Best Undiplomatic Podcasts (2025)

1
Trump’s realists vs. isolationists: Who will win on Iran? 35:12

6h ago35:12

35:12

Will negotiations win the day or will Israel be forced into military action against Iran?Senior JNS contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the UK Mark Regev—both former advisers in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office—unpack the escalating nuclear crisis with Iran and the deepening tug-of-war within the Trump administration…

1
Abolish Palantir | Ukraine Drones | White Supremacy State Department | South Korea's Bernie Sanders | Ep. 243 1:01:17

4d ago1:01:17

1:01:17

Inside Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb—a tactically brilliant drone operation against Russian bombers...but does it change anything? Why Palantir is a civil liberties nightmare. The bureaucracy of a white supremacist foreign policy—inside Rubio’s restructuring of the State Department. Elon Musk and the fractures in the oligarch coalition. And South K…

1
Reassessing the laws of war; and why progress isn't always a straight line 28:39

18m ago28:39

28:39

The International commitment to ban landmines is wavering. Several European countries are reversing their opposition to using them. The shift comes as disarmament negotiators struggle to regulate the spread of "killer robots" — AI-controlled autonomous weapons. So, is the future of weapons containment and control under threat? And are treaties sign…

1
Live! The Pacific Sovereignty Deficit and Sino-US Rivalry | Ep. 242 49:25

10d ago49:25

49:25

Dr. Van Jackson was invited to speak at the first Security of Micronesia Group, hosted by the Pacific Center for Island Security in Guam. I debuted a number of new arguments here, covering how to think about China’s desire for “strategic space” in the Pacific and its surplus labor problem compared with US declining hegemony and Washington’s desire …

1
Beyond the cloud — storing data in space 29:10

7d ago29:10

29:10

Researchers and corporations are already working to relocate data servers beyond the Earth's atmosphere — on satellites. Data servers are essential to the functioning of the modern world, but they're both power and water hungry. When they're built, they often meet with community concern and environmental protest. So, why not build data centres in s…

1
Hamas hoodwinks UN, West in aid and negotiations 34:20

11d ago34:20

34:20

As Hamas faces collapse, the UN rushes to its defense!In this episode, JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev expose how the United Nations is being manipulated to prolong Hamas’s rule over Gaza.By JNS Podcasts

1
Andor Season 1 Finale with David Austin Walsh | Bang-Bang Cross-Over | Ep. 241 1:13:38

18d ago1:13:38

1:13:38

Free full-episode cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Van (minus Lyle) is joined by historian David Austin Walsh to explore episodes 10-12 of Andor’s first-season finale. Their conversation focuses on Andor’s embrace of revolution and the surprising political realism of the show’s portrayal of labor exploitation and social uprisings. Van and Dav…

1
Forgetting, not memory, moves us forward 28:38

12d ago28:38

28:38

Forgetting is the only safe response to the world's problems, from a geopolitical perspective, according to author and journalist David Rieff. Sometimes it’s too dangerous to remember. And forgetting is also a good thing in your personal life, say scientists. It moves us forward. The science of memory is giving way to the science of forgetting. For…

1
European leaders play defense for Hamas (and spell their own demise) 34:55

20d ago34:55

34:55

In this episode of “Israel Undiplomatic,” former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and veteran journalist and political commentator Ruthie Blum—both former advisers in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office—tackle the harsh condemnations of Israel by three of its Western allies—Britain, France, and Canada. With Gaza still under Hamas control and…

1
Labor Strategy at the End of the World w/ Eric Blanc | Ep. 240 47:04

25d ago47:04

47:04

Why is the US unlikely to have a manufacturing revival, and who would benefit if it did? What happens to the rest of the world when the US tries to reshore manufacturing? What makes national security and labor power antagonistic to each other? What problems does worker-to-worker organizing solve? Why has organized labor been in decline since 1979? …

1
Bitcoin boom or digital deception? 28:38

19d ago28:38

28:38

Donald Trump is establishing a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. He wants it to rival the country's stockpile of gold. He boasts America will one day be the "Bitcoin superpower of the world", but what's his end game and what will it mean for future global finance? Questions are already being asked about why he's chosen to largely deregulate the cryptoc…

1
Trump’s Middle East Gamble: What does it mean for Israel? 33:14

21d ago33:14

33:14

Israel, Iran, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—this week’s episode of “Israel Undiplomatic” explores President Donald Trump’s high-stakes visit to the Middle East and what it means for Israel, U.S. foreign policy and the wider region. With a sharp eye and decades of insider experience, former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev and veteran journalist an…

1
Katrina vanden Heuvel on Europe's Far Right, European Rearmament, and the Trump Effect | Ep. 239 45:33

30d ago45:33

45:33

Katrina vanden Heuvel--editorial director and publisher of The Nation magazine--joins Dr. Van Jackson to talk about: Europe's far right; the failure of centrist parties in the UK, France, and Germany; the trouble with European rearmament; Trump's and MAGA's effects on European politics; and the struggle of Europe's fractured left-wing political mov…

1
Can the oceans solve our carbon removal problems? 29:10

26d ago29:10

29:10

There's been growing research and investment in projects that use the oceans to artificially remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Such techniques involve both a biological and a chemical approach. To date, carbon removal technologies have been largely land-based, using giant air-purification machines, or planting trees to consume and store ca…

1
Kashmir Nuke Crisis | Houthi Ceasefire | China's 6th-Gen Fighter | Post-American Asia | Fascist Budgeting | Ep. 238 35:03

1M ago35:03

35:03

Covering the latest in the India-Pakistan military conflict and its nuclear risk; the US tentative ceasefire with the Houthis marks another lost war; why China's tech breakthroughs make arms-racing self-defeating for the US; the shape of a post-American Asia beginning to emerge; what a fascist budget looks like; why Stephen Miller is like that; the…

1
American isolationists have it wrong when it comes to Iran 33:46

1M ago33:46

33:46

JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office—examine Israel's two-day operation in Yemen in response to a direct ballistic missile strike near Ben-Gurion Airport. But beyond the immediate headlines, they examine what this strike means fo…

1
Andor, Episodes 1–3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Bang-Bang Podcast Cross-Over | Ep. 237 34:27

1M ago34:27

34:27

Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Van and Lyle kick off their Andor series with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang, diving into the show’s slow-burn opening arc where imperial bootlickers, jealous love interests, and rebels in the making collide on the Outer Rim. They discuss what makes Andor—a property of the Star Wars universe—…

1
YouTube turns 20; and the interesting side of boredom 28:34

1M ago28:34

28:34

YouTube is the second biggest website in the world, containing more than 14.8 billion videos. It's been a huge success, but its public image as a haven for influencers and digital monetisers belies its true character and role. Ryan McGrady from the University of Massachusetts takes us inside the online behemoth. Also, perspectives on boredom, its p…

1
Is Trump getting played? Unpacking the latest negotiations with Iran 26:52

1M ago26:52

26:52

Broadcast from the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, this episode explores Israel’s growing dilemma: how to respond to renewed U.S.-Iran negotiations under President Trump without jeopardizing national security or the special U.S.-Israel alliance. JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kin…

1
Nuke-You-Lear Strategy w/ Emma Claire Foley | Ep. 236 54:27

2M ago54:27

54:27

What's wrong with trying to be a Washington insider these days? How different is nuclear thinking under Trump compared to previous Democratic and Republican presidencies? Is Trump's "golden dome" idea just a grift (yes)? What's the best way to raise public consciousness about the danger of nuclear weapons? And what role could film and pop culture p…

1
Remember the Jevons Paradox! 28:38

1M ago28:38

28:38

We like to think that increases in efficiency lead to greater sustainability – to lower resource use. But from cars to computers to bitcoin, it seems the reverse is true – efficiency stimulates demand. It’s an oft forgotten rule of economics called the Jevons Paradox, and it might explain why the demand for almost everything keeps going up even whi…

1
The Siege (1998) w/ Kevin Fox | Bang-Bang Podcast Cross-Over | Ep. 235 30:08

2M ago30:08

30:08

Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. Long before the Patriot Act, long before “See Something, Say Something,” long before 9/11—there was The Siege. Released in 1998, this Bruce Willis–Denzel Washington vehicle depicts a post–terror attack New York placed under martial law. The city is bombed, neighborhoods are surveilled, and Arab an…

1
Holocaust Remembrance Day: Applying lessons to Israel’s current war 38:01

1M ago38:01

38:01

JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office—unpack the haunting relevance of Yom HaShoah (Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day) in a post–Oct. 7 world. They explore the global surge in antisemitism since the Hamas massacre, including the …

1
Zombie Economic Nationalism | Antifascist Protest | Arundhati Roy | Who Tariffs Are Good For Ep. 234 52:37

2M ago52:37

52:37

In this episode, Dr. Van Jackson appears as a guest on A Public Affair, a radio show with a live call-in segment. The conversation ended up being deliciously wide-ranging, including: Why the oligarchs who back Trump want an economic recession; What tariffs are good for, and how Trump’s tariffs impact both global trade and domestic labor; What separ…

1
The power and peril of the optimistic mind 28:38

2M ago28:38

28:38

Human beings have a bias toward optimism, says astrophysicist turned author and editor, Sumit Paul-Choudhury. While we may not always acknowledge it, the power of optimism is what drives our species forward. But beware of the modern craze for "Manifesting" — wishful thinking, no matter how intense, only has impact if it's married to action. Also, w…

1
The Four Books Billionaires Think Explain International Relations (and why they're wrong!) | Ep. 233 30:18

2M ago30:18

30:18

The tech billionaires who are part of the Trump-MAGA coalition have repeatedly boosted the same collection of books that they think explain international relations. Dr. Van Jackson--a professor of international relations--explains why these books are not only bad books, but also books with a pessimistic, zero-sum, ethnonationalist, and militarist o…

1
BABY BOOM! Why are Israelis so happy and optimistic about the future? 24:44

2M ago24:44

24:44

Israel is booming with babies, happiness and economic resilience even in the midst of war. In this uplifting episode of Israel Undiplomatic, hosts Ruthie Blum and Ambassador Mark Regev—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office—break tradition to focus entirely on the good news coming out of Israel today.…

1
Tariffs as Unwinnable Economic War in an Emerging Post-American Order | Ep. 232 26:54

2M ago26:54

26:54

Live on location from Wellington Harbor (outdoors)! How did tariffs in the 1930s lead to World War II in Asia? How big of a deal is the China-Japan-South Korea coordinated response to Trump's tariffs? Why are tariffs part of economic nationalism, and why is economic nationalism a gift to to the far right? Why has China become the primary scapegoat …

1
AI's "hidden labour" and the move toward a linkless internet 28:37

2M ago28:37

28:37

Artificial intelligence, it turns out, has a heavy human backend — they're called "data labellers"; they mostly live in developing countries, and there are ethical questions about their pay and work conditions. So, why aren't we talking more about them? Also, Google and other search companies have begun replacing hyperlinks with AI summaries. It's …

1
Unpacking Trump’s “major meeting” announcement at Netanyahu summit 37:00

2M ago37:00

37:00

Is the U.S. making a dangerous mistake by trusting Iran? What does President Donald Trump’s latest announcement mean for Israel’s security? Join JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office— as they dive deep into the Trump-Netanyahu sum…

1
Understanding Economic Crisis: Three Charts That Explain What’s Wrong With Capitalism Today | Ep. 231 14:25

2M ago14:25

14:25

Why did the US lose manufacturing jobs? What's the problem with Donald Trump's global tariff plan? Why is housing unaffordable in the US? Why are most of us economically insecure? And why is wage work so precarious? Dr. Van Jackson explains everything that's wrong with capitalism today in three charts, and offers some simple solutions to the proble…

1
The roots of techno-authoritarianism 28:38

2M ago28:38

28:38

Does the spirit of the "Futurist" movement live on today in the likes of Elon Musk and America's intrigue of techno-oligarchs? The Italian poet and fantasist Flippo Tommaso Marinetti almost died in a car crash, and out of that experience was born the "Futurist" movement. It went on to inspire the fascism of Benito Mussolini with an energetic emphas…

1
US/Israel-Iran TENSIONS ESCALATING: What comes next? 36:26

2M ago36:26

36:26

Is a U.S.-Israel military strike on Iran's nuclear program closer than ever? In this episode of “Israel Undiplomatic”, JNS Senior Contributing Editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli Ambassador to the UK Mark Regev break down the most urgent national security issue facing Israel and the West: the Islamic Republic of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.…

1
Live! Dr. Van Jackson Speaks to the Catholic University of America about Progressive Foreign Policy | Ep. 230 51:35

2M ago51:35

51:35

Dr. Van Jackson appeared in a guest lecture at the Catholic University of America with Prof. Andrew Yeo. They talk about progressivism and the restraint movement, Dr. Jackson's working-class origins, what's wrong with Washington, what to make of the Biden administration’s “foreign policy for the middle class,” and what progressives really think abo…

1
US War Crime Confessions | Europe's Militarism Risk | Taiwan's Angst | BYD Versus Tesla | Ep. 229 49:01

2M ago49:01

49:01

How the national security clown show leaking war plan secrets to a journalist also led US officials to confess to war crimes. Why Europe's independence is leading to European militarism and the rise of the far right. Taiwan's insecurity from a progressive perspective. The Pentagon was never doing anything about the climate crisis. And what it means…

1
Some challenges to conventional economic thinking 28:38

2M ago28:38

28:38

Does modern economic thinking act as a roadblock to change? Economists Kate Raworth and Rainer Kattel certainly think so. The alternatives they propose involve acknowledging limits not just obsessing about growth. And a caution from design and management expert Raz Godelink – it always pays to be skeptical when big business puts on the sustainabili…

1
Israel’s left takes to the streets: civil disobedience or national betrayal? 34:17

3M ago34:17

34:17

Are the anti-Netanyahu demonstrations weakening Israel’s negotiation leverage with Hamas? Are opposition leaders fanning the flames of civil unrest for political gain?In this week’s episode, we tackle the intensifying anti-government protests in Israel amid a multi-front war and explore the broader consequences of internal dissent during wartime.…

1
Pete Hegseth’s War Plan Leak | JD Vance’s War on Europe | Fentanyl Isn’t WMD | Mineral Geopolitics in the Congo | Bernie-AOC Popularity | Ep. 228 43:16

3M ago43:16

43:16

Why Bernie Sanders's "fight against oligarchy" townhalls have made him the most popular politician in America. Inside Pete Hegseth's war plan leak. JD Vance's hatred of Europe explained. And why Trump's designation of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction is going to make a war with Mexico the Iraq invasion of the 2020s. Catch Un-Diplomatic on Y…

1
The Sum of All Fears (2002) w/ Max Read | Ep. 227 28:29

3M ago28:29

28:29

Free preview cross-over with the Bang-Bang Podcast. In this episode, Van and Lyle are joined by writer Max Read to dissect The Sum of All Fears, the 2002 film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s novel. The film thrusts CIA analyst Jack Ryan, portrayed by Ben Affleck, into a high-stakes scenario where a nuclear bomb detonates in Baltimore, pushing the U.S. a…

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