One Decision Archiv
266 Episoden
15 Minuten
As the world gathers to mourn Queen Elizabeth II, co-hosts Julia Macfarlane and Former Chief of MI6 Sir Richard Dearlove, a longtime Crown servant, reflect on the life and times of Britain's longest-reigning Monarch.
44 Minuten
Will the Biden Administration dial back sanctions against Venezuela, a country with the largest oil reserves in the world, in an effort to address the global energy crisis? That's the question we ask two leading experts on the country's energy industry. They discuss how crumbling infrastructure to export crude may slow or stymie any immediate impact. Nicolas Maduro and the Chavistas have ignored the results of past elections and have one of the worst human rights records in the hemisphere, which will make any concessions challenging for the American president at home and abroad, especially after a widely criticized trip to Saudi Arabia. Plus, the former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, analyzes the impact a warming of relations between Washington and Caracas could have on Venezuela's ties to Beijing, Tehran, and Moscow.
43 Minuten
The Wagner Group is used extensively by the Russian government in conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and across the African continent. The private military company serves as a shadow military consisting of thousands of highly-trained and well-equipped mercenaries. From war crimes to trafficking in illicit goods, they have earned a reputation as one of the most significant sources of instability in countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. The United Nations Human Rights Council's Jelena Aparac and former CIA paramilitary case officer Philip Wasielewski look at how and where the group does Vladimir Putin's dirty work. They examine the role Wagner forces are currently playing on the battlefield in Ukraine and whether the international community should designate them as an international terrorist organization. The panel is joined by the former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, who adds insights into Russia's asymmetric warfare tactics and what else may be in store as the Kremlin looks for more ways to destabilize its neighbors and other vulnerable nations.
21 Minuten
Russia and China are undertaking an unprecedented assault on the international order. Meanwhile, serious questions linger about America's willingness to exert leadership across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Spain's former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Manuel Muñiz discusses why the war in Ukraine is likely to drag out for years and how it will accelerate a process of deglobalization. In his view, the world will divide across two main blocs, democracies and authoritarian states. The consequences of this tectonic transition will be considerable for countries, companies, and consumers. Yet, he believes in this scary scenario, there are still some reasons for optimism and new opportunities, if we are ready to seize them.
43 Minuten
Will the metaverse jeopardize security and stability around the world? Venture capitalist and author of “The Metaverse and how it will revolutionise everything,” Matthew Ball sits down with One Decision to delve into the implications of the new virtual world on the real world. One Decision hosts Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of MI6, and journalist Julia Macfarlane explore opportunities and concerns about the new risks that will be found in the metaverse.
19 Minuten
Darya Dugina, daughter of close Putin ally and Russian ultra-nationalist Alexander Dugin, was driving her father's car, when it exploded. Russia's FSB security services quickly claimed to have identified the assassin. But western governments have pushed back against this narrative, with some officials like Tom Tugendhat, a British member of Parliament, suggesting that Putin may have targeted Dugin over recent criticisms made against the Kremlin. One Decision hosts Julia Macfarlane and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove sit with Edward Lucas, one of the most well-informed journalists on Kremlinology and the shadow politics of Putin's inner circle, to discuss who may be behind the assassination and what it means for war in Ukraine.
38 Minuten
French President Emanuelle Macron is in a pretty tough spot. Recent legislative elections seriously undermined his standing at a dangerous point, as he starts his second term in office. In a country where strikes and protests are common, the next one might have far reaching political consequences. Meanwhile, Europe finds itself grappling with a war on its eastern border and an increasingly aggressive Russia. Former French Ambassador Gerard Araud shares an inside perspective on the latest threats facing one of Europe's critical countries. Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, also dives into China’s efforts to undermine France’s influence in Africa, exploring what it might mean for security and stability around the globe.
45 Minuten
The United States' longest foreign war came to an end as the last American troops departed Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base on August 15, 2021. On the same day, Taliban forces breached the walls of Kabul, taking full control of the country as President Ashraf Ghani fled. One Decision sits down with the former Vice President of the National Assembly, Fawzia Koofi, and former U.S. Marine and investor in the country, Jake Cusack, who also helped to rescue hundreds fleeing the extremist group's return to power. They delve into President Biden’s much-criticized decision to proceed with pulling out American troops and consequences it has had on the country, as well as America's standing around the world. Resident analyst Sir Richard Dearlove, who led the British intelligence agency MI6, also weighs in on what may lie for Afghans under Taliban rule.
43 Minuten
Bill Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies. Browder's colleague Sergei Magnitsky uncovered a massive tax scam totalling hundreds of billions of dollars, and the officials he accused of stealing the funds threw him into jail, where he was beaten, tortured, and then died in custody in 2009. Browder decided to act, pushing for accountability of those involved in Magnitsky’s death. Browder’s activism has led to the passing of the Global Magnitsky Act, which authorizes the US government to sanction international government officials believed to be behind human rights violations. Julia Macfarlane sits down with Browder to discuss his work targeting corrupt Russian officials while Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, shares his insight on the complex trails of Russian money, who's hiding it, and who has access to it.
28 Minuten
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to Taiwan has leaders worldwide concerned that it will provoke China and lead to a potential military conflict with the United States. One Decision's Julia Macfarlane and former Head of British Intelligence Sir Richard Dearlove sit down to analyze the motives and possible dangers of the visit. Sir Richard reveals why he thinks the trip is more than just a symbolic message and under what circumstances the rhetoric between the US and China could lead to a potential military conflict.
46 Minuten
Amid a wave of European support for Ukraine, Hungary has emerged an outlier; refusing to send weapons to Kyiv or cut off Russian oil supply. Newly re-elected Prime Minister Viktor Orban has openly spoken of his admiration for Russia’s President Putin, and described himself as the leader of “an illiberal democracy.” So does that leave Budapest more closely aligned with Brussels or Moscow? Guest co-host Helena Humphrey sits down with Klara Dobrev, a Hungarian left-wing politician and MEP, to talk about her recent decision to put her hat in the ring, and challenge Orban himself. Meanwhile One Decision's Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, shares his insight on Orban's true motives, who his real friends are among the looming potential energy crisis, and predicts the future of Britain's leadership.
29 Minuten
NATO's former Director General of Military Staff, General Hans-Werner Wiermann sits down on this bonus episode for a look back on the tumultuous times he and the Alliance have endured over the last several years. From the American withdrawal from Afghanistan to China's increasingly aggressive posture, the General shares some of the lessons he learned and the threats the West will likely face over the next decade. He also delves into Russia's strategy in Ukraine and what it will take to push Putin's forces back to their side of the border.
31 Minuten
While foreign correspondent Laura Haim is on assignment in Paris reporting on the effects of the war in Europe, she's also been following the story of a small coastal village in the South of France that's drawn Russians for years - and not just wealthy Russians, but some of the world's most notorious Russian oligarchs. However, with the war in Ukraine, the town is in a state of flux. With sanctions in place, many Russians' have had their assets frozen - making it hard to maintain their estates. For these oligarchs, where they are headed now has been the subject of growing speculation and reporting. Laura sits down with Louise Shelley, director of the transnational crime and corruption center at George Mason University, who is an expert witness on how Russian money is laundered through real estate, and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's Mi6, to discuss where Russian oligarchs are fleeing to and why, what countries are letting them in, and the potential of corruption in Ukraine during rebuilding.
41 Minuten
US President Joe Biden promised to make a “pariah” out of Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is widely held responsible overseas for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the brutal war in Yemen, a rise in mass executions and other human rights abuses in the Kingdom. But at a time when inflation is soaring, global oil prices are surging and China is courting the Gulf - can Biden and the US afford to isolate Saudi Arabia and ignore the Middle East? One Decision's Julia Macfarlane and former head of Britain's MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, sit down with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, Axios’ political reporter Hans Nichols, and Washington DC’s Director of Human Rights Watch, Sarah Yager, to unpack what really happened on Biden’s trip and its global implications.
49 Minuten
This month, China has been marking the 25th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong, from British rule back to China. For many Hong Kongers, this was not a day of celebration - including for Samuel Chu, a Hong-Kong born American activist, founder and President of the non-profit group Campaign for Hong Kong. His father, a retired pastor, was one of the leading figures behind the Occupy Central movement, the pro-democracy mass movement that sparked the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong back in 2014. As the first foreigner wanted by China under China's National Security Law, Samuel joins Julia Macfarlane to discuss how China’s actions in Hong Kong may inform Taiwan’s future, while Sir Richard Dearlove reveals new details about the negotiations and his scepticism of China during this time.
One Decision
One Decision is a podcast that speaks with those whose choices had an international impact.