Tommy and Ben discuss the murder of a British member of parliament, Colin Powell’s legacy, missiles, climate change, the fight against Viktor Orban, kidnappings in Haiti, democracy in Sudan, covid in Brazil, her majesty’s cocktails, why Australia hates Ted Cruz, and wizards. Then Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa joins to talk about her battles against President Rodrigo Duterte and Facebook.  For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pod Save the World

We booked a Nobel Prize winner

Tommy and Ben talk about why US special forces were on a training mission in Taiwan, the Saudi government buys a soccer team, Biden’s Syria policy, stealing US Navy secrets, a breakthrough in the fight against Malaria, what a $20 million home in Beverly Hills tells us about Afghanistan, Iraq’s election results, Ted Cruz and the far-right in Spain, an Ethiopia update and gift giving in the Trump era. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ted Lasso with a bone saw

Tommy and Ben discuss a new, massive leak of financial documents that expose how billionaires and powerful politicians hide their money, the global impact of Facebook going offline, the CIA sounds the alarm about protecting sources, Biden’s team tries to fix relations with France, news about China and Ethiopia, and then Ben gets an update on the current situation in Afghanistan from activist and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Sahar Halaimzai. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Decoding the Pandora Papers

Tommy and Ben talk about the results of the German elections, Senate hearings on Afghanistan, a report about a Trump administration plan to arrest Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, votes on Israel and Yemen on Capitol Hill, an update on Burma, and funny Trump foreign policy stories. Then Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian joins to talk about his new podcast 544 Days, which details his time being held hostage in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jared Kushner is “Rasputin in a slim-fitting suit”

Tommy and Ben explain why a security agreement between the US, UK and Australia has enraged the French, the latest on elections in Canada and Russia, the assassination of an Iranian scientist, Biden addresses the UN General Assembly, and the Space Force debuts its dress uniform. Then Senator Chris Murphy joins Ben to discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the urgency for filling critical diplomatic positions that Republicans are blocking. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

France is not amused

Tommy and Ben talk about the national security news in Bob Woodward’s new book, some rare progress in nuclear talks with Iran, the latest on efforts to get the world vaccinated, why national security jobs are stalled in the Senate and an assessment of the global threat from terrorism, for-profit spyware, and Kim Jong Un’s weight loss. Then CNN’s senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir joins to talk about her reporting on the war in Ethiopia. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who hid the nukes from Trump?

Tommy and Ben cover the latest from Afghanistan, right-wing protests in Brazil, a coup in Guinea, bitcoin in El Salvador, Biden’s immigration policy, big elections in Germany, Japan and Canada, and tough times for celebrities in China. Then Ben talks to former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the Ukrainian President’s visit to America. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 years after 9/11

Tommy and Ben talk about the United States ending its war in Afghanistan as both countries navigate what comes next, what a visit from Israel’s prime minister can tell us about the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and where things stand with Russia’s opposition movement weeks away from parliamentary elections. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What comes next for Afghanistan

Tommy and Ben cover the latest news from Afghanistan, including an update on the evacuation efforts, the threat from ISIS, the coming US political fight over refugees, the media coverage of the war and what lessons they hope that the country will learn from it. They also explain why the Vice President’s trip to Asia was temporarily delayed by reports of “Havana Syndrome” in Vietnam, and discuss updates on the earthquake in Haiti. Then Tommy is joined by Ali Latifi, Al Jazeera English’s online correspondent in Kabul, to discuss what life is like in Kabul a little more than a week after the Taliban takeover. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The lessons we should learn from Afghanistan

Today’s episode is all about Afghanistan. Tommy and Ben cover President Biden’s decision to withdraw troops, the failure to process visas and get refugees out of the country, why the Afghan security forces didn’t fight back, the history of the war effort under four US presidents, Trump’s role in what happened and the broader political implications. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A tragic end to 20 years in Afghanistan

Tommy and Ben talk about the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, Mike Pompeo and the missing whisky, Sudan and Ethiopia, big climate change news, the US military’s new covid vaccine rule, China’s Olympic lies, and some dystopian space idiocy.Then, Ben interviews Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi about Viktor Orban’s star turn with American right wing media and the Chinese Communist Party, and Orban’s standing at home heading into next year’s elections. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tucker’s all Orban has left

Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news from Afghanistan, Tucker Carlson’s adventures with fascists in Hungary, the state of US-Iran relations, the shortcomings of the global coronavirus vaccination campaign, updates from Myanmar, the defection of a Belarusian sprinter at the Tokyo Olympics and more. Then Ben talks to German climate activist Luisa Neubauer about how Germany's summer of intense weather has impacted the politics of climate action there. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tucker Carlson makes a fascist friend

Tommy and Ben discuss the criminal charges against Trump’s inaugural committee chair Tom Barrack, President Biden's meeting with the prime minister of Iraq, why the Israeli government is attacking Ben and Jerry's, Xi Jinping's visit to Tibet and tons of Olympic news. Then Tommy talks to journalist Fadil Aliriza about why the Tunisian president dismissed the prime minister and Parliament. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump vs Team USA

Tommy and Ben discuss unrest and inequality in South Africa, the spyware for profit industry in Israel, Chinese cyberattacks, climate change news, updates from Haiti and Cuba, Jeff Bezos' trip to space, whether the Australian prime minister pooped his pants and more. Then Mohamed Soltan joins Ben to talk about claims the US government pledged to incarcerate him after he was released from Egyptian prison and why it is so critical that the Biden administration rethink American policy towards Egypt. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spyware for profit

Tommy and Ben discuss the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse, the ongoing protests in Cuba, how President Biden should respond to ransomware attacks, new US ambassador nominations, the impact of heat waves on marine life, a new dating app in Iran, and soccer and Olympics news. Then Haitian journalist Widlore Meráncourt talks to Tommy about the political situation in Haiti and the context for American intervention in the country. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld.  For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An assassination in Haiti and protests in Cuba

“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. His new show “Pod Save the World” will bring you behind the scenes into White House Situation Room meetings and secret negotiations through a series of conversations with people who were there.

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Pod Save the World

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