Forget nukes and stealth jets — the next war may just be won with algorithms, drone swarms, and who spends smarter, not bigger.FDD Research Analyst and Foreign Podicy guest host, Mariam Wahba sits down with Aaron MacLean, host of the School of War podcast, to unpack how AI and rapid decision cycles are rewriting the rules of modern warfare — with Iran and Ukraine as live case studies. From strategic miscalculation and munitionsshortages to the death of old "theories of victory," they discuss why America's tech edge alone won't be enough to win the next war.

This week, Iran's rulers fired on commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz -- an egregious violation of the Memorandum of Understanding which now appears to be a dead MOU. That doesn't surprise Zineb Riboua who has always been skeptical of attempts to forge "peace deals" with the Islamist revolutionaries in Tehran. Ms. Riboua, research fellow at the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and founder of the China in MENA Project, sitsdown with host Cliff May to discuss Iran, Morocco (where she was born), France (where she was went to school), Russia, China, Latin America and the rising ideology -- including in the U.S. -- of Third Worldism.

As NATO members head to Ankara, the Alliance is under strain — clashing over defense spending levels, the Russo-Ukrainian and US-Iran wars, and the shrinking U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump comes to the table with real leverage, but both Europe and America have real grievances, and the outcome may hinge on which one drives his approach.On this episode of Foreign Podicy, guest host RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Innovation Technology, is joined by John Hardie, deputy director of FDD's Russia Program; Peter Doran, FDD senior adjunct fellow; and Cameron McMillan, senior research analyst at FDDs Center on Military and Political Power. Together, they assess what's at stake in Ankara and whether Trump can secure strong wins from allies or risks mismanaging the moment.

A century of failed diplomacy, hostage crises, secret arms deals, war and even murder. Dr. Tevi Troy, an American presidential historian and senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, joins host Cliff May to unpack his WashingtonExaminer article, "The Presidents and Iran: A History." From the Persian shahs to the Islamic Republic, Troy and May trace 100 years of U.S.-Iran conflict and ask the uncomfortable question: why does each new commander in chief refuse to learn from his predecessor's mistakes?

A memorandum of understanding with Iran isn't peace – it's a fragile ceasefire with a regime whose ideology traces back to 1,400 years of jihad. While Tehran projects strength and defiance, U.S. negotiators face an impossible choice: lock in a deal that leaves the most dangerous issues unresolved or hold the line and risk escalation.On this episode of Foreign Podicy, FDD military experts RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Bradley Bowman join host Cliff May to break down why the 60-day negotiation window with Iran isn't just a diplomatic deadline; it's a crux in the global conflict between free nations and their sworn enemies.

In this episode of Foreign Podicy, host Cliff May sits down with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik — once the youngest woman ever elected to the House and its highest-ranking female member — to discuss her new book, Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America's Elite Universities. Stefanik gained national attention after her landmark December 2023 congressional hearing, where she pressed the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and MIT on whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated their campus policies —and none would give a clear answer.Joining the conversation is Brandy Shufutinsky, director of FDD's Program on Education and National Security, who brings her expertise in international and multicultural education to examine the deeper implications of ideological bias and double standards at America's most prestigious institutions. Tune in for a frank discussion on antisemitism, academic freedom, and the urgent need to reform elite higher education.

Taiwan makes 90% of the world’s most advanced semiconductors — and China wants to take it without breaking it - using economic coercion if they can. If Beijing succeeds, the global tech economy becomes weaponized.FDD CCTI Senior Director and Senior Fellow RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Stanford Hoover Institution Fellow Eyck Freymann break down the military, economic, and diplomatic strategies the U.S. and its allies must deploy right now to deter China — and what happens if they fail.

A new UN Watch investigation exposes ideological bias, foreign funding, and ethical misconduct among UN Special Rapporteurs — raising urgent questions about UN accountability and the urgent need for reform. The shocking new report, "From Watchdogs to Ideologues," reveals a long list of Special Rapporteurs who routinely exhibit extreme ideological bias, take payoffs from authoritarian states, and engage in conduct that in any other professional setting would end careers. Host Cliff May discusses the report with Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of the Geneva-based NGO UN Watch.

America’s spy chief visits Havana, the U.S. Justice Department announces the indictment for murder of former Cuban dictator, Raul Castro, Cuba’s current rulers are reported to have received more than 300 military attack drones from Moscow and Tehran while ordinary Cubans suffer power outages, medicine shortages, and soaring food prices. Guests Carrie Filipetti of the Vandenberg Coalition and Connor Pfeiffer of FDD Action join host Cliff May to discuss how these developments add up and whether the liberation of the Cuban people from the zombie Castroite regime is finally possible.

New York Times bestselling author Peter Schweizer joins host Cliff May to discuss his new book, "The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon." The two take a deep dive into the recent U.S.-China summit, comparisons between the Islamic Republic and the former Soviet Union, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and Peter’s explosive discovery of a "Manchurian Candidate"-style weaponization of the U.S. immigration system.