The Csis Podcast

CSIS’ Eliot Cohen joins the podcast to discuss how the United States should respond to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, plus, Dr. Cohen describes what he saw and experienced during his recent visit to Israel.  

Former national intelligence manager for Iran at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, CIA senior official and current CSIS senior adviser Norman Roule joins the podcast to discuss the war in Gaza against Hamas and how Iran and its proxies are provoking a potentially expanded Mideast war.

Jonathan Shank, CEO of Terrapin Station Entertainment joins the podcast to discuss live music, immersive entertainment and the impact of the Grateful Dead on social media and the future of rock and roll. 

CSIS’ Daniel Byman, who just returned from Israel where he met with senior military officials, joins the podcast to discuss how the war in Gaza is progressing, why the Israeli campaign has been so destructive and what success looks like for Israel and for Hamas.

CSIS’ Jon Alterman and Washington Post columnist Jason Rezaian, who serve as executive directors of the CSIS Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention, join the podcast to discuss the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza, lessons from the Israel-Hamas hostage deal, and how global thought and policymaking regarding hostage situations should evolve.

CSIS’ Max Bergmann joins the podcast to discuss U.S. funding for Ukraine and its implications

Dion Nissenbaum is an award-winning reporter covering U.S. policy in the Middle East and regional security for The Wall Street Journal. He joins the podcast to discuss the challenges Israel faces to the south with Hamas and to the north with Hezbollah, the current Israeli psyche, and the political situation in Israel.  

Former CNN Reliable Sources anchor Brian Stelter, now a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, joins the podcast to talk about media polarization, how Israel’s war against Hamas is being covered, and his new book, “Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump and the Battle for American Democracy.”

CSIS’s J. Stephen Morrison joins the podcast to discuss the situation surrounding Gaza’s hospitals as Israel fights against Hamas.

Israeli Brigadier General Asssaf Orion (res), who served the IDF for over 30 years and is now on reserve duty joins the podcast to discuss the events of October 7 and the Israeli response.   During his career in the Israel Defense Forces, General Orion was responsible for strategic policy formulation, international cooperation, and military diplomacy. He also served as a liaison to neighboring militaries and peacekeeping forces in the region. He was most recently the head of the Strategic Division in the Planning Directorate of the IDF General Staff. In this position, he was in charge of communication with UNIFIL and the Lebanese army, led staff meetings with counterparts from the Pentagon and from other Western militaries, took part in the U.S.-Israel security dialogue, and represented the IDF in talks with the Palestinian Authority.  After retiring from the IDF in 2016, General Orion joined the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv and serves as the Liz and Mony Rueven International Fel

CSIS’s Emily Benson joins the podcast to discuss her new Project on Trade and Technology and its first report, “Establishing a New Multilateral Export Regime.”

CSIS’s Eliot Cohen joins the podcast for a discussion of the ground war in Gaza and his new book “The Hollow Crown: Shakespeare on How Leaders Rise, Rule and Fall.”

CSIS’s Charles Edel joins the podcast to discuss the recent State Visit of Australian Prime Minister Albanese to Washington and its implications for Indo-Pacific security.

CSIS’s Jon Alterman joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas, and the role Egypt could play. 

CSIS’s Emily Harding joins the podcast to discuss Israel’s tragic intelligence failure and its efforts to regroup against an unseen enemy. Plus, a discussion of Egypt’s role going forward.

Legendary singer Aaron Neville joins the podcast to discuss his new book “Tell it Like it Is: My Story,” performing with his brothers—The Neville Brothers, duets with Linda Ronstadt and how he overcame addiction and hardship to ultimately achieve platinum album sales, number 1 songs and most importantly, a fulfilling, happy life.

CSIS’s Seth Jones joins the podcast to discuss Israel’s military objectives and what’s coming next. 

Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Avi Mayer joins the podcast to discuss the catastrophic blast at the Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, his tour of the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, mood of the Israeli people and government, challenges that lay ahead and the role of media in the conflict.

CSIS’s Jon Alterman joins the podcast to discuss the brutal aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel and its implications in the short and medium term. 

CSIS's Daniel Byman joins the podcast to discuss the last few days of war between Hamas and Israel and what might come next in the conflict.