The Burn Bag

Interested in dissecting #NationalSecurity, #ForeignPolicy, and Global #Politics without all the lingo? We open up a burn bag every week to break down these issues so you don't have to! SUBSCRIBE BELOW ⬇️ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3HuBeSK Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DjQDCM

🎙️ “Troubling.” Alexander Vindman says a trilateral summit between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin would be problematic—because the U.S. wouldn’t serve as a neutral arbiter. A direct Putin–Zelenskyy meeting? “Interesting,” he says—but unlikely, since Putin doesn’t want to legitimize Zelenskyy. 📺 Watch the full clip: #Ukraine #Trump #Putin #Zelenskyy #Diplomacy #Vindman #BurnBagPodcast #Geopolitics

Amb. John Bolton’s home was raided by the FBI this morning as part of an investigation into alleged mishandling of classified information. Amb. Bolton, an outspoken Trump critic who formerly served as the President’s National Security Advisor, spoke with us in April to discuss how he viewed the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Listen: bit.ly/45ySZOU

🎙️ “A mitigated disaster.” Alexander Vindman says Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska was deeply flawed. Drawing from prior experiences, Vindman states that Trump is notoriously difficult to prepare—but this time, there was a real effort. It fell apart immediately, and Putin easily manipulated the moment. 📺 Watch the clip: #Trump #Putin #Vindman #Ukraine #ForeignPolicy #BurnBagPodcast

🚨 The Trump-Putin Summit: What Happened? 🚨 We’re joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alexander Vindman — former Director for European Affairs at the NSC — to break down the latest phase of the war in #Ukraine. We cover: 🇷🇺 What happened at the #Trump–#Putin summit in Alaska 🇺🇦 The Monday meeting with #Zelenskyy and European leaders 📉 How ad hoc diplomacy undermines U.S. credibility and #NATO cohesion 🗺️ Putin’s land-for-peace proposal—and why it’s a strategic trap Lt. Col. Vindman offers his takes on recent developments in Ukraine and what they mean for U.S. and European policy. 🎧 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Jqht4g 🍎 Apple: https://apple.co/4mQWdmo #Ukraine #Russia #NATO #ForeignPolicy #NationalSecurity #AlexanderVindman #BurnBagPodcast #Trump #Zelenskyy #Putin #Geopolitics #Europe

#Crimea was the opening act in #Russia’s war on #Ukraine—and the Crimean Tatars have been resisting occupation, repression, and erasure for generations. We sat down with anthropologist Greta Uehling, PhD to explore the role of Ukraine’s Indigenous people in shaping national identity, resisting colonization, and keeping cultural memory alive under Russian rule. From grassroots resistance to geopolitical relevance, this conversation challenges how we understand Crimea—not as a side note, but as a core battleground for Ukraine’s future. 🎧 Listen now: Spotify: http://bit.ly/3HyDQ6K Apple: https://bit.ly/3UvCdK2

Last week on The Burn Bag, former CIA #counterterrorism analyst Gina Bennett reflects on how the U.S. response to 9/11 embodied our understanding of national security — and what was left out of that conversation. In this clip, Gina discusses how post-9/11 policy focused overwhelmingly on physical security, while less attention was paid to the role of #democratic ideals and active #citizenship in building long-term national #resilience. She explores how, after the Cold War, the U.S. shifted away from engaging globally on questions of governance, self-determination, and civic strength. It’s a timely reminder that #security isn’t just about what we defend — but also why we defend it. Spotify: https://bit.ly/45mhk9k Apple: https://bit.ly/4fhdz9D #TheBurnBag #GinaBennett #NationalSecurity #Democracy #CivicResilience #EvolutionaryPower

What if we’ve been thinking about national security all wrong? Fmr. CIA analyst Gina Bennett—who warned about bin Laden in 1993—unpacks her “Hunter-Gatherer Security” theory, evolutionary power, and democracy’s blind spots. 🎧 Spotify: https://bit.ly/45mhk9k 🍎 Apple: https://bit.ly/4fhdz9D

🎙️ “I frankly am deeply troubled by what China is doing in Russia.” In this clip, Dr. Kurt Campbell reflects on the growing #Russia #China axis — and why Beijing’s support is prolonging the war in #Ukraine and undermining its own principles of #sovereignty. Thousands of hours of bilateral engagement, dozens of #Xi-#Putin meetings, and “a major project” to rebuild the bilateral relationship, Campbell warns that China is backing Russia in a war with deep implications for Europe and the global order. 🎧 Full episode available now: Spotify: bit.ly/4ljYd6r Apple: bit.ly/4nEjKZ7 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ezyFE6vt #BurnBagPodcast #KurtCampbell #RussiaChina #USChina #Geopolitics #UkraineWar #IndoPacific #ForeignPolicy

“#InnovationTheater” isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a barrier. Earlier this week on The Burn Bag, Raft CEO Shubhi Mishra broke down what it takes to be a new #prime in #defense, and why real #innovation means getting off the Powerpoint slides and into the field — building what warfighters actually need. 🎧 Listen now: Spotify – https://bit.ly/4eI7CSW Apple – https://bit.ly/45X8L6L #defenseinnovation #DataFusion #AI #GovCon #BurnBagPodcast