Great Power Podcast

American Foreign Policy Council
  • 4.7 (32)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Interested in defending America’s interests in an age of great power competition? Join host American Foreign Policy Council Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies Michael Sobolik as he explores insights from foreign policy experts, journalists, and policymakers to help craft a solid foundation for America’s grand strategy.

  1. FEB 5

    New Middle East Flashpoints

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Dana Stroul of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy about the changing shape of the new Syria, and what we can expect in terms of the looming showdown between the United States and Iran. BIO: Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Shelly and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, positions she assumed in February, 2024. She rejoined the Institute after serving from 2021-2023 as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, the Pentagon’s top civilian official with responsibility for the region. Prior to first joining the Institute in 2018, she served for five years as a senior professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where she covered the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey. Before working on Capitol Hill, Stroul served in the Middle East policy office of the Secretary of Defense.

    37 min

  2. JAN 15

    Making Sense Of What Happened In Venezuela

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Kamran Bokhari of the New Lines Institute regarding the Trump administration's unexpected early January operation to apprehend Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and the larger strategic implications of that move. BIO: Dr. Kamran Bokhari is Senior Director and a key founder of the New Lines Institute for Strategy & Policy. Previously, Dr. Bokhari served as Director of the Institute’s Analytical Development Department and played a pivotal role in establishing its M.A. program in Strategy & Policy, where he teaches three seminars. Bokhari publishes a weekly essay for Geopolitical Futures and is a regular columnist with Forbes. Dr. Bokhari brings over 15 years of private-sector intelligence experience, providing intellectual leadership in publishing cutting-edge geopolitical analyses and strategic forecasts and has also served as Central Asia Studies Coordinator at the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service Institute. His core areas of expertise are: Strategic Intelligence Analysis, Foreign Policy/National Security, Eurasian Geopolitics (Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, & South Caucasus) Democratization, Civil-Military Relations, Comparative Political Systems, Counterterrorism, & Political Islam.

    30 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Iran Is Down... But It Isn't Out

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with intelligence veteran and Iran expert Norman Roule about the state of Iran's strategic programs after the "Twelve Day War" with Israel, its mounting domestic troubles, and the durability of its strategic partnerships with Russia and China. BIO: Norman Roule served for 34 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to the Middle East in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. He held multiple senior intelligence assignments in Washington, as well as during over 15 years of overseas work. He served as the National Intelligence Manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from November 2008 until September 2017. He is now a business consultant on Middle East political, security, economic, and energy issues, with an emphasis on the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran, as well as an advisor to numerous think tanks.

    39 min

  4. 12/11/2025

    How China Stole Our Secrets

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with David Shedd, intelligence veteran and author of the new book The Great Heist, about China's systematic efforts to penetrate the U.S. economy and steal intellectual property. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -- David R. Shedd and Andrew Badger, The Great Heist: China's Epic Campaign to Steal America's Secrets (HarperCollins, 2025), https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-heist-david-r-sheddandrew-badger?variant=43738689273890. BIO: David R. Shedd is the former deputy director and acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). He also served as chief of staff for the director of national intelligence and National Security Council senior director and as special assistant to the president for intelligence under George W. Bush. He began his intelligence career in 1982 immediately after his studies at Geneva College and Georgetown University, and served nearly thirty-three years in a wide variety of positions both inside and outside of the CIA during his career.

    39 min

  5. 10/13/2025

    An Accelerating AI Arms Race

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Priyank Mathur of Mythos Labs regarding the growing global focus on artificial intelligence, where America stands currently, and what it means for our Great Power rivalry with the PRC. BIO: Priyank Mathur is Founder and CEO of Mythos Labs, a company that uses AI and strategic communications to combat global security threats. He advises senior leadership of governments, the United Nations and technology companies on AI and emerging technologies. Previously, Mr. Mathur served as a Policy Advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and as Global Consulting Director at Ogilvy and Mather. Mr. Mathur holds graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Boston University.

    32 min

  6. 09/30/2025

    The Ongoing Trouble With TikTok

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Hudson Institute Senior Fellow (and former host) Michael Sobolik about the new deal over wildly popular social media app TikTok - and why national security concerns surrounding the Chinese platform still persist.  MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — The White House, “Executive Order: Saving TikTok While Protecting National Security,” September 25, 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/saving-tiktok-while-protecting-national-security/.  BIO: Michael Sobolik is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He specializes in United States–China relations and great power competition with a focus on geopolitics, net assessments, and competitive strategies. He is the author of Countering China’s Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance (Naval Institute Press, 2024). He is also an advisory board member at the Vandenberg Coalition and a contributing editor at Providence: A Journal of Christianity and American Foreign Policy. Prior to joining Hudson, Mr. Sobolik served as a senior fellow in Indo-Pacific studies at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC, where he ran the council’s Indo-Pacific Security Program. He previously served in the United States Senate as a legislative assistant to Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).

    31 min

  7. 09/01/2025

    The Scramble For The Arctic

    In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with AFPC Senior Fellow Alexander Gray about China's growing activities and interest in the Arctic region - and their implications for American security. BIO: Alexander Gray is a Senior Fellow in National Security Affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council, where his work focuses on U.S. security and defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific, U.S.-China competition globally, and U.S. defense strategy and modernization. He is also the CEO of American Global Strategies LLC, an international strategic advisory firm he co-founded with former National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien. Alex previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff of the White House National Security Council (NSC), overseeing daily operations, budget, personnel, and security. He was also Special Assistant to the President for the Defense Industrial Base at the National Economic Council and the first Director for Oceania and Indo-Pacific Security at the NSC.

    28 min

  8. 08/13/2025

    China's Inroads In The Americas

    China's Inroads In The Americas In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Ilan Berman speaks with Evan Ellis of the U.S. Army War College about what China (as well as Russia and Iran) is up to, politically and strategically, south of the U.S. border. BIO: Dr. R. Evan Ellis is Latin America Research Professor with the U.S. Army War College, where his research is focused on China's engagement with Latin America and other regional security issues. In the first Trump administration, he served on the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff as the official responsible for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as International Narcotics and Law Enforcement issues.

    27 min
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4.7
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Interested in defending America’s interests in an age of great power competition? Join host American Foreign Policy Council Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies Michael Sobolik as he explores insights from foreign policy experts, journalists, and policymakers to help craft a solid foundation for America’s grand strategy.

Information

  • Creator
    American Foreign Policy Council
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © American Foreign Policy Council
  • Show Website
    Great Power Podcast

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