S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Edward J. Watts. Heraclius defeated the Persian Empire only to lose the Middle East to rising Arab forces, devastating Rome's food and financial supplies. Facing famine and new barbarian threats like the Avars, Romans interpreted these di

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Edward J. Watts. The Nika riots, sparked by chariot racing factions, nearly toppled Emperor Justinian until Empress Theodora convinced him to stay. After crushing the rebellion, Justinian built the Hagia Sophia to symbolize repentance and

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Edward J. Watts. Following Julian's failed attempt to restore paganism, Theodosius embraced Christianity and suppressed traditional Roman religion. Simultaneously, the mishandling of Gothic refugees fleeing the Huns led to rebellion. Afte

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Edward J. Watts. Emperor Diocletian reorganized the empire's administration and persecuted Christians to protect his new system. Following Diocletian's retirement, Constantine seized power through civil war, attributing his military victo

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Evan Ellis. Latin America is seeing a shift away from leftist "Pink Tide" governments toward pro-U.S. administrations in countries like Argentina and Paraguay due to failures in addressing security and corruption. Despite this political s

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Evan Ellis. Events in Caracas are shaping upcoming elections in Brazil and Colombia, pushing leaders like Lula toward moderation to appease centrist voters. In Colombia, frustration with President Petro's policies and security failures ma

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Evan Ellis. Havana is in panic as the loss of Venezuelan oil threatens to break the country's petroleum-fired power infrastructure. With the currency in freefall and massive blackouts, the regime hopes to muddle through despite enormous s

S8 Ep285: Guest: Professor Evan Ellis. Venezuela's oil industry has collapsed due to the firing of professionals and lack of maintenance, leaving infrastructure dangerous and unable to process heavy crude. With storage at capacity, the U.S. is using "coercive diplo

S8 Ep285: Guest: Brandon Weichert. Chinese tech giant Baidu is developing high-end chips to boost its market valuation. However, the Chinese state drives this "chip war" for military control and resilience rather than profitability. Despite some puffery regarding c

S8 Ep285: Guest: Alan Tonelson. China's leadership is likely stunned by setbacks with allies in Venezuela and Iran. While China relies on coal, the loss of cheap oil imports will squeeze its industry. Furthermore, China's strategy of exporting its way out of troubl

S8 Ep285: Guest: Rebecca Grant. The Arctic has become a battleground where Russia and China are increasing military cooperation, including bomber flights and naval exercises. The U.S. needs to expand its fleet of icebreakers and sensors to counter threats, such as

S8 Ep285: Guest: Steve Yates. China expects repayment for its loans to Venezuela, but the U.S. "Monroe Doctrine 2.0" aims to cut adversaries out of the hemisphere. By blocking oil shipments, the U.S. leverages economic power to disrupt China's supply chains, potent

S8 Ep285: Guest: General Blaine Holt. The operation in Caracas revealed that Chinese-made air defense systems failed to detect U.S. aircraft. Electronic warfare capabilities and stealth technology likely blinded radars, rendering Russian missile systems useless. Th

S8 Ep285: Guest: General Blaine Holt. The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged vessel, the "Bella 1," in the Atlantic, prompting a Russian submarine to track the operation. This Cold War-style confrontation highlights the risks of miscalculation as Washington enforces an

S8 Ep285: Guest: Behnam Ben Taleblu. Reports of the Ayatollah planning to flee are likely inaccurate; the regime's ideology drives it to fight rather than seek exile. Despite economic strain, Tehran continues funding proxies like Hezbollah to maintain its transnati

S8 Ep285: Guest: Behnam Ben Taleblu. The Iranian regime faces a critical mass of dissatisfaction, responding with violence against protesters and hospitals rather than addressing grievances. Inflation for food has reached nearly 73 percent, and medical security is

S8 Ep284: PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY: Evan Ellis discusses the impact of events in Caracas on Brazil's upcoming election. Lula da Silva faces scrutiny over ties to Chavista elites, while the Bolsonaro family alleges political persecution by the courts. The "cultural w

S8 Ep284: PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY: Rebecca Grant evaluates Canada's role as a NATO ally in the Arctic, balancing domestic responsibilities with North American defense. While the US lacks sufficient icebreakers to enforce claims, relations remain strong despite mino

S8 Ep284: PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY: General Blaine Holt analyzes Vladimir Putin's dilemma following Caribbean maneuvers and the seizure of a Russian shadow fleet vessel. Facing internal pressure from Kremlin war hawks, Putin seeks a way out of the morass, raising fe

S8 Ep284: PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY: Behnam Ben Taleblu reports on the dire state of Iran, where security forces target hospitals, forcing protesters to forego medical treatment. Beyond the brutal crackdown, political dissatisfaction is fueled by insane inflation rat