None Of The Above

General George Marshall occupies a central place in the pantheon of American heroes. He helped lead the Allies to victory in World War II, and as the secretary of state, he championed the plan to rebuild Europe which …

From the Crimean War of 1853 to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year, journalists, reporters, and the media have shaped the public’s understanding of war. But do the stories we read and the photos we see provide an …

In October 2021, the United States and Mexico put an end to the Mérida Initiative—a thirteen-year, $3 billion security assistance package central to a new “war on drugs.” Despite years of weapons sales, military …

Saturday marked the nineteenth anniversary of the beginning of the second Iraq War—a war Congress never formally declared. Instead, just like with America’s invasion of Afghanistan, Congress passed an Authorization for …

It is day fourteen of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Ukrainian resistance and Russian logistical issues have together denied Moscow a quick victory, but the fighting continues—and intensifies. Meanwhile, despite several …

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are underway and more than just athletic competition has drawn international attention. Amid calls for a complete boycott due to China’s crackdown on Hong Kong and its persecution of the …

Eight years after it annexed Crimea and instigated a civil war in Eastern Ukraine, Russia has mobilized 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border. With the threat of a Russian invasion looming, negotiations between …

World War II is nostalgically remembered throughout American culture as the “good war”––a conflict where Americans idealistically banded together to …

Speaking at the United Nations Climate Conference this November, President Biden called climate change “the existential threat to human existence.” …

President Joe Biden argues the contest between democracy and autocracy will be the defining challenge of the twenty-first century. Meanwhile, Freedom House observes democracy around the world has experienced its …

As the United States competes for influence around the globe, and as authoritarianism gains ground in places like Brazil, what will US engagement in the region look like? US intervention and influence in the region is …

What impact did Colin Powell, America’s 65th secretary of state under President George W. Bush, who passed away last week, make on US foreign …

Tensions have been high on the Korean Peninsula this past month. In mid-September, both North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles just hours …

Since the end of World War II, policymakers have puzzled over the proper way to approach Russia. U.S.-Russia relations have arguably deteriorated to …

In April, President Biden announced he would withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Within months, Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, fell to the …

This week, we’re bringing back an episode from Season 1 with journalist and political analyst Peter Beinart. When we spoke with Peter last spring, we …

On July 1, the Communist Party of China celebrated its 100th anniversary. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a speech that unsettled some China …

President Biden campaigned on a swift return to the Iran nuclear deal. But with Iran freezing what have become laborious negotiations until the new hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, takes office next month, the …

This week, we’re bringing back another one of our favorite episodes from Season 2. When we sat down with Bishop Garrison last summer, he was directing national security outreach at Human Rights First. Today, Bishop’s …

For many, America’s Cold War victory validated the country’s self-image as a “shining city upon the hill,” whose democratic ideals were worthy of …

This week, we're bringing back one of our favorite episodes from Season 1. When we caught up with Rosa Brooks two summers ago, Donald Trump was president, and despite his stated desire to end endless wars, the …

In 2015, following Myanmar's first free election in a quarter-century, Western governments, including that of the United States, staked their hopes …

After the Cold War, many in the United States believed democracy was fait accompli around the world. Thirty years later, it is on shaky ground. U.S. …

On September 14th, 2001, Congress passed a 60-word joint resolution granting President George W. Bush nearly unchecked authority to fight a “War on …

President Biden came into office vowing to restore America’s longstanding alliances across the Atlantic. However, while Europe’s security relationship with the United States remains relatively strong, Europe’s economic …

Mexico ought to occupy a prominent place on the list of America’s foreign policy priorities, given its proximity. Yet political leaders in the United …

Few places in the world symbolize America’s “War On Terror” as poignantly as Guantanamo Bay. Opened in January 2002, the detention center has …

In just two months, U.S. troops are slated to withdraw from Afghanistan per an agreement with the Taliban. It’s unclear whether President Biden will adhere to the terms of the agreement, or whether he’ll try to extend …

President Biden promises to restore and renew America’s commitment to NATO and its European allies. Supporters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization argue Russian aggression compels continued American military …

As the Biden administration takes shape, many wonder whether it will implement a truly progressive foreign policy agenda. President Biden’s early …

The so-called war on terror will soon be twenty years old -- and there is no end in sight. The legal basis for this endless war is grounded in two …

After the violent riots on Capitol Hill last Wednesday left America’s democratic institutions shaken, foreign policy leaders in Washington grappled …

As Washington prepares to transition from a Trump to a Biden presidency, how might we expect America’s global role to change in the years ahead? This …

Multiple promising vaccines for the coronavirus are nearing FDA approval, and the United States is gearing up for widespread vaccination. While the …

President-elect Joe Biden sees the world very differently than President Trump. He’s promised to reinvigorate diplomacy, and his approach to a range of pressing national security challenges – from Afghanistan to Iran to …

In February 2020, the U.S. government and the Taliban signed an agreement with steps to end the war in Afghanistan. With Intra-Afghan talks also underway between the Taliban and the Afghan government, the end to the war …

The 2016 U.S. presidential election may have been the most divisive election in modern memory. The aftermath has left the United States in a period …

Historian Stephen Wertheim traces America’s decision for global military dominance back to World War II in a widely anticipated book published this …

Commentators describe the first presidential debate of the 2020 general election as a "hot mess inside a dumpster fire," "a bad reality TV show," and …

The United States has been mired in endless war for more than a generation. This week, journalist Glenn Greenwald of The Intercept sits down with the Eurasia Group Foundation’s Mark Hannah to discuss the true costs of …

In the wake of protests surrounding the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, America’s institutions are reckoning with their roles in …

The U.S. bombed the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 75 years ago this month. Although nuclear weapons haven’t been used in combat since, …

In May 2020, the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor touched off some of the largest protests in U.S. history and shone a spotlight on …

This episode marks the end of the first season of the Eurasia Group Foundation podcast, None Of The Above. We conclude our season with a topic that gets far too little attention in the mainstream media: the history of …

In February, the Taliban and U.S. government signed a peace deal. The U.S. would draw down its troop presence and persuade the Afghan government to …

Donald Trump ran his 2016 presidential campaign on ending America’s endless wars. But throughout his presidency, he has increased military deployments in the Middle East and threatened conflicts with Iran, Venezuela, …

Since 1997, Hong Kong has been a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. The freedoms China promised the people of this semi-autonomous region are slowly eroding. Throughout the year, …

In December 2019, The Washington Post obtained and published internal documents, now known as The Afghanistan Papers, from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). These documents revealed …

Does American expansionism around the globe make the U.S. more powerful and influential? Does the U.S. gain by flexing its military muscle, or would …

On Monday, President Donald Trump and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi inked a new defense deal as violence escalated in response to Modi’s …

The conventional wisdom in Washington is that the typical American voter doesn’t know or care much about foreign policy. We at the Eurasia Group …

In an era of intense political polarization, how can we bring people together and effect political change? This week, actor and comedian Kal Penn …

In October, two China experts joined None Of The Above to discuss Washington’s response to the rise of China. Today’s episode digs deeper and unpacks the very notion of great power competition, and whether America …

As the Cold War ended, many in the national security establishment thought history had ended: American-style democracy and capitalism were triumphal …

What does the end of the "American empire" look like? What are other tools America can invest in? Kate Kizer joins EGF’s Mark Hannah to explore the …

Nuclear weapons are the forgotten existential threat. Yet, they can alter the course of history in an afternoon. Leading nuclear policy expert, Joe …

The foreign policy establishment sees America locked in a fierce and strategic competition with China. With the ongoing trade war, the protests …

America continues its unwavering devotion to Saudi Arabia, despite the gruesome murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the humanitarian catastrophes in Yemen. …

The Pentagon identifies climate change as a threat multiplier and links climate change to rising instability and insecurity around the globe. But …

Chances are, empathy is not the first thing you think about when you consider the ideal mix of skills and attributes of American soldiers. Yet the …

What happens when the distinction between war and peace starts to disappear? Rosa Brooks, a law professor and former top Pentagon official, explores the causes and consequences of this alarming trend, and discusses its …

What do the American people think about America's role in the world?  Many foreign policy experts assume the public just doesn't care very much about …

The United States and the United Kingdom have historically had a special relationship. Can this kind of enduring alliance be replicated, and if not, why not? As American hegemony wanes and China’s international …

For decades, America has pursed a foreign policy of liberal hegemony: the idea that the U.S. should use its power to spread values like freedom and …

A new generation of military veterans who fought in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq confronts new challenges. News reports emphasize the trauma and loss associated with military service. But Kayla Williams, who served …

After the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed the toughest ever sanctions against the Tehran, it seems to many that the president is seeking a pretext for war. Trump threatened …

As the U.S. seeks a resolution to America’s longest war, we’re joined by Chris Kolenda, the first American to have both fought against—and then …

Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un clearly have a complicated relationship. Former CIA analyst Sue Mi Terry makes the case for reunification of the Korean …

Our first episode confronts the paradox of America’s military might. As the Cato Institute’s Chris Preble sees it, exorbitant spending on national defense actually makes America less safe. We examine the historical …