NatSec Matters

Typically, and over the last couple of years of my listening, the show has offered a fair and reputable perspective on national security issues, foreign affairs, and global security policy. However, in early 2026, a shift became noticeable: the conversations around Venezuela and Iran revealed deep-seated neoconservative and borderline warhawk rhetoric between both host and guests. Leading up to the 28 February strikes in Iran, the host and some of the guests appeared to be salivating at the idea of war, including decapitation of the regime in Iran. I was saddened by this as a loyal listener; it seemed to mark a departure from nuanced discussions about national security policy and a pivot backward to conversations rooted in failed Bush/Cheney-era, over-the-horizon, and post-Cold War foreign policy.

The deep dives with all the guests makes it very enjoyable to learn about current events from people with exceptional knowledge who have spent years in their respective fields. Would be great to hear about more domestic security issues, but I enjoy the excellent coverage of multiple theaters of operation.

The podcast hosts and guests are fine for the topic, but timeliness and transparency are major opportunities. In fact, this podcast will post reruns of old episodes without any disclosure that it is a rerun in the title (or audio or description!). So, for example, you may listen to December’s rerun of an August episode with Craig Singleton and wonder why Craig keeps making forecasts about things in the past (“…through November”, “…this Fall”, etc.). Until a podcast successfully executes the basics, it hasn’t reached three stars. Happy to update the review as things improve.

An outstanding discussion on missile defensive/offensive capabilities. Well done.

Insight Thoughtful and Based on Publicly Available Information. So Important to Understand Public Discourse & Dynamics in Global Politics Often Relisten to Episodes when Considering Complex Problems