Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Behind The Lines with Arthur Snell

An update on the situation in Iran and the Gulf region with Charlie Gammell. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to Luke Harding describe the depths of Trump's betrayal of Ukraine, of the West and of the rules-based international order. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katja Bego is a researcher at Chatham House and an expert on undersea cables. https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/katja-bego f you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Garth St Clair is a military veteran, former drug addict and - for the past few decades - a tireless worker and campaigner in the field of drug demand reduction. In his native Trinidad and Tobago he is a well-known figure and in more recent years he has worked extensively with law enforcement from a variety of countries, notably the UK. All this came to an end when he was banned from entering the UK under new, stricter immigration rules. A man who has dedicated much of his life to supporting our laws and institutions is now targeted by them. Here's his story. Find Garth's work here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVIxSZ9Q5kfmnnsoIbxbQKg If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Follow Iona Craig on Bluesky here https://bsky.app/profile/ionacraig.com Her latest reporting on UK complicity in US war crimes is here: https://www.declassifieduk.org/starmer-complicit-in-trumps-yemen-massacre/ If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Feldstein is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and an expert on how technology is transforming warfare. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I caught up with Kyiv-based correspondent Jimmy Rushton to discuss the latest in Ukraine and Russia as the NATO summit met and Trump appeared to have moderated his anti-Ukrainian stance (for now, at least). If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of the times, the control of the seas empowers countries, logistically and economically, as well demontrated from Iran which now controls the strait of Hormuz. To discuss this further I spoke to Dr Ian Ralby, an American lawyer specialised in maritime affairs. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I was delighted to be invited by Will Wintercross of the Syrian Refugee Relief Fund to participate in a panel on geopolitics with Hannah Lucinda Smith, a distinguished foreign correspondent and author of the recent book, Hinterlands. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 10th anniversary of the UK's fateful Brexit vote, I wanted to re-issue a conversation I recorded back in November 2023 with the leader of the European Movement, Dr Mike Galsworthy - a scientist, campaigner and passionate European about how we might rejoin the EU. We cover a lot of ground and we started with the impact of Brexit on science - Mike’s professional calling, before moving on to discuss the future and how Britain might think about reversing Brexit and rejoining the EU. You can follow Mike on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/mikegalsworthy.bsky.social The European Movement can be found here: https://www.europeanmovement.co.uk/ 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was my pleasure to speak to George Osborn, expert on video games, about how this artform, which is used by over 3 billion people worldwide, has been weaponised and exploited by extremists, populists and authoritarians. I confess to knowing nothing about video games, but found this whole subject fascinating and I hope you do too. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Dr Frank Ledwidge, former serviceman and defence expert about the resignation of John Healey. Recorded on 11 June just after the announcement of Healey's resignation, we analysed the state of Britain's armed forces and what to make of this news. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can Donald Trump find a way out of the mess he's made for himself in Iran? Is the Islamic Republic doomed? Who's in charge in Tehran? Charlie Gammell, Iran expert and historian answers these and many more questions in this fascinating interview recorded in the morning of 9 June 2026. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Russia faces embarrassment and humiliation with the St Petersburg Economic Forum taking place against a backdrop of plumes of smoke from burning oil refineries, Ukraine has been bracing against huge Russian air-raids targeting Kyiv. Nonetheless, Ukraine seems to be gaining an upper hand, with Russia unable to make progress and struggling to mobilise troops in the face of enormous casualties. To discuss all of this it was my pleasure to speak to long-term Kyiv-based correspondent Euan MacDonald. Follow him here: https://bsky.app/profile/euanmacdonald.bsky.social If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before Putin's invasion of Ukraine, conflict was simmering on Europe's borders. In overlooked territories in eastern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus - from the Balkans and Cyprus to Abkhazia on the fringes of Georgia - local disputes spiral into regional crises, global alliances are forged and broken, and power is brokered while the West looks elsewhere.  In Hinterlands, acclaimed correspondent Hannah Lucinda Smith draws on vivid first-hand encounters with politicians, spies and ordinary people caught in the crosshairs to paint a gripping portrait of Europe at its edges - and the struggles that will define its future. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine, if you can, a king with two younger brothers. One of them, the youngest, is hardworking and loyal, a little dull, but always shows up when needed. The middle brother is flamboyant, egotistical, entitled, unreliable and capable of great cruelty and abusive behaviour. After putting up with this for perhaps longer than might be expected, eventually the Crown loses patience and the law takes its course. This is, of course, the story of George, Duke of Clarence, the wayward brother of Edward IV, who lived from 1448 to 1479 when he was executed by being drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine. His bones are stored in a vault in Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire. For a bank holiday special episode of this podcast I spoke to Professor James Clark of the University of Exeter about the Duke of Clarence and the strange resonances with the modern day. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new government of Syria, led since last year by former Al-Qaida commander Ahmad Al-Shara'a is allegedly a pragmatic, multifaith movement righting the wrongs of the Assad era. But might it be a front for more extreme jihadist elements? The escape of thousands of Islamic State militants under the noses of Al-Shara'a's forces points to a lack of concern at the very least. To discuss this I was delighted to be joined by Syria expert Kelly Kassis. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did the UAE announce its departure from OPEC? What does this have to do with the Iran war, relations with Saudi Arabia and Israel and the role of the United States? To answer these questions and more, I spoke to Michael Stephens, RUSI Middle East expert and Gulf affairs specialist. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As an ancient imperial civilisation, Iran (or, to use an earlier name, Persia) has had a complex relationship with the West from the Roman era to the present day. I spoke to historian James Barr about this long and winding road. You can find James on Bluesky and his website, with details of his books, is here: https://historythatmatters.org If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Away from the war with Iran, Trump and many of his associates have been talking about bringing an end to the communist regime in Cuba. To discuss this further I spoke to Nicolas Forsans who is author of the excellent Substack sinfiltroya.substack.com which focuses on Latin America. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Please follow my guest Sian Norris's work at https://sianushka.substack.com⁠ and on Bluesky. She mentioned Save Ukraine and the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Helene von Bismarck is a writer, historian and political commentator who has become a familiar face and voice for those that follow British politics. After an academic career as a historian of late British colonial history, she has now published Fantastic Kingdom: A Stranger's Notes on a Contrary Country. I spoke to her about her new book and what it tells us. You can pre-order Helen's book at this link which will help support both this podcast and independent bookshops. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I decided to talk to Thom Reilly, former head of UK govt international energy policy and also with experience from one of the world's largest energy firms about the realities of what the Iran crisis means for energy markets. No exaggeration: it's scary stuff. If you like what you hear, please order the full audiobook or you can by the a discounted copy of the physical book at this bookshop.org link. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur Thank You! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a special partnership with Somerville College Oxford, it was my huge pleasure to be able to interview three of their Sanctuary Scholars - young academics displaced by conflict now pursuing their studies in Oxford, but at the same time making change in their own countries - rewriting the future. Dr. Hadeel Abdelseid  Hadeel was still a medical student in Sudan when the civil war broke out again in 2023. She went straight from attending lectures to treating gunshot wounds in improvised PPE, using tutorials shared via smartphone. Hadeel has since gone on to become a Director of Sudro, a developmental network providing rapid, tech-enabled health programmes to relieve crises in Sudan and across Africa as they occur. The recent projects on which Hadeel has led or contributed include treating gender-based violence during the conflict and training volunteer counsellors working with children orphaned and severely traumatised by the conflict. Despite experiencing acute trauma herself, Hadeel is a beacon of warm humanity, humour and resilience, who somehow manages to organise her directorship of Sudro and managing a network of over 80,000 Sudanese volunteer emergency care-givers all while conducting a full-time MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine! Nikita Vorobiov Nikita (Mykyta) Vorobiov is an Oxford-based political writer of Ukrainian-Russian origin, reading for an MSc in Russian and East European Studies as an EAA Qatar Sanctuary Scholar. Nikita has previously studied at the Universities of Zagreb, Tartu and Bard College, Berlin, where he gained a BA in Ethics and Politics and specialised in Russian visual propaganda. Since 2021, Nikita has been working as a political writer, publishing more than fifty op-eds for leading US think tanks, contributing monthly articles to the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and serving from 2023 to 2025 as Senior Editor at JURIST, where he helped launch the Balkan Dispatch and subsequently received the 2025 Wolmuth Award for extraordinary dedication. Nikita’s research focuses on political psychology, nationalism, and military propaganda, where his Russian-Ukrainian background has enabled him to contribute in-depth analysis of highly nuanced topics and to collaborate the European Journalism Observatory (EJO), Amnesty International’s Mnemonics Project and the Tamizdat Project, among others. Sonita Alizadeh At the age of 16, Sonita Alizadeh found out that she was to be sold into marriage. Facing the threat of forced marriage for the second time in her life – the first time had been when she was 10 years-old – Sonita felt compelled to do something to publicise her experience and the experiences of other women around her. The young Afghani woman turned to rap music and gained worldwide attention with her 2014 single ‘Daughters for Sale’. Her story was documented in the Sundance award-winning film Sonita, and she was offered a student visa to come and study in the United States by the Strongheart Group. In 2023, Sonita graduated from Bard College and she won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford. Alizadeh is the co-founder of Arezo and The Dreams Book, a secret school for Afghan girls deprived of education under Taliban rule. The first professional Afghan rapper, Sonita uses her music and her convictions to fight for the rights of women and girls all over the world. Find out about Hadeel's work here: https://sudro.org Follow Sonita on Instagram: instagram.com/sonitalizadeh/ More of Nikita's work here: cepa.org/author/mykyta-vorobiov/ If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur Thank You! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Exclusive audiobook clip: this week's episode is a chapter from the Audiobook of Elemental, my book which came out last week. If you like what you hear, please order the full audiobook or you can by the a discounted copy of the physical book at this bookshop.org link. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur Thank You! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once again and back by popular demand - I have Charlie Gammell, Iran expert, former diplomat and historian and now author of the brilliant https://onceadiplomat.substack.com on the latest in Iran. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Iran expert Charlie Gammell about the extraordinary events unfolding. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Sweeney, veteran war correspondent - the man in the orange hat - spoke to me about four years of Russia's war on Ukraine, the heroism, the tragedy and the importance of it for all of us. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the dramatic events in Yemen leading to a breakdown in relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, I took the chance to speak to Amr Al-Beidh of the STC - the Southern Yemeni separatist movement which has been at the heart of this issue but which has had very little, if any coverage in the world's press. He gave his side of the story and how it illustrates the world of great-power action that we now find ourselves in. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Neil Barnett about his recent work researching political money laundering and the role played by cryptocurrency. You can find his report here https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/uk-election-security-threatened-political-money-laundering-cryptocurrency If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Klaus Dodds has been studying Arctic security for decades, long before it had addled the mind of Donald Trump. He is the author of Unfrozen - the Fight for the Future of the Arctic and he spoke to me about the real situation there, the impacts of climate change, the potential for future conflict and the role of great powers, including Russia, China and the United States. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Samir Puri works at Chatham House and has written a brilliant book called Westlessness. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Dan about many things. Better to have a listen. If you are looking for the chart about AI financing that he mentioned, it's here. You can find Dan on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/dankaszeta.bsky.social If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Gammell is one of Britain's leading Iran experts and he joined me in a conversation recorded on 13 January about the rapidly evolving situation in Iran. You can find Charlie's work here on Substack: https://onceadiplomat.substack.com If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catherine Royle was Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela, making one of very few people to have met and worked with all of Nicolas Maduro, his predecessor Hugo Chavez and Maduro's (perhaps temporary) successor Delcy Rodriguez. She shared her unique experiences and insights for this emergency episode recorded on 4 January 2026. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A struggle over who controls South Yemen might not seem particularly important, but it's a proxy for a far bigger conflict that has been bubbling for years between two of the key countries in Gulf region, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. I was able to speak to Iona Craig about this and what it means for Yemen and the wider region. If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur If you want to buy any of the books talked about in this show, please support independent bookshops by using Bookshop.org with this link: ⁠https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/behindthelines⁠ Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the revolutionary use of drones to staged coups, child abduction and psychological warfare, the war in Ukraine is like no other. It is a new form of total war, combining traditional military force with all the non-military tools of the Russian state. The 2022 invasion was just the next stage of a conflict that Russia has been fighting since 2005, using all the tactics at its disposal to control Ukraine’s politics and wreak havoc. Combining over a decade of research, astute analysis and powerful stories from the front line, and including striking photographs of the people and scenes he encountered along the way, Bob Seely has written the authoritative guide to this new form of conflict. Travelling extensively throughout Ukraine, Seely meets figures such as Panoushka, the sniper who continues to fight despite the loss of her fiancé, and Ksenia, the seventeen-year-old who journeyed through Russia searching for her abducted younger brother. Above all, Seely argues that understanding Moscow’s new total war is critical because Russia considers itself at war with the West as well as Ukraine, directing some of the tactics used there against us. Find Bob's book here: https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-new-total-war If you would like to support this podcast please consider taking out a paid subscription to my Substack arthursnell.substack.com or if you don't want the hassle of a subscription you can buy me a coffee! ko-fi.com/snellarthur Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Arthur Snell and Dr. Jonathan Terra delve into the Trump administration's National Security Strategy, exploring its ideological underpinnings, rejection of globalism, and implications for America's role in the world. They discuss the document's views on migration, the Monroe Doctrine, and the contrasting approaches to Europe and Asia, highlighting the administration's isolationist tendencies and the potential consequences for international relations. Have a look at my substack on this subject: https://arthursnell.substack.com/p/americas-weakness-europes-strength Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mali, a vast country larger than most of Western Europe added together is a country whose central authority has largely collapsed and whose capital city Bamako is surrounded by radical Islamist militants. There seems to be a pattern here, with Syria and Afghanistan having fallen as Western countries lose interest. As with Syria, the corrupt Malian government had allied itself with Russia, apparently to little effect. I spoke to Tessa Devereaux of SOAS about Mali and the wider Sahel, and what it means for all of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Quiet Riot regular Alex Andreou as well as Iuliia Osmolowska, former senior Ukrainian diplomat now running the GLOBSEC think tank office in Kyiv about the so-called 28-Point Peace Plan as well as Ukraine and Europe's response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I spoke to Orwa Ajjoub about the remarkable rise of Syria's new ruler, Ahmad Al-Shara'a, from wanted terrorist to White House visitor. His ruthless pragmatism is his signature and we discussed this in some detail, including his relations with the Kurdish SDF, with Turkey, Israel and the regional states, as well as with the US. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sara Dorman of Edinburgh University spoke to me about the rising tide of authoritarianism around the world, and particularly the form of competitive authoritarianism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Behind the Lines formally announces joining the Cooler Heads podcast family, making us now the little brother to the massive success that is Quiet Riot - the brilliant politics podcast with Alex Andreou, Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell, I was delighted to have as my guest none other than Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in January I spoke to Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation expert, about what the Trump era would portend. Her views proved remarkably prescient and I thought it would be of further interest now. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Trump deal for Gaza, announced with great pomp and ceremony appeared to lead very quickly to a resumption of hostilities. Has Trump or even his administration got a plan for seeing this through, or was this just a quick deal to get the hostages out? I discussed this with regular guest, Middle East expert Michael Stephens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Emma Briant is a prolific and important researcher on disinformation and information warfare, some of the most things in our age. She has frequent been asked to give evidence to parliaments about the issue including recent evidence to the UK parliament here https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/138542/pdf/ and to the New Zealand parliament here She can be found online at https://bsky.app/profile/emmalbriant.bsky.social as well as in all the other relevant places. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two years on from the devastating events of October 7, 2023, Gaza lies in ruins and numerous hostages are still held by Hamas. The destruction and losses, both in human terms and to the idea of peace as a possibility has been devastating. Whilst there are glimmers of hope in the latest ceasefire negotiations, it still feels too early to try to answer huge questions about the future of Israel and Palestine. So, on this difficult anniversary I have chosen to showcase the work of Mya Guarnieri, an American-Israeli writer and academic who married a Palestinian and wrote an account of her life across the lines in a moving book. Thank you for listening to this episode of Behind the Lines. Please subscribe to avoid missing any episodes and please subscribe to my substack here: https://arthursnell.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As countries all over the world, but particularly liberal democracies in the West, turn themselves inside out over the issue of migration and in the process empowering the far right, it was my great pleasure to speak to one of the few people who actually is willing to give calm, clear facts on this subject. Zoe Gardner is rightly a prominent figure in media and public debates on migration, but is almost the only person willing to stand up and be counted with some humane, calm and utterly essential facts on the matter. It was such a privilege to get her on the podcast and I hope you get as much from the conversation as I did. You can find Zoe's work online in all the usual places including https://bsky.app/profile/zoejardiniere.bsky.social 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 RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest think tank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Check out Olena's work at https://ukrainesarmsmonitor.substack.com/ 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 RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest think tank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices