After America

The Trump administration’s failure to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war shouldn’t come as a surprise.
On this episode of After America, Allan Behm and Dr Emma Shortis discuss the consequences of failure in US-Iran negotiations, the oxymoron of Trump administration “diplomacy”, the future of NATO, and what this all means for Australia.
This episode was recorded on Friday 10 April.
Guest: Allan Behm, Advisor, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Show notes:
Shorter America This Week: Ceasefire?; Madman theory; Group hugs in space by Emma Shortis, The Point (April 2026)
LIAR, LIAR, CEASE ON FIRE! PEP with Chas & Dr Emma Shortis, Planet PEP on YouTube (April 2026)
The Wrap: A missed opportunity to face reality by Emma Shortis, The Point (April 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States and Israel’s war on Iran has been disastrous.
On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the situation with the Strait of Hormuz, Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, why airport security workers in the US aren’t getting paid, and why, despite plenty of evidence suggesting it’s a terrible deal, some Australian policymakers remain committed to the bit with AUKUS.
This episode was recorded on Monday 30 March.
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, Podcasts, the Australia Institute // @angusrb
Show notes:
Shorter America This Week: Maximum Lethality; Everything has a history; Don't fly with me by Emma Shortis, The Point (March 2026)
Trump is impotently railing against the US’s allies. Albanese is right to avoid the president’s global catastrophe by Allan Behm, The Point (March 2026)
Funeral held for three journalists killed by Israeli strike in Lebanon by William Christou, The Guardian (March 2026)
Evidence Points to US Scattering Mines over Iranian Village by Trevor Ball, Bellingcat (March 2026)
Airports on ICE by Marisa Kabas, The Handbasket (March 2026)
AUKUS raucous in Canberra as submarine experts debate Donald Trump’s deal by Andrew Greene, The Nightly (March 2026)
Andrew Hastie on Insiders, ABC (March 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Far from winding down, tit-for-tat threats on civilian energy infrastructure suggest the US-Israel war on Iran may enter a new spiral of violence.
On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the war on Iran and how American sanctions are creating a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, before Professor James Laurenceson joins the show to talk about the impact of the conflict on China and the postponed Trump-Xi summit.
This episode was recorded on Friday 20 and Monday 23 March.
Guest: James Laurenceson, Professor and Director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney // @j-laurenceson
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, Podcasts, the Australia Institute // @angusrb
Show notes:
Shorter America This Week: History sighs, repeats itself; Surprise: Trump doesn't need allies; A bloodthirsty White House by Emma Shortis, The Point (March 2026)
The attacks on Iran hurt us all by Allan Behm, The Point (March 2026)
Israel planning massive ground invasion of Lebanon, officials say by Barak Ravid, Axios (March 2026)
UN chief suggests both sides may be committing war crimes in US-Israel conflict with Iran by Anne McElvoy, Politico (March 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration’s war on Iran is the most “incompetent, incoherent” war the United States has fought in a century, according to one US Senator.
On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the Trump administration’s apparent failure to plan for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Pete Hegseth’s attacks on American media, and the Australian government’s response to the conflict.
This episode was recorded on Monday 16 March.
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, Podcasts, the Australia Institute // @angusrb
Show notes:
Shorter America This Week: Very complete, pretty much; We already know who's next (it's Cuba); Looksmaxxing by Emma Shortis, The Point (March 2026)
Albanese’s policy on Iran makes us complicit in the collapse of international rules by Emma Shortis, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
Australia’s shameless support for the US attack on Iran makes us gullible, duplicitous, or both by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press
Iran, not the US, currently has the strategic upper hand by Laura Tingle, ABC News (March 2026)
Israel planning massive ground invasion of Lebanon, officials say by Barak Ravid, Axios (March 2026)
Why Donald Trump is losing the war at home by David Smith, The Conversation (March 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian government has been trying to placate Trump in order to secure the AUKUS submarine deal – and now we are seeing the results.
On this episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss the illegal US-Israel war in Iran, the implications of the conflict for the Middle East, and why Australian personnel were on board an American nuclear-powered submarine when it sank an Iranian warship.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 10 March.
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Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Albanese’s policy on Iran makes us complicit in the collapse of international rules by Emma Shortis, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
Australia’s shameless support for the US attack on Iran makes us gullible, duplicitous, or both by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (March 2026)
The US and Israel attack Iran, foment chaos, After America, the Australia Institute (February 2026)
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press
Iran strikes are Donald Trump’s ninth foreign military action in 14 months by Simon Elvery, ABC (March 2026)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected].
Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.