Israel’s June 13 strikes on Iran, followed swiftly by American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and a White House-declared ceasefire, revealed a new strategic posture in Washington and Jerusalem. As the regional order reshuffles and traditional proxies splinter, Iran’s nuclear ambitions may likely intensify. Will the strikes deter Tehran, or entrench a dangerous stalemate with no clear endgame? In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Joshua Yaphe, a senior fellow at the Center for the National Interest. For fifteen years, Yaphe was the lead analyst for the Arabian Peninsula at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. In 2020, he was a Visiting Fellow at the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, and from 2022 to 2024, he served as a visiting faculty member at the National Intelligence University.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.

America’s nuclear advantage, once the envy of the world, is no longer guaranteed. With China and Russia now leading the global nuclear buildout, Washington faces a critical juncture. The stakes go far beyond energy: nuclear innovation is quickly becoming a pillar of geopolitical influence, economic competitiveness, and strategic security. Can the U.S. reclaim its leadership role before the gap becomes irreversible?

In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Dr. Ashley Finan, Chief Science Officer for the National and Homeland Security Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory. Dr. Finan is also a global fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and previously served as the founding Director of the National Reactor Innovation Center. She holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.

Ukraine stunned the world on June 1 with a series of daring, high-precision drone strikes against airfields deep inside Russian territory. These drone attacks, which damaged or destroyed dozens of long-range bombers and even an AWACS aircraft, not only embarrassed Russia’s military establishment but also raised serious questions about the vulnerabilities of strategic assets and nuclear triads globally. The operation’s use of commercial components underscored how accessible and asymmetric drone warfare has become, prompting alarm among Western defense planners about the potential for copycat strikes. Could this mark a new era of warfare in which small, stealthy technologies rival billion-dollar military systems?

In this episode, Paul Saunders speaks with Samuel Bendett, a defense and technology advisor at the CNA Corporation. Bendett's previous experience includes working for National Defense University, the U.S. Congress, the private sector and nonprofit organizations on foreign policy, international conflict resolution, and defense and security issues.

Music by Sonican from Pixabay.