The Last Line of Defense

How Close Are We to World War III? A UK General on Iran, Ukraine, and the Changing Character of War

Host Seth Jones sits down with General Sir Nick Carter, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff and Chief of the General Staff in the UK military, for an assessment of t

From Orbit to the Battlefield: The Future of Space Capabilities

Host Seth Jones sits down with Robert Cardillo, former director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, for an assessment of space as an emerging domain of modern

Ex-CIA and Pentagon Chief Warns: Iran, the Homeland, and Challenges Ahead

Host Seth Jones sits down with Secretary Leon Panetta for an assessment of the Iran war, U.S. military readiness, and broader strategic challenges. Drawing on decades of

Is Ukraine Winning? Inside the Battlefield of Drones, AI, and Autonomous Warfare

Host Seth Jones welcomes back Mick Ryan, retired Australian Army Major General, for the latest on the Ukraine-Russia battlefield. The pair discussed the Ukrainian air cam

The Surprising Truth About How Americans See NATO, China, and Iran

On this episode, host Seth Jones discusses areas of bipartisan support for global engagement, including NATO, the threat posed by China, support for Ukraine, and more. He

The World Turned Upside Down: The Aftermath of the Iran War

Host Seth G. Jones sits down with Walter Russell Mead to examine the war in Iran, including its political implications, the state of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the his

Cracks in the Armor: Russia’s Military Struggles and the G7 Aftermath

Host Seth G. Jones speaks with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe (2014–2017), about the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine

The Room Where It Happened: What the Media Missed About the Trump-Xi Meeting

Host Seth G. Jones sat down with Ambassador (ret.) Edgard D. Kagan, former U.S. ambassador to Malaysia and newly appointed Senior Adviser and Freeman Chair in China Studi

China’s Win? The Missile Gap After Epic Fury

Host Dr. Seth G. Jones sat down with retired Marine Corps Colonel Mark Cancian to examine the U.S. munitions stockpiles after Operation Epic Fury, the challenges facing A

Strategic Exhaustion: Will Iran Fold?

Norman Roule is back on the podcast with Seth Jones to provide an update on developments in Iran, including the impact of sanctions and the blockade, an assessment of who

Beyond the Rubble: Is China the Real Winner of the U.S.-Iran War?

Host Seth Jones sat down with Dr. Bonny Lin, CSIS Senior Adviser and Director of the China Power Project, to explore Beijing’s view of the U.S.-Iran war, including its ow

Tehran’s Calculus: Iran’s Strategy Amidst the Storm

Host Seth Jones speaks with Ambassador Ryan Crocker to unpack Iran’s complex political landscape, regional power dynamics, and the role of U.S. allies as the conflict unf

The Iran Endgame: Iran's Nuclear Program, View from Tehran & U.S. Ground Troops

Host Seth Jones sits down with Face the Nation's Margaret Brennan to break down Iran’s nuclear program and offers an overview of the domestic and international politics s

Beyond the Air War: What Are the Global Risks of the Iran Conflict?

Host Seth Jones sits down with General David H. Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and former director of the CIA, to discuss the latest developments in Iran, including

A Widening War with Iran: What Are the U.S. Military's Next Steps

Host Seth Jones sits down with retired General Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command, about the evolving situation in Iran after Operation Epic Fury. The

Why Putin’s "Inevitable" Victory in Ukraine is a Myth

Host Seth Jones speaks with Kate Bachelder Odell of The Wall Street Journal about the state of Russia’s war in Ukraine as it nears its fifth year. They discuss recent rem

Locked and Loaded: What Are U.S. Military Options for Iran?

Host Seth Jones sits down with retired Admiral Sandy Winnefeld, the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss the latest developments involving Iran. T

Inside Iran's Security Apparatus: How Stable is the Regime?

Host Seth Jones speaks with Norman Roule, who served as the national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from November 20

America Under Siege: Inside China's Espionage Campaign in the United States

Host Seth Jones explores the implications of modern Chinese espionage cases with David R. Shedd, former Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Ag

Maduro is Gone. Now What in Venezuela?

Host Seth Jones speaks with Dr. Ryan Berg, Director of the Americas Program and Head of the Future of Venezuela Initiative at CSIS, about Venezuela’s political landscape