Shows
U.S Unraveling PowerIs Trump Signaling a Far-Right Takeover in Europe?The NATO alliance is in crisis—and Trump’s latest actions have sent shockwaves through Western democracies. With far-right movements gaining ground in Europe, what happens if they take power?
Claire Berlinski, Editor-in-Chief of The Cosmopolitan Globalist, called the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office disaster "the most shameful moment in American history." Her words cut deep—America has betrayed its allies before, but never so publicly, never with such humiliation.
► SUBSCRIBE to never miss an episode: https://unravelingpower.podbean.com/
► APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u-s-unraveling-power/id1799466594
#NATO #Trump #FarRight #Ru...2025-03-0703 min
Bulwark TakesFrance Goes Nuclear after Trump Betrayal: Macron Pledges To Protect Europe from RussiaTim Miller and Claire Berlinski discuss the current situation in France after Trump has backed out of helping Ukraine. Macron and Malhuret have some strong words for Trump and will step up to defend Europe as a nuclear power.2025-03-0614 min
The BulwarkFrance Goes Nuclear after Trump Betrayal: Macron Pledges To Protect Europe from RussiaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller and Claire Berlinski discuss the current situation in France after Trump has backed out of helping Ukraine. Macron and Malhuret have some strong words for Trump and will step up to defend Europe as a nuclear power.As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left-hand side of the player to...2025-03-0607 minBulwark+ TakesFrance Goes Nuclear after Trump Betrayal: Macron Pledges To Protect Europe from RussiaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.comTim Miller and Claire Berlinski discuss the current situation in France after Trump has backed out of helping Ukraine. Macron and Malhuret have some strong words for Trump and will step up to defend Europe as a nuclear power.As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.Don’t care for video? Use the controls on the left-hand side of the player to...2025-03-0607 min
The Elephant Cage🎟️🎭🎼➪☛☞MONA ACTS OUT☚☜⇦🎼🎭🎟️🎟️🎭🎼➪☛☞ BUY IT HERE☚☜⇦🎼🎭🎟️You’ve heard, I’m sure, of my famous but highly elusive brother, Mischa Berlinski. He’s the author of FIELDWORK—a finalist for the National Book Award— and PEACEKEEPING. His writing has appeared in Best American Essays and Best American Travel Writing. He got a Whiting Writers’ Award and the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Addison M. Metcalf Award. He’s the big family literary success. But he’s very shy, and until now, he has categorically refused to come on this podcast.However, he’s written a new book. He would very much like you to pre-order it, and so wo...2024-11-2844 min
The Elephant CageFrom America First to Nuclear WarI invited Bob Holley on the podcast to discuss the article he recently published here, Fracturing the Security Map, warning that the return of Donald Trump, coupled with Ukraine’s defeat, could spark a stampede to redraw the world’s nuclear security arrangements. Discussed in the podcastThis is the remarkably prescient article by John Measheimer I mentioned: The Case for a Ukrainian Nuclear DeterrentAmerica FirstI’ve been thinking about this problem since the first Trump presidency. I’ve explicated my own arguments about this risk in these and other ar...2024-11-1546 min
The CosmopolicastWhy can't US learn from experience?This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claireberlinski.substack.comMy friend Ariel Cohen joined us today from Netanya, where he’s celebrating the holidays. A political analyst, Ariel focuses on Russia, Eurasia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and energy policy. Obviously, we had a lot to talk about. We spoke about a question that’s maddening me: Why can’t the people who make our foreign policy learn from experience? Why do they keep making the same mistakes over and over? Exhibit A: Biden’s advisors should h...2024-10-0401 min
The Elephant CagePolling in Exotic PlacesThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claireberlinski.substack.com“There are smart pollsters, insightful pollsters, accurate pollsters … but few are all three. Christine Quirk is. She makes people who hire her look smarter than we really are.”—Christy Quirk is a more cosmopolitan globalist than most. I met her in Istanbul about twenty years ago, where I discovered she had an interesting job: She’s a public opinion res…2024-09-0902 min
The CosmopolicastWhy Ukraine staged the Kursk offensive nowVladislav Davidzon joins us to discuss his latest article in Tablet.Ukraine defies the US to launch a showy offensive into Russia: Observing Israel’s moves in the Middle East, Kyiv gambles on an American power vacuum:… What changed in July is that the Ukrainians, like other embattled US allies, were faced with a new opportunity in Washington: The cognitively impaired president had been forced out of his reelection bid in favor of his vice president, who was now out on the campaign trail, three months before the election. With this emergent power vacuum at the...2024-08-1927 min
The Elephant CageThe Philosophical Ramifications of Artificial IntelligenceUPDATE: Some of you didn’t care for the sound effects, so here’s a version without them:Since I have a philosopher in the family, I thought you might enjoy hearing a conversation with my father about what it means that we’ve built machines that can think and what we might learn from them about what it means to be human. We discuss the way Large Language Models have altered our understanding of natural languages and learning algorithms, and the possibility that theoretical science may be obsolete: Perhaps it’s really data all the way...2024-08-1853 min
The CosmopolicastRussia goes full Mr. KurtzRussia has been hard at work kicking the United States out of Africa. It’s all but chased out France, too. But anyone who imagines Russia to be a kinder, gentler, superpower is out of his mind. The investigative journalist Philip Obaji has been following the activities of the Wagner group in Africa for years. He recently spent the months investigating human rights abuses by Russian paramilitaries in the Central African Republic, where he was abducted and tortured, only narrowly escaping alive. His reports of the way Russian mercenaries are behaving in Africa won’t come...2024-07-3034 min
The Elephant CageRussia goes full Mr. KurtzRussia has been hard at work kicking the United States out of Africa. It’s all but chased out France, too. But anyone who imagines Russia to be a kinder, gentler superpower is out of his mind. The investigative journalist Philip Obaji has been following the activities of the Wagner group in Africa for years. He recently spent the months investigating human rights abuses by Russian paramilitaries in the Central African Republic, where he was abducted and tortured, only narrowly escaping alive. His reports of the way Russian mercenaries are behaving in Africa won’t come...2024-07-3034 min
The Elephant CageOn FireThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claireberlinski.substack.comClaire Berlinski and Judith Levy discuss the escalating tensions in northern Israel with Hezbollah, recent incursions, and the devastating impact of ongoing conflict. They explore the strategic and military implications for Israel, the psychological toll on citizens, and the political maneuvers of Israeli leadership.2024-06-2001 min
The Elephant CageDeter and DominateHere’s an AI summary of the podcast:Join Clare Berlinski and Judith Levy in this episode of The Elephant Cage as they discuss the Biden administration's inability to understand deterrence and escalation dominance. They provide updates on the Hamas deal, analyze the current geopolitical landscape, and critique the American foreign policy approach towards Russia and Iran. The discussion also covers the implications of the Ukraine war, the role of NATO, and the morality of abducting Ukrainian children. Additionally, they explore the interconnectedness of global conflicts and the strategic failures of Western leadership.* 00:00 Introduction and Gre...2024-06-0723 min
The Elephant CageIs Hamas winning?Show notes:Who wants a two-state solution? Not Israelis or Palestinians. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claireberlinski.substack.com/subscribe2024-05-2319 min
Cliff on the GoSermon Replay: Confirmation SundaySermon from the service on 5/5/24. Given by Pastor Jacob Berlinski. Congratulations to our confirmands: Rhiannon, Claire, & Joshua.
All the links in one place: https://linktr.ee/rivercliff
Helpful Links for Rivercliff Lutheran Church
Website: https://www.riverclifflutheran.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivercliff
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@riverclifflutheranchurch7727
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivercliff_lutheran/2024-05-0809 min
The Elephant CagePolice in London politely take down a sword-wielding lunatic with a taser, stunning American observer.Show notesDetectives urgently investigating what led to man’s fatal sword rampage.Truly impressive scenes from Tbilisi: Over 100,000 people are protesting against the Russia-inspired foreign agents bill in the capital, with protests also occurring in other cities. Georgians are rallying to defend their country from becoming a Russian satellite state:John adds: “Think we are on the verge of something really happening there, and at a time where Putin would struggle to respond.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscrib...2024-05-0117 min
The Elephant CageWe're not Overproducers! You're Underproducers!Show notesFound on the sidewalk, destined for the dump:After my weekend’s ministrations:My brother thinks I could make a lucrative side gig out of writing a newsletter about finding junk in the streets of Paris and restoring it. He thinks more people would subscribe to that than they would to the Cosmopolitan Globalist. I don’t think I have the time to write two full-time Substacks—especially since writing a newsletter about scouring Paris for trash and restoring it would require that I actually scour Paris for trash and re...2024-04-2916 min
The Elephant CageWe're back!Hey, it’s us! John will be in London for a while now, so you can look forward to receiving the Elephant Cage every weekday without further interruption. Show notes:Popular protests continue against Foreign Agents’ lawRallies continue in Tbilisi against the Foreign Agents law, as citizens of all generations gathered again on April 21 in Tbilisi, again blocking Rustaveli avenue. Many demonstrators came with their families, representing several generations. The demonstration began with the Georgian national anthem, followed by the EU anthem, after which the demonstrators marched to the Supreme Court to dema...2024-04-2316 min
The CosmopolicastFrom the Oslo Accords to October 7For those of you who listen through a podcast player, here’s the edited, one-hour version of our conversation with Judith Levy about the failure of the Oslo Accords and the relationship between that and the present catastrophe. Make time to listen to it: You’ll find it worthwhile. If you’d like to listen to the unedited version—and watch it, too—here’s all three hours. I had to cut lots and lots of interesting stuff to get the podcast down to an hour, so if you’re interested in the topic and have three hours to spare...2024-04-091h 12
The Elephant CageWorld War III or a nice holiday in SevilleShow notes:Vows of revenge mark a funeral for Iranian commanders killed in an Israeli airstrike in Damascus: “Our brave men will punish the Zionist regime,” General Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, told the crowd attending the funeral in Tehran. “We warn that no act by any enemy against our holy system will go unanswered and the art of the Iranian nation is to break the power of empires.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with ot...2024-04-0514 min
The Elephant CageWhere's the Defense Minister?Prime Minister Oxley runs through the options for dissuading Iran from targeting dissidents on British soil. Secretary of State Berlinski is worried no one has an Iran policy. The PM realizes he’ll need to lead the Free World in devising a comprehensive plan to deal with Iran’s nuclear program, which will require him to call upon Defense Minister Oxley for a briefing. (The DefMin was in an urgent meeting today but will brief us tomorrow.)Show notes: * Iran is winning the war. Right now things look good for Israel. But the Islamic Republic is p...2024-04-0412 min
The Elephant CageOxbridgeFridays are the day we talk about happy and beautiful things, and what could be happier or more beautiful than our golden, wine-and-poetry soaked youth at Oxford and Cambridge? I wrote a short story some time after I went down from Oxford. (You “go up” and “go down” from Oxford, and you pray that you’re never “sent down,” because that is very, very bad.) The story is a love letter to Oxford, its beauty, its history, its weirdness, and the dizzying excitement of being young. I still think it captures something true about the place. I didn’t kno...2024-03-2219 min
The Elephant CageEek!It’s a beautiful day in Europe. Jake Sullivan visits Ukraine and tells them the aid is coming. The EU is meeting in Brussels and going “on a war footing.” The Elephants are relieved by these faintly encouraging signs.The German economy is in a world of hurt. Let’s be careful what we wish for, folks: The Elephants look at Germany and wonder if we should be excited about German rearmament. Leaked Russian Education Ministry documents show Russia’s plans for “reeducating” kidnapped Ukrainian children. A surprisingly hopeful poll suggests Gazans are rethinking “ar...2024-03-2116 min
The Elephant CageThe Baltic JammerHey, has anyone else had this problem? I received this message from a subscriber:[T]he podcast episodes are no longer appearing in the subscriber podcast feed. Last week episodes for Monday-Thursday appeared and I listened to them but disappeared from the full list of episodes in the podcast app feed for all episodes.Please let me know if you’ve had this problem, too. It will help me figure out how to fix it. Show notesEuropean GPS-disturbance: multi-faceted. I have no idea if this is co...2024-03-2019 min
The Elephant CageSome damned foolish thing in the BalkansShow notes:* One year after Ohrid agreement, there is little commitment from Kosovo and Serbia to its implementation. EU High Representative Josep Borrell called the lack of progress in implementing obligations “regrettable.” To date, only the declaration on missing persons, the Joint Monitoring Committee, and the draft on the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities in Kosovo.* Putin wants war in the Balkans. Russia is exploiting ethnic tensions as Serbia threatens violence against Kosovo and secessionists threaten a Bosnian collapse.* Bosnian train massacre defendant dies before retrial gets underway.Jova...2024-03-1915 min
The Elephant CageRussia's non-election and the death of the NPTSorry folks, it’s Monday. We have to think about this again. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claireberlinski.substack.com/subscribe2024-03-1815 min
The Elephant CageWhat makes a museum great?We decided that every Friday, we’re going to talk about things that don’t involve any of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. From now on, we’re dedicating Fridays to the cosmopolitan part of the globalist. We’ll talk about great cities, great books, the world’s best gardens, Roman history, our favorite languages, travel by train, cooking, the best music by which to drive through the American southwest in a convertible, writing and literature, the world’s best restaurants, the world’s best recipes, navigating Paris by scent, the best martial art, how to train a puppy, how to...2024-03-1516 min
The CosmopolicastWhat's really going on with aid deliveries to Gaza?Show notesBackground: Why I don’t trust news organs I usually find reliable to report the news from Israel and Gaza accurately:* What COGAT says:The image above came from a video; here’s the full footage:COGAT didn’t provide a translation, and I don’t speak Arabic. So I put the video through an AI program for translation and subtitles, which resulted in gibberish:My best guess, from the context, is that they’re saying something like this: First Man...2024-03-1520 minThe Elephant CageWhat's really going on with aid deliveries to Gaza?Show notesBackground: Why I don’t trust news organs I usually find reliable to report the news from Israel and Gaza accurately:* What COGAT says:The image above came from a video; here’s the full footage:COGAT didn’t provide a translation, and I don’t speak Arabic. So I put the video through an AI program for translation and subtitles, which resulted in gibberish:My best guess, from the context, is that they’re saying something like this: First Man...2024-03-1520 min
The CosmopolicastThe Elephant Cage with John and ClaireOkay, so we changed the name. The new name was Thomas Gregg’s suggestion, and we love it. I can’t tell whether I forgot to speak slowly, or if I made a mistake in the editing that sped up the recording. I don’t know what I could have done, if so. It’s not bad—but I’m not speaking slowly. I’ll work at that more. Trump is “unhinged” but we love him, say Kremlin mouthpieces, by Julia DavisPeace talks “just because” Ukraine is running out of ammunition are “ridiculous,” says Putin2024-03-1417 minThe Elephant CageThe Elephant Cage with John and ClaireOkay, so we changed the name. The new name was Thomas Gregg’s suggestion, and we love it. I can’t tell whether I forgot to speak slowly, or if I made a mistake in the editing that sped up the recording. I don’t know what I could have done, if so. It’s not bad—but I’m not speaking slowly. I’ll work at that more. Trump is “unhinged” but we love him, say Kremlin mouthpieces, by Julia DavisPeace talks “just because” Ukraine is running out of ammunition are “ridiculous,” says Putin2024-03-1417 min
The Cosmopolicast'Round the Globe with John and ClaireHere it is: The long-awaited report. This annual report of worldwide threats to the national security of the United States responds to Section 617 of the FY21 Intelligence Authorization Act (Pub. L. No. 116-260). This report reflects the collective insights of the Intelligence Community (IC), which is committed every day to providing the nuanced, independent, and unvarnished intelligence that policymakers, warfighters, and domestic law enforcement personnel need to protect American lives and America’s interests anywhere in the world.This assessment focuses on the most direct, serious threats to the United States primarily during the next ye...2024-03-1217 min
The Elephant CageThe Annual Threat AssessmentHere it is: The long-awaited report. This annual report of worldwide threats to the national security of the United States responds to Section 617 of the FY21 Intelligence Authorization Act (Pub. L. No. 116-260). This report reflects the collective insights of the Intelligence Community (IC), which is committed every day to providing the nuanced, independent, and unvarnished intelligence that policymakers, warfighters, and domestic law enforcement personnel need to protect American lives and America’s interests anywhere in the world.This assessment focuses on the most direct, serious threats to the United States primarily during the next ye...2024-03-1217 min
The Elephant Cage'Round the Globe with John and ClaireShow notes:* India joins the elite list of nations with test of Agni-V MIRV tech* Mission Divyastra: What Agni-5 missile with MIRV tech can do* Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan: self-reliant India* Why “poverty first, moon next” is an absurd argument* IAEA: Iran is “not entirely transparent” on its atomic program* West concerned over Iranian nuclear bomb in IAEA meeting* Too close for comfort: Cases of near-nuclear use and options for policy* Twenty mishaps that might have started accidental nuclear war* Causes of false mi...2024-03-1122 min
The Cosmopolicast'Round the Globe with John and ClaireShow notes:* India joins the elite list of nations with test of Agni-V MIRV tech* Mission Divyastra: What Agni-5 missile with MIRV tech can do* Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan: self-reliant India* Why “poverty first, moon next” is an absurd argument* IAEA: Iran is “not entirely transparent” on its atomic program* West concerned over Iranian nuclear bomb in IAEA meeting* Too close for comfort: Cases of near-nuclear use and options for policy* Twenty mishaps that might have started accidental nuclear war* Causes of false mi...2024-03-1122 min
The Cosmopolicast'Round the Globe with John and ClaireWe have a name! This podcast will from now on be called ‘Round the Globe with John and Claire. We like it because it’s simple and it says what it’s about. From now on you’ll receive ‘Round the Globe with John and Claire every weekday. It’s a bonus, not a substitute for any of the other things we do. We’d love it if you subscribed:What’s your verdict so far? How can we improve it?The show notes are interleaved among the other articles, below...2024-03-0821 minThe Elephant Cage'Round the Globe with John and ClaireWe have a name! This podcast will from now on be called ‘Round the Globe with John and Claire. We like it because it’s simple and it says what it’s about. From now on you’ll receive ‘Round the Globe with John and Claire every weekday. It’s a bonus, not a substitute for any of the other things we do. We’d love it if you subscribed:What’s your verdict so far? How can we improve it?The show notes are interleaved among the other articles, below...2024-03-0821 min
The CosmopolicastThe Short Podcast, with a Vlad Davidzon CameoToday’s discussion:* Vladislav Davidzon joins us to give us the expert view on Transnistria. The situation sounds more minatory than John and I initially thought: There may be a purpose to the provocation that goes beyond, “distracting NATO.” * Welcome, Sweden! * Boo, Germany! What’s wrong with you? * The Sudan catastrophe is apocalyptic, no one has the bandwidth to deal with it, and now Russia, Iran, and Ukraine are involved, too.* It’s Vlad’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Vlad! This is a public episode. If you’d like to disc...2024-03-0718 min
The CosmopolicastThe No-Name-yet Podcast with Claire and JohnWe still have no name. I’m getting worried about this. Sorry, Scott! Not only did I blank on your last name—it came back to me, at least!—we just didn’t love the name you suggested. We’re looking for something that clearly explains what it is and why you should listen to it in about two catchy and clever words. (I like the name “GLOBAL EYES,” for example, because it tells you what it is and it’s a pun.)TRANS-NISS-TRIA (Say it three times fast: I challenge you.)* WARNING: Tra...2024-03-0613 min
The CosmopolicastThe yet-unnamed, very brief, Claire Berlinski and John Oxley daily CosmopolicastMy father didn’t understand what a “Cosmoberjoxlicast” was, and who can blame him? Pop, it’s short for the Cosmopolitan Globalist Claire Berlinski and John Oxley podcast, but just a placeholder until we think of something perfect, catchy, and memorable. A month of the Cosmopolitan Globalist on the house to the reader who comes up with a name that makes both of us immediately say, “Yes! That’s perfect.”We discovered today that twenty minutes isn’t a long time. We had a long list of things we wanted to talk about, but being disciplined, we cut it short exa...2024-03-0516 minThe Elephant CageThe yet-unnamed, very brief, Claire Berlinski and John Oxley daily CosmopolicastMy father didn’t understand what a “Cosmoberjoxlicast” was, and who can blame him? Pop, it’s short for the Cosmopolitan Globalist Claire Berlinski and John Oxley podcast, but just a placeholder until we think of something perfect, catchy, and memorable. A month of the Cosmopolitan Globalist on the house to the reader who comes up with a name that makes both of us immediately say, “Yes! That’s perfect.”We discovered today that twenty minutes isn’t a long time. We had a long list of things we wanted to talk about, but being disciplined, we cut it short exa...2024-03-0516 min
The CosmopolicastIntroducing the CosmoberjoxlicastThe title is just for now. Until we think of a better one. Give it a try. It’s only twenty minutes. It’s an experiment. We’re thinking that if you like this—or if you can imagine liking it, if we make it better in some (achievable and realistic) way—we’ll do it daily. We figured we could both spare about twenty minutes every day to talk about the global news stories that stand out most to us. So today, we talked about Germany’s OpSec Screwup of the Century and Haiti’s descent into e...2024-03-0413 minThe Elephant CageIntroducing the CosmoberjoxlicastThe title is just for now. Until we think of a better one. Give it a try. It’s only twenty minutes. It’s an experiment. We’re thinking that if you like this—or if you can imagine liking it, if we make it better in some (achievable and realistic) way—we’ll do it daily. We figured we could both spare about twenty minutes every day to talk about the global news stories that stand out most to us. So today, we talked about Germany’s OpSec Screwup of the Century and Haiti’s descent into e...2024-03-0413 min
The CosmopolicastWhat Ukraine's defeat would mean for the US and the worldWhile you’re at it, read every word of this analysis for RUSI:It is obvious that if Ukraine loses support from the West, Putin may well achieve his goal of destroying Ukrainians as a people and erasing the largest country from the map of Europe. Despite the obvious tragedy of this situation for Ukraine, the consequences of its defeat for the West and especially for the US as the leader of the free world would be no less catastrophic. …Every word of the analysis is correct. We’re on the edge of the abyss. 2024-01-2550 min
The Cosmopolicast🚨 It's the David Berlinski Cosmopolicast! 🚨I’ve been trying to persuade my Pop to come on the Cosmopolicast for three years, but every time I’ve asked, he’s turned up his nose. “A podcast? You mean with those stupid earmuffs?” (Joe Rogan, I suspect, had soured him on the idea that a podcast is a suitable venue for a civilized man.)“Those are headphones, Pop. You don’t have to wear those.”“I think not,” he replied, and returned to his contemplation of monoids. He had studied the Internet. He did not care for these new-fangled podcasts. I tried to convince...2023-12-0559 min
The CosmopolicastThe Claire and Vladislav CosmopolicastVladislav Davidzon has for almost a decade been one of the most acute observers of the Ukrainian–Jewish relationship and of the place of Ukrainian Jewry within a developing political nation. His stylish reportage has been invaluable for understanding the dynamics of the Jewish Ukraine in a historical moment. This volume will surely enter the canon as an important document for anyone who wishes to understand this moment.—Wolf MoskovichA masterful chronicler of the real odyssey of the Ukrainian Jew amidst revolutionary times!—Simon Sebag MontefioreClaire: Hi! This is Claire Berlinski with the C...2023-09-271h 14
The Remnant with Jonah GoldbergGrizzly ManIn a brief respite from his latest cross country adventure, Jonah camps out beneath the Idaho mountains to record another rambling Ruminant. As usual, the questions raised cover a little of everything: How should we think about Mitt Romney’s legacy? Is Russia still a terrible country (spoiler alert: Jonah’s answer is yes)? What’s the difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism? And will Jonah’s ignorance of music allow him to discuss Nicaraguan Sandinistas without once referencing the Clash?Show Notes:- Phil Klein: “Mitt Romney Was No Profile in...2023-09-161h 06
The CosmopolicastThe Claire and Vladislav CosmopolicastClaire—I think you’ll find this was an especially interesting conversation. I’ve included a transcript for those of you who don’t like listening to podcasts, but I particularly recommend listening to this one. CB: This is the Cosmopolitan Globalist and I’m Claire Berlinski, the host, and Vladislav Davidzon is my dear friend, neighbor as well, who is now Ukrainian. He is married to a Ukrainian woman. He was born in Tashkent, emigrated to the United States at the age of seven. So he is an authentic Cosmopolitan Globalist and he has been going back and f...2023-08-291h 28
The CosmopolicastThe Vladislav Davidzon CosmopolicastPlease join me in lavishly thanking our reader Michael Greenspan for donating his time today to helping me edit this podcast. I’m so grateful for the favor, and you will be too when you listen without hearing Vladislav and me ask each other repeatedly, “Are you still there? Still there?”To follow along, I recommend looking at the Ukraine Livemap, which is an invaluable resource for visualizing the war and following the news in real time:Here’s Vladislav’s book: From Odessa with Love: Political and Literary Essays from Post-Soviet Ukraine. Here’s his...2023-06-1052 min
The CosmopolicastIs the AI control problem insoluble?“ … unfortunately we show that the AI control problem is not solvable and the best we can hope for is safer AI, but ultimately not 100 percent safe AI, which is not a sufficient level of safety in the domain of existential risk as it pertains to humanity.”Roman Yampolskiy is a computer scientist and professor at the Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville who works on genetic algorithms, neural networks, artificial intelligence, and the alignment problem.Our conversation surprised me for two reasons. First, he’s the only researcher to whom...2023-06-0447 min
The CosmopolicastUkraine and the Iraq WarLike yesterday’s essay by Tecumseh Court—Year Zero—this Cosmopolicast with Vladislav Davidzon considers the war in Ukraine in the context of the Iraq war. For those of you who don’t like podcasts, I’ve provided an (imperfect) transcript below.Claire: Hi, it’s Claire with the Cosmopolitan Globalist, and this is the Cosmopolicast. We have Vladislav Davidzon with us again. Welcome, Vladislav.Cat: Meow.Claire: That was my cat. Vladislav: Yes, I don’t meow like that cat. Although I still have some of the qualities of the cat. The more m...2023-03-211h 03
The CosmopolicastThe Cosmopolicast with Peter ZeihanNote: This is not new! You’ve probably heard this already. I’ve republished it because the original version wasn’t showing up on people’s feeds. (If you haven’t heard this already, though, it’s great. Peter Zeihan was such a good sport.) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claireberlinski.substack.com/subscribe2023-02-161h 08
SymposiumThe Death Toll of AuthoritarianismI talk with Claire Berlinski of The Cosmopolitan Globalist about the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, why the press should not cover this as a mere natural disaster, and the worst thing that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ever done.Watch it here:The earthquakes are a lesson in the hollow promise of a strongman who will end the “deep state,” drain the swamp of corruption, and fight against the “fake news” of the press—and what he actually does once he gets all that power. We are used to hearing about the death...2023-02-1435 min
The CosmopolicastThe Davidzon CosmopolicastThank you to everyone who sent questions for Vlad and Regina. They were good questions. We decided to answer them in a podcast today because I was just exhausted last night—I hadn’t slept at all the night before. My three-legged cat slept like a log, but every time she yawned, stretched, purred, chuffed, or snored, I bolted awake, worried she’d split open at the seams or toppled headfirst into her water bowl. So I threw my guests out after dessert and told them we’d record the answers in the morning. They answered all your que...2023-01-281h 14
The CosmopolicastThe uprising in IranI was looking today for good articles explaining exactly what’s happening in Iran, and growing increasingly frustrated because I couldn’t find any—even though it’s obvious that what’s happening is massively significant. So I asked Shay Khatiri to come on the Cosmopolicast to help me make sense of what’s happening there. Shay’s an immigrant to the United States from Iran who studied Strategic Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies—but you’ll learn all about his background from the conversation. You can read more by Shay at the Bul...2022-10-111h 41
The Cosmopolicast"The West doesn't realize how much danger it's in."Some of you have asked me to put our podcasts on the RSS feed. I thought that happened automatically, but apparently it doesn’t. I think—but I’m not sure—that if I post the podcasts under the “Podcasts” tab, they’ll show up on the RSS feed. I’m trying this today with our first podcast with Dina Khapaeva, which I initially published along with this article: * The West doesn’t realize how much danger it’s in: Dugin, The Third Empire, the Cult of Stalin, Neo-Medievalism, and the Sources of Russian Conduct: An Introduction to Dina Khapaeva.2022-09-221h 10
THE DEFINITIVE RAPAtrocities Committed By Russian Forces In Ukraine Interview with Claire BerlinskiAt The Definitive Rap we unapologetically report the truth about whatever is going on. We sugarcoat nothing and we present it in it’s raw form via our eclectic guests from all over the world, and the world is certainly in chaos now. Who is not talking about the atrocities committed by the Russian troops in Ukraine? In fact even though it’s been over a month since Russian troops withdrew from their positions around Kyiv, bodies and mass graves keep turning up. The atrocities committed by the Russian forces is overwhelming.
With us today from Pari...2022-05-2329 min
VINnews PodcastTHE DEFINITIVE RAP: Atrocities Committed By Russian Forces In Ukraine Interview with Claire BerlinskiAt The Definitive Rap we unapologetically report the truth about whatever is going on. We sugarcoat nothing and we present it in it’s raw form via our eclectic guests from all over the world, and the world is certainly in chaos now. Who is not talking about the atrocities committed by the Russian troops in Ukraine? In fact even though it’s been over a month since Russian troops withdrew from their positions around Kyiv, bodies and mass graves keep turning up. The atrocities committed by the Russian forces is overwhelming.
With us today from Pari...2022-05-2329 min
The CosmopolicastThe Ukrainian literature podcastVladislav Davidzon was in Odessa last week. He at last managed to persuade his elderly father-in-law, a salty old sailor, to abandon the hooch in his garage and leave for Romania with him. When we spoke to them last night, they’d just finished the exhausting sixteen-hour journey from Odessa by taxi, ferry, bus, taxi, and train. Volunteers at the border told them they were the first refugees they’d seen carrying their art collection. Vladislav has been doing superb reporting from Ukraine recently. I’ve put in a few links further down so you can watch his in...2022-05-031h 09
The CosmopolicastThe view from UkraineYesterday we spoke to Vladislav Davidzon and Olga Tokariuk in Kyiv. You can download the podcast here or at the Cosmopolitan Globalist. More by Vladislav at the Cosmopolitan Globalist: LENINFALL AND THE GREAT DANEThe story of the Viking who defeated the Odessa mafia and erected a runestone.ON MOSCOW’S OBJECTIVESUkrainian leaders visited Washington, D.C. The CIA and the Department of Defense gave them private briefings. They emerged deeply shaken.WHAT MANAFORT’S PARDON TAUGHT USUkrainians may be dejected that Manafort has...2022-02-121h 14
In Lieu of Fun: #DogShirtTVClaire Berlinski on the Cosmopolitan GlobalistWherein we are joined by the founder of the Cosmopolitan Globalist, Claire Berlinski. Berlinski is an novelist, essayist, journalist, historian, travel writer, biographer, critic, editor, and consultant who lives amid a menagerie of adopted stray animals in Paris. She is the author of There is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters, Menace in Europe: Why the Continent’s crisis is America’s, Too, and Screw the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Pleasant, Middle-Class Gated Community in Delhi. She's also written two spy novels, Loose Lips and Lion Eyes. Hosted on Acast. See...2021-12-221h 01
Decoding the GurusSpecial Episode: Welcome to Weinstein World with special guest David PizarroThe Weinstein brothers have been busy bees over the past few weeks/months(!) and it left Matt and Chris with a conundrum. How do they cover them as part of an intro segment without it turning into a five hour podcast? The solution was to make a two hour stand alone special episode purely dedicated to exploring the wonders (and shivering at the occasional horrors) as we try to map the terrain of Weinstein World. To help us navigate the alien geography and provide a 'relatively normal person' sanity check we have enlisted the help of the...2021-08-272h 01
The CosmopolicastThe Eternal Promise of FusionFrom Claire—If you missed it, here’s the first part of today’s Cosmopolicast: Energy Week: Beyond Thunderdome. Today we begin in medias res, so be sure to listen to them in order; otherwise, you’ll have no idea who’s who or why we’re all so agitated.Energy Week has expanded well beyond the original plan; we’re now nearing on an Energy Month with the debate nowhere near settled, our readers hurling invective at us, and the Cosmopolitan Globalists barely on speaking terms. We’ve been calling each other Nazis on Twitter; one of us even sugge...2021-05-1544 min
The CosmopolicastEnergy Week: Beyond ThunderdomeFrom Claire—This is the first part of our Energy Week Cosmopolicast, which went on for two full hours. We’ll post the second half tomorrow. Robert Zubrin and the Lewises, père et fils, duked it out in an all-out brawl with Casey Handmer, Alexander Hurst, and Benjamin Wolf. Monique, Ron, Vivek, and I tried to keep our guests from punching below the belt. I know we always say, “This was our best Cosmopolicast yet!” but truly, this one’s a contender. If you think providing energy to the world’s 7.8 billion people must be a simple matter, listen to thi...2021-05-1451 min
The CosmopolicastPART II: French Diplomacy: What values shape our alliances?In Part I of this essay, French foreign policy and security specialist Nicolas Tenzer begged France to weigh the implications of its alliances more carefully. Today, he explains his recommendations in detail. We recorded this podcast last weekend. Since then, Russia has escalated its brinkmanship in and around Ukraine, and Czech authorities have expelled 18 Russian diplomats identified as operatives of the SVR and GRU. The Czech Republic holds them responsible for the 2014 blast at an ammunition depot, in the village of Vrbetice, which killed two Czech citizens. Czech police are seeking, in particular, the operatives who in 2018...2021-04-2046 min
SymposiumWhy We Need Cosmopolitan GlobalistsRob Tracinski talks to Claire Berlinski and Vivek Kelkar of The Cosmopolitan Globalist about why American needs cosmopolitan globalists, the worldwide challenge of authoritarian nationalism, and the creation of new institutions to defend “liberal democracy.” Get full access to Symposium at symposium.substack.com/subscribe2021-04-2047 min
The CosmopolicastEpisode 5: Oy VeyHenry signed off after the Cosmopolitan Globalists finished recording the China Cosmopolicast. (If you haven’t yet listened to that, we highly recommend it; it’s the best so far, except maybe for the Russia Cosmopolicast.) But Adam, Monique, Vivek, and Claire hung around a while longer to chat. We assumed we were done recording, so we were very relaxed. We’d planned just to throw the last part out, but when we listened to it, we liked it. So we decided to release it as a bonus. If you’ve ever wondered what Cosmopolitan Globalists say when the...2021-04-1623 min
The CosmopolicastEpisode 5: The CosmoRussyaCastFrom Claire—So a Ukrainian, two Estonians, two Americans and a Canadian walked into the Cosmopolicast—and I’ve been looking for the right punchline all day, but it’s just not happening. Still, it’s a great podcast. Before anything else, though. Yesterday, in haste, I copied the wrong map into our newsletter. It was an important map, too. Here’s the right one, without which you can’t make sense of the whole business about the chicken neck. My mistake—not Vivek’s—and I apologize. We rounded up our favorite people from the form...2021-04-141h 00
The CosmopolicastEpisode 4: The China CosmopolicastFrom Claire—We think this is our best Cosmopolicast yet. Do you remember Adam Garfinkle’s debate with Vivek about China, the 7th Fleet, and the future of US power? We brought Adam on the podcast to discuss this, and Henry Hill joined us. Is Chinese global hegemony inevitable? Vivek says yes. Adam says no. Who’s right?We ask what the Chinese regime is really all about: Is it Marxist? Leninist? Maoist? Neo-totalitarian? Revanchist? Nationalist? Imperialist? How well does the West understand China? How well does China understand the West? What does China...2021-04-0758 min
The CosmopolicastThe China CosmopolicastThe Cosmopolitan Globalists, one and all, wish our readers, all and one, a happy Easter. Our China Cosmopolicast, with Adam Garfinkle, Henry Hill, and the editors, is our best so far. We’re itching to hit “publish.” But we figure no one will listen to it on a holiday, and we certainly wouldn’t want anyone to miss it. So above is a trailer. (It is our first trailer. We are proud.) We’ll publish it in two parts, beginning either tomorrow or Tuesday, depending on your request. Tell us in the comments. And we may even post the p...2021-04-0401 min
The CosmopolicastEpisode 3: The CosmopartycastFrom Claire—and now, it’s Wednesday afternoon. The Suez is unblocked. But listen all the same to our Saturday night Cosmopolitan Globalist Partycast, because it is one fine discussion of global shipping and it was a rollicking good Saturday night—by pandemic standards.We marvel at the weirdness of China’s recent diplomatic self-sabotage. We drink. We ask what Macron’s thinking about Russia. We wonder just who actually believes it. Does he? We gossip about Germany. We gossip about the Atlantic Council. We wander around looking for popcorn. We ask if the United States is...2021-03-3152 min
The CosmopolicastEpisode 2: The CosmopolicastThe authors of the Cosmopolitan Globalists’ blueprint for ending the pandemic joined to howl in frustration with the world’s inability to do the obvious and end the pandemic. We’re beside ourselves. Claire and Monique are, anyway. Robert’s clearly at the end of his rope. Rachel is composed. Owen and Jon sound just fine. From Vienna: Jon Nighswander. From Houston: Rachel Motte. From Paris, Claire Berlinski. From Canada: Owen Lewis. From Colorado (and one day, from Mars): Robert Zubrin. Hosted, again, by Monique in Siena.Paraphrased HighlightsRobert...2021-03-221h 01
The CosmopolicastEpisode 1: The CosmopolicastFrom Claire—I know. You’ve been waiting for the Cosmopolitan Globalists’ reading list. It’s late. You’re impatient. You keep checking your mail, over and over—but nothing shows up. “What could be wrong?” you wonder. “I do hope they’re not all dead.” Not to worry. We’ll get to it. But today, we have something even better for you. Over the weekend, Monique Camarra—our Cosmopolitan Globalist in Siena and ace podcaster—recorded the inaugural episode of the Cosmopolicast. We figured it would be incomprehensible if all 68 of us were on at the same time, so in this...2021-03-1648 min
Q & A, Hosted by Jay NordlingerE333. Claire Berlinski, Bold and UniqueOn Twitter, Claire Berlinski bills herself as a “rootless cosmopolitan.” She has styled her new newsletter “The Cosmopolitan Globalist.” There is such a thing as “owning the insult.” In other words, if they’re going to call you those things anyway … Berlinski is a writer and scholar who specializes in international relations. She has lived in various places and is now in Paris. With Jay... Source2021-02-241h 15
The CosmopolicastThe First Podcast: What's a Good Story for the Cosmopolitan Globalist?The Cosmopolitan Globalists get on a Zoom call and ask themselves, “So, what are we doing here?” We also ask why Piero’s friend, a fully-qualified engineer, believes the earth is flat, and we adopt Vivek’s turtle as our mascot—all the way down. Some of you wrote to me yesterday to ask, “Why can’t I listen to the podcast?”I assumed you were just whingers. “I don’t know,” I wrote back. “It works for me.” Then I realized that the podcast, like the rest of the newsletter, is a newsletter. It only works...2020-12-1746 min
The Ricochet PodcastCast Iron Skillets and A World In FlamesThis week, the finer points of cast iron skillets, Yorkshire pudding, and oh, yes, the burgeoning French revolution, courtesy of Claire Berlinski in Paris, the state of Brexit with Toby Young in London, and the demise of the Weekly Standard in Washington D.C. with our hosts, who have been reading it from day one. Music from this week’s podcast: Murder By Numbers by The Police... Source2018-12-151h 16
The Ricochet PodcastNo Deal Is A Good DealThis week, we travel across the pond to talk with our good mate James Delingpole to get his very hot take on Trump’s visit, What May or May not happen to the current Prime Minister, and get his impression of that so called Baby Trump Blimp. Also, we’ve got a new SCOTUS nominee and his age is a trigger warning for one of our hosts, that fantastic Tweet storm by Ricochet alum Claire Berlinski... Source2018-07-131h 10
The Ricochet Podcast#Us TooThis week, Powerline’s (and Berkeley’s!) Steve Hayward sits in and we anoint Roy Moore as a loser, Al Franken as a memory, and discuss with Ricochet alumni Claire Berlinski her fantastic and now famous piece The Warlock Hunt. Also, what exactly is Mueller mulling? And our guys pick their favorite movies of 2017. Music from this week’s episode: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? Source2017-12-151h 05
Challenging Opinions >>CO022 Claire Berlinski on Margaret ThatcherClaire Berlinski is a journalist, academic and author. She has lived and worked in Thailand, Laos, Turkey and France, an an academic for the American Foreign Policy Council and the Manhattan Institute. She has written a number of books, including There Is No Alternative about Margaret Thatcher. Claire’s GoFundMe page is here.2017-04-2826 min
The Ricochet PodcastThe EditorsA couple of times a year, we assemble our far flung editorial staff (that’s Troy Senik, Jon Gabriel, Claire Berlinski, and Tom Meyer) on the Ricochet Podcast and let them riff on the issues of the day and give some dap to their favorite Ricochet member posts of the recent past. And in this, the last show of the Summer of Trump®, that’s exactly what we’ve done. Spoiler alert: Lileks checks in from... Source2015-09-031h 03The Ricochet PodcastThe Editor's Podcast: I ❤ HamiltonThis week, we’re giving the regular crew off so we can bring you this special edition of the Ricochet Podcast featuring our entire editorial staff. Troy Senik, Jon Gabriel, Claire Berlinski, Tom Meyer, and Rob Long gather together (well, virtually though the magic of Skype) to opine on Trump and how he harms Jeb’s (!) chances at winning the nomination. Also, the future of education... Source2015-06-1900 min
The Ricochet PodcastThat HairIf it’s in depth political analysis and thinking you’re looking for, mazel tov, you’ve come to the right place. But before we get to that, we do a deep dive in to newly declared presidential candidate Rand Paul’s hair. Trust us folks, you’re not going to hear this on any MSM outlets, so buckle in. Then, Ricochet’s own Claire Berlinski checks in from France, aka The World’s Most Conservative... Source2015-04-101h 09
Power LineFollow Up: Claire Berlinski With the Latest from ParisClaire Berlinski follows up her eye-witness report from Paris on yesterday’s Ricochet Podcast with the latest developments from a full day of breaking news in France. Claire suggests it’s time for tough questions to be asked and that it’s unbelievable for France to be so unprepared these attacks after years of warnings. She also persuasively argues why this is just the beginning of a new kind of... Source2015-01-0933 minThe Ricochet PodcastVive La ClaireThis week, we’re lucky to have a live report on the tragedy in Paris from Ricochet’s own Claire Berlinski, who happened on the scene of the crime moments after it occurred. Then, we return to our side of the Atlantic for a conversation with our good pal (and fellow podcaster) Larry Kudlow. Gas tax? You’ve got to be kidding. Finally, some rumination of legalizing weed, courtesy of Ricochet member... Source2015-01-081h 16The Ricochet PodcastWelcome Back, BlueberriesIt’s been a while since our amiable hosts have been in the same bowl with each other, so we took this opportunity to do a special three guest show from across the world and around the country. First up, our old friend Judith Levy gives us a chilling report from her home in Israel. Then, newly returned contributor Claire Berlinski checks in from Paris with a first hand look at the reaction in... Source2014-07-311h 17The Ricochet PodcastListen UpLots to talk about this week, and we have the guests who are more than up to the task (Troy Senik is sitting in for Peter): Michael Barone, the dean of American political journalism, joins to discuss the scandals, the state of immigration, Minnesota politics, and, yes, even 2016. Then, our pal Claire Berlinski (follow her on Twitter here) calls in from Istanbul to give us a boots-on-the-ground... Source2013-06-071h 23
The Takeaway: Story of the DayFormer British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Dead at 87According to her spokesman, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died of a stroke this morning at 87. She served at the head of the Conservative party from 1979 to 1990. She was the first female prime minster. Claire Berlinski is the author of "There is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters."2013-04-0800 min
Jeff Nyquist ShowThird Claire Berlinski InterviewJeff Nyquist interviews Claire Berlinski, author of Menance in Europe and her newest work, There Is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters. Ms. Berlinski discusses current political situation as we head into Tuesday's presidential election and explores the parallels and differences between former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.2009-03-0500 min
Notebook on Cities and CultureOn Margaret Thatcher with Claire BerlinskiA conversation about Margaret Thatcher, the most controversial British Prime Minister of the 20th century, with Claire Berlinski, author of There is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters. [download] [MOI home] [MOI archive]2008-11-2600 min
Discover the Best Sellers Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, EspionageLoose Lips Audiobook by Claire BerlinskiPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.
Title: Loose Lips
Author: Claire Berlinski
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Format: Unabridged
Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
Language: English
Release date: 10-17-08
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 9 votes
Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage
Publisher's Summary:
Despite her checkered life history, she passes the background investigation, the polygraph, and a battery of bizarre CIA aptitude tests and begins duty as a Clandestine Service Trainee. Living undercover as a "government budget analyst", she is suddenly isolated from her family and her past. The loneliness and isolation of life...2008-10-177h 21Jeff Nyquist ShowClaire Berlinski InterviewJeff Nyquist interviews Claire Berlinski, author of "Menace in Europe." Ms. Berlinski discusses the moral and spiritual crisis of contemporary Europe and what it means to the United States.2008-02-2700 minJeff Nyquist ShowSecond Claire Berlinski InterviewJeff Nyquist interviews Claire Berlinski, author of "Menace in Europe." Ms. Berlinski discusses the current situation in Turkey and Western Europe.2008-02-2700 min
Listen With Your Mind, Not Just Your Ears With Free AudiobookLion Eyes: A Novel Audiobook by Claire BerlinskiListen to this audiobook in full for free onhttps://hotaudiobook.com/freeID: 155496
Title: Lion Eyes: A Novel
Author: Claire Berlinski
Narrator: Susan Ericksen
Format: Unabridged
Length: 07:21:00
Language: English
Release date: 01-30-07
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genres: Fiction & Literature, General
Summary:
Claire Berlinski (the real Claire Berlinski, that is) wrote Loose Lips, the best (and certainly the funniest) contemporary novel about the CIA. Of course, that never meant she was the greatest spy of her generation.
When a fictional spy novelist named Claire Berlinski, who lives in Paris, begins exchanging e-mails with an Iranian archeologist who likes her work, she thinks...2007-01-307h 21