NewsPoliticsHistory

American Prestige

Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison

A podcast from Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison about the United States and all the friends it's made along the way.

americanprestigepod.com

Play

Open in

61 episodes
Avg 40 min
English

Episodes 61

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Monday · 10 min
Bonus - Why Sudan’s War Continues w/ Khalid Medani (Preview)
Subscribe now to hear the full episode. Derek welcomes back to the show Khalid Medani, professor at McGill University, to talk about the ongoing war in Sudan. They discuss the fighting in Blue Nile and Kordofan, the humanitarian toll of drone warfare, the crisis in Darfur, foreign intervention, American peace initiatives, prospects for a civilian transition, and Sudan's tense relationship with Egypt. Catch Danny in-person, along with friend of the pod Nando Vila, at Stories Books & Cafe in LA, Friday Nov 6th at 6:30 PM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 10 min
Special - The National Security State and the Midterms w/ Ken Klippenstein (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all of our breaking news specials. Journalist Ken Klippenstein returns to the program to talk about the national security state’s role in the upcoming midterm elections. Topics include: foreign election interference and disinformation, the military's “election security,” attacks on Abdul El-Sayed, potential Trump administration intervention in election disputes, Democrats' relationship with national security institutions, and expanding domestic terrorism investigations. Listen to our full special on the election in Brazil with Andre Pagliarini. Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Friday · 44 min
News - Lula Wins Fourth Term, Serbian Students Defeat Ruling Party, U.S. Prepares to Escalate Iran War
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Danny and Derek considered helping Flavio Bolsonaro mount a political comeback here in the States, but cut ties on the advice of Danny's psychic. In this week’s news: Israel's election leaves Netanyahu without a parliamentary majority (1:41); Lula wins Brazil's presidential runoff and Flávio Bolsonaro flees Brazil for the United States after his defeat (8:53); Serbia's student-led opposition topples the ruling party (14:33); the United States and Gulf states pursue a new peace initiative with Iran as the United States prepares for another military campaignafter the midterms (18:35); a Sudanese military drone strike kills more than 100 people in Nyala (23:55); Turkey hosts talks between Libya's rival governments looking toward reunification (26:01); in the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy announces peace talks in Abu Dhabi for November (28:50), the two countries observe a local ceasefire near Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid (29:56), and the Trump administration considers major sanctions relief for Russia (32:21); Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado returns to the country (34:50); and apparent cyberattacks disrupt refrigeration systems at U.S. military bases (37:41). Listen to our full special on the election in Brazil with Andre Pagliarini. Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠! Watch last night’s livestream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 28 · 56 min
E272 - Halloween Origins w/ Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, co-hosts of the We’re Not So Different podcast and our collaborators on Welcome to the Crusades (Season 2 out now!) are on the show to help tell the story of Halloween. They explore Halloween's Christian (and possibly pagan) origins, medieval beliefs about death and purgatory, ghosts and the Protestant Reformation, the origins of costumes and jack-o'-lanterns, its commercialization and global spread, and the rise of sexy Halloween costumes. Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 27 · 1 hr 5 min
Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade - E2
Please enjoy the first two episodes of the second season of⁠ ⁠Welcome to the Crusades⁠⁠, our collaboration with⁠ ⁠We're Not So Different⁠⁠⁠.⁠ ⁠Purchase both seasons now⁠⁠. Episode 2: Mosul, 1146 Two years later, as the Crusaders build up power and alliances in Europe, the Zengid Dynasty of Mosul suffers a massive setback when Zengi, its founder, is assassinated. We take a deep look at how the Muslim forces in the region responded to their loss during the First Crusade, the centralization efforts of Zengi and his son and successor, Nur al-Din, the continued deterioration of the Fatimids, and the state of the Second Crusade’s ultimate destination: Damascus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 27 · 1 hr 12 min
Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade - E1
Please enjoy the first two episodes of the second season of Welcome to the Crusades, our collaboration with We're Not So Different⁠. Purchase both seasons now! Jerusalem, 1144 The Second Crusade begins in the Levant with Raymond of Poitiers and others calling out to Rome and the Catholic Church for a new crusade to avenge the loss of the County of Edessa to the Muslim forces of Zengi. We will discuss how all the major Christian players in the region, including the Crusader States, Byzantines, and Catholic Church have fared in the four decades since the end of the First Crusade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 27 · 10 min
Special - Lula's Victory in Brazil w/ Andre Pagliarini (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode and access to all of our breaking news specials. Danny and Derek speak with historian Andre Pagliarini about Lula's surprise reelection in Brazil. They talk about Lula's campaign comeback, the Bolsonaro family's political future, the incoming right-wing Congress, Brazil and Latin American politics, its relations with the United States and China, the Amazon rainforest, and the future of the Brazilian left. Read Andre’s books Claiming the Nation: The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Brazil and Lula: A People's President and the Fight for Brazil's Future. Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through TOMORROW, 10/27.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 26 · 10 min
Bonus - Ukraine and Modern Warfare w/ Anatol Lieven (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode. Danny and Derek welcome back to the program ⁠Anatol Lieven⁠, director of the Eurasia Program and Andrew Bacevich Chair in American Diplomatic History at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, for a discussion about the status of the war in Ukraine and the evolving nature of modern warfare. They talk about the military situation in Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian public opinion, Trump's approach to the conflict, obstacles to a negotiated peace, frozen Russian assets, the impact of drones and missiles on warfare, military spending and the defense industry, and the implications for American military power and a potential conflict over Taiwan. Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through 10/27.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 23 · 47 min
News - U.S. and Israel Plan Iran Strikes, Ansar Allah Hits Saudi Arabia, Mass Protests Sweep France
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Neera Tanden has not yet posted a tirade about AP, and we’re starting to take it personally. In this week’s news: the U.S. and Israel prepare for renewed strikes against Iran after the midterms (1:07); an Ansar Allah/Houthi missile strike kills at least 73 people at a military camp in Yemen, while continued attacks force Saudi Arabia to cancel a major investment conference and Pakistan, Britain, Egypt, and France offer defensive support to the kingdom (8:00); Israeli settlers assault an American journalist and attack European diplomats, while Israeli forces detain dozens of volunteers in the West Bank (15:13); North Korea announces the resumption of anti-South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts amid unverified rumors that Kim Jong Un has died (19:14); drone strikes kill hundreds in Sudan (22:31); Ethiopia establishes a new interim administration in Tigray (25:05); the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to spread (27:10); Ukraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries, angering Trump (29:43); Steve Witkoff meets with Zelenskyy and Putin as the U.S. restores intelligence support for Ukraine (30:51); Russia signals a possible return to peace talks (32:38); massive protests over the high cost of living sweep France (37:39); and Haitian armed groups abduct four Salvadoran soldiers, prompting El Salvador to threaten military action (41:08). Catch a replay of last night’s livestream. Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through 10/27.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 21 · 1 hr 16 min
E271 - Muskism w/ Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. It’s Tech Day here at AP, so Danny and Derek speak with Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history at Boston University, and writer Ben Tarnoff, co-authors of Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed, about Elon Musk's role in contemporary capitalism. They discuss Fordism and Muskism; the influence of apartheid South Africa on Musk's approach to production; his vision of AI and human-machine integration; the political significance of his acquisition of Twitter; DOGE's expansion of government data collection and immigration enforcement; and the potential for regulating or replacing Big Tech. Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through 10/27.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 19 · 10 min
Bonus - Ethiopia and Eritrea on the Brink of War w/ Mohamed Kheir Omer (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode. Derek welcomes back to the program Horn of Africa political analyst Mohamed Kheir Omer for a conversation about renewed fighting in Ethiopia and the risk of a wider regional war. They talk about the collapse of the Pretoria Agreement, the TPLF's new rebel alliance, the Ethiopian military's advance in Tigray, Eritrea's involvement in the conflict, Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed's pursuit of access to the Red Sea, Ethiopia's role in Sudan's war, and the influence of Egypt, the UAE, and the United States. Read Mohamed’s piece for Al Jazeera, “Ethiopia’s new rebel alliance faces an old problem.” Don't forget to pre-order the second season of our collaboration with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters, ⁠Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade⁠, premiering Tuesday, October 27! Use promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off of the second season. (Offer valid through 10/27.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 16 · 50 min
News - Ethiopian Forces Near Eritrea, Israel Demolishes Southern Lebanon Towns, Two Commercial Ships Attacked Near Hormuz
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Metallica says they stay out of politics, so Danny and Derek are reassessing their approach to the show. In this week’s news: Navi Pillay wins the Nobel Peace Prize, angering Trump (3:51); Ansar Allah strikes Saudi airports and oil facilities (7:58) while fighting continues on multiple fronts in Yemen (11:35); attacks on commercial ships escalate near the Strait of Hormuz (13:45), and the U.S. prepares a new bombing campaign against Iran (15:59); Israeli forces kill at least eight people in Gaza on the first anniversary of the “ceasefire” as the Palestinian Authority postpones elections until at least September 2027 (19:12); in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces demolish dozens of towns and villages (22:22); China’s trade surplus grows at a record pace (24:04); Egyptian drone strikes kill at least 72 gold miners in Sudan (25:43); Ethiopian forces advance toward the Eritrean border (28:20); former Congolese president Joseph Kabila forms a new rebel coalition with M23 (31:38) as the country’s Ebola outbreak surpasses 9,000 confirmed cases (33:27); Trump suspends sanctions on Russian diesel exports and clashes with Zelensky (34:24); Trump declares a Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire that fails to take hold as Ukraine reports several days without Western intelligence on Russian airstrikes (37:40); Ukrainian forces report temporary restrictions on Starlink service (38:52); and the U.S. seeks control of frozen Russian assets held in Europe (43:07). Don’t forget to pre-order Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade with promo code CRUSADES15 for 15% off. Offer is valid through October 27! More of Danny’s work at Imperialist Realism. More of Derek’s work at Foreign Exchanges. Catch a replay of last night’s livestream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 14 · 1 min
Trailer - Welcome to the Crusades: The Second Crusade
Pre-order now!!! Nearly 50 years after the First Crusade made major gains in the Levant, the Crusader states found that they might have bitten off more than they could chew. Danny and Derek, along with Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters of the We're Not So Different pod, return to bring you the story of the Second Crusade. Season premiere Tuesday, October 27! Pre-order now with promo code CRUSADES15 to get season 2 for 15% off! Welcometothecrusades.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 14 · 57 min
E270 - The Political Power of Police Unions w/ Stuart Schrader
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Danny and Derek speak with historian Stuart Schrader about the history and political power of police unions in the U.S. They discuss the rise of police unions in the 1960s, their relationship with organized labor, resistance to the civil rights movement and affirmative action, the role of race in policing, bipartisan support for policing and the 1990s crime bills, the growing political influence of the Border Patrol union, and the future of police reform and abolition. Get your copy of Stuart’s book Blue Power: How Police Organize to Protect and Serve Themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 12 · 11 min
Bonus - Gaza’s Gravediggers (Part 1) w/ Norman Finkelstein (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode. Danny and Derek speak with Norman Finkelstein about his intellectual and political journey, in part one of a conversation about his new book, Gaza's Gravediggers. They discuss his years as a Maoist, graduate school at Princeton, how Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon led him to study Zionism, exposing Joan Peters's From Time Immemorial, being blacklisted and his years as an adjunct at Brooklyn College, Mao and the Chinese revolution, the Marxist tradition and Noam Chomsky's influence, his parents' experience in the Warsaw Ghetto and his rejection of nationalism, and why he argues that what's happening in Gaza is a genocide, not a war. Read Norman Finkelstein's book, Gaza's Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 9 · 44 min
News - War Breaks Out in Tigray, Brazil Elections, Houthi/Ansar Allah Attacks Hit Saudi Airports
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Derek has returned, but he keeps trying to get Danny to go to some seminar led by a charismatic “mentor” he encountered in his travels. In this week’s news: war breaks out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region (0:43); Flavio Bolsonaro wins the first round of Brazil’s presidential election as the right makes major gains (6:46); in Yemen, the government’s counteroffensive against Ansar Allah stalls (9:51), the group attacks airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen (12:40), and Saudi Arabia seeks outside military support (13:42); the U.S. prepares to resume its war against Iran as the Islamic Republic intensifies attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz (17:44); in Japan, a U.S. Marine’s arrest for alleged murder sparks protests against the American military presence on Okinawa (22:18); Sudan’s military advances in North Kordofan (25:20) and Sudanese military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan rejects peace talks (28:06); in Mali, Tuareg rebels withdraw from Kidal as government forces retake the town (29:54); the U.S. and the WHO seek information about suspected plague cases at a Russian lab (29:54); Russian attacks across Ukraine kill at least 25 (32:57); Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calls a snap election (35:00); the U.S. bombs another alleged drug boat in the Caribbean (37:12); and Trump creates a new AI task force called the Super Intelligence Force (38:12). Note: Since recording, Trump has said that the U.S. will not attack Iran before the November midterm elections. Watch a replay of last night’s livestream with journalist Michael Fox about Brazil’s elections. Subscribe and check out our History of Modern Palestine series with Rashid Khalidi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 7 · 1 hr 5 min
E269 - Palestine Three Years After October 7 w/ Rashid Khalidi
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and author of Palestine: A Primer, to talk about changes in the regional and political landscape of Palestine since October 7. They discuss adapting The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine for a younger audience, the devastation of Gaza, Hamas’s October 7 strategy and its miscalculations, the Biden administration’s support for Israel, changes in the Middle East after the war with Iran, shifting American attitudes toward Israel and Palestine, the prospects for Palestinian resistance, and the destruction of Gaza’s cultural and historical heritage. Be sure to grab a copy of Palestine: A Primer, an adaptation of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine aimed toward a younger audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 5 · 11 min
Bonus - The Israel Lobby’s Influence on American Politics w/ Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick (Preview)
Subscribe now for the full episode. Danny speaks with Eli Clifton, senior advisor at the Quincy Institute, and Ian Lustick, professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, about how the Israel lobby helps shape American politics and foreign policy. They discuss the changing nature of the Israel lobby, billionaire donors and campaign finance, Christian Zionism and declining evangelical support for Israel, U.S. support for Israel after October 7, suppression of criticism of Israel, shifting generational attitudes toward Israel, antisemitism and right-wing opposition to Israel, and Donald Trump’s relationship with pro-Israel megadonors. Grab your copy of Eli and Ian’s book Israel’s Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
October 2 · 49 min
News - U.S.-Iran Talks Stall, Russia Nuclear Warning, Brazil Election w/ Alex Jordan
Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and all of our episodes. As Derek completes the final phase of his vision quest, Alex Jordan of the Always at War podcast fills in once more. In this week’s news: U.S.-Iran talks stall over the order of concessions (1:28); Gulf oil exports return to prewar levels (4:34); Netanyahu uses an attempted seizure of a FlyDubai flight to reinforce his agenda as an election approaches (11:15); in Iraq, the U.S. ends its counter-ISIS mission (16:06); Pete Hegseth launches Project Meridian to study the “future of warfare” (21:35); Trump hosts tech leaders who pledge “tremendous” self-regulation (24:49); British police arrest five men near RAF Fairford amid claims of Iranian involvement (27:23); U.S. intelligence says Saudi Arabia is keeping a nuclear weapons option open (30:06); Russia warns NATO of a nuclear response if Kaliningrad faces a blockade (33:09); Germany’s foreign minister meets Russia’s foreign minister as Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s energy grid (37:27); and Brazil prepares for a presidential election between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro (41:13). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 30 · 1 hr 9 min
E268 - A Modern History of Assassination w/ Simon Ball
Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes. Danny and Derek welcome Simon Ball, professor of international history and politics at the University of Leeds, to the show for a discussion about the history of political assassination in the modern era. They talk about the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, political killing as a tool of statecraft, assassination and British imperial rule, its use by Western powers during World War II, the CIA and Cold War assassination programs, the JFK assassination and its surrounding conspiracies, the investigations of the 1970s and Gerald Ford’s ban on the practice, the rise of counter-assassination security, and the strategic limits of assassination. Be sure to grab a copy of Simon’s book Death to Order: A Modern History of Assassination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 1–20 of 61 episodes