Deep State Radio

We’ve had nuclear weapons for more than 70 years. But we have never had a president quite as deranged as Donald Trump before and the result has made more people pay much closer attention to U.S. nuclear weapons policy than they did in recent years. We bring together this week a great panel to discuss the Nuclear Posture Review, Trump and how to save the world including Joe Cirincione, Jeffrey Lewis, David Sanger, Kori Schake and Rosa Brooks. One thought: implant the nuclear code in a kitten and make the president kill the kitten to get it before he can use the nuclear code. Another: Bury the nuclear code in a 10 page long memo and thus rest assured this president will never find it. Tune in!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Olympics in Korea have prompted a temporary thaw in North-South relations on the Korean peninsula and plenty of political theater including some from the mummified human remains known to the world as U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Join our experts, Rosa Brooks of Georgetown, Kori Schake of IISS, Evelyn Farkas of the Atlantic Council and Ed Luce of the Financial Times for a discussion about what a "bloody nose" really means and why if the U.S. economy and markets often much further the world is likely to be a much more dangerous place.Enjoy!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There's intelligence and then there's basic common sense. Much of the discussion about the recent memo the House released has been lacking in both. Fortunately, however, our experts at Deep State Radio, Georgetown University's Rosa Brooks, IISS' Kori Schake, the Atlantic Council's Evelyn Farkas and the FT's Ed Luce, have plenty of both and on this episode they put the memo in perspective...while also learning how to pronounce basic English vocabulary and learning a few words in New Jersey-ese. Tune in.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There were so many candidates. And Ed Luce of the Financial Times, Kori Schake of IISS and Rosa Brooks of Georgetown University are keenly aware of some of the biggest dopes on the international stage. But in this first ever awarding of this prestigious prize (which Ed made up on this very episode) we have landed on a great choice…and hopefully established a great new milestone in the history of pointy headwear. Tune in for this and more including a discussion of whether we should be as afraid of the world as Donald Trump would like us all to be.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Calm down. We don’t mean “Trumpocalypse” as in the end of the world. We mean it in the sense of the end of the Trump presidency. Who knows, with some luck this could be Trump’s last State of the Union. And that would be good on so many levels. For example, as our experts Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake and Ed Luce note, it would save us from having to listen to the inevitable tedious and misleading stories about how the U.S. president has become more presidential and is getting the hang of his job. He’s not. And listening to this episode of Deep State Radio will help you understand why…and why you should be thankful that the State of the Deep State is strong.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Contrary to what those outside the Deep State may think, the U.S. government has recently undergone an explosion of creativity. Recently we have seen a National Security Strategy, a National Defense Strategy and a Nuclear Posture Review. Some think these are just empty academic exercises. But others, like our guests the Atlantic Council’s Christine Wormuth, Georgetown’s Rosa Brooks and Kori Schake, soon to be of the IISS, see more. They see divisions between senior officials. They see a president who doesn’t know what any of these documents say or mean. And, with a special eye on nukes, they see plenty of good reason to invest now in a used missile silo. Tune in!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you ever get the impression people are laughing at you, America? More so recently? It could just be your imaginations. But in the view of our experts, Ambassador Nick Burns, Rosa Brooks and Kori Schake, the reason is all the actual laughter you are hearing from everywhere in the world. The world’s view of America, as recent polls have shown, is at a low point. The question is whether this is something new, a turning point, or we were always this funny (or flawed). Tune in to this episode of Deep State Radio for answers.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Among other things, our amazing Rosa Brooks is part of an elite team of hypocrisy specialists who travel the globe in search of hypocrites in government. Recently, she and her fellow hypocrinauts visited Turkey where they found a rich vein to explore...and plenty of Turks who say the Trump Administration has taught them a lot. MAGA. Join us for the latest episode of #DeepStateRadio and then Tweet at us with great show ideas--the five best win great swag each week. With Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake, David Sanger, Edward Luce and host, David Rothkopf.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While the people of Hawaii were terrified by an errant alert indicating an incoming ballistic missile attack, the rest of the country remained frightened by what would happen even if there were not such an attack. Judging from Donald Trump's plans for nuclear weapons and his temperament, of course, the risk of going without further such scares decreases daily. On this episode of Deep State Radio, Kori Schake, Rosa Brooks, Ed Luce and David Sanger discuss why putting a couple books on your head won't improve your nuclear posture and, of course, shitholes. Lots of discussion of shitholes. Shitholes as far as the eye can see. Join us.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA and yet oddly, a former Congressman who still seems to be running for something, threw down the gauntlet to the true Deep State when he said that New York Times reporter and Deep State Radio stalwart got it wrong on how the CIA missed the sudden acceleration of North Korea's nuclear program. Tune in to this episode to hear the man known to all as "David You're Exactly Right Sanger" responds. Then join in for a wide ranging discussion of what happens to the world when America crawls into a hole and pretends its not there. Featuring Mr. Sanger, Benjamin Pauker of Vox, Kori Schake en route to England and Evelyn Farkas of the Atlantic Council.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Late at night in the office of Chief of Staff John Kelly. The phone rings. He picks it up and hears heavy breathing. Then a raspy voice…could it be Bannon…could it be Wolff…says “Have you checked the President?” Kelly lurches forward and grabs a secure line. “Trace the call!” Then, the chilling answer comes back. The call is coming from inside the White House!!! You think that’s a horror story? Then you haven’t been reading the news. Fortunately for you our special Deep State Radio guests have. Join Lawfare’s Susan Hennessey, the NY Times David Sanger, the Atlantic Council’s Evelyn Farkas and our own soon-to-be relocating author-teacher-expert Kori Schake for an exploration through the terrifying underbrush of the past few days on our latest episode.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Contrary to popular belief, according to quoteinvestigator.com, Sam Goldwyn did not utter the immortal line that is the title of this episode. Nor did physicist Niels Bohr to whom it is also attributed. Instead, the first person to offer it up was Danish pol Karl Kristien Steincke in his immortal work, "Farvel Og Tak", published in 1948. Which serves as a useful reminder that if we can't even get the past right there is no way we are going to guess what's happening next. Nonetheless, that won't stop the intrepid Deep State Radio panel of experts including Kori Schake, Rosa Brooks and David Sanger from trying. Keep them company as they take us through what might happen in the year ahead. And keep the box wine handy. It's not pretty.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is it over yet? Can we come out of our basements now? Is the worst year ever over? Well...yes and no. Yes, dear Deep State Radio nerds, you can come out of your basements. It is 2018. But no, the worst may not be over. This week in two special episodes, we look back at the trends and unfinished business of 2017 in order to help us predict the catastrophes, screw-ups and near misses of 2018. Oh, and the good stuff too, if there is any of that. So join Team DSR--Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake and David Sanger--to ring in the new year.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In David Rothkopf’s absence this week, Rosa Brooks hosts and reminds listeners that the Deep State Radio crew will soon be retreating into the bunker for some holiday eggnog, before resuming in the new year. The Atlantic’s Julia Ioffe argues that Putin is overrated, and the BBC’s Kim Ghattis and Kori Schake argue that the new US National Security Strategy is also overrated (and incoherent). Julia confesses that she has lost all hope, Kori lends her the Tiara of Optimism, and Kim describes Arab schadenfreude over #MeToo.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With David Rothkopf away circling the globe this week on the Deep State Radio spy plane, Rosa Brooks and Kori Schake are joined by the Atlantic’s Julia Ioffe and the BBC’s Kim Ghattis. Joining in live from Beirut, Kim reveals that not everyone in the Lebanon is obsessed with US foreign policy, because most people are too busy snacking and getting ready for Christmas. Meanwhile, every single UN Security Council member state is snubbing the US over the Jerusalem resolution, and Iran is snickering on the sidelines. The Tiara of Optimism is temporarily lost.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's easy to blame the pols. For the pols its easy to blame one another. (Or if you are Roy Moore, who used to be a Senate candidate in the U.S., you can blame the sinners. Or Mitch McConnell. Or Sassy, the horse. Take your pick). But when policies don't match the global situation and policy advisors don't have the courage to stand up to their bosses and countries like America end up with the White House heading one way (toward disaster) and the State Department heading another way (sometimes a different disaster), then who are you going to blame. Is it the nerds? Have the wonks let down America? Have we lost the narrative and our spines at the same time? We ask Hisham Melhem, Kori Schake, David Sanger and Ed Luce. Listen to what they have to say.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Was the Jerusalem deal a complete scam? Has it torpedoed US influence on the peace process? Was it not even the most important Mideast news of the past few days? Was that really Vladimir Putin's Victory Lap around the Middle East? Hisham Melham, David Sanger, Ed Luce, Kori Schake discuss. Join in!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a week marked by a "stunning" announcement about U.S policy toward Jerusalem and more Russia revelations, is the biggest shock of all is that Trump's foreign policy is still so much like that of Barack Obama? Or is that just the policy of the State Department and the Department of Defense while the real difference is the president who is in his own orbit. Tune in to this episode of Deep State Radio with Dr. Evelyn Farkas, Rosa Brooks, and David Sanger to find out.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As panelist Kori Schake recounts, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers once noted that if you staff an administration exclusively with "C" people you will get a "D" staff. He never contemplated the situation we find ourselves in today. As we in the Third Sub-basement of the Ministry of Snark contemplate the Flynn plea deal, the statements of Trump's lawyers, the foreign policy pronouncements of Jared Kushner and more events of the past week, we yearn for the days of "D" staff. Rosa Brooks of Georgetown, Kori Schake of Stanford and David Sanger of the New York Times join for a cold hard look at some stone cold losers. Tune in!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You would think that Deep State Radio would have a special celebration for our 50th podcast. You probably imagined a giant blow out in silo somewhere with confetti and an interpretative reading of the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo. Well...that happened. But you were invited. You don't have the clearance. Invitations were extended purely on a need-to-party-basis. But if you need a consolation prize...listen to this; With Kori Schake of Stanford (calling in from Rome) and Rosa Brooks of Georgetown and Ed Luce of the Financial Times in our studio in the third sub-basement of the Ministry of Snark...discussing the good old days when Nazis were considered the bad guys. Listen in. Drink up.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deepstateradio. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.