NatSec Matters

• Inside Israel's High-Stakes Intelligence Gambles: Ralph Goff

  Michael speaks with Ralph Goff, a 35-year CIA veteran and six-time Chief of Station. Ralph, now with Cipher Brief, talks about Israel's daring "Rising Lion" operation targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. He explains why Israel pursues such high-stakes missions, from the theft of Iran's nuclear archive to the targeted assassinations of top officials. Ralph also reveals the immense risk tolerance that allows the Mossad to operate so deeply inside a hostile Iranian police state.  

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• COVID & The Next 'Big One': Dr. Michael Osterholm

  Andrew speaks with Dr. Michael Osterholm, founding director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Center at the University of Minnesota about his new book, "The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics", which is an urgent warning about the next global health crisis. Dr. Osterholm explains why the continued focus on COVID's origin is distracting from the critical lessons we need to learn. He also offers a frank critique of "meaningless" plexiglass shields and six-foot distancing, sharing what truly works in transmission prevention. And, he outlines why these biological threats are a core national security challenge for U.S. military forces that demands an increase in research and funding.

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• 'The Cork in the Bottle' - China, Taiwan and the US: Zack Cooper

  Michael speaks with Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about the evolving dynamics of US policy toward China and the Indo-Pacific. Zack discusses how President Trump's pursuit of a meeting with Xi Jinping has shaped US policy and offers new analysis on the timeline for a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Zack also confronts the reality of the so-called "axis of upheaval"—a tightening cooperation between China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran—and what it means for US foreign policy.

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• The State of Iran's Nuclear Program: David Albright

  Michael speaks with President and Founder of the Institute for Science and International Security David Albright about the state of the Iranian nuclear program following US and Israeli strikes. David, a renowned expert on Iran's nuclear program, provides updated analysis on the systematic destruction of key facilities and shares his insights on the challenges of reconstituting the program, the fate of missing enriched uranium, and the ongoing efforts of international monitors. 

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• Rebuilding Syria: Jeffrey Feltman

  Andrew speaks with Jeffrey Feltman, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution. Jeffrey takes us inside the precarious state of post-civil war Syria, the deep-seated sectarian and geopolitical tensions that fueled the conflict, and the complex roles of the US and regional powers who want a stake. He also shares his insights on the ongoing threat from insurgent groups and the challenges of establishing a stable, unified government. 

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