In this episode of One Decision, hosts Christina Ruffini and former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sit down with Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary under President Bill Clinton, to discuss his new book, Coming Up Short. Reich reflects on how decades of widening inequality, corporate money in politics, and missteps in the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—along with China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO)—paved the way for Donald Trump’s rise. Reich and Panetta reflect on what both political parties missed, why Washington drifted into dysfunction, and how the coming wave of AI could deepen inequality unless new policies—from national service to profit-sharing—take hold.
Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.
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In Brief: What to Expect from Trump's Visit to the UK
In this week’s One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove assess the stakes behind President Donald Trump’s historic second state visit to the United Kingdom amid a political storm that is testing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership. They weigh in on the cultural politics surrounding free speech and faith that are resurfacing in Britain, the UK’s division between U.S. and EU perspectives on AI regulation, and NATO unity on Ukraine. Plus, Sir Richard discusses the vetting process for former UK Ambassador to the U.S., Lord Peter Mandelson, and whether Number 10 was aware of his closer ties to Jeffrey Epstein than previously thought.
Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.
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Ex-Israeli PM on Netanyahu's Motives in Gaza, Qatar Fallout
This week on One Decision, host Kate McCann welcomes Sir Ben Wallace, former UK Defence Secretary, to the podcast as a co-host. They discuss the recent Israeli strike in Qatar targeting senior Hamas officials and the repercussions of Israel attacking a country that’s directly involved in peace negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Later, they welcome Ehud Olmert, former Israeli Prime Minister, who shares why he believes Israel’s pursuit of “total victory” in Gaza is both unrealistic and dangerous. He recounts why Israel’s top military leaders reject Netanyahu’s strategy, warns of a mounting diplomatic backlash that could extend to sanctions and even sports boycotts, and insists only Donald Trump has the power to force a change of course. Plus, Olmert reflects on his own efforts to revive a two-state solution with Palestinian leaders.
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In Brief: Is Trump Driving Modi Closer to Xi & Putin?
In this episode of One Decision In Brief, hosts Christina Ruffini and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's MI6, unpack how the latest strike on Ukraine indicates Vladimir Putin's resistance to President Donald Trump's peace negotiations. They also examine how the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit - where Chinese President Xi Jinping convened global leaders, including India's Narendra Modi, North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, and Russia's Vladimir Putin - hints at a possible new global order that competes with the West. Plus, how the recent U.S. hit on an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel ship implies how Secretary of State Marco Rubio's influence is shaping foreign policy in the Oval Office.
Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.
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Why Putin's War Economy is Soon to Crack
How fragile is the state of Russia’s economy?
In this episode of One Decision, hosts Christina Ruffini and Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, sit down with Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, who left her role as an advisor to the Bank of Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Prokopenko discusses how state spending, Chinese trade, and quick adaptation by Russian firms have kept economic growth alive — even as inflation and labor shortages strain the system. They examine the cracks in Putin's war-fueled economy, why the Kremlin is unlikely to cut defense spending, and how sanctions are strengthening, rather than weakening, domestic solidarity.
Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.
Tough decisions rattle us all to the core. But for our guests on One Decision— the choices they are up against can also shape history. No pressure! They take us through all of their doubts, emotions and—sometimes unexpected--consequences.
A fresh take on foreign policy.
Hear the former head of Mi6, Sir Richard Dearlove alongside international journalists as they analyse, interview, and discuss.
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