The National Security Digest, hosted by JINSA Senior Policy Analyst Erielle Davidson, is a biweekly podcast devoted to the discussion of major national security issues facing the United States. Each episode features a run-down of the latest news in the national security space and an in-depth interview with a well-known expert. This show is for both seasoned natsec folks and newcomers alike.
Accountability in Afghanistan and Determining What Went Wrong
Adam Kredo of The Washington Free Beacon joins Erielle to discuss the official end of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, the possible consequences for U.S. security interests, and whether those responsible for the roughshod nature of the withdrawal will be held accountable.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
18 Aug 2021TRANSCRIPT
U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Fall of Kabul
Vance Serchuk of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) joins Erielle to discuss the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, the magnitude of the consequences, and what the Biden Administration must prioritize in the coming days.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
27 Jul 2021TRANSCRIPT
A Legal Analysis of the Ben & Jerry’s Debacle
International lawyer Eugene Kontorovich of George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School joins Erielle to discuss Ben & Jerry’s recent decision to stop selling ice cream products in the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem, as well as the possible opening of a U.S. consulate to the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
7 Jul 2021
Tackling the Rise of Antisemitism
In this week’s episode, Ellie Cohanim, former Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the U.S. State Department, joins Erielle to discuss her prior work at the State Department, as well as the recent rise in antisemitism in the United States. How have the Abraham Accords played a role in tackling antisemitism abroad? Conversely, what did the recent Gaza war between Israel and Hamas have to do with violence against U.S. Jews domestically? Is the Democratic Party mirroring the U.K. Labour Party when it comes to addressing antisemitism? What can we do in the United States to better confront antisemitism? Ellie discusses these questions and much more.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
25 Jun 2021
Moscow Takes Center Stage in the Middle East’s Great Power Competition
What role does the Middle East play in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s quest for Russia to be recognized once again as a superpower? Does Putin care about stability in the region? Is President Joe Biden confronting the growing Moscow-Damascus-Tehran axis effectively? Anna Borschevksaya of the Washington Institute joins Erielle to discuss the growing Middle East great power competition in which Russia has assumed center stage—and at the potential peril of U.S. interests.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
10 Jun 2021
Fourth Time Is a Charm: Assessing the Israeli Election Results
One of the more bizarre political coalitions has formed in the wake of Israel’s fourth election in recent years. Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor at The Jerusalem Post, joins Erielle to discuss the presumptively incoming government, the likelihood of Netanyahu being able to undercut the new coalition, and what the new government might mean for Israel’s relationship with the United States and others.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
31 May 2021
Israel-Gaza War: Assessing the Legality of the Recent Conflict
The international community continues to erroneously accuse Israel of war crimes in the recent conflict with Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, evincing a serious misunderstanding of international law in both the media and policy realm. Despite Israel’s demonstrated and historical compliance with the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)—and Hamas’ repeated and flagrant violations—the accusations persist. Professor Geoffrey Corn, formerly the U.S. Army’s Senior Law of War expert and current Distinguished Fellow at JINSA, and IDF Colonel (ret.) Eli Bar-On, former Deputy Military Advocate General of the IDF, discuss the legal parameters of the latest conflict between Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces, offering insight into the purpose of LOAC and the importance of respecting it, rather than misconstruing it.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
14 May 2021
The Taylor Force Act and Regulating Aid to the Palestinians
The Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to run a “pay for slay” program, where terrorism against Israelis is incentivized and funded by the governing faction of the Fatah. This episode discusses the importance of the Taylor Force Act, passed by Congress in 2018, in thwarting the use of U.S. aid until the PA ceases its support for terror. Stuart Force, the father of U.S. Army Capt. Taylor Force, as well as JINSA Distinguished Fellow Sander Gerber, join Erielle to unpack the particulars of the legislation and how the Biden Administration can continue to push for meaningful reforms within the PA.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
29 Apr 2021
A Failing State: What’s Next for Lebanon?
As Iranian-backed Hezbollah increases its hold on Lebanon, questions are emerging as to what an effective U.S. policy towards Lebanon might look like (or if a policy is truly needed, at all). Is there a substantive difference in actuality between state institutions in Lebanon and Iranian-backed Hezbollah? What role do the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) play in enabling Hezbollah’s control? Are the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) effective at cabining Hezbollah in southern Lebanon? These questions and more are answered by IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish, JINSA Senior Vice President for Israeli Affairs and former head of IDF Operations, and Tony Badran, Research Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
14 Apr 2021
When a Week Seems Like a Year: Parsing the Middle East’s Very Busy Week with John Hannah
JINSA’s newest Senior Fellow John Hannah joins host Erielle Davidson to break down an eventful week in the Middle East, from a potential coup to oust the Jordanian king to the latest Iran deal negotiations in Vienna. Mr. Hannah discusses why recent events in Jordan should remain on the U.S. radar and what internal dynamics within Jordan might have contributed to the alleged coup. He then unpacks some of the concerns facing the United States as it begins talks to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal. John and Erielle also review Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s timely visit to Israel, as well as the conclusion of the Iraq Strategic Dialogue.
Follow us on Twitter @jinsadc. And follow our host Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at JINSA on Twitter @politicalelle.
For more, please visit jinsa.org.
31 Mar 2021
Iranian Escalation, Drone Technology, and Everything In Between: A Chat with The Jerusalem Post’s Seth Frantzman
Seth Frantzman, Senior Middle East Correspondent and Middle East affairs analyst at The Jerusalem Post, joins host Erielle Davidson, Senior Policy Analyst at JINSA, to discuss the latest escalations by the Iranian regime—including a series of recent proxy attacks against U.S. bases in Iraq—and how such attacks might impact the Biden Administration’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Seth also explores in depth his upcoming book Drone Wars and the security implications of this rapidly changing military technology.
17 Mar 2021
Israel, the U.S., and the United Nations
International organizations are becoming popular again under the Biden Administration. Since assuming office in January, President Biden has rejoined the WHO and has signaled interest in rejoining the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO. When it comes to UN initiatives, what should the United States be wary of? What does the UN’s treatment of Israel signal about the organization’s priorities and approach? Is the UN Human Rights Council the best mechanism for achieving positive outcomes in the realm of human rights? What can the United States do to prevent the politicization of international organizations more broadly? Anne Herzberg, legal advisor for the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, joins host Erielle Davidson to discuss these matters and more.
4 Mar 2021
The United States, Israel, and the International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently made several controversial decisions regarding investigations into alleged Israeli and U.S. war crimes.
• How does a case land in the ICC?
• What are the bases of jurisdiction?
• What is the relationship between the authorization to investigate Israel and the authorization to investigate the United States?
• What is the potential impact of the ICC’s ruling on jurisdiction over Israel, a non-member state, on the national security of the U.S. and Israel?
• What does the potential politicization of the ICC mean for the realm of international law (including law of armed conflict)?
Professor Geoffrey Corn of South Texas College of Law Houston joins host Erielle Davidson in an effort to answer these questions.
17 Feb 2021
Crisis in Yemen: Analysis of an Ongoing Civil War
There’s an ongoing crisis in Yemen, financed and fueled by Iran. The Houthi movement, formed around Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim minority, has seen an opening to try to take control of the country amidst the disorganized Hadi government. Why did the Trump Administration designate the Houthis to be a terrorist organization, and why did the Biden Administration reverse this policy? What does Yemen’s civil war have to do with the Iran nuclear deal? All of these questions—and more—are answered in this week’s episode. Erielle interviews Mohammed Alyahya, the current Editor-in-Chief of Al Arabiya in English.
5 Feb 2021
Vaccinating in Israel: A Genuine Success Story
Professor Eugene Kontorovich of George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School joins host Erielle Davidson to discuss Israel’s COVID-19 vaccination program and what has made it so successful. Professor Kontorovich discusses the international treaties that govern Israel’s current vaccine distribution regime and corrects misinformation surrounding its vaccine program, including what international law says about Israel’s responsibilities and abilities to vaccinate Palestinians.
21 Jan 2021
After the Abraham Accords: Relocating Israel to CENTCOM’s AOR
The recent Abraham Accords have solidified a growing anti-Iran coalition in the Middle East, and the latest decision to move Israel to CENTCOM’s Area of Responsibility reflects and reinforces this changing dynamic within the region. Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy at JINSA’s Gemunder Center, joins Erielle to discuss the importance of this relocation, the reasoning behind the decision, and what we might expect from future administrations when it comes to Israel’s role within CENTCOM.
8 Jan 2021
The State of Human Rights in Iran
The current state of human rights in Iran is horrendous and often fails to receive enough attention from the international community. In this episode, Erielle speaks with investigative journalist and founder of The Foreign Desk Lisa Daftari about the struggles various minority groups face in Iran, the state of the current dissident movement in Iran, and the power of social media to bring to light the regime’s abuses.
23 Dec 2020
Sanctions, Sanctions, Sanctions
What makes for a good sanctions regime? Is regime change a reasonable policy goal for a sanctions regime? Does COVID-19 change the calculus for economic sanctions? What changes to the U.S. sanctions regime, if any, might we expect during the transition from the Trump Administration to the Biden Administration with regards to Iran, Russia, and China? The Hon. Stephen Rademaker, former Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, joins The National Security Digest to offer his assessment of the U.S. sanctions approach. Mr. Rademaker currently serves as Senior Of Counsel at Covington in D.C, as well as a Senior Advisor to JINSA’s Gemunder Center and a Member of JINSA’s Iran Policy Project.
8 Dec 2020
After the Abraham Accords: What to Expect under a Biden Administration
President Trump’s relationship with Israel has been remarkably warm and has helped to fuel a new approach to Middle East policy, one that culminated in the recent Abraham Accords. But with the incoming Biden administration, questions loom as to how much continuity we might expect. Will President-elect Biden enter another nuclear deal with Iran? How will the new administration impact the pace of normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors? Will Biden’s foreign policy represent a renaissance of the Obama years? Lahav Harkov, Senior Contributing Editor at The Jerusalem Post, joins JINSA Senior Policy Analyst Erielle Davidson to discuss all of these topics and more.
Inside a recent episode
Accountability in Afghanistan and Determining What Went Wrong
Published 31 Aug 2021 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So we can't even get people inside the airport at this point to evacuate them if they want to come home. I don't know how much of again in your reporting if you covered the airbase debacle but that seemed to me a pivotal moment where it was clear there wasn't a plan in place because that was forfeited so easily and so readily at the beginning. When we evacuated the base we basically shut the lights off and didn't tell anyone we were leaving. We didn't even tell the Afghan commander who was supposed to take control of the base which at one point it housed up to 100 ,000 American troops that we were leaving and so bluters showed up and the Afghan forces didn't even realize that the place had been looted until they came in the morning but obviously that looting episode is minor compared to the amount of weapons that we've seen the Taliban have seized or ones that we left behind which actually leads me to my next question for you. […]
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