None Of The Above
News & Politics
About
As the United States confronts an ever-changing set of international challenges, our foreign policy leaders continue to offer the same old answers. But what are the alternatives? In None Of The Above, the Eurasia Group Institute for Global Affairs' Jonathan Guyer asks leading global thinkers for new answers and new ideas to guide an America increasingly adrift in the world. www.noneoftheabovepodcast.org
Episodes
- A Street in Istanbul Tells the Story of the World w/ Suzy Hansen
Journalist Suzy Hansen joins Jonathan Guyer to discuss her book "From Life Itself," examining how foreign policy dynamics and the political evolution of Turkey under President Erdoğan affect a specific neighborhood in Istanbul.
- Is China Winning? w/ Kaiser Kuo
Kaiser Kuo joins Jonathan Guyer to discuss China's international role, its technological innovation, and perceptions of the US. Kuo notes that China is seen as a stable partner internationally and suggests commonalities exist between Ameri…
- The Limits of Monitoring the Situation w/ Tyler McBrien
Jonathan Guyer and Lawfare managing editor Tyler McBrien discuss the risks of obsessively monitoring geopolitical events. They examine the role of open-source intelligence (OSINT), the limitations of prediction markets, and current interna…
- The Economic War on Cuba w/ Ed Augustin
Ed Augustin, an independent journalist in Havana, joins Jonathan Guyer to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Cuba, including energy blackouts and shortages. They cover the impact of US policy under Trump and the Cuban government's response.
- How Democrats Can Reimagine Foreign Policy w/ Matt Duss
Matt Duss joins Jonathan Guyer to discuss Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's progressive foreign policy speech at the Munich Security Conference. They explore her challenge to US interventionism and consider the Democratic party's foreign policy d…
- Food for Geopolitical Thought w/ Anny Gaul
Food doesn't often enter conversations about foreign policy, but it is integral to it. Our relationship to food shapes ideas of identity and nationalism and is continuously impacted by the forces of history. Technological, social, and poli…
- What Washington Gets Wrong About Iran w/ Narges Bajoghli
The United States largely misunderstands Iran. Historic anti-government protests rattled Iran this winter—and were met with lethal state repression and intensifying calls for regime change in Washington. Now, President Trump is again consi…
- Making Sense of MAGA Foreign Policy w/ Curt Mills
President Trump campaigned on promises of peace and putting America first, and heavily criticized past involvement in foreign wars. But one year into his second term, the United States has bombed Iran, kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolá…
- Trump's Brazen Power Politics in Venezuela w/ Alejandro Velasco
On January 3rd, 2026, the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — and shocked the world. The Trump administration has made no bones about its intent to dominate the Western Hemisphere, and the raid was a brazen show of f…
- What the Future Holds for Gaza w/ Mohammed Mhawish
Mohammed Mhawish did not set out to be a journalist. But studying Shakespeare while enduring Gaza's wars, he was moved to convey the stories all around him. Mohammed fled the strip with his family in 2024, after receiving death threats and…
- American Power in a Multipolar World w/ Emma Ashford
American foreign policy is in crisis. The bipartisan consensus that emerged after the Cold War has collapsed after a string of American failures, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, with the rise of China and the new ascendance of…
- How Foreign Influence Works in Washington w/ Nick Cleveland-Stout
The United States is wealthy, powerful, and a democracy. That means there are many avenues for foreign countries vying to influence its politics and policy. Though many forms of foreign lobbying are legal and totally above-board, those eff…
- What Americans Really Think of Trump's Foreign Policy w/ Andrew Payne
Trump embodies many contradictions when it comes to foreign policy. IGA's newly released study, "Reckless Peacemaker? How Americans See Trump's Foreign Policy," tries to make sense of these contradictions by polling Americans on the bigges…
- Episode 10: Why The '90s Matter
The 1990s were a pivotal decade for the United States and the world. This season on None Of The Above, we rewinded to the '90s to cover the breakup of the Soviet Union, America's unipolar moment, and the rise of China. We explored civil wa…
- Episode 9: A Military Without Rival
The military and the very idea of national security changed a lot in the 1990s. Politicians promised a new period of peace and prosperity after the Cold War, but the military would not draw down from the international arena. On the contrar…
- Episode 8: The Cost of Humanitarian Intervention
When the Cold War ended, many imagined a more peaceful world. Yet the 1990s were marked by humanitarian crises in Somalia, Rwanda, and former Yugoslavia. Images of mass atrocities and genocide reached wide audiences on newly available 24/7…
- Episode 7: America's China Gamble
China's violent Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 marked a turning point in US-China relations. After two decades of slowly but steadily nurturing friendly relations, the United States would choose to develop economic ties without insisti…
- Sudan and the Limits of Western Peacebuilding (from the archive)
Sudan's civil war recently entered its third year. It has claimed the lives of around 150,000 people and displaced around 13 million. In this archival episode, we revisit the outbreak of violence that erupted in April 2023 between the Suda…
- Episode 6: How Apartheid Ended in South Africa
In the 1990s, South Africa ended apartheid, a brutal system of racial segregation, and became a democracy. During the Cold War, the United States supported South Africa's apartheid government because it was anti-communist. But American civ…
- Episode 5: Why the Israel-Palestine Peace Process Failed
The 1990s witnessed a turning point in one of the world's most intractable disputes. After four decades of conflict, the 1991 Madrid Conference opened the door for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. A flurry of negotiations and…
- Episode 4: Fewer Nukes, More Danger
Nightmares of mushroom clouds and fears of mutually assured destruction plagued many during the Cold War. But by the early 1990s, both the United States and Russia promised a world with fewer nuclear weapons. Together, they agreed to disma…
- Episode 3: The CIA, Afghanistan, and the Road to 9/11
This is the story of how a CIA covert action program inadvertently created the conditions for the Taliban to seize control and provide safe haven for Osama bin Laden. Following a Cold War proxy battle between the Soviet Union and the Unite…
- Episode 2: How Democracy Failed in Russia
America was on top of the world in the 1990s as its erstwhile rival, Russia, was struggling to find its footing. President Boris Yelstin's liberal reforms were soon dashed by economic crises and infighting among Russian elites. US policyma…
- Episode 1: Dawn of Unipolarity
The 1990s were a decade of transformation and optimism. Teenagers were listening to grunge rock and hip hop on their walkmans. Flannels and jean jackets became staples of '90s fashion. And seemingly without warning, the Cold War was over,…
- The Chainsaw Effect: Javier Milei and the Disruption of Argentina's Politics
The surprising election of Argentina's controversial new president, Javier Milei, captivated international media attention. Milei just passed his first major legislative package, and promises to further slash state spending and promote pol…
- The Hell of Bad Assumptions: Lessons from Afghanistan
In the aftermath of 9/11, America's political leaders lept to action based on, what turned out to be, a series of misplaced and untested assumptions. From conflations between the Taliban and Al Qaeda to misguided theories about nation buil…
- Hubris in Haiti: Ambassador Dan Foote on Learning from America's Failures
Haiti has been in a state of political uncertainty since its president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated two years ago. Ariel Henry assumed power with the backing of the US – but not of most Haitians – and promptly suspended elections. Comp…
- War Stories (from the archive)
From the Crimean War of 1853 to Russia's war inUkraine, journalists, reporters, and the media have shaped the public's understanding of war. But do the stories we read and the photos we see provide an impartial picture of the wars they doc…
- Anchored Insight: Admiral James Stavridis on Fiction, History, and Service
Many have argued that NATO, the transatlantic alliance forged at the dawn of the Cold War, is merely a vestige of another era. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine thrust NATO back into the spotlight, and reignited debates about the value and…
- Bonus Episode: Israel's Complicated Relationship with Human Rights
In December 2023, South Africa brought human rights law into the fold of the Israel-Hamas war when it filed a genocide case against Israel in the World Court. South Africa's unprecedented move sparked conversation surrounding the line betw…
- Who are the Houthis? Inside America's Undeclared Air War
The Houthis continue to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea amid Israel's assault in Gaza. This Yemen-based political and military organization says its disruption of international shipping is a response to Western support for Israel.…
- The Case Against Israel: South Africa's Genocide Suit at the World Court
Last month the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide, and protect the human rights of Gazans. Almost everything about the case has generated controversy, from South Africa's invocation o…
- Ukraine at Two Years: Sam Charap and Alex Ward on US Aid and Interests
Next month will mark two years since Russia invaded Ukraine after amassing over 100,000 troops at the border. As we look ahead, we ask: What has victory in Ukraine come to symbolize for the Biden administration's foreign policy? Are Ukrain…
- Information Battleground: Disinformation in War with Claire Wardle and Steven Lee Myers
It's always difficult to gather and verify information in times of armed conflict. But recently that task has gotten much harder. From Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Israel's ground invasion of Gaza, journalists and consumers alike are in…
- Targeting Lumumba: Stuart Reid on the CIA-backed Destabilization of the Congo
Instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been making headlines in Western newspapers for months. Since the fall of Mobuto Sese Seko's 30 year dictatorship in 1997, the cobalt rich Congo has dealt with civil war, insurgencies…
- The Problem of Our Power (from the archive)
The United States military is one of the most advanced and best funded militaries in the world. But critics argue this has helped make US foreign policy overly reliant on the use of military force. Over the past several decades, the US has…
- The Struggle for Stability: Israel, Hamas, and US Policy in the Middle East
Today marks one month since the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Southern Israel. Before October 7th, the Biden administration's foreign policy had largely centered on Europe and Asia. Issues of…
- Worldviews: Data-Backed Discoveries on Americans' Opinions
With the 2024 presidential election on the horizon, the Biden administration's foreign policy decisions will face increasing scrutiny. Some think foreign policy decisions should be exempt from regular public debate. To gain a better unders…
- Beyond Superpowers: Global "Swing States" and the Need for UN Reform
The United Nations, founded in the aftermath of history's most destructive war, is the world's premier forum for international diplomacy. But is the UN a vestige of a bygone era? This year's session of the UN General Assembly, which today…
- Authors at War: How War Stories Shape the American Psyche
Yesterday's anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States has us turning to the legacy of America's post-9/11 wars. As veterans reflect on their time in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as the country contemplates the impact of t…
- American Foreign Policy's Diversity Problem
We here at the Eurasia Group Foundation are very curious about the extent to which US foreign policy reflects the interests of the American public. In today's episode, we turn our attention to an important group: Black Americans. Black Ame…
- What is the Opposite of a War Crime? Samuel Moyn on Making War More "Humane"
Last week, the Biden administration agreed to share evidence with the International Criminal Court of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. President Biden insists Vladimir Putin has "clearly committed war crimes." But however atrocious Russia's…
- Toward a Pacific NATO? A Critical Look at America's Indo-Pacific Alliances
As President Biden meets this week with America's NATO allies at the Vilnius Summit, attention has turned to Sweden's and Ukraine's prospects for the Atlantic alliance. Europe is not the only continent where America's military commitments…
- Modi's Trip to Washington: Shivshankar Menon on How India Sees the World
This week, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi traveled to the United States in his first official state visit as prime minister. Once denied entry into the United States for inciting communal violence in the Indian state of Gujarat, Modi…
- Why Japan Passes The Buck - Japan's Military Buildup Faces Resistance
Over the weekend, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted the annual G7 summit in Hiroshima. Nuclear proliferation, Russia's war on Ukraine, and the rise of China dominated conversation between the leaders of the world's most advanced…
- Sudan and the Limits of Western Peacebuilding
On April 15, violence erupted across Sudan between the Sudanese Army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, led by Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan–known also as Hemedti. As the warring factio…
- Kara Swisher Talks TikTok Ban & National Security Fears
When TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress, he was grilled on whether the popular short form video hosting app used by an estimated 150 million Americans has links to the Chinese government. The Biden administration and several…
- How the War in Ukraine Ends: A Conversation with General Mark Milley
We recently marked the one-year anniversary of Russia's war in Ukraine. Many are wondering: how does this seemingly intractable conflict end? On Friday, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Vladimir Putin's arrest. On Mond…
- Defending Europe: How the Transatlantic Alliance Protects and Imperils American Security
President Biden traveled to Poland in February after his surprise visit to Kyiv to encourage NATO countries' continued support for Ukraine as the war enters its second year. "Democracies of the world will stand guard over freedom today, to…
- Russia's Red Lines: Where the Russia-Ukraine War Stands at One Year
A year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the war grinds on. Early Russian advances were successfully rolled back, but intense fighting continues in the east, where a renewed Russian offensive looms . The United States and many of its Eur…