Russia poses several types of threats to Western powers. In the conventional sphere, the invasion of Ukraine is a direct threat to European countries. But below the threshold of conventional war, Russia's military intelligence directorate is also carrying out "active measures," an irregular warfare campaign of sabotage and subversion against Western countries that includes the use of explosive and incendiary devices, cyberattacks, and the use of blunt or edged instruments to damage critical infrastructure like undersea cables.
The CSIS Defense and Security Department compiled a database of these attacks to analyze Russia's ongoing "shadow war" against the West. CSIS's Seth Jones, president of the CSIS Defense and Security Department, joins the podcast to discuss their findings.
Read the full analysis by Seth Jones here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-shadow-war-against-west
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19:14
Trump’s Muscular Middle East Policy
Former CIA Middle East expert Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss President Trump’s muscular approach to the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza.
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24:15
Securing Full Stack U.S. Leadership in AI
“While AI is digital in nature, the binding constraint is physical.” While many think of the race for AI dominance as who can develop the best model, that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Frontier models, data centers, leading-edge chips, energy sources, and digital networks all form the full stack of AI leadership—and any one of them could be a point of failure. CSIS’s Navin Girishankar, president of the CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department, and Joseph Majkut, director of the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change program, join the podcast to discuss their new research on how to secure U.S. full stack leadership in AI, especially expanding energy production to power future AI needs.
Read CSIS’s latest research on full stack AI leadership here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/securing-full-stack-us-leadership-ai
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21:47
Measles Outbreak Implications
The United States is experiencing the worst measles outbreak in 30 years and the highest rate of contraction in the past six years after nearly eradicating the disease. Cases have surged in communities with low immunization coverage, raising concerns about further transmission. Hospitals are reporting an increase in severe cases, particularly among young children and immunocompromised individuals. Experts urge immediate action, emphasizing that vaccination remains the most effective defense against the highly contagious virus. CSIS’s J. Stephen Morrison joins the podcast to discuss the outbreak and the risks associated with it.
Events:
Increasing Measles Vaccination Coverage to Improve Global Health Security
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23:53
European Divorce
Following meetings with European diplomats in Brussels and Paris, CSIS’s Max Bergmann joins the podcast to discuss a possible United States divorce from our allies in Europe. As geopolitical tensions rise and Washington shifts its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific, European leaders question the long-term reliability of U.S. commitments to NATO and regional security. Economic disputes, defense spending disagreements, and differing approaches to Russia and China have further widened the gap between the transatlantic allies.
Background Reading:
Why It's Time to Reconsider a European Army
Events:
U.S. Allies and Partners Under the Trump Administration
Australia