The General & The Journalist

Episodes

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  Israel’s election: Could Netanyahu finally lose power? 21.10.2026 41m

  Israel votes next week and Benjamin Netanyahu faces a defining election as former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot challenges his grip on power. After three years of war, Israel faces mounting security threats, international isolation and deep political divisions. But even if Netanyahu loses, a new government may struggle to change course.Tom speaks to Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat and adviser to Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli Defence Intelligence office to explore whether the election could end the Netanyahu era – and what a change of government might mean for Gaza, Iran and the wider Middle East.Get in touch: [email protected]:57 Is Netanyahu heading for defeat?11:28 Will Arab voters decide Israel’s election?17:27 Is Israel safer after three years of war?25:02 What would change if Netanyahu loses?32:30 Could Netanyahu face prison if he loses power?Guests: Alon Pinkas, former Israeli diplomat and Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli Defence and Senior Researcher at the Institute for National Security StudiesHosts: General Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Dana Chan, Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Q&A: Trump’s Russia deal, Taiwan’s future, and new global alliances 16.10.2026 17m

  In this month's Q&A, Patrick and Tom examine Donald Trump’s controversial deal to buy Russian diesel, the shifting world order, and the threats facing Western security. Plus, they consider a listener’s idea for bringing veterans closer to the public.Send your questions in to [email protected]: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Havana Syndrome: Did a secret weapon derail US-Cuba relations? 14.10.2026 42m

  For a decade, US spies and diplomats have reported mysterious symptoms including strange noises, sudden pressure and debilitating neurological symptoms… but no one has definitively explained why. Now, two investigative journalists say they have uncovered new evidence of a suspected microwave weapon, a Russian connection and a US government failure to confront the truth. Their new book, The Havana Syndrome: Secret Weapons, a Government Cover-Up, and the Greatest Spy Mystery of Our Time, raises fresh questions about intelligence failures, covert warfare and a mystery that may be far from over. Is Russia behind these mysterious events and has the US government been hiding what it knows?Get in touch: [email protected]:00 The first mysterious attacks16:57 The alleged Russian microwave weapon26:29 The scientific evidence and scepticism29:24 Was there a government cover-up?35:23 Is the mystery still unfolding?Guests: Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados, investigative producers for CBS’s 60 MinutesHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: GettyClips: BBC, TODAY, 6 News AustraliaHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How Iran helped turn the Houthis into a global threat 07.10.2026 29m

  The Houthis have advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatening one of the world’s most important shipping routes through Bab al-Mandab. Yemeni government forces are fighting back, but the Iran-backed group’s ability to disrupt global trade and strike across the region continues to grow.Yemen expert Nadwa Al-Dawsari joins Tom and Patrick to explain how the Houthis became a regional military power, how much control Iran really has over them, and whether Yemen is becoming another front in Tehran’s wider proxy war. So, how far can the Houthis expand, and can they be stopped?Get in touch: [email protected]:49 — The Houthis fight to seize Yemen’s Red Sea coast02:58 — How Iran helped build Houthi military power07:01 — Why the Bab el-Mandeb threatens global shipping14:07 — Who are the Houthis and their enemies22:13 — Can the US stop the Houthi threat?Guest: Nadwa Al-Dawsari, Fellow at the Centre on Armed Groups and Associate Fellow at the Middle East InstituteHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producers: Julia Webster with help from Robert WallaceExecutive producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Denise Kelly, Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Will Putin attack NATO? Former MI6 chief on Russia’s next move 30.09.2026 34m

  As Russia steps up sabotage, interference and intimidation across Europe, how far is Vladimir Putin prepared to go?Former MI6 chief Sir John Scarlett joins Tom and Patrick to explain what Putin wants in Ukraine, whether Russia could escalate into a direct confrontation with NATO, and why intelligence back channels may be crucial to preventing escalation.Get in touch: [email protected]:28 - Did the West misjudge Putin?09:46 - Is Putin under pressure?15:04 - What does Putin want in Ukraine?17:30 - Russia’s hybrid war against NATO23:49 - Why the CIA Chief went to MoscowGuest: Sir John Scarlett, former MI6 Chief and co-founder of SC StrategyHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia Webster, Shabnam GrewalExecutive producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Kathia Mestanza, Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  EXPLAINER: How America's aircraft carrier crisis reveals a military decline 27.09.2026 9m

  America has 11 aircraft carriers. So why is the US Navy struggling to deploy more than three at once?In this bonus video explainer, The Sunday Times’s Mark Urban examines the growing strain on America’s carrier fleet. These 100,000-ton floating airfields have long been symbols of US military power, but delayed ships, lengthy repairs and overstretched crews are making it increasingly difficult to keep them at sea. If Washington cannot reliably deploy the fleet it already has, what does that mean for America’s ability to project power around the world – and are aircraft carriers becoming a symbol not of US strength, but of its limits?00:00 – America’s aircraft carrier problem00:53 – Delayed ships and ageing carriers02:24 – Trump’s proposed carrier redesign03:25 – Longer deployments, greater strain04:50 – The carrier gap in the Pacific06:09 – The $25 billion carrier group at risk07:30 – The cost to the wider fleet08:38 – Shipyard decline and military powerGet in touch: [email protected]: Yasmin Butt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is the future of the SAS at risk? 23.09.2026 37m

  More than 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, Britain remains bitterly divided over how to resolve legacy cases from the Troubles. The government’s new Northern Ireland Troubles Bill would allow some halted inquests to resume and reform the system for investigating legacy cases, with ministers insisting that veterans will be protected from unnecessary repeat investigations.But former senior SAS veterans Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and George Simm argue it could reopen the door to repeated investigations that erode soldiers’ trust in the Government and ultimately weaken the SAS itself. Can Britain deliver justice for the past without undermining the soldiers it may need for the wars of the future?Get in touch: [email protected]:47 – Inside the SAS10:24 – Northern Ireland legacy lawfare16:29 – Loughgall and shoot-to-kill claims22:15 – How lawfare is damaging the SAS27:30 – The fight to protect British soldiersGuests: Former SAS Squadron Commander Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton and former SAS Regimental Sergeant Major George SimmHosts: Tom Newton DunnProducer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Kathia Mestanza, GettyHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Russia’s war “will last as long as Putin lives” 16.09.2026 37m

  Russia is holding its first State Duma election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the Kremlin has worked to ensure the outcome is never truly in doubt. Nina Khrushcheva, great-granddaughter of the former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, joins us to examine what the vote reveals about Putin’s rule and how the war in Ukraine is mounting pressure on Putin. With public patience under strain and unease growing among the elite, how much longer can Putin keep pressing this war on?Get in touch: [email protected]:55 – Nina Khrushcheva on Putin’s Russia07:50 – Inside Russia’s rigged election16:37 – Putin’s mobilisation gamble23:04 – Russia’s war economy and breaking point30:04 – Putin’s escalating threat to NATOGuest: Nina Khrushcheva, professor of International Affairs at The New School in New York CityHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia Webster, Shabnam GrewalExecutive producer: Dan Box, Tim Walklate Image: Dana Chan, Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Who really blew up the Nord Stream pipeline? 09.09.2026 44m

  It was one of the most audacious acts of sabotage in modern history - in September 2022, explosions ripped through the Nord Stream pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia underneath the Baltic Sea. The attack reshaped European geo-politics but at the time, no one knew who ordered the bombing, or carried it out. Journalist Bojan Pancevski has spent three years tracing the operation - and says the answers to those questions involve a tiny team of divers, a rented yacht and a former erotic model known only as ‘Freya’. Get in touch: [email protected]:00 – Who blew up Nord Stream?02:55 – Why Nord Stream mattered06:39 – Inside the sabotage mission17:19 – Russia, CIA or Ukraine?24:00 – Evidence, arrests and who ordered itGuest: Bojan Pancevski, chief European political correspondent for the Wall Street JournalHosts: Tom Newton DunnProducer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Dan BoxImage: Kathia Mestanza, GettyClips: Getty Images, Danish Defence CommandHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  EXPLAINER: Could Russia Attack NATO by 2030? 08.09.2026 7m

  Across Nato’s eastern flank, defence planners are increasingly focused on one date: 2030. War games, military assessments and troop deployments are being shaped around a stark question – could Moscow be ready to test Nato within the next few years?The Times’s defence editor Larisa Brown examines why 2030 has become such a crucial deadline for European defence, how Russia could try to probe Nato’s borders and whether the alliance is moving fast enough to deter Vladimir Putin.Get in touch: [email protected]: Jack Feeney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The new Middle East: Can a ‘NATO of the East’ work? 02.09.2026 38m

  Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Pact, a new defence alliance built around the promise that an attack on one is an attack on all.Together they bring Saudi money and religious authority, Turkey’s military strength and defence industry and Pakistan’s army and nuclear power. But would any of them really go to war for the others? Tom and Patrick are joined by Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall to explore why the pact has emerged now. Is it a response to Iran’s decline, growing doubts over America’s reliability or the changing relationship with Israel? Or is the Mecca Pact merely a strategic hedge, or the beginning of a new balance of power in the Middle East?How do you think the Mecca Defence Alliance will impact the region? Get in touch: [email protected]:00 - Mecca Pact Explained05:04 - Saudi–Turkey–Pakistan Defence Alliance13:02 - Why the Mecca Pact Matters Now23:32 - Is the Mecca Pact a New NATO?32:53 - Future of Middle East SecurityGuest: Ltn Gen Sir Simon Mayall, KBE, CB, retired British Army officer and a Middle East Adviser at the Ministry of Defence.Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn.Patrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia Webster and Shabnam GrewalExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Dana Chan, GettyClips: GettyHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The new Middle East: The battle to shape a region 26.08.2026 45m

  For more than a century, the Middle East has been made and remade by collapsing empires, colonial borders, revolutions, wars and powerful rulers. Now, Iran is weakening, Gulf states are becoming more influential and old alliances are shifting again. Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore joins Tom and Patrick to discuss how the modern Middle East was forged and why the forces that shaped it are still at work today. Who is gaining power, who is losing it, and are we watching the birth of a new regional order?Who do you think is reshaping the new Middle East? Get in touch: [email protected]: 00:00 — How the modern Middle East was made13:15 — Colonialism, Sykes-Picot and the birth of “zombie states”23:45 — Is the term “Middle East” now obsolete? 29:30 — Iran’s regional empire and the October 7 wars36:45 — Six converging theatres—and reasons for hopeThe Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East by Simon Sebag Montefiore is available in stores nowGuest: Simon Sebag Montefiore, British historian and authorHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence.Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Dana Chan, GettyClips: GettyHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  EXPLAINER: Why Russia Is Burning Through 35,000 Soldiers A Month 23.08.2026 7m

  Ukraine’s drone campaign is reaching deeper into Russia than ever before, striking oil terminals, ships and targets around Moscow and St Petersburg. As casualties rise and attacks put growing pressure on Russia’s economy and war machine, is Ukraine beginning to change the course of the conflict?In this bonus audio explainer, The Sunday Times’s Mark Urban examines how Ukraine’s long-range strikes are testing Russia’s defences – and whether Vladimir Putin is approaching a serious turning point in the war.Get in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How Putin made North Korea richer – and more dangerous 19.08.2026 41m

  North Korea has supplied Russia with millions of artillery rounds, thousands of troops and workers for its drone factories to support its war in Ukraine. In return, Russian money, food, energy and weapons are reviving Pyongyang’s economy, giving it military battlefield experience and potentially advancing Kim Jong Un’s nuclear and missile capabilities.Dr Victor Cha, former White House national security official and one of America’s leading Korea experts, joins The General & The Journalist to explain how Russia has made an isolated regime richer and more dangerous. How powerful has North Korea become? Why have decades of denuclearisation diplomacy failed? And could talks with Washington loosen Kim’s alliance with Putin?Should the West accept a nuclear North Korea? Get in touch: [email protected]: 00:00 North Korea’s economic boom08:31 Russia fuels Kim Jong Un14:18 China, Russia and North Korea18:32 North Korea’s nuclear threat26:16 Why denuclearisation failed33:46 Kim Jong Un’s successor and futureGuest: Dr Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International StudiesHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence. Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Dana Chan, GettyClips: Reuters, Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Inside Mossad: How Israeli spies penetrated Iran 12.08.2026 30m

  Mossad has spent decades building intelligence networks inside Iran, using spies, cyber operations and covert technology to penetrate the regime at the highest levels.Yossi Cohen, former director of Mossad, joins The General & The Journalist to reveal how Israel’s spies recruit agents, operate behind enemy lines and target Iran’s leadership. How far is Mossad willing to go? And can Israel’s intelligence successes ultimately bring about regime change in Iran? And where does covert action cross the line?The Sword of Freedom: Israel, Mossad, and the Secret War by Yossi Cohen is available at Harper Collins.00:00 - Former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen on Israel’s Intelligence Strategy03:01 - How Mossad Penetrated the Iranian Regime’s Deepest Secrets09:24 - HUMINT vs. SIGINT: Why Human Spies Outperform Cyber Intelligence14:16 - Exploding Pagers, Sabotage & The Ethics of Covert Operations24:28 - The Future of Iran, Regime Change & Yossi Cohen’s Political AmbitionsGuest: Yossi Cohen, former director of MossadHost: Tom Newton DunnProducer: Julia Webster and Shabnam GrewalExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: GettyClips: BBCHow should Andy Burnham approach the UK’s relationship with Israel? Get in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  EXPLAINER: Britain's £5 billion drone gamble 09.08.2026 9m

  Could Britain replace billion-pound warships with fleets of uncrewed vessels – and what happens when the technology fails?In this bonus audio explainer, The Sunday Times’s Mark Urban examines Britain’s £5 billion bet on uncrewed warfare, shaped by the lethal lessons of Ukraine. Military planners hope networks of specialised drones and automated platforms can cut costs, protect personnel and transform the battlefield.But with major conventional programmes still competing for funding, is Britain building the armed forces of the future or creating dangerous new vulnerabilities? Producer: Stephanie Bosset Image: Dana Chan, GettyGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is Pete Hegseth’s macho culture fit for the military? 05.08.2026 35m

  Pete Hegseth has turned the Pentagon into a stage for warrior bravado – renaming it the Department of War, ordering testosterone screening for troops over 30, and cheering on a US Navy jet's ultra-low flypast over a packed Florida beach.Former RAF Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell joins Tom and Patrick to give his verdict on Hegseth's shake-up of the US armed forces and to ask whether a similar culture could take hold in the British military. Chapters:00:00 — Pete Hegseth and the dangerous flybys08:50 — Who is Pete Hegseth?10:55 — Fitness, testosterone and the “warrior ethos”14:30 — Diversity, standards and the military beard debate21:40 — Does machismo belong in the military?Guest: Sean Bell, Former Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air ForceHost: General Sir Patrick Sanders & Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence. Producer: Elle Scott & Julia WebsterExec Producer: Priyanka DeladiaClips: US Department of War.Image: Shaun Parkinson, GettyGet in touch: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How Ukraine’s leadership crisis impacts the war 29.07.2026 34m

  President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked his defence minister and army chief after a bitter struggle over Ukraine’s military strategy triggered widespread street protests. Natia Seskuria of RUSI examines the clash between reformers and the old guard, and the consequences for Zelensky’s democratic reputation. Could this upheaval at the top change the course of the war with Russia?Should Zelensky reinstate Mykhailo Fedorov as minister of defence? Get in touch: [email protected]:00:00 – Zelensky's Political Crisis01:42 – Why Zelensky Fired Mykhailo Fedorov and Oleksandr Syrskyi08:56 – Civilian Control vs. Military Command in Ukraine14:37 – RUSI Expert Natia Seskuria on Kyiv's Power Struggle32:13 – Listener Q&A: The Red Sea Crisis and China's Role in DjiboutiGuest: Natia Seskuria, Head of Russia and Eurasia Programme at RUSIHosts: General Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnPatrick brings his experience as a former head of the British Army to the podcast. He is also a Conservative peer and advises the party on defence. Producer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Kathia Mestanza, GettyClips: Getty, ReutersHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Can Trump force open the Strait of Hormuz? 22.07.2026 36m

  The collapse of the Iran ceasefire has pushed oil prices higher and left Tehran using the Strait of Hormuz as its most powerful leverage. With American casualties rising and roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply at risk, Washington faces a stark choice – keep bombing, attempt to force the strait open or start looking for a way out.  Kirsten Fontenrose, former White House national security advisor, joins The General & The Journalist to assess Trump’s options. Can the US reopen the strait without triggering a wider war? And can Trump pull back before Iran becomes America’s next forever war?Is a military showdown in the Gulf inevitable? Send in your thoughts to [email protected]: 00:00 – Is Iran Trump’s Forever War?05:22 – Why Iran wants to control the Strait of Hormuz09:41 – US Troop deaths and growing political pressure on Trump13:23 – Trump’s Iran Options: Diplomacy, Naval Blockade or Escalation27:14 – Can the US reopen the Strait? Kirsten Fontenrose’s Six-Month ForecastGuest: Kirsten Fontenrose, former Senior Director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security CouncilHosts: Tom Newton DunnProducer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Shaun Parkinson, GettyClips: C-SPAN, US Central Command, GettyHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Crimea under pressure: Will Putin lash out? 15.07.2026 40m

  The pressure is mounting on the Kremlin, both militarily and economically. With Ukraine keeping a stranglehold on Putin's crown jewel, Crimea, the chances of a Russian escalation are growing. Could it become the beginning of the end for Vladimir Putin? Russia expert Mark Galeotti joins The General & The Journalist to analyse Russia's capacity to lash out, the likelihood of a new mobilisation wave, and critically, when it might happen.Is an escalation by Putin inevitable? Send in your thoughts to [email protected]: Mark Galeotti, expert on on transnational crime and Russian security affairsHosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton DunnProducer: Julia WebsterExecutive producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: John Silva, GettyClips: Reuters, GettyHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.