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.
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In Brief: How Israel’s AI Warfare is Changing the Battlefield
In this week’s One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 Chief, discuss how Israel is deploying AI on the battlefield and how the technology is intercepting calls, mapping behavior, and even generating target lists. They examine the two most common AI models employed, called "Lavender" and “Gospel,” how they’re driving innovation and whether international law can keep pace with this new era of machine-driven warfare. Is this the future of war? What happens when algorithms, not humans, are shaping life-and-death decisions?
Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.
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Why This Israeli Security Expert Abandoned the Two-State Solution
In this episode of One Decision, Sir Richard Dearlove, former MI6 chief, and journalist Christina Ruffini speak with Professor Chuck Freilich, Israel’s former Deputy National Security Adviser. Freilich explains why he no longer sees a two-state solution as viable and lays out a three-pillar alternative for Gaza and the West Bank. He examines the aims and limits of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political incentives, and what recent strikes mean for Iran’s nuclear program.
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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