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Intrigue Explained
by Dmitry Grozoubinski, Helen Zhang and John Fowler
Three former Australian diplomats (John Fowler, Helen Zhang and Dmitry Grozoubinski) shed light on major topics in international relations by offering their unique perspectives from inside the rooms where decisions are made. Based on the fantastic content in the freekly weekly newsletter International Intrigue: https://www.internationalintrigue.io?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=show&utm_campaign=intintrigue
Episodes
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Biden Taxes Building Your Dream (BYD)
The Biden Administration takes the trade war with China up a notch by significantly increasing import taxes on a range of Chinese electric vehicle, technology, and medical goods - plus, a brief update on the new Russian offensive in Ukraine. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where…
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Good Tok; Bad Tok
The TikTok "ban" has been signed into law, so we dive into how it happened, the reasoning behind it, what might happen next and the geopolitics of it all. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three former diplomats (John Fowler, Dmitry Grozoubinski and Helen Zhang*) break down the…
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[Bonus] Rebutting Arguments against US Aid to Ukraine
On the 20th of April, the US House of Representatives passed a bill appropriating billioins in aid for Ukraine. With world travelling co-hosts John and Helen taking some much needed rest, this bonus episode has Dmitry breaking down seven common arguments against US aid to Ukraine and offering his...
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Iran and Israel - Pre-Attack Discussion
Recorded on the 12th of April as intelligence agencies were warning of an Iranian attack on Israel, this episode features a discussion about the likelihood of such an attack, its implications, and the policy choices involved. It also discusses the Western strategy of releasing the intelligence…
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Making Friends and Influencing in Southeast Asia
A 2024 survey of experts across Southeast Asia found that for the first time, more would see themselves aligned with China than the US in a hypothetical confrontation between the two superpowers. What are the implications of that shift, and more broadly is soft power and public perception abroad…
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Russian Terror and Macron's Flex
A double feature episode discussing the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall Music Centre in Moscow, and the French President's increasingly assertive posture on the world stage. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three former diplomats (John Fowler, Dmitry Grozoubinski and...
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Understanding China - Part 1 of 536: The Two Sessions
In this first episode of what could well be an endless series, resident China experts Helen and John walk us through China Politics 101 following a robust discussion of the proposed TikTok divestment bill in the US Congress. The episode draws its name from two 'sessions' taking place earlier in...
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Spying, Spies and Revelations
Is espionage running rampant, and is the new Western strategy of dragging it out into the light a winning one? We dive into the world of spies and spooks following some shocking allegations by the head of Australia's domestic counter-intelligence service ASIO and a spate of high-profile incidents...
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WTF is going on at the WTO
Against John's better judgement, trade nerd Dmitry attempts to provide a vaguely accessible explanation of the World Trade Organization and its 13th Ministerial Conference. Also includes brief discussions of the 2nd anniversary of Russia's re-invasion of Ukraine and the US veto of another UN...
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The US and NATO - What's the Pitch to US Taxpayers?
Following the comments by Former President Trump about a failure by some European states to meet their NATO spending commitments, we dive into the question: Should US taxpayers be underwriting European defense? About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three former diplomats (John…
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Understanding Davos and the World Economic Forum
In an episode sure to do wonders for their inboxes the hosts (who have attended four times between them) try to explain the World Economic Forum's annual Davos meeting, and why everyone keeps shouting about it. All hail the lizard people! About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three...
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Ukraine War: Hard Questions
Recorded on the 658th day of the Russian escalation, against the backdrop of opposition to Western funding for Ukraine in Washington and Brussels, we take a look at the state of the war and grapple with some of the hard questions facing policymakers. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show...
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We're Al-Jabering about COP
It's the first day of COP28 and there's a new fund, controversy about the host and 70,000 people loitering around the coffee stall. We dive into some of the geopolitics. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three former diplomats (John Fowler, Dmitry Grozoubinski and Helen Zhang)...
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Israel-Hamas Ceasefire, Why Now? What Next?
Former Australian diplomats John, Helen and Dmitry share some thoughts on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the actors in the region and what may come next. About the show: Intrigue Explained is a show where three former diplomats (John Fowler, Dmitry Grozoubinski and Helen Zhang) break down the big...
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Wake up Joe, Xi-plomacy's Here!
Former Australian diplomats John, Helen and Dmitry reflect on the first meeting between President's Xi Jinping of China and Joe Biden of the United States. We talk about why both sides agreed to a meeting now, who it was a win for, and how businesses may be looking at China as an investment...
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AI Road to Serfdom
Former Australia diplomats John, Helen and Dmitry break down the foreign policy side of AI regulation, including the joint declaration the Bletchley AI Safety Summit and the Biden Administration's Executive Order on all things AI Safety. We debate whether now is the right time to regulate, the...
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Interview with James the Spaghetti Kozak - An American Fighting in Ukraine (Part 2 - Trope Busting)
James also known as 'Spaghetti Kozak' is an American who has spent more than a year fighting for Ukraine as part of the AFU, and even longer than that fighting all-comers in the Twitter war that has raged since the war started. In this special bonus episode of Intrigue Explained, Dmitry put to...
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Interview with James the Spaghetti Kozak - An American Fighting for Ukraine (Part 1)
James also known as 'Spaghetti Kozak' is an American who has spent more than a year fighting for Ukraine as part of the AFU, and even longer than that fighting all-comers in the Twitter war that has raged since the war started. In this special bonus episode of Intrigue Explained, Dmitry sat down...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Does Blinken's upcoming visit to China signal weakness?
Dmitry and John debate whether the upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China is a signal of US weakness. Also on the show: Two stories focused on Saudi Arabia: Their exploring joining the BRICS Development Bank (the NDB); Their succesful attempt to purchase the PGA Golf Tour...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Are authoritarian states just better equipped for foreign policy?
Dmitry and John debate whether democracies are at a disadvantage in international relations compared to their more authoritarian counterparts. Also on the show: What the US debt limit deal means for international relations; and An update on the tense situation in Kosovo. About the show: Intrigue...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Should we ban the media channels of our foreign adversaries?
Former diplomats Dmitry and John debate whether the West should seek to restrict the media channels of foreign adversaries. Is it smarter in the long term to ban stations like RT, or to ignore them? Also on the show: The incurions into the Belgorod Oblast by Russian paramilitaries hostile to the...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Should We Embrace Chequebook Diplomacy?
This week Dmitry and John debate whether the West needs to stop faffing around and start splashing cash if it wants to keep up with the unromantic investment diplomacy of its geostrategic adversaries. Also on the show: President Biden abruptly cancels his visit to the Asia Pacific in order to…
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Do we still need Embassies?
This week Dmitry and John naval gaze on whether their lives had any meaning, or more specifically about whether there's still a role and function for diplomats posted overseas under the traditional embassy model. Also on the show: The upcoming elections in Turkey, where Erdoğan faces his first…
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Ukraine War Update and China's Ukraine Diplomacy
This week Dmitry and John revisit the Russian invasion in Ukraine, providing an update on the situation, discussing the anticipated Ukrainian spring counteroffensive, and what China's recent forays into Ukraine war diplomacy might mean. We also cover: The South African debate about whether to...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Is President Macron wrong on China, Taiwan, and European Strategic Autonomy?
In our most contentious debate episode yet, Dmitry and John get into it over whether French President Macron was wrong in his remarks about the desirability of Europe moving away from a dependence on the US and toward 'Strategic Autonomy', the very different optics of his and Commissioner Ursula...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Should Bad Actors be on UN Bodies?
This week on Intrigue Explained we mark Russia taking up the chairmanship of the UN Security Council by debating whether it, and countries like it, should even be on UN bodies in the first place. We also cover: Finland (finally) joining NATO President Macron of France visits China About the show:...
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Is De-Globalization Smart Strategy for the West?
This week on Intrigue Explained John dons his defender of globalism Davos man coat and Dmitry straps on a MAGA hat as we debate whether de-globalization, friendshoring, American First and Strategic Autonomy are smart strategies for the West. We also cover: Spy Balloon - We miss you, floaty.…
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Is it in China's Interest to Arm Russia?
This week John and Dmitry examine, through the hallowed mechanism of getting into an argument, the arguments China might be considering in favor of providing Russia lethal aid. We also cover: Covid-19 - Several US agencies have indicated they consider the lab leak theory to be credible; Nigeria…
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Ex-Diplomats Debate: Is the Cold War a Good Analogy for the 21st Century?
This week John and Dmitry forgo a main story to duke it out over whether the Cold War is a relevant and useful analogy for the coming era of great power competition. Should policymakers be looking to the Cold War for lessons, or should they be thinking in terms of multipolar, regional diplomacy…
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Turkey, Syria and Post-Earthquake Geopolitics
This week we do our best to catch you up on the immensely complicated Syrian Civil War, the role Turkey plays in it, and how the horrific earthquake along the Syrian-Turkish border could shakeup the regions politics. John and Dmitry also discussed: Israel - Tens of thousands of protesters have...
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Understanding Wagner
International, Intrigue is the show where two former diplomats (Dmitry Grozoubinski and John Fowler) and the people they know break down the big stories in international news. This week's main story was the Wagner Group PMC, a Russian private army that's in the news both in Ukraine and in Africa....
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Balloons, Tanks and Chips
We're back for the 2023 season of Intrigue, Explained - The show where two former diplomats and the people they know break down the big stories in international news. This week we're focusing on a still largely secret agreement between the US, Japan and the Netherlands to restrict the export to...
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Pre-Episode - China and Covid-19
In this special release before the first season, we discuss the history of China's Covid-19 response, the rush of protests in late November 2022 and the options President Xi has moving forward. You can watch the episode on Youtube here. If you want brief, accessible summaries of international…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Three former Australian diplomats (John Fowler, Helen Zhang and Dmitry Grozoubinski) shed light on major topics in international relations by offering their unique perspectives from inside the rooms where decisions are made.
Based on the fantastic content in the freekly weekly newsletter International Intrigue: https://www.internationalintrigue.io?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=show&utm_campaign=intintrigue
HOSTED BY
Dmitry Grozoubinski, Helen Zhang and John Fowler
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Intrigue Explained have?
Intrigue Explained currently has 33 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Intrigue Explained about?
Three former Australian diplomats (John Fowler, Helen Zhang and Dmitry Grozoubinski) shed light on major topics in international relations by offering their unique perspectives from inside the rooms where decisions are made. Based on the fantastic content in the freekly weekly newsletter...
How often does Intrigue Explained release new episodes?
Intrigue Explained has 33 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Intrigue Explained?
You can listen to Intrigue Explained on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Intrigue Explained?
Intrigue Explained is created and hosted by Dmitry Grozoubinski, Helen Zhang and John Fowler.
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