Best Paulmason Podcasts (2025)

1
Iran and the US: is a new nuclear deal in sight? 38:11

Play Pause

20h ago38:11

38:11

I spoke to Iran expert Charlie Gammell in the light of the recent developments in the Iran nuclear negotiations. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disord…

1
Starvation in Gaza, is the world finally responding? 54:11

10d ago54:11

54:11

As the humanitarian situation in Gaza descends to unimaginable levels, and the war of words between Benjamin Netanyahu and the West escalates, I spoke to Michael Stephens of RAND Europe and RUSI about the situation. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow …

1
Murder in Helmand 46:19

17d ago46:19

46:19

On this episode I discuss recent allegations of war crimes committed by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan. These featured in a recent BBC Panorama episode which can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ykkf/panorama-special-forces-i-saw-war-crimes My guest on this episode is Professor Matthew Ford, a military expert based at the …

1
Yemen, the UK, the US and the transatlantic alliance 1:03:28

24d ago1:03:28

1:03:28

On this episode I speak to Iona Craig, the veteran Yemen expert and journalist about recent events, including the UK's decision to join the US in carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis. Iona mentioned an earlier episode of this podcast with Laura Cretney, which is worth listening to if you are interested in Yemen. You can find it here https://…

1
Ukraine and America: the great betrayal 58:10

29d ago58:10

58:10

I spoke to Romeo Kokriatski, presenter of the Ukraine without the Hype podcast about recent events in his country, including the Trump betrayal. We mentioned Operation Sky Shield, a plan which you can read about here. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follo…

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The Geopolitics of Climate: how Tuvalu is thinking about possible extinction 45:22

1M ago45:22

45:22

What does the climate crisis mean for sovereignty in a world where certain countries face existential risk? I spoke to Taukiei Kitara, a native of Tuvalu, about the case of low-lying Pacific Islands, including his native Tuvalu. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com a…

1
RUSI/Disorder Partnership: Ransomware in our Age of Disorder 47:43

2M ago47:43

47:43

Read RUSI piece The Rise of Ransomware as a National Security Threat: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/organised-cybercrime-rise-ransomware-national-security-threat Read RUSI piece Beyond the Bottom Line: The Societal Impact of Ransomware: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/beyond-bottom-line-…

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The Crisis in The Atlantic Alliance ep 2 50:43

2M ago50:43

50:43

The impact on Central and Eastern Europe, with Jonathan Terra Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder which I am involved with in partnership with RUS…

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The Crisis in the Atlantic Alliance 1:00:05

2M ago1:00:05

1:00:05

The Transatlantic Alliance is coming to an end. I discuss this with academic and journalist Jonathan Terra. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder wh…

1
Blood, toil, tears, and sweat: the plight of migrant labourers in the Gulf 54:32

2M ago54:32

54:32

Every year, tens of thousands of labourers in the wealth countries of the Gulf, most of them migrants from South Asia, die in unsafe working conditions on construction sites. As the GCC states pour enormous resources into developing their infrastructure, little attention is paid to the plight of the people doing the actual building work. I spoke to…

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Myanmar: the Unfolding Civil War 1:02:30

3M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

For the past 4 years, Myanmar has experienced an ever more serious civil war, which now threatens the ruling military junta in Naypyitaw. I spoke to Ronan Lee about this little-reported conflict. You can find Ronan's work here: https://ronanlee.com/ And my writing here: arthursnell.substack.com Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelin…

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What does the collapsing global order mean for the world beyond the West? 42:45

3M ago42:45

42:45

Samir Puri of Chatham House is the author of Westlessness, a book about the post-Western world. The book came out last year but the geopolitical setting that he examines is one that is rapidly emerging in front of our eyes, as the chaotic actions of the Trump presidency bring an end to the Western Liberal Order. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate…

1
How the extremism of our age is being fed by disinformation 48:59

3M ago48:59

48:59

The role of disinformation in our current world, whether feeding the false allegations put out by Trump, the lies spread online by Elon Musk, or the over-reliance on social media for news coverage, is feeding the rise of extremism and dysfunction in democratic systems, to the detriment of liberal and progressive political movements. To help us unde…

1
The latest from Kyiv: what does John Sweeney make of what's being going on? 36:12

3M ago36:12

36:12

I spoke to the man in the lucky orange hat, everyone's favourite war correspondent John Sweeney about the latest developments from Kyiv in this week of extraordinary events relating to Ukraine. Find John's work at x.com/johnsweeneyroar Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substac…

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THIS ONE'S A REAL EMERGENCY EPISODE: THE END OF THE WESTERN ALLIANCE 44:34

3M ago44:34

44:34

The actual end of the Western Alliance, the departure of the United States from European Security and the need for a new Euro-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (EATO) is the subject of this fascinating and urgent discussion with Mike Martin, MP for Tunbridge Wells, member of the defence select committee and military expert. Check out our Bookshop.org af…

1
UKRAINE, John Sweeney and a betrayal foretold 59:46

4M ago59:46

59:46

In November 2023, I spoke to John Sweeney, veteran war correspondent, about the pressures on Ukraine as the world's attention turned towards the Middle East in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre and Israel's assault on Gaza. What he said at the time now sounds both poignant and prescient in the light of the unfolding betrayal of Ukraine by Don…

1
Nomad Century - is climate change going to transform global migration? 46:01

4M ago46:01

46:01

Gaia Vince is a writer, journalist and fascinating thinker on issues relating to the crossover between humanity and the planet we inhabit. Her book Nomad Century looks at how climate change affects the liveability of large areas of the planet and the likely impact that will have. You can find her work here https://wanderinggaia.com/ and on Bluesky …

1
Could we change the weather? 47:02

4M ago47:02

47:02

The idea that people can change weather has a long history - both as part of mythology and as part of modern day conspiracy theory. But the science of geoengineering is one that some scientists think could be an important opportunity to give the world space to make progress on reducing CO2 emissions. But geoengineering, including stratospheric aero…

1
The Gulf countries and a post-oil future? 44:30

4M ago44:30

44:30

How would the Gulf countries transition to a post oil economy? Could they do so and what happens if they don't? I spoke to Dr David Roberts, author of Security Politics in the Gulf Monarchies about this complex future. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or foll…

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Disinformation in the Trump 2.0 era with Nina Jankowicz 58:15

4M ago58:15

58:15

This is a co-host with the Disorder Podcast. You can find their details here: https://tr.ee/ksicr-3Wty Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder which I…

1
Justice in Syria: on the trail of Assad's henchmen 56:44

5M ago56:44

56:44

Since 2011, war crimes investigator Bill Wiley has been on the trail of the criminal elements of the Assad regime who have carried out extraordinary amounts of killings, torture and other crimes. His organisation https://cijaonline.org/ has been collecting evidence and documenting these crimes since the start of the civil war. Now that Assad's regi…

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France in the Age of Populism 51:07

5M ago51:07

51:07

How does a society like France grapple with the challenge of populist politics? I spoke to Thom Reilly, former British Ambassador to Morocco who was a candidate in the European parliamentary elections for Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance political party. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at art…

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BONUS EPISODE - CRISIS IN GEORGIA 1:10:41

5M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Marika Mariashvili returns for a special bonus episode as Georgia faces a constitutional crisis - the existing president refusing to cede power after a stolen election, and a new puppet in place taking his order from Moscow. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/o…

1
Charles Gammell on Iran post-Assad 49:47

5M ago49:47

49:47

What does the fall of Assad mean for the mad Mullahs running Iran? I spoke to Charles Gammell. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder which I am invo…

1
Christmassy Episode: Miguel Delaney on the geopolitics of football 54:35

5M ago54:35

54:35

Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer at the Independent is the author of states of play, a book about the geopolitics of football. You can find him on Bluesky and Twitter. migueldelaney Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bs…

1
Inside HTS: what does Al-Jolani want and how will they rule? 1:07:23

6M ago1:07:23

1:07:23

There are literally a tiny number of people in this world who can speak with authority and insight on Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham - or HTS - the militant group that swept into Damascus a week ago. One of those people is Orwa Ajjoub, a Sweden-based academic of Syrian origin who has been studying this group for several years and who has direct contacts ins…

1
The history of Syria, from the Pharaohs to the Pharaonic 53:01

6M ago53:01

53:01

I spoke to the brilliant historian James Barr about the history of Syria from the Pharaohs to the present day. You can find James on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jamesbarr.bsky.social and his books in all the good book places. Please check out my susbtack and - if you feel like supporting this podcast and are able to - take out a paid subscript…

1
Georgia: fighting to be European 55:27

6M ago55:27

55:27

With bewildering events unfolding all over the place, I wanted to give some coverage to the Republic of Georgia, where the pro-Western political movement is responding to a rigged election and the decision of the illegitimate Moscow-aligned 'Georgian Dream' to block negotiations to join the EU, in spite of the fervent wish of most Georgians to join…

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EMERGENCY EPISODE: The Fall of Aleppo 35:35

6M ago35:35

35:35

The extraordinary turn of events in Syria in recent days saw the city of Aleppo, once Syria's largest and a key part of the earlier story of Syria's revolution, fall to Syria's rebels, with the soldiers of the Assad regime in chaotic retreat. I spoke to Thomas van Linge, one of the few journalist who has been covering the story, about what has happ…

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Out of the shadows: MI6 Russia expert Christopher Steele on Trump and the new world order 46:24

6M ago46:24

46:24

Christopher Steele needs almost no introduction. But if you are interested in learning more about him you can buy his new book, Unredacted, here https://www.amazon.com/Unredacted-Russia-Trump-Fight-Democracy/dp/0063373432/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VZCQ114PBRZX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qv6Zf5VhmrCD7zu54PyFEawg2dYzrTOT0sYgpY4o3jI.poSf3-HXXCfxlQwgK_vy6Xubh-BXVRLmOA0iPD…

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What's going on in Iran 1:01:04

6M ago1:01:04

1:01:04

Charlie Gammell is a historian and Iran expert. His latest article on Iran can be found here: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-winds-of-change-are-blowing-in-iran/ Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You c…

1
The age of bilateralism 1:06:27

7M ago1:06:27

1:06:27

Dr Jonathan Terra is an American academic and analyst who has been based in Prague for 30+ years. We spoke about the impact of a Trump presidency on Eastern Europe and the wider geopolitical context. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @s…

1
The New World Order 47:46

7M ago47:46

47:46

I spoke to Mike Martin, military expert, writer, former soldier and now Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells about the new world (dis)order that lies before us under a Trump presidency. Mike can be found here: https://x.com/ThreshedThought and here https://mike-martin.co.uk/ and his book How to Fight a War is available in all t…

1
Conspiracies and campaigns - Jason Pack on the 2024 election 1:08:23

7M ago1:08:23

1:08:23

In this episode I spoke to Jason Pack of the excellent Disorder podcast (https://x.com/DisorderShow) about conspiracy theories and how they are affecting the 2024 US presidential election. We also spoke about the state of the race which remains on a knife edge. You’ll be interested to look at Jason’s article in The New European on conspiracy theori…

1
Russia's dirty money: the Nordic connection 40:20

7M ago40:20

40:20

I spoke to the Swedish journalist Axel Gordh Humlesjö about his work investigating Russian dirty money in Sweden, especially in relation to Swedbank, Sweden's largest bank, whose CEO has been imprisoned on money-laundering charges. https://x.com/axelhumlesjo?lang=en Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my …

1
Digital war - from Ukraine, to the Sahel 1:09:46

8M ago1:09:46

1:09:46

In the chaotic world we inhabit, the smartphone has become a key element of warfare, even in societies where we might imagine that connectivity is limited by reduced technological sophistication. I was privileged to be able to discuss this rapidly evolving landscape with three brilliant scholars: Professor Mirjam de Bruijn (https://www.universiteit…

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SPECIAL UKRAINE EPISODE #VPDFO 1 57:36

8M ago57:36

57:36

A special episode in support of the Vladimir Putin Do F*ck Off - #VPDFO - festival. This event, held in Kyiv earlier in October brought together soldiers, journalists, activists and politicians with the primary purpose of raising funds for a group of charities doing essential work on the ground in Ukraine. Go to VDPFO.org to find more details of th…

1
The Red Emperor 33:57

8M ago33:57

33:57

Veteran China correspondent Michael Sheridan has published a biography of Xi Jinping, China's leader, entitled The Red Emperor, published by Headline. You can find details of his book here: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/michael-sheridan-2/the-red-emperor/9781035413478/ Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up …

1
Iran - where are they headed? 40:42

8M ago40:42

40:42

Charlie Gammell is an Iran expert, former British diplomat and historian. I spoke to him about the latest developments with Iran and the war now sweeping across the Middle East. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social…

1
The Bangladesh Spring with David Bergman 58:34

8M ago58:34

58:34

In July this year, the well entrenched autocratic regime that ruled Bangladesh, a country of nearly 200 million people, was toppled entirely unexpectedly by a student-led democracy movement, ushering in an interim government led by a Nobel prize-winning peace and development activist. How the Bangladesh Spring happened and whether it is likely to s…

1
What's the point of the UN? 1:13:01

9M ago1:13:01

1:13:01

With the UN General Assembly taking place in New York I spoke to the International Crisis Group's UN Director Richard Gowan about the the organisation, its current challenges and where it might be headed. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Blues…

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EMERGENCY EPISODE: EXPLOSIVE CRISIS IN LEBANON 23:25

9M ago23:25

23:25

I spoke to Charlie Gammell, author, former diplomat and Iran expert on the unfolding crisis in Lebanon after the explosions of Hizbullah communications equipment. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You can somet…

1
Rogue Agent - the life of ROBERT BRUCE LOCKHART 1:01:13

9M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

I spoke to Professor James Crossland about the extraordinary life of diplomat, secret agent and journalist Robert Bruce Lockhart. You can find James's book on the subject here: https://eandtbooks.com/books/rogue-agent/ James is on Twitter @drjcrossland Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at ar…

1
MBS - Saudi Arabia's ruthless ruler 51:16

9M ago51:16

51:16

Veteran foreign correspondent Jonathan Rugman is the author of The Killing in the Consulate about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. More recently he has produced a fascinating two-part documentary about MBS and his rise to power. You can find it on BBC Iplayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001zprq/the-kingdom-the-worlds…

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Westlessness with Samir Puri 1:07:59

10M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

Have we entered a post-Western world? What does that mean and how does it look from the other side of the world? Singapore based academic and former British diplomat has published a new book, Westlessness about this idea and I spoke to him for a wide-ranging discussion on the decline of the west, the rise of Asia and the potential implications. Che…

1
The Battle for Soul of Islam 58:04

10M ago58:04

58:04

James Dorsey is a writer and journalist and author of the new book The Battle for the Soul of Islam - Defining the Muslim Faith in the 21st Century, published by Macmillan. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky @snellarthur.bsky.social. You…

1
The Caucasus: Europe's troubled border 46:50

10M ago46:50

46:50

In September last year, an established community in a European country of hundreds of thousands of people was removed in its entirety after a devastating military campaign. This was not Ukraine, but the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, which has now ceased to exist. To understand this and the dynamics of a little understood region including…

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Back to Ukraine - Away from summitry, what is happening on the ground? 49:38

11M ago49:38

49:38

Away from NATO's glitzy summit 75th anniversary summit in Washington DC, the war in Ukraine drags on. Ian Bond, a former British ambassador and now Deputy Director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank spoke to me about his recent visit to Ukraine and Moldova and what it portends for the war in Ukraine and wider European security. Check out …

1
The British Elections - an Outsider's perspective with Annette Dittert 46:05

11M ago46:05

46:05

In this episode I speak to Annette Dittert, London correspondent of German TV channel ARD since 2008. She has lived here since 2008, but she remains someone who can look dispassionately at our politics, culture and institutions. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com a…

1
What have they go to show for fourteen years of power? With Nick Cohen 41:30

11M ago41:30

41:30

I spoke to Nick Cohen, veteran political journalist and author of the Writing from London substack https://nickcohen.substack.com/ about the record of the past 14 years of Conservative government and what we might expect from a Labour one. Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.sub…