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Sep 2023
1h 23m

Guests of the Ayatollah

FDD
About this episode
“Hostage diplomacy” is a term you’ll frequently see in the media, but it's a misleading term. What we’re really talking about: Dictators kidnapping and torturing innocent foreign civilians.  In some cases, the leaders of free countries pay ransom to get them back. In some cases, the dictators also demand the release of convicted criminals who have been or c ... Show More
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Yesterday
From Budapest to Beirut to Tehran: Perspectives from Across the Pond
Three shocks. Three fronts. One world shifting fast. In Hungary, Péter Magyar topples Viktor Orbán’s grip. In Washington, Lebanese–Israeli talks edge beyond ceasefire toward something more consequential—rattling players from Hezbollah to Emmanuel Macron. And after failed diplomac ... Show More
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Apr 10
The New Sultanate
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States, Turkey offered a sliver of optimism in a region defined by turmoil — a Muslim-majority democracy, a NATO ally, and even a friend of Israel. But after more than two decades under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdo ... Show More
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Apr 3
Breaking China
As Washington prepares for a high-stakes Trump–Xi meeting, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party examines Beijing’s anti-American ambitions and strategies. Chairman John Moolenaar joins host Cliff May to discuss what can be done to counter them. 
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