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PODCAST

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler

Exploring threats to global stability from Ukraine to China to the Middle East with host Gavin Esler – former BBC News presenter, Washington correspondent and host of Newsnight – plus Ukraine-based war reporter Oz Katerji and independent conflict analyst Emma Beals. This Is Not A Drill dives deep into the dangers, corruption, conflicts, disinformation, rivalries and ruthless realpolitik that are making our world ever more dangerous. Support This Is Not A Drill on Patreon from just £3 per month to

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All Episodes

37:49

America against the World Part 2 – Is Washington...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/04/20

A new four-part series from This Is Not A Drill… Get the complete series now when you support us on Patreon.How will we cope with the end of Pax Americana – and what comes next? Gavin Esler dives deep into a harsh new era of international relations. In this second episode, has Trump broken the trust-based world order – or just exposed it? Are we building a hostile world of fortresses? What would NATO look like without the US? Ukrainian journalist and author Nataliya Gumenyuk explains how Trump

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38:41

New Mini-Series – America against the World – Part 1:...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/04/16

A new four-part series from This Is Not A Drill… Get the complete series now when you support us on Patreon. Trump’s reckless war on Iran was the culmination of a year of aggressive rhetoric and scorn for allies from the White House. It also cemented a new American ethos: the United States will do whatever it wants, whenever it wants, without concern for friends and allies. The Atlanticist nightmare has come true. America has abandoned the world. So how will we cope with the end of Pax Americana

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3:17

America against the World - trailer

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/04/15

A brand new four-part mini-series from This Is Not A Drill...as we face the end of Pax Americana, what comes next? Get all episodes now via our Patreon or subscribe to the Podmasters Originals channel on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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31:52

China vs America – Who will be the soft power...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/04/09

As America turns against the world, China is seeing more and more opportunities to grow. Its soft power influence is growing and cultural influence is blooming globally. How is this happening and what impact will it have? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Yu Jie, senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, to discuss. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love

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41:11

After Iran, A New Age of Terror?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/04/02

America’s war on Iran has triggered deadly consequences across the Middle East, with attacks on oil supplies causing a global economic shock. Now, as authorities investigate terror-related violence and sabotage in the US and Europe, are we headed for a new era of terror similar to what followed America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? And in a world critically dependent on digital infrastructure, how safe are we from the threat of online sabotage?Gavin Esler finds out from Graig Klein, Assistant

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31:51

Iran vs. the Gulf – Is there any going back to normal?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/03/26

Facing aerial bombardment and the economic shock of an oil crisis, the Gulf States have found themselves on the front lines of war in the Middle East. As missiles and drones attack oil and civilian infrastructure, how will Iran’s neighbours respond to the latest major escalation in long-term regional rivalry? And what are the consequences for the stability and prosperity of an entire region?Gavin Esler discusses the reaction to the conflict in the Gulf with Allison Minor, Director of the Project

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30:03

Trump says he wants to end the Iran war. Can he?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/03/19

Donald Trump has claimed he will choose when the Iran war is over – but does he really have that choice? Faced with Iranian retaliation and a conflict spilling out across the Middle East, what is in his control and what isn’t? And as Iran’s regime continues to attack US allies in the region, closing the Straits of Hormuz with global economic repercussions, is the US administration stumbling into another protracted war in the Middle East? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Sanam Vakil, director of the

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31:37

Despatch from Beirut – Oz Katerji reports as Trump's...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/03/13

The US/Israeli war with Iran has led to a wave of conflict across the Middle East.In Lebanon, missile attacks on Israel from Hezbollah militants have been met with an Israeli assault – which has led to hundreds of deaths and more than 750,000 displaced from their homes. Reporting from Beirut, Oz Katerji talks to Lebanese political writer and organiser Karim Safieddine. They discuss the future for a Lebanese population which has endured years of conflict, now yet again dragged into regional

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30:14

Trump's Iran doom spiral – Where does this end?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/03/05

Iran has retaliated against US and Israeli attacks, widening the conflict across the Middle East. As the crisis deepens, is Donald Trump risking the kind of endless war he campaigned against? And for Iran, how long can its regime last in the face of the assault, and what does its retaliation risk? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow for Middle East security at RUSI. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and

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30:29

Trump’s deadly Iran gamble – Emergencycast with Paul...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/03/02

Trump’s stunning surprise attack on Iran could be the most consequential world event since 9/11. Will the President’s goal of smooth regime change work when it failed every other time, or trigger a regional conflagration? Iran’s hated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is dead but the Islamic Republic is showing no sign of collapsing. And now Hezbollah has attacked other Arab states as well as British and US military targets.How will the war play out? How resilient is the Islamic Republic? Does Israel

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30:12

Does Putin really think he can still win in Ukraine?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/02/26

It has been four years since the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Does Vladimir Putin still believe he is leading Russia to a military victory, or is he now banking on winning at the negotiating table?Gavin Esler talks to Samuel Greene, Professor of Russian Politics at King’s College London. You can read more from Professor Greene at his Substack, TL;DRussia. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people? Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every

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25:13

Friend or foe? – Do Rubio's words in Munich change...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/02/19

What a difference a year makes - or does it? The 2025 Munich Security Conference was shocked by divisive words from the US Vice President JD Vance. But at this year’s gathering, Marco Rubio represented America and struck a more conciliatory tone. What does this mean for Europe? Gavin Esler is joined by Dr. Liana Fix, senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss. Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist)

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30:39

AI vs. The World – Can we handle the threats of...

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/02/12

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in all our daily lives – and handing over power to AI comes with many risks. From misinformation and disruption to autonomous war technology, can we handle the dangers? Gavin Esler talks to Alex Hern, AI writer at The Economist.Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR

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22:32

The Winter War — How Ukraine is facing Russia’s cruelty

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/02/05

As temperatures plummet in Ukraine, Putin’s military is continuing to target the country’s power supply, leaving civilians suffering as the war continues toward a fifth year.With the diplomatic crises and international flashpoints of recent months dragging attention away from Ukraine, what are the prospects for the coming year, both on the battlefield and in the stalled peace process? Gavin Esler discusses the latest with This Is Not A Drill presenter and Kyiv-based conflict reporter Oz

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35:25

Xi's world – Will China control the future?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/01/29

For years Xi Jinping has mapped out a strategy for the rise of China as a superpower. How will this ambition shape the world’s future?In the latest episode of This Is Not A Drill, Gavin Esler talks to Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove senior fellow the Hoover Institution, about China’s plans in a series of ‘frontier domains’, from the bottom of the sea to outer space. Read Elizabeth Economy’s article ‘How China Wins the Future’ in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs here. Advertisers! Want to

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28:57

Rage against the regime – Will Iran's government fall?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/01/22

A wave of protests has swept Iran and been met by a brutal crackdown. Could this mark the end of the ruling regime?Thousands have been killed and the government faces a continuing backlash, growing economic crisis and Trump’s threats to take military action against the nation. Gavin Esler is joined by Professor Ali Ansari, founding director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, and author of The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Iran. • Support us on Patreon

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31:19

Destroyer in chief – Is Trump breaking the world?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/01/15

So far in 2026, self-described peacemaker Donald Trump has captured Nicolas Maduro in a Special Forces raid in Venezuela and now has his eyes on Greenland.To discuss the realities of the Trump administration’s foreign policy and US politics in the year of the midterm elections, Gavin Esler is joined by Bill Kristol, editor at large of the Bulwark and former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like

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35:25

Trump, Venezuela and 2026 – A new era of chaos

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2026/01/07

Trump’s New Year attack on Venezuela and the capturing of President Maduro shocked the world.In the first of a series of episodes assessing the biggest security issues in 2026, Gavin Esler talks to former UK national security adviser Peter Ricketts about the year to come, the consequences of Trump’s Venezuela raid and the risks of a new era of great powers carving up the globe. • Support us on Patreon to keep This Is Not A Drill producing thought-provoking podcasts like this. Written and

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40:05

2025 has already shaken the world. What’s next?

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2025/12/18

The geopolitical shocks of 2025 have the potential to reverberate for decades to come. Trump’s America first agenda and the new US national security strategy risk European unity, security and the rise of far right politics; Trump's trade wars have served to increase the pressure on states looking to balance relations with the US, China and also a rising India, and Israel’s assaults in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon have changed the balance of power in the Middle East. In the final episode of the year,

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31:13

Critical Mass – The new battle for energy supremacy

This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler ·

2025/12/11

Critical minerals and rare earths are essential elements of clean energy technology, and vital for a range of products from the tech we use every day to solar panels and even weapons.As demand for electricity rises and the need to transition away from oil and gas increases, what does the race to control the supply of these minerals mean for the future of the environment, security and global competition? To unpack the geopolitics of energy security and rare earths, Emma Beals is joined by Dr

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