American Prestige
American Prestige is a podcast hosted by Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison that covers international affairs and global politics. Each episode provides analysis and context on current events, aiming to give listeners a deeper understanding of what's happening around the world. The show features expert interviews and discussions on topics ranging from foreign policy to geopolitical conflicts.
Episodes
E252 - Hondurasgate and U.S. Power in Latin America w/ José Luis Granados Ceja
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Danny and Derek welcome to the show José Luis Granados Ceja, head of the Latin America desk at DropSite News, for a conversation about the Hondurasgate scandal and U.S. policy in Latin America. They talk about the leaked audio files of the scandal, Juan Orlando Hernandez’s pardon, Marco Rubio’s influence, Cuba, Israel’s role in the region, Honduras’s plac
Special - Iran Retaliates as Israel Escalates in Lebanon (Preview)
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Danny and Derek talk about Iran’s strike on Israel and the risk of a wider regional war, covering Israel’s bombing of Beirut, Iran’s retaliation, Trump’s effort to prevent Israeli escalation, the U.S.-Iran negotiations, and more.
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Bonus - Political Capitalism and Trumpism w/ Dylan John Riley (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome to the podcast sociologist Dylan Riley for a conversation about political capitalism, Trumpism, and the crisis of American capitalism.
They talk about debates over the falling rate of profit and the long downturn; what shapes the capitalist crisis; the rise of asset price inflation, monopolization, and financialization; whether AI and
News - U.S.-Iran Escalation, Israel Expands Lebanon Campaign, CIA Feuds With Intelligence Chief w/ Kate Mackenzie and Tim Sahay
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There’s too much Knickerbocker news to fit here, but we do have other stories to report. This week: Iran and the U.S. exchange fire in the Gulf (2:00), plus peace talks stall after Trump adds new demands (4:29); Israel escalates its Lebanon campaign despite ceasefire talks (08:33); Cambodia takes a Thailand maritime dispute to the UN (15:19); in Sudan, tr
Unlocked: The China Consensus and Trump's Xi Meeting w/ Jake Werner
We unlocked this episode so that everyone could hear this great interview with Jake Werner on China. To get more AP discussions like this, subscribe now!
Danny and Derek are once again joined by Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, this time to talk about the development of the U.S. consensus on China. They delve into the neoliberal
E251 - Disneyland: Cold War Factory w/ Roland Betancourt
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Danny and Derek speak with Roland Betancourt, Chancellor's Professor of Art History at UC Irvine, about Disneyland and the rise of automation in the U.S. They talk about Walt Disney’s move from animation to theme parks, the relationship between amusement parks and industrial production, Cold War technology and Southern California, Disney’s use of automation an
Special - U.S.-Iran Diplomacy and the War in Lebanon w/ Trita Parsi (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Trita Parsi, co-founder and executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, to talk about U.S.-Iran negotiations and the status of the war. They delve into ceasefire talks, Israel’s attack on Lebanon, Iranian concerns about U.S. reliability, sanctions relief, the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s re
Bonus - Great Powers and the Multipolar World w/ Anusar Farooqui (Preview)
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Danny speaks with Anusar Farooqui about the finer points of the emerging multipolar world. They discuss the idea of Iran as a great power, spheres of influence, China and the future of East Asia, the role of India and the European Union in global politics, and more.
Follow Anusar’s work at Policy Tensor.
Read Danny’s piece that they debated, “Power Without
News - Israel Escalates Lebanon Strikes, Taiwan Arms Sale Stalls, Bolivia Protest Crackdown w/ Anthea Gordon
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The AP UFC dome is regrettably being held up by Producer Jake’s HOA. In this week’s news: an update on the U.S.-Iran talks and U.S. airstrikes near Bandar Abbas (1:11); Trump demands new Abraham Accords signatures and threatens Oman over Strait of Hormuz fees (4:46); Israel escalates attacks and pushes displacement further north in Lebanon (11
AP x NonZero - Trump’s Iran War Merry-Go-Round w/ Robert Wright
The bi-monthly podcasting crossover to end all bi-monthly podcasting crossovers is back! Danny, Derek, and Robert Wright of the NonZero Newsletter once again set the record straight.
Subscribe now to AP to get a discounted membership to NonZero!
Part One Video
0:00 Is NonZero or American Prestige the better podcast? AI weighs in4:14 The state of the US-Iran war. Or is it peace?17:52 Has Tr
E250 - The Christian Right Weaponizing Scripture w/ John Fugelsang
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Don’t forget about our weekly livestreams on our YouTube channel, every Wednesday at 8pm ET.
Danny and Derek welcome to the show John Fugelsang, host of Tell Me Everything and author of Separation of Church and Hate, to talk about the rise and influence of right-wing Christianity in the United States. They discuss Christian nationali
Bonus - The Fallout From Ending USAID w/ Caitlin Tulloch (Preview)
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Danny and Derek speak with Caitlin Tulloch, a former USAID economist and GiveDirectly’s head of research, about the destruction of USAID and the future of humanitarian aid. They talk about her work as an economist, USAID’s relationship to American power, the agency’s internal dynamics, the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID, the legal and institutiona
News - Iran Talks Stall, Hezbollah Drones Limit IDF, Cuba Pretexts Build
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Danny and Derek have reconciled with their disappointment in the new Star Wars film and can now bring you the news roundup. This week: in Iran, talks stall as Trump weighs continuing the war (2:00), the Islamic Republic attempts to institutionalize control over the Strait of Hormuz (8:49), and fuel protests spread around the world (13:09); the IDF contin
E249 - Extraction Behind the Green Transition w/ Thea Riofrancos
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show political scientist Thea Riofrancos to talk about the politics of extraction in the global energy transition. They explore the contradictions of green capitalism, the debate over degrowth and abundance, China’s role in lithium battery production, the history of lithium batteries, green industrial policy, U.S. oil and gas powe
Bonus - The China Consensus and Trump’s Xi Meeting w/ Jake Werner (Preview)
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Danny and Derek are once again joined by Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, this time to talk about the development of the U.S. consensus on China. They delve into the neoliberal engagement with China, the 2008 financial crisis, Xi Jinping’s response, Trump’s first-term China policy, and the Bide
News - Trump-Xi Summit, Iran Ceasefire Breakdown, CIA Mexico Strike
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Danny and Derek fight fake news as they fight their allergies. This week: Trump and Xi meet; Trump rejects Iran’s ceasefire terms (3:09); Gulf states continue strikes against Iran-linked targets (5:53); U.S. intelligence estimates show Iran retains most missiles (8:48); Asian economies cut energy use with fertilizer shortages threatening
E248 - Journalism in the Age of Oligarchy w/ David Sirota
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Danny and Derek speak with David Sirota, founder and EIC of The Lever, about journalism, independent media, and the consolidation of presidential power. They discuss the difference between journalism and media, the attention economy, capitalist media, audience capture, the decline of local news, the Powell Memo, the unitary executive theo
Bonus - Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mother of Failsons and Success Daughters w/ Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters (Preview)
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Keep your eyes peeled for Season 2 of Welcome to the Crusades, our crossover series with Eleanor and Luke, coming soon. For now, enjoy Season 1.
Happy Mother’s Day! Danny and Derek reunite with Eleanor and Luke of We’re Not So Different to talk about the life and legacy of Eleanor of Aquitaine. They discuss Eleanor’s power and wealth, her marriage to Louis VII
Re-Post - Mother Mary’s Day w/ Eleanor Janega
In the first part of our Mother’s Day festivities, we’re unlocking our Mother’s Day episode from 2023 with Eleanor Janega. A new one on Eleanor of Aquitaine is out tomorrow for subscribers, so subscribe now. Enjoy!
Happy Mother’s Day! Danny and Derek welcome Eleanor Janega, co-host of the We’re Not So Different podcast and author of The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Soci
News - Iran Talks Near Deal, Israel Ignores Ceasefires, Cuba Sanctions Expand
Producer Jake regrettably had his pet rat confiscated after an ill-fated cruise. In this week’s news: Iran considers a U.S. peace proposal (1:37), Project Freedom fails in the Strait of Hormuz (7:45), and new details emerge about damage by Iranian strikes on U.S. military sites (11:25); Israel kills civilians in Lebanon (14:53) and targets Gaza police (16:24); U.S.-China tensions rise before Trump
E247 - Radical Liberalism w/ Alex Zakaras
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Danny and Derek welcome to the show Alex Zakaras, professor of political science at the University of Vermont, to talk about the history and future of radical liberalism. They discuss liberalism’s relationship to republicanism, the American liberal tradition, equal freedom, defensive liberalism after 2016, neoliberalism, Cold War liberali
Bonus - After the Liberal International Order w/ Judah Grunstein (Preview)
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Danny and Derek speak with Judah Grunstein, World Politics Review’s editor-at-large, about American power and what a post-unipolar future might look like. They discuss the meaning of the liberal international order, U.S. empire and legitimacy, Trump challenging American primacy, the role of middle powers, China and the European Union, climate change and develop
News - Iran Talks Collapse, UAE Leaves OPEC, Mali Rebels Seize Kidal
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King Charles paid his respects at AP HQ, but was put off by Danny’s pet ferrets. In this week’s news: Iran talks collapse as Trump weighs a blockade and strikes (1:56); the UAE leaves OPEC (7:45); Mali rebels and jihadists seize Kidal (16:49); Derek interviews Alex Thurston about Mali’s escalating rebel offensive and the implications for
E246 - Cold War Liberal Empire w/ Daniel Bessner and Michael Brenes
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Derek speaks with Danny and Mike Brenes about Cold War liberalism, its shaping of the American empire, and more from their new co-edited volume. They talk about the meaning of “Cold War liberalism,” the book’s essays, the relationship between liberalism and mass democracy, emergency politics, the continuity between New Deal liberalism and
Bonus - AI and Silicon Valley Reactionaries w/ Becca Lewis (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Becca Lewis, researcher of right-wing politics in Silicon Valley and online, to talk about the politics of artificial intelligence and Silicon Valley. They discuss AI as a marketing term, large language models, automation and white-collar labor, Silicon Valley’s relationship to the military, Palantir and Peter Thiel, AI
News - Iran Ceasefire Amid Blockade Standoff, Japan Arms Exports Expand, CIA Operatives Die in Mexico
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Danny and Derek will livestream from Route 3 as they take to the World Cup on foot. This week’s news: in Iran, Trump extends the ceasefire after talks fail (1:02), Iran reimposes its Strait of Hormuz blockade (6:05), the Islamic Republic’s leadership rejects unilateral concessions (9:11), and Persian Gulf mines and oil spills threaten com
E245 - Israeli Annexation in the West Bank w/ Oren Ziv
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Danny and Derek welcome to the show Oren Ziv to talk about Israeli settlement expansion and political changes in the West Bank. They discuss the legal and political structure of Areas A, B, and C; the proliferation of settler outposts; displacement of Palestinian communities; state support for settlers; Bezalel Smotrich’s sovereignty plan
Bonus - Politics Without Power w/ Anton Jäger (Preview)
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Danny welcomes back to the show historian Anton Jäger to talk about the decline of mass politics and the rise of hyperpolitics across Europe and the United States. They explore the collapse of parties and unions, the neoliberal turn of the 70s and 80s, the 2008 financial crisis and the decade of protest that followed, social media and political expression,
News - Lebanon Ceasefire, Orbán Loses Hungarian Election, Trump Prepares Cuba Incursion
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Danny and Derek are considering attending the Met Gala. In this week’s news: Iran talks amble along despite U.S. forces building up in the region (1:55); the U.S. blockade restricts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz (9:49); Lebanon and Israel declare a 10-day ceasefire (12:23); Hamas meets U.S. officials in Cairo to advance the talks o
AP x NonZero - Iran and the Demise of US Hegemony
To new listeners: welcome to the greatest bi-monthly crossover in podcasting. Danny, Derek, and Robert Wright of the NonZero Newsletter are back with the most scorching hot of insights.
Subscribe now to AP to get a discounted membership to NonZero!
Part One Video
0:00 Teaser1:02 Trump’s Middle East chaos continues6:04 Is Iran more about America’s hegemony or Israel’s?13:22 Who will win
E244 - The Party of Chaos w/ Paul Heideman
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Danny and Derek welcome to the show writer Paul Heideman to talk about the transformation of the Republican Party from the main party of business interests to a fragmented, personality-driven coalition. They discuss the historical relationship between Republicans and capital, the disorganization of American employers, the political econom
Special - The State of the Ceasefire (Preview)
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Danny and Derek talk about where the ceasefire stands and the U.S. blockade.
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Bonus - Star Wars, Empire, and the Politics of The Phantom Menace w/ Daniel Immerwahr (Preview)
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Danny welcomes back to the show historian Daniel Immerwahr to talk about the political and ideological themes of Star Wars, particularly The Phantom Menace. They discuss George Lucas’s Vietnam War influences and anti-imperial framework; myth and generational conflict in the original trilogy; the rise of intellectual property and Silicon Valley ideology; the shi
News - Israel Bombs Lebanon, Iran Halts Hormuz Traffic, Orban Faces Election Defeat
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Danny “Hollywood” Bessner and Derek “Bethesda” Davison are back with the news. This week: Israel bombs Lebanon and kills hundreds (2:09) as Iran halts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response (5:43); the U.S. and Iran prepare for peace talks in Pakistan (8:26); Trump threatens to resume the war if talks fail (13:02); the Gaza Bo
Special - The Iran Ceasefire (Preview)
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Danny and Derek talk about the announced Iran ceasefire, getting into the terms and uncertainty around the two-week ceasefire, disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and potential tolling, whether Lebanon is included in the agreement, the feasibility of the negotiating demands, internal U.S. political and military tensions, Iranian claims of victory and possible Ch
Why Marx Now? w/ Andrew Hartman
Danny and Derek speak with Andrew Hartman about their new miniseries Marx Prestige and the relevance of Marxist thought in this day and age. They talk about Marxist theories of imperialism, state spending on war versus social welfare, financialization and the shift from wages to assets, automation and AI in relation to labor, the decline of American hegemony, and the relationship between capitalis
E243 - Europe, Iran, and the Transatlantic Relationship w/ Eldar Mamedov
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Danny and Derek welcome to the show Eldar Mamedov, foreign policy expert and non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute, to talk about Europe’s response to the war in Iran. They discuss European support and hesitation toward the US-Israel attack, inconsistencies in international law, shifts in European rhetoric as the war continues, fear
Unlocked: Cuba, Economic Warfare, and the Democratic Party w/ Hasan Piker
Danny and Derek speak with Hasan Piker about his recent trip to Cuba and the broader political moment in the United States. They talk about the Democratic Party’s internal crisis and relationship to the media, his role in intra-party debates, left populism and electoral strategy, the Cuba aid flotilla and the effects of U.S. sanctions, the material impact of the blockade on Cuban society, and the
Bonus - The Medievalist's Guide to Easter w/ Eleanor Janega (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome back Eleanor Janega to discuss the history and meaning of Easter in Christianity. They talk about the centrality of the resurrection in Christian belief, how Easter was understood in early Christianity and the Middle Ages, the relationship between Easter and Passover, debates over the nature of Jesus and the Trinity, the origins of commo
News - Trump Extends Iran War, Israel Expands Lebanon Occupation, Russian Tanker Reaches Cuba
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Derek is monitoring The Situation, so Always at War’s Alex Jordan is back to deliver the news with Danny. This week: Trump extends the Iran war without an exit plan (4:02); the U.S. weighs a commando raid to seize Iranian uranium (10:04); Iran threatens U.S. companies after striking a Kuwaiti tanker (13:17); the Hormuz closure drives shor
Special - Cuba, Economic Warfare, and the Democratic Party w/ Hasan Piker (Preview)
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Danny and Derek speak with Hasan Piker about his recent trip to Cuba and the broader political moment in the United States. They talk about the Democratic Party’s internal crisis and relationship to the media, his role in intra-party debates, left populism and electoral strategy, the Cuba aid flotilla and the effects of U.S. sanctions, the
Marx Prestige, Episode 1: The Civil War and American Capitalism
In lieu of a standard episode today, we are premiering the first episode of Marx Prestige, a series where Danny, Derek, and historian Andrew Hartman discuss Karl Marx and how the philosophy and politics he created shaped and reshaped the United States.
Subscribe now at the annual tier for free access to series like this one!
In this first episode of Marx Prestige, Danny, Derek, and Andrew Hartm
Special - Iran’s Strategy in This War w/ Sina Azodi
Danny and Derek speak with Sina Azodi about the first month of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and why expectations of a rapid Iranian collapse have failed. They talk about the failure of expectations of a quick Iranian surrender, Iran’s asymmetric response strategy, energy and economic choke points, the influence of the IRGC, the historical context of U.S.-Iran relations, domestic political dynamics
Bonus - War Without Ideology w/ China Miéville and Richard Seymour (Preview)
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Danny and Derek speak with writers China Miéville (the forthcoming The Rouse) and Richard Seymour (Disaster Nationalism) about the changing character of the U.S. empire and global politics. They discuss the war with Iran as an expression of imperial decline, the absence of a coherent strategy in U.S. foreign policy, the collapse of ideological justification for
Special - Israel’s War on Lebanon w/ Afeef Nessouli
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Derek speaks with journalist Afeef Nessouli about Israel’s war on Lebanon and the political and social consequences. They talk discuss Israeli airstrikes and the ground invasion in southern Lebanon, mass displacement and humanitarian conditions, destruction of infrastructure and barriers to evacuation, Hezbollah’s role as both mil
AP x Radio War Nerd (Preview)
Danny and Derek join Mark Ames and John Dolan for the first AP–Radio War Nerd crossover episode discussing, you guessed it, Iran and geopolitics.
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News - Russia Drone Barrage in Ukraine, West Bank Settler Violence, U.S. Destroys Ecuador Dairy Farm
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Just a reminder: there was too much Iran news to fit into this episode, so we gave it a standalone special you can find here. Otherwise, this week around the world: in Israel-Palestine, the Gaza Board of Peace negotiates a Hamas disarmament agreement (1:54) while the West Bank sees settler violence surge around Nablus (3:35); Pa
Special - Iran War Update: Failed Diplomacy and Israeli Operations (Preview)
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Danny and Derek give you the latest on the war on Iran. They discuss Trump’s failed peace proposal and shifting threats, mediation attempts involving regional actors, Iran’s strategic position and deterrence problem, US troop deployments and potential military options, Israeli operations in Iran and Lebanon, Trump’s claims about regime change and a mysterious “
E242 - Israel’s War Consensus and Permanent Conflict w/ Udi Greenberg
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show historian Udi Greenberg to talk about Israeli public opinion, politics, and its strategy vis-à-vis the war with Iran. They discuss the overwhelming public support for military operations, the underlying strategic consensus across Israeli politics prioritizing military dominance over negotiation, the abse
Trailer: Marx Prestige
Coming March 31: Marx Prestige, a series where Danny and historian Andrew Hartman discuss Karl Marx and how the philosophy and politics he created shaped and reshaped the United States.
Annual subscribers will get free access, so be on the lookout for an email with instructions!
Be sure to check out Andrew's book Karl Marx in America.
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Bonus - AI Targeting in Modern War w/ Sam Biddle (Preview)
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Danny and Derek speak with Sam Biddle of The Intercept about the role of AI in modern warfare, including the current Iran conflict. They talk about Palantir’s Maven system, LLMs in target selection, the use of Claude in airstrike planning, the integration of drone, satellite, and intelligence data, the acceleration of targeting and strike decisions, large-scale
Special - Iran War: Strait of Hormuz, Regional Escalation, Casualty Figures (Preview)
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Danny and Derek give an update on the conflict in Iran. They talk about the overall state of the war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, casualty figures across multiple countries, the prospect of a ground invasion, the state of Iran’s leadership, the strike on South Pars and its effects on Gulf energy infrastructure, Iran’s
News - Iran Assassinations Escalate, Israel Invades Southern Lebanon, U.S. Pressures Zambia Over Aid for Minerals
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Derek wore his Fitbit to a CIA black site, both exposing the security state and meeting his daily step goal. This week’s news: in the Iran war, Israel assassinates Ali Larijani and other senior Iranian officials (1:15), U.S. allies refuse Trump’s demand that they help reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force (5:41), and the Pentagon seeks rou
Special - How the War on Iran Is Breaking the Gulf w/ Annelle Sheline
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Annelle Sheline to discuss the impact of the US–Israel war on Iran on the Gulf states. They talk about how the conflict developed and why Gulf governments anticipated Iranian retaliation, the limits of US security guarantees, the risks to energy and desalination infrastructure, the vulnerab
E241 - How Iran Turns Into a Ground War w/ Harrison Mann
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Writer and former U.S. Army intelligence officer Harrison Mann joins the show to talk about the U.S–Iran war and what a ground invasion could actually look like. They discuss Harrison’s resignation from the Defense Intelligence Agency over U.S. support for the Gaza genocide, his assessment of the first weeks of the conflict with Iran, int
Special - Iran War Update: Kharg Island, Hormuz, and U.S. Escalation
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Danny and Derek discuss the latest developments in the war in Iran, including the U.S. bombing military targets on Kharg Island; Iran’s retaliation in the UAE and strategy around the Strait of Hormuz; the status of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after reportedly sustaining wounds; Israel’s possible plan to occupy so
Bonus - Strategic Bombing, Air Power, and the War with Iran w/ Robert Pape (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome to the podcast political scientist Robert Pape to talk about the theory and history of air power. They discuss how ideas of air superiority shaped modern military doctrine and the belief that air power alone can coerce or topple regimes. They then focus on the war with Iran, including the U.S. strategy fallin
UNLOCKED: Special - Geopolitics, the Military, and the War in Iran w/ Spencer Ackerman
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Danny and Derek speak with Spencer Ackerman, writer of Forever Wars newsletter and author of Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America about the war in Iran, how it emerges from recent history, its military aspects, and much more.
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News - Iran War Escalation and Hormuz Crisis, U.S. Minab School Bombing Fallout, Sudan Drone Warfare
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We’re putting out, what, an episode a day at this point? But the news roundup must go on. This week: In the Iran war, casualty and displacement figures rise across Iran and Lebanon (1:20), Iran mines and threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz (4:31), Iranian officials threaten to expand the war by targeting financial instit
Special - International Law and the War on Iran w/ Maryam Jamshidi
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Derek welcomes back legal scholar Maryam Jamshidi to discuss the legal aspect of the U.S.–Israel war on Iran. They talk about the administration’s shifting legal justifications, why the administration’s claims about Iranian threats and nuclear weapons fail under international law, the legal limits of self-defense, how the conflict fits withi
Special - Tehran Fuel Depot Strike, Mojtaba Khamenei Succession, Oil Market Chaos (Preview)
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Danny and Derek give an update on the war in Iran and the region. They discuss Israeli strikes on fuel depots outside Tehran and the growing civilian toll, the pace of Iranian missile and drone retaliation against Israel, the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader, and the regional expansion of
E240 - Espionage and Empire in the Cold War w/ Alfred McCoy
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Danny and Derek speak with historian Alfred McCoy about how the Cold War operated as a global conflict influenced by decolonization, covert action, and geopolitical strategy. They discuss the role of individual intelligence operatives as “men on the spot”; Cold War rivalry and the collapse of European empires; how conflicts across Asia, A
Bonus - A Kurdish Front in the Iran War? w/ Djene Bajalan (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome back historian Djene Bajalan to talk about the Iran War and whether the U.S. and Israel are attempting to destabilize the Iranian state by opening a Kurdish front. They discuss debates over Israeli strategy being aimed at regime collapse, whether the United States and Israel are pursuing different objectives in the conflict, and the stra
Special - War in the Gulf and the Global Economy w/ Esfandyar Batmanghelidj
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Derek welcomes back Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder and CEO of the Bourse and Bazaar Foundation and professor at Johns Hopkins University, to discuss the economic consequences of the Iran war and its implications for the Gulf and the global economy. They discuss Iran’s strikes on Gulf infrastructure, disruptions to shippi
Special – Iran War: Airstrikes Intensify, Oil Routes Choked, Lebanon Bombarded (Preview)
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Danny and Derek discuss the escalating war with Iran, including the expanding U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign, the reported U.S. strike on an Iranian school, America sinking the Iranian ship IRIS Dena, Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting oil shock, Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, and the Trump administration’s dem
News - Iran War Widens, Afghanistan–Pakistan Fighting, New U.S. Operation in Ecuador
We don’t have whatever they were giving JFK to power through the Cuban Missile Crisis, but we’re keeping up here. This week’s news: in the Iran War, the U.S. prepares to use Kurdish proxy forces against the Islamic Republic (1:26) while offering shifting timelines and contradictory explanations for the war (6:32), plus Iran searches for a new supreme leader (11:54); Hezbollah launches rockets into
AP x NonZero - Trump's Gulf War
The greatest crossover in the Lower 48 between AP and NonZero Newsletter is back!
And subscribe to AP to also get a discounted membership to NonZero for heaven's sake.
Part One Video
0:00 Teaser
1:50 Marco Rubio's Israel faux pas
05:00 What are Trump’s new goalposts?
11:55 The regime after Khamenei
16:08 Can a regime be changed by air strikes alone?
22:21 Will Turkey be drawn in?
26
E239 - Iran and the End of Restraint w/ Trita Parsi and Akbar Shahid Ahmed
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Danny and Derek are back with a two-part episode on the war with Iran. First, they speak with Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute about the Trump administration’s decision to go to war, the belief that assassinating Ayatollah Khamenei would cause the regime to implode, the structure and failure of pre-war negotiations, the influence of
Special - Iran War: U.S. Jets Down, Gulf Oil Targeted, Lebanon Combat (Preview)
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Danny and Derek give an update on the escalating regional conflict. They discuss the reported downing of three American F-15s over Kuwait, Israeli and U.S. operations inside Iran and Tehran’s missile retaliation, Hezbollah’s rocket fire and Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and the effec
Special - Ayatollah Khamenei is Dead and the Iran War Spreads w/ Séamus Malekafzali (Preview)
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Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Séamus Malekafzali to talk about the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s temporary leadership council and uncertainty around succession, continued U.S.–Israeli escalation and Iranian counterstrikes, the absence of a coherent American endgame beyond capitulation
Special - The U.S. and Israel Attack Iran (Preview)
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Danny and Derek discuss the U.S. and Israeli bombing of Iran today, the goal of regime change, mass civilian casualties including a strike on a girls’ elementary school, Iran’s retaliation and threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, the status of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the risk of a widening regional war.
Recorded midday, Saturday, February 28, 2026
Learn
News - Iran Talks Under Strike Threat, Mexico Cartel Killed, Pakistan Attack in Afghanistan
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Warner Brothers shamefully won’t consider Danny and Derek’s aggressive offer. In this week’s news: U.S.-Iran nuclear talks resume in Geneva amid reports that the White House is weighing strike options (0:54), plus Trump claims in his State of the Union that Iran is building nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (9:58); o
E238 - On the Brink with Iran w/ Dalia Dassa Kaye
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Derek and Danny are joined by Dalia Dassa Kaye to talk about the decades-long hostility between the U.S. and Iran and the current escalation between the two countries. They talk about the odds of war and the absence of clear objectives; talk of “regime change”; the legacy of the hostage crisis and the Iran-Contra hangover; the domestic in
Bonus - The SDF After Bashar Al-Assad w/ Alexander McKeever (Preview)
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Derek speaks with Alexander McKeever, publisher of This Week in Northern Syria, about the defeat of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) autonomous project and its integration into the new Syrian state. They discuss the fall of the Assad regime, the March 2025 integration agreement between Damascus and the SDF, the breakdown of negotiations and January fighting
News - Iran War Threat, UN Report on Israel Ethnic Cleansing, U.S. Withdraws From Syria
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Danny and Derek have been disqualified from the Games for incessant podium crashing. In this week’s news: tensions rise between the United States and Iran with reports of likely military strikes by the U.S. (1:32 ); Trump announces Gaza “Board of Peace” funding and troop details (11:39), Hamas refuses to disarm absent Palestinian statehood (15:31)
E237 - Inside the American War Machine w/ Ben Freeman and William Hartung
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Derek and Danny are joined by Bill Hartung and Ben Freeman to discuss the system that drives permanent war for the United States. They talk about the growth of the Pentagon budget and the bipartisan politics of defense spending; the U.S. dominating the global arms trade and the prevalence of U.S. weapons around the world; the rise of defense tech companies and the r
Bonus - Homeland Empire and Trump 2.0 w/ Nikhil Pal Singh (Preview)
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Nikhil Pal Singh joins Danny and Derek to discuss Trump’s second term and the consolidation of executive power. They talk about how Trump’s second term differs from the first; revenge politics and the liberal “lawfare” frame; mass deportation and the war on migrants; “domains of rightlessness” and undocumented people as a lever to expand state power; the imperi
News - U.S.-Iran Talks, West Bank Rule Changes, Cuba Fuel Crisis
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Danny and Derek feel that their ice dance routine was strong, but ultimately respect the IOC judges. In this week’s news: the first round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks begin in Oman (0:31); new Israeli security cabinet measures move forward de facto annexation in the West Bank (4:26); Indonesia is prepared to send troops for a proposed Gaza
E236 - The Decline of Newsrooms w/ Borzou Daragahi
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Journalist Borzou Daragahi joins Danny and Derek to talk about the end of international journalism as we know it. They talk about how podcasting and alternative media both depend on and undermine legacy reporting, the economic pressures on foreign desks, the shift to commentary and “quick takes”, the limits of newsletters and Substack as newsroom replacements; the
Bonus - Gaza’s “Ceasefire” and the Kushner Plan w/ Tariq Kenney-Shawa (Preview)
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Derek and Danny are joined by Tariq Kenney-Shawa from Al-Shabaka for an update on conditions in Gaza and a discussion of Jared Kushner’s proposed “reconstruction” plan. They talk about the current phase of the so-called ceasefire; ongoing Israeli military actions; population displacement; humanitarian access; the expansion of Israeli control inside Gaza; Israel
