Patterns or opportunities that should trigger a little more optimism? We discuss with Greg Sargent of the Washington Post, Dr. Kavita Patel, of the Brookings Institution and formerly of the Obama White House and Ryan Goodman, professor at NYU Law School and co-editor of "Just Security." Join us. You might feel better.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deep State Radio listeners know Rosa Brooks as one of our founding regulars, a scholar on constitutional and international law and a national security expert. But for the past few years she has served as a police officer in Washington, DC and has written about her experiences and the lessons we can all draw from them in a new book, "Tangled Up in Blue: Policing the American City." It is an extraordinarily well-observed story that raises urgently important questions. Rosa joins us on this podcast to discuss the book and answer listener questions. Don't miss it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ISIS was as unstoppable as their beliefs and actions were unconscionable when they arrived in Kobani. But there they were defeated by a force that not only outfought them on the battlefield but simultaneously obliterated their eleventh century ideology of the suppression and abuse of women. It was an army led in part by women, featuring fierce, capable women fighters many of whom just months earlier could hardly have imagined the circumstances that led to their triumph. Subsequently, the women of the Kurdish Women's Protection Units went on to many other victories and to win the admiration of military leaders and advocates of women's empowerment worldwide. Their story has been captured by best-selling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon in a new book, "The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage and Justice." It is an inspiring book, an important book and hopefully a book that will help change America's woefully bad policies toward the Kurds. We discuss it and those policies with Lemmon in a special edition of the podcast. Don't miss it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Biden Administration released the official conclusion that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. It also detailed a host of measures to penalize the Saudis. Critics were unhappy there were no direct penalties for MBS. But the administration made it clear to the Saudis that the free ride they were getting with Donald Trump was over. Importantly, it all appeared to be part of a well-thought out broader Middle East policy that has regional analysts commenting that not only is Biden no Trump, he's also learned the lessons of the Obama years and is approaching things differently--in a good way. We discuss with Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Forty-Year Rivalry That Unraveled Culture, Religion and Collective Memory in the Middle East, Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute and David Sanger of the NY Times. Join us.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the 9/11 Commission was formed in the wake of the Al Qaeda attacks on the US, the current was united in grief and anger but politically polarized and it was very difficult to find a path forward that would be credible and an effective driver of reform. But the divisions of the early 2000s were nothing compared to what we have today and the problem is compounded by the active culpability one political party has in both of the issues that demand investigation. So, how do we get to accountability today? We discuss this question with former 9/11 Commissioner, former Indiana congressman Tim Roemer as well as Ryan Goodman of NYU Law School and "Just Security" and Dr. Kavita Patel of the Brookings Institution and former senior Obama White House staffer. Join us.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The US has seen its influence plummet during the past four years as our president made everything including foreign policy about himself. That changed in an instant when Joe Biden was elected president, but now we must come to grips with the fact that in many areas our international and national security policies are woefully out of step with the times. Where should we go next on cyber policy, on nuclear policy, with China, with Russia, with our relations with the emerging world? We discuss with one of the most thoughtful and intelligent members of the United States Congress, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut. Don't miss his wide-ranging and insightful perspectives.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump introduced the truth-optional, bring your own dysfunction era to American politics and it made for good ratings. Now, he has been replaced by a president who rejects Trump's approaches, his use of social media, his melodrama, his lies and his criming. So, is that a good thing or will it afford Trump to outshine the bully pulpit of the presidency by continuing to often the media the catnip of his bullshit pulpit? We discuss with Politico White House correspondent Natasha Bertrand and NYU Journalism professor Jay Rosen. This is one of our weekly special "Ask the Blob" episodes in which our members get to pose the questions our experts answer. Please join us for this...by becoming a member at thedsrnetwork.com. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Unger's new book American Kompromat details the KGB recruitment of Donald Trump and how a man like Trump can become a valued Russian asset. It can all be legal. It can all be more or less out in the open. And in the end, it can compromise US national interests in profound ways...as it did. It's a fascinating look at the back story of the greatest traitor in American history. Don't miss it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices