Pod Save the World

Tommy and Ben discuss the president of Chad’s mysterious death, Vladimir Putin's imprisonment of Alexei Navalny, the devastating coronavirus outbreak in India, updates on what actually happened at the Natanz nuclear facility, SPACE HELICOPTERS!!, a not so super idea for a soccer league and more. Then Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer joins Tommy for a conversation on the Biden administration's Russia policy and the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. For a closed-captioned...

Tommy and Ben discuss the cyberattack on an Iranian nuclear facility, Biden's plans to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by September 11th, whether MBS spent almost half a billion on a forged painting, violence in Northern Ireland, escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, sports nationalism and more. Then Ben talks to journalist Afua Hirsch about how Boris Johnson's government has embraced racism and the complicated legacy of Prince Philip. For a closed-captioned version of this...

Nearly two dozen people are arrested in Jordan as confusion swirls about whether a coup was being plotted there. Calls to boycott the 2022 Olympics in Beijing pick up momentum, including from within the United States. New reporting sheds light on violence taking place in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. And more. Then, Tommy talks with Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick about his book, “Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World.”...

Tommy and Ben walk through the inconclusive results of the latest Israeli election, how Covid and bad political leadership is devastating Brazil, the Suez Canal, news from Biden on Afghanistan, more military violence in Myanmar, plans for a Chinese-Russian moon base, pan-European progressivism, US-Bolivia policy, and whether Prince William is actually the sexiest bald man alive. Then, Ben talks to Ricardo Herrero, head of the Cuba Study Group, about how the Biden administration should...

Tommy and Ben talk about what they are watching for in the Israeli elections, why Republicans are stalling the confirmation of a key Department of Defense official, the race for global vaccine distribution, Vladimir Putin challenging Joe Biden to a debate, a dramatic US-China summit in Alaska, proposed restrictions on protest in the UK, President Biden's position on drug eradication in Latin America and marijuana use in DC. Then Tommy talks to Canadian Member of Parliament and the leader of...

Tommy and Ben discuss the intelligence community's new report on foreign interference in the 2020 election, America's role in getting the whole world vaccinated, why Jared Kushner's new op-ed is a joke, the Biden administration's posture towards North Korea and China, crackdowns on dissent in Uganda and Myanmar, the fight for women's safety in the UK and Australia, the surge of unaccompanied minors arriving at the southern border of the US, and more. Then Ben talks to Merav Michaeli, a...

Tommy and Ben discuss the latest massive state-sponsored hack on American businesses and government email servers, Biden’s efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, the need to rethink counterterrorism policies, protests in Senegal, why pineapple is patriotic in Taiwan, Russian efforts to undermine confidence in American Covid vaccines, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s sit-down with Oprah, and more. Then, Tommy interviews Verónica Gago, a professor and a leader of Argentina’s Ni Una Menos...

Tommy and Ben talk about the newly released report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and how President Joe Biden is approaching the US-Saudi relationship, US airstrikes on Syria, how Iran has responded to outreach from the Biden administration, why another French President is going to jail, Salvadoran elections, India and Pakistan reaching a ceasefire in Kashmir, Mike Pompeo’s bad stand up at CPAC and more. Then Ben talks to historian and author Thant Myint-U about where Myanmar goes from...

Tommy and Ben discuss the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism, and how people like Mike Pompeo lie and blur that line to shut down policy debates, a former Trump aide’s claims about the origin of Covid-19, Biden’s moves to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal, US-Egypt policy, Australia’s attempts to regulate big tech, allegations that a Trump supporting mercenary-for-hire named Erik Prince violated an arms embargo on Libya, and more. Then Tommy interviews Uganda...

Tommy and Ben talk through Biden’s options in Afghanistan, updates on the coup in Myanmar, censorship in China, the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine in Israel, government transparency in Mexico, LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, crackdowns on activists in India and Egypt, and royal baby updates. Then Ben interviews Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about the dangers of reflexively tightening domestic terrorism laws. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld...

Tommy and Ben discuss the farmers’ protests in India, updates on the situation in Myanmar, Biden’s big foreign policy speech, Canada’s classification of the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization, debate over definitions of anti-Semitism and the double standards when critiquing Israel, and the political situation in Haiti. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com. Learn more...

Tommy and Ben discuss the military takeover in Myanmar and how President Biden should respond, Alexey Navalny's sentencing in Russia, Poland's near-total abortion ban, the Biden administration's pause on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, textbook revisions in Saudi Arabia, and disparities in Israel's mass vaccination campaign. Then Ben talks to journalist and host of the Black Diplomats podcast Terrell Jermaine Starr about how domestic activism fits into American foreign policy. For a...

Tommy and Ben discuss President Biden’s first call with Vladimir Putin as President and the US-Russia relationship, Rob Malley and the fight over Biden’s Iran policy, Biden’s approach to Venezuela, Chinese sanctions on former Trump officials, why Google might be leaving Australia, chaos in the Italian government and more. Then Russian journalist Alexey Kovalev joins to talk about the mass protests in support of Alexey Navalny and how the Kremlin is reacting Learn more about your ad choices....

On the final Pod Save the World of the Trump presidency, Ben and Tommy talk about Joe Biden’s day-one foreign policy agenda, the arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, why the US dropped charges against a Mexican general accused of working with a drug cartel, how Trump is trying to keep his loyalists in the government after he leaves office, elections in Uganda, a State Department designation of genocide in Xinjiang, and more. Then activist Nathan Law joins Ben to talk about...

Tommy and Ben discuss last week’s violent coup attempt and the call for new domestic terrorism laws, how world leaders are reacting to Trump’s Twitter ban, Netanyahu’s announcement of new Israeli settlements and how Biden should handle it, and all the things Mike Pompeo is trying to screw up for the incoming Biden administration. Then former US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power joins to talk about how to restore American credibility at international organizations, Bill Burns as CIA...

Tommy and Ben discuss Joe Biden’s latest foreign policy staffing decisions, the huge (likely) Russian hack of American government and private networks, Iran’s latest moves on uranium enrichment, a big win for abortion-rights in Argentina, Jack Ma mysteriously disappearing from public view, the latest coronavirus lockdown in the UK, the anticlimactic finalization of Brexit, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tommy and Ben talk with former President and current Worldo Barack Obama about some of the biggest foreign policy challenges and accomplishments addressed in his book, A Promised Land. Those include the financial crisis and the rise of nationalism, the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan and tensions with the Pentagon leadership, the Cairo speech, dealing with Russia and Vladimir Putin, the politics of terrorism, including GITMO and the drone program, the rise of China and climate...

Tommy and Ben talk through Joe Biden’s decision to nominate General Lloyd Austin for Secretary of Defense, a new wealth tax in Argentina, the mass vaccination campaign underway in the UK, reporting on how a Chinese spy developed ties to California politicians, a former Israeli official’s disclosures about space aliens, new Olympic sports, and more. Then Ben interviews French activist Assa Traoré about the fight for racial justice and changes to policing in France and her work as the leader...

Tommy and Ben talk about the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist, what Biden’s national security team tells us about his foreign policy, protests over police brutality in France, infighting at the UN Human Rights Council, China picking (Twitter) fights, a soccer legend dying and Cher helping a lonely elephant find friends. Then Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy joins to talk Iran, Biden’s cabinet and how to make a more progressive foreign policy. Learn more about your ad choices....

In the inaugural Pod Save the World Thanksgiving mailbag episode, Tommy and Ben take your foreign policy questions, and a trip down memory lane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices