S8 Ep231: 8. The Forever War: Jihadist Patience vs. American Cycles. Bill Roggio argues the US has failed to defeat jihadist ideology or funding, allowing groups like Al-Qaeda to persist in Afghanistan and Africa. He warns that adversaries view American withdrawals

S8 Ep231: 7. Global Jihad: The Distinct Threats of the Brotherhood and ISIS. Edmund Fitton-Brown contrasts the Muslim Brotherhood's long-term infiltration of Western institutions with ISIS's violent, reckless approach. He warns that ISIS remains viable, with recent

S8 Ep231: 6. Failure to Disarm: Hezbollah's Persistence and UNIFIL's Inefficacy. David Daoud reports that the Lebanese government is failing to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River, merely evicting them from abandoned sites. He argues UNIFIL is an ineffective

S8 Ep231: 5. Symbolic Strikes: US and Jordan Target Resurgent ISIS in Syria. Following an attack on US personnel, the US and Jordan conducted airstrikes against ISIS strongholds, likely with Syrian regime consultation. Ahmed Sharawi questions the efficacy of striki

S8 Ep231: 4. Enforcing Sanctions: Interdicting the Shadow Fleet to Squeeze China. Victoria Coates details the Trump administration's enforcement of a "Monroe Doctrine" corollary, using naval power to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan oil to China. This strategy exp

S8 Ep231: 3. British Weakness: The Failure to Challenge Beijing Over Jimmy Lai. Mark Simon predicts Prime Minister Starmer will fail to secure Jimmy Lai's release because the UK mistakenly views China as an economic savior. He notes the UK's diminished military and

S8 Ep231: 2. Future Fleets: Decentralizing Firepower to Counter Chinese Growth. Tom Modly warns that China's shipbuilding capacity vastly outpaces the US, requiring a shift toward distributed forces rather than expensive, concentrated platforms. He advocates for a

S8 Ep231: 1. Restoring Naval Autonomy: Arguments for Separating the Navy from DoD. Tom Modly argues the Navy is an "underperforming asset" within the Defense Department's corporate structure, similar to how Fiat Chrysler successfully spun off Ferrari. He suggests t

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Professor Richard Bell Summary: Professor Bell discusses his book on the American Revolution, focusing on the "darkest passage" of the war: British prison hulks in New York Harbor. He details the horrific conditions on the ship Jersey, wher

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Victoria Coates Summary: Coates analyzes China's energy vulnerability, specifically its reliance on a "shadow fleet" importing Venezuelan oil. She suggests the US should interdict these shipments because China lacks a "Plan B." Forced to bu

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Bill Roggio Summary: Roggio reports on the expansion of jihadist groups across Africa, including Somalia, Mali, and Burkina Faso. He warns that European powers have effectively abandoned these regions, allowing them to descend into chaos an

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Mark Simon Summary: Simon discusses the sentencing of Jimmy Lai by the Chinese regime. He expresses doubt that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will use an upcoming business trip to demand the return of Lai, a British citizen, noting tha

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Professor John Yoo Summary: Professor Yoo supports a national security strategy that prioritizes the Western Hemisphere and homeland defense over conflicts in Europe or the Middle East. He argues that US leadership has overlooked vital eco

S8 Ep230: PREVIEW Guest: Tom Modly Summary: Former Acting Navy Secretary Modly advocates spinning the Navy off from the Pentagon to improve its standing. He highlights the dangerous disparity in industrial power, noting that China's shipbuilding capacity is nearly

S8 Ep229: THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR AND THE PROBLEM OF SUCCESSION Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 91 AD. In the final segment, Gaius and Germanicus analyze the New York Times characterizing the Trump presidency as a "

S8 Ep228: THE GILDED AGE, GROVER CLEVELAND, AND THE ASSERTION OF SOVEREIGNTY Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 91 AD. The second segment pivots to a historical comparison involving Grover Cleveland, the only American p

S8 Ep228: THE ACTOR-EMPEROR AND THE SHIFT FROM DIGNITAS TO INTIMACY Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 91 AD. In this session, set against the backdrop of a cold winter in Londinium, Gaius and Germanicus explore the evo

S8 Ep227: THE MUTINY PLOT AND THE DECISION TO EXECUTE Colleague Richard Snow. Spencer's "mutiny" plot is revealed to a steward, triggering Mackenzie's paranoia. Mackenzie arrests Spencer, Cromwell, and Small without concrete evidence of an uprising. An irregular co

S8 Ep227: THE MUTINY PLOT AND THE DECISION TO EXECUTE Colleague Richard Snow. Spencer's "mutiny" plot is revealed to a steward, triggering Mackenzie's paranoia. Mackenzie arrests Spencer, Cromwell, and Small without concrete evidence of an uprising. An irregular co

S8 Ep227: THE OVERCROWDED SOMERS AND SPENCER'S ISOLATION Colleague Richard Snow. Snow describes the Somers as a fast, overcrowded school ship filled with teenage midshipmen. He details Spencer's isolation due to his physical disability and surly demeanor. Spencer v