One More Decison
One More Decision is an exclusive series of bonus episodes from our team, covering breaking news and the most important events in international affairs. Brought to you by Sir Richard Dearlove and Julia MacFarlane, we look at what the week’s most important decisions are.
Guest Host: Brett Bruen, Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House
Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House Brett Bruen joins to host a special One More Decision to provide analysis on the discovery of a young Air Force reservist's role in stealing over a hundred secret documents and publishing them online. Bruen takes us inside the American security clearance system and looks at whether after so many intelligence issues, allies are now going to be less likely to share their sensitive insights with Washington.
The US and Ukraine have strongly denied any involvement in an alleged drone assassination attempt against Vladimir Putin this week. According to Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, two drones were reportedly downed by Russian air defences above the Kremlin, the fortress which is the heart of the government. One Decision’s Julia Macfarlane and Sir Richard Dearlove analyze the incident, the possibility it could be a false flag operation by Russia to escalate the war, and how Moskow could retaliate against Kyiv.
Bonus: Can Sanctions Work in Sudan?
Guest Host: Brett Bruen, Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House
Guest: Cameron Hume, Former Ambassador to Sudan
Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House Brett Bruen joins to host our weekly special One More Decision to provide analysis on the violent clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force (RSF). Brett speaks with Ambassador Cameron Hume who ran the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum for his inside take on foreign influence in the conflict, whether sanctions would make a difference, and the logistics behind evacuating thousands of people amid intense fighting between Sudan's warring factions.
Judges in Pakistan have ordered the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from custody after his dramatic arrest in Islamabad on what his supporters claim are trumped up charges of corruption. The Supreme Court has ordered Khan be freed on protected bail, meaning he cannot be re-arrested on the same charges for another two weeks. The country has seen waves of violence after his supporters who have protested his arrest clashed with the police and the military. Several people have died and thousands have been arrested. Authorities shut down internet and cellphone networks to try and quell the unrest. One Decision's Sir Richard Dearlove, who ran MI6, reflects on his past dealings with the country's powerful military and intelligence services, and why many are speculating that Khan's ouster last year from office and his current troubles are to do with him running afoul of Pakistan's powerful army and intelligence chiefs.
A bonus episode from the One Decision team: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the infamous boss of the Wagner mercenary group, claimed a big victory this week - that his fighters had taken substantial control of the contested city of Bakhmut in Ukraine, and that it had been “legally captured”. However, this is not necessarily good news for the Kremlin. Putin’s once close ally has been badmouthing the Russian military - complaining about bad tactics, logistics and poor planning by the Russian defence chiefs leaving soldiers hungry, ill-equipped and unprepared for battle. After a mysterious assassination of a blogger in a cafe Prigozhin owns, One Decision’s Julia Macfarlane and Sir Richard Dearlove discuss if the noose is tightening on Putin’s old friend, and at what point is he too much of a liability for the Russian leader?
The man who once led British intelligence, Sir Richard Dearlove weighs in on the mass protests we have witnessed in response to major reforms proposed by both President Emanuel Macron and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their countries. Will these leaders and their proposals survive? We offer a special short analysis on the situations & scenarios for the deep public discontent on display at the moment in Israel, as well as France.
Guest Host: Brett Bruen, Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House
Guest: Johanna Maska, Former Director of Press Advance in the Obama White House
Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House, Brett Bruen joins to host our weekly special One More Decision to provide analysis on President Joe Biden's announcement—that at 80 years old he will seek another term as president setting up a potential Trump vs. Biden rematch in 2024. Brett speaks with Johanna Maska, the former Director of Press Advance at the White House during the Obama administration. Maska shares an insider view on the personal side of Joe Biden, what makes him tick, insights on his campaign style and how staffers made sure he stayed on script. And how will the world view a potential Biden vs Trump rematch, and if a divisive presidential election poses the greatest threat to the US.
Professor George Gao, the former head of China's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recently told the BBC that no theory for the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic should be ruled out including whether or not it came from a lab, after years of extremely insistent public denials from the Chinese leadership. Gao added that China investigated whether the virus may have originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and admitted that he hadn't actually seen the results of the investigation, but heard that the Institute had been cleared. One Decision's Julia Macfarlane speaks with co-host and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove about why China is speaking about the origins of the virus now, why he thinks it has zoonotic origins, and why he concluded there's a strong probability it was leaked from the Wuhan lab.
Russian forces captured the city of Bakhmut largely led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group and its fighters—who suffered heavy losses on the battlefield. One Decision’s Julia Macfarlane and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove discuss Russia's next move as it prepares for Ukraine's counter-offensive, and what's behind the border skirmishes in the Russian town of Belgorod.
Bonus: Why this G7 may be a “pivotal point for Taiwan”
Guest Host: Brett Bruen, Former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House
Guest: Nikkei Diplomatic Correspondent Ken Moriyasu
In this week's One More Decision, former Director of Global Engagement in the Obama White House, Brett Bruen is joined by Nikkei's Diplomatic Correspondent Ken Moriyasu from the G7 summit venue in Hiroshima to discuss Japan's agenda as it plays host to world leaders in the city that suffered the first nuclear attack in the world. They discuss what will come from the high-stakes gathering, China's aggressive posturing towards Taiwan, the buildup of Japan's own military defenses, and how world leaders are reacting to United States President Joe Biden cutting a dinner and his Asia trip short to focus on negotiations to avoid a potential catastrophic debt default in the United States.