Description
Australian naval expert Jennifer Parker joins Ray and Jim to talk about the nuclear-powered submarines Australia will be acquiring as a result of the new trilateral Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) partnership. Jen discusses the advantages of nuclear-powered submarines over their diesel-powered cousins, and the reactions of Australia's neighbors to the abrupt AUKUS announcement. She also explains the distinction between nuclear power and nuclear weapons, and how confusion over these terms played a role in the controversy surrounding the deal. Jen unpacks the risks involved with such a significant leap in technology--such as its high cost and the country's lack of nuclear expertise and infrastructure--and how Australia is working to mitigate those risks. Jen takes on some of the AUKUS deal's critics, including those who believe Australia should prioritize a close-in defense of Australia. Finally, in our "There I was ..." segment, Ray tells the story about how he had to learn English all over again when he served in Australia.
Ray and Jim explore the implications of a Trump 2.0 administration for the Philippines with prominent Filipino columnist, podcaster and author of the 2020 book, The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China, and the New Struggle for Global Mastery. Richard discusses the historical context of US-Philippines...
Published 11/20/24
Ray and Jim talk to author and geopolitical analyst James Crabtree about India’s policy of strategic ambiguity, its evolving but complicated relationship to the other “Quad” countries (the U.S., Australia and Japan), and its enigmatic relations with Russia and China.
They also review India's...
Published 11/15/24