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Rational Security

A weekly discussion of national security and foreign policy matters hosted by Shane Harris of the Washington Post and featuring Brookings senior fellows Susan Hennessey, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Benjamin Wittes.
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Now displaying: 2021
Apr 21, 2021

The Treasury Department says an associate of disgraced Trump ally Paul Manafort gave campaign data to “Russian Intelligence,” leading us to ask, why are we only hearing this now? A former senior Trump aide was up to even more shenanigans than we knew. And top intelligence officials testify about global threats.

Apr 14, 2021

President Biden announces that all U.S. military forces will be out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11. A blackout at an Iranian nuclear facility is widely attributed to Israeli sabotage, complicating negotiations over a new nuclear deal. And we finally know the company that helped the FBI hack a notorious shooter’s phone.

Apr 7, 2021

Jordanian authorities mount arrests and detain a member of the royal family in what authorities called a threat to “security and stability” in the country, a key U.S. ally. An attack on the Capitol in Washington raises more questions about long-term security of that building. And the Biden administration seeks a way back to the negotiating table with Iran.

Mar 31, 2021

The debate heats up over “vaccine passports.” Google exposes a hacking operation that turns out to have been a government counterterrorism mission. And the World Health Organization's director says his agency needs to further investigate whether the coronavirus outbreak originated with a lab in China.

Mar 24, 2021

U.S. and Chinese officials clash during tense meetings in Alaska. The race to vaccinate the world is becoming a geopolitical problem. And Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future is uncertain after his party fails to win an outright majority in Israel’s parliamentary elections.

Mar 17, 2021

The intelligence community issues a new report on foreign interference in the 2020 election. Does the U.S. risk a strategic error in portraying China as more powerful than it is? And the Biden administration struggles with security at the southern border.

Mar 10, 2021

The Biden administration is reviewing the policy on drone strikes. At the same time, it grapples with how to respond to aggressive cyber threats from Russia and China. And one year after much of the United States went into a virtual lockdown, the origins of the coronavirus remain unknown.

Mar 3, 2021

A newly released intelligence report officially blames Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. FBI Director Chris Wray says domestic extremism is a “metastasizing” threat. And President Biden launches airstrikes in Syria.

Feb 24, 2021

President Biden’s nominees for attorney general and CIA director mostly sail through their confirmation hearings. The administration kickstarts policy on Iran, with an eye towards salvaging a nuclear deal. And the Supreme Court rules that a New York grand jury can see Donald Trump’s tax returns. 

Feb 17, 2021

It's our 300th episode! The Senate acquits Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial. Rolling blackouts in Texas offer a glimpse of climate insecurity to come. And the Pentagon delayed promoting two female generals to four-star commands over fears of Trump’s reaction.

Feb 10, 2021

President Trump’s impeachment trial begins in the Senate as a prosecutor in Georgia investigates efforts to overturn the election. President Biden sets out to “revitalize” national security and foreign policy in his administration. And the U.S. is (cautiously) rejoining world bodies it left under Donald Trump.

Feb 3, 2021

The Senate prepares to try former President Trump on charges of inciting a riot at the Capitol. A military coup in Myanmar deals a potentially crushing blow to democracy. And how do you solve a problem like Marjorie Taylor Greene?

Jan 27, 2021

The storming of the Capitol on January 6 has exposed the long-simmering threat of domestic extremism in the United States. How will the Biden administration combat it? Protests break out across Russia as a prominent dissident returns home. And can we just skip impeachment and get to the 14th Amendment?

Jan 21, 2021

Joe Biden takes the oath of office to become the 46th President of the United States. We’ll look at how Donald Trump spent his last day in office and how Biden is spending his first.

Jan 13, 2021

The House impeaches President Trump—again—for his role in stoking an attack on the Capitol. President-elect Biden announces more national security appointments, including his nominee to lead the CIA. And Mike Pompeo breaks some diplomatic furniture on the way out the door.

Jan 6, 2021

A normally procedural session of Congress dissolves as protestors descend on Washington and occupy the Capitol. A new crackdown on pro-democracy forces in Hong Kong will complicate the incoming Biden administration’s approach to China. And how will a (barely) Democrat-controlled Senate affect Biden’s national security agenda?

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