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Trump has lost Congress. But has he really lost control of America's future? The 2026 US midterm elections have delivered a dramatic political reversal. Democrats have seized control of both chambers of Congress, raising fundamental questions about Donald Trump's remaining presidency, his economic legacy and America's place in the world. But is Trump politically wounded — or is his presidency more resilient than his critics believe? In this provocative episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni welcomes back Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, sociologist at the University of Sydney and one of Australia's most outspoken commentators on American politics. Babones offers a strikingly confident assessment of Trump's America, challenging conventional interpretations of the US economy, the war against Iran and Washington's relationship with Vladimir Putin. The conversation explores some of the most consequential questions confronting American power: The midterm earthquake: What does losing Congress mean for Trump's domestic agenda and international authority? The Trump economy: Are ordinary Americans genuinely better off? What do poverty, wages and Wall Street reveal about American prosperity? The Iran war: Can the United States sustain a prolonged military campaign, or are munitions expenditure and industrial limitations creating vulnerabilities? Trump and Putin: Is Washington practising pragmatic nuclear diplomacy, or risking concessions to Russian coercion? Ukraine and Starshield: How should America balance escalation management with support for Ukrainian sovereignty? America's global position: Can Washington sustain its Middle Eastern commitments while deterring China and reassuring NATO allies? Throughout the discussion, Bruni tests the relationship between America's immense national power and the strategic costs of exercising that power. Is Trump's America stronger than his opponents recognise? Or do the economic, political and military consequences of his policies reveal deeper vulnerabilities? A wide-ranging conversation about political power, economic resilience, war, deterrence and the future of American leadership. About our guest Associate Professor Salvatore Babones is a quantitative comparative sociologist at the University of Sydney and Executive Director of the Indian Century Roundtable. His research and commentary encompass democracy, political institutions, economic development, populism and international affairs. Salvatore Babones — three most recent books Dharma Democracy: How India Built the Third World's First Democracy (2025) — Connor Court Publishing. Australia's Universities: Can They Reform? (2021) — Ocean Reeve Publishing. The New Authoritarianism: Trump, Populism, and the Tyranny of Experts (2018) — Polity.Explore Salvatore's work: https://www.salvatorebabones.com/ Follow The Focus Subscribe for conversations with leading international thinkers, military professionals, scholars and strategic analysts on the forces reshaping global affairs. The Focus Podcast — challenging assumptions, testing arguments and exploring the consequences. Produced by SAGE International Australia. Website: https://sageinternational.com.au/ Join the discussion Do you believe Trump's midterm defeat fundamentally changes America's global position? Or are US economic and military strengths sufficient to withstand the political setback? Share your thoughts below. We welcome informed debate and respectful disagreement. #Trump #USMidterms2026 #SalvatoreBabones #Geopolitics #IranWar #Putin #TheFocusPodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could Europe survive a major security crisis without American military support? For decades, European security has rested on a fundamental assumption: when the worst happens, the United States will stand alongside its NATO allies. But what happens when that assumption is no longer guaranteed? In Episode 122 of The Focus Podcast, Dr John Bruni welcomes CDRE Patrick Tyrrell OBE RN (Ret.), former Royal Navy Commodore, defence intelligence specialist and SAGE International Associate, for a provocative examination of Europe's military preparedness, political leadership and strategic future. From Russia's war in Ukraine to NATO's credibility, Donald Trump's approach to America's alliances and China's growing strategic influence, this wide-ranging conversation challenges some of the West's most deeply held assumptions. Are Europe's armed forces prepared for modern warfare? Can Britain and France provide credible leadership? Does NATO still possess the cohesion necessary to deter aggression? And have decades of relative peace encouraged European governments to underestimate the demands of national defence? The conversation also examines the growing importance of drones, missiles, logistics, industrial capacity and nuclear deterrence — and why sophisticated weapons alone cannot guarantee security. In this episode: Trump's America and the future of NATO. Russia's strategy against European cohesion. Britain's military preparedness and defence limitations. China's ability to achieve strategic objectives without war. Political leadership and the decline of strategic thinking. European defence-industrial capacity and military logistics. France's nuclear deterrent and Europe's nuclear dilemma. Ukraine, the Budapest Memorandum and the lessons of history. The central question: Is Europe genuinely ready to defend itself — or has it become dangerously dependent on others? About our guest CDRE Patrick Tyrrell OBE RN (Ret.) is a former senior Royal Navy officer whose career encompassed submarine operations, NATO, defence intelligence and information warfare. He is a SAGE International Associate and author of The Tyrrell Perspective, a regular analytical series examining British defence, European security and the changing international order. Read his analysis: https://sageinternational.com.au/publications/the-tyrrell-perspective/ Join the conversation Do you believe Europe could defend itself without decisive American military assistance? Or is NATO's continued strength inseparable from US leadership? Tell us what you think in the comments. 👍 LIKE this conversation if you value informed geopolitical analysis. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to The Focus Podcast for independent conversations on global affairs, defence and geopolitics. 🎧 Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 🌐 SAGE International: https://sageinternational.com.au/ THE FOCUS PODCAST | EPISODE 122
Hosted by Dr John Bruni
Released Friday, 30 October 2026 #NATO #EuropeanDefence #Russia #Ukraine #Geopolitics See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pakistan is under pressure. Its economy is struggling, insurgencies threaten internal stability, and tensions with India remain unresolved. But with China investing heavily in its strategic infrastructure and Saudi Arabia deepening its defence relationship with Islamabad, could Pakistan's problems become a much wider regional crisis?In the inaugural edition of Dispatches from India, Dr John Bruni speaks with Major General (Ret.) P.R. Shankar of the Indian Army about the geopolitical forces reshaping South Asia and their implications for the wider world.The conversation begins with India's increasingly complicated relationship with Washington. Can New Delhi rely on the United States under Donald Trump? And does Washington fully appreciate India's importance to American strategy?Attention then turns to Pakistan.How much control does Pakistan's civilian government actually exercise? Can its military manage simultaneous security challenges in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and along the Afghan border? And what do the country's internal struggles mean for its longstanding confrontation with India? The discussion also examines three increasingly consequential relationships: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia: Could Islamabad's security commitments draw Pakistani forces into a confrontation with Yemen's Houthis? What might this mean for India and regional security? Pakistan and China: With Chinese investments and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor exposed to political instability and insurgency, how far will Beijing go to protect its interests? Pakistan and India: Is Pakistan still capable of sustaining a major conventional confrontation with India, or have its economic and internal security problems fundamentally changed the strategic balance?

 Show Notes: 👉🏻 About Ravi Shankar LTGEN (Ret.) Ravi Shankar is a former Director General of Artillery in the Indian Army and a leading commentator on Indian defence, military strategy and regional security. He writes and speaks extensively on India’s strategic challenges, military modernisation, China, Pakistan and the changing character of warfare.  Shankar's excellent YouTube Channel, The Gunners Shot, can be found here: https://gunnersshot.com/  🔗 Contact Shankar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palepu-ravi-shankar-084980214/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve heard the extraordinary UAP claims. But how do you judge them when the evidence remains out of reach? Harvard astrophysicist Professor Avi Loeb joins Dr John Bruni on The Focus to examine the claims surrounding Jay Stratton—and the questions that matter if you want to separate compelling testimony from verifiable evidence. At stake is more than whether we are alone. It is how we decide whom to trust, what governments should disclose, and what would actually count as proof. We explore:
• Jay Stratton’s claims: what can we independently verify?
• The limits of second- and third-hand testimony.
• Why so much of the UAP story centres on the United States.
• What decades of alleged encounters tell us—or fail to tell us—about intent.
• How scientific investigation can move the discussion forward. For anyone caught between “it’s all nonsense” and “the government knows everything,” this conversation offers a way to ask better questions while keeping an open mind.What evidence would persuade you that a UAP has a non-human origin? And what would you need to know about how that evidence was collected? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe to The Focus for conversations that help you question claims, weigh evidence and understand what matters. The Focus | Episode 120 
Host: Dr John Bruni, SAGE International Guest: Professor Avi Loeb Challenge the Assumption. Test the System. Identify the Consequence #AviLoeb #JayStratton #UAP Show Notes:  ABOUT AVIProfessor Avi Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, director of the Galileo Project and chair of the UAP Science Advisory Council. He previously chaired Harvard’s Department of Astronomy (2011–2020) and was the founding director of its Black Hole Initiative. A bestselling author and astrophysicist, Avi investigates how scientific observation can help answer one of humanity’s biggest questions: are we alone?BOOKS (Bestsellers) — • Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars (2023; paperback 2024)
An exploration of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and what contact could mean for humanity.
Book details• Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth (2021)
A New York Times bestseller presenting Avi’s argument that the interstellar object ‘Oumuamua could have been evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
Book details FURTHER READING & RESOURCES Avi’s article discussed in this episode
“First Triangulation Results in Search for UAP by the Galileo Project Observatories” — Medium, 24 September 2026.
Why measuring an object’s distance matters when judging its speed—and what the Galileo Project’s initial observations revealed.
 https://avi-loeb.medium.com/first-triangulation-results-in-search-for-uap-by-the-galileo-project-observatories-eacc4798a538 The Galileo Project
Explore the project’s research, observatories and scientific approach to investigating possible extraterrestrial technology.
 https://galileo.hsites.harvard.edu/ Scientific American on the UAP Science Advisory Council
“The White House goes all in on aliens with new UAP Science Advisory Council” — 2 July 2026.
Background reporting on the council and Avi’s role. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-white-house-goes-all-in-on-aliens-with-new-uap-science-advisory-council/ MORE FROM AVI Continue exploring Avi’s research and ideas on his own YouTube channel: 
Professor Avi Loeb on YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hitting Russia harder might inflict more damage. But what turns that damage into victory—and what would victory actually look like? Former US Army Europe commander Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges joins Dr John Bruni on The Focus Podcast to examine Ukraine’s options, Russia’s vulnerabilities and the difficult choices facing Western governments. At the centre of the conversation is a hard strategic question: how does striking Russia’s oil and gas export capacity translate into a decisive military outcome? And there is a wider dilemma. If Russian energy exports are squeezed while conflict in the Middle East puts supplies under pressure, how much economic pain can Ukraine’s supporters absorb? Military forces themselves need fuel—and the ability to sustain a war matters as much as the ability to strike. We explore:
 • The link between economic damage and battlefield results.
 • What a credible strategy for Ukrainian victory requires.
 • The energy pressures facing both military forces and civilian economies.
 • Whether Western ambition is matched by the resources and resolve to deliver. A direct conversation about the gap between hitting harder and achieving a lasting strategic result. What do you think: what would turn pressure on Russia into a decisive outcome? Leave your view in the comments. Subscribe to The Focus Podcast from SAGE International for more conversations on geopolitics, defence and statecraft. If this discussion makes you think, share it. #Ukraine #BenHodges #Russia Show Notes: ABOUT BEN HODGES Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges served as Commanding General of United States Army Europe from 2014 to 2017 and previously commanded NATO Allied Land Command in İzmir, Turkey, from 2012 to 2014. A 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he served in the US Army for nearly four decades. His operational experience included commanding the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and serving as Director of Operations for Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He retired in January 2018 and subsequently held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis. BOOK Future War and the Defence of Europe (Oxford University Press, 2021)
By John R. Allen, Frederick Ben Hodges and Julian Lindley-French. An examination of Europe’s defence challenges, the future of NATO and the transatlantic relationship, and the ways changing technology is reshaping deterrence and warfare. The authors consider what European states and their allies must do to preserve peace and build credible defence capabilities. Book information — Oxford University Press ABOUT THE HOST Dr John Bruni is the founder and CEO of SAGE International and host of The Focus Podcast. His work examines geopolitics, defence, international security and strategic decision-making. JOIN THE CONVERSATION What would a credible strategy for Ukrainian victory require—and are Western governments prepared to sustain it? Share your thoughts in the comments, subscribe to The Focus Podcast, and share this episode with others interested in the choices shaping European security. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the November 2026 US midterms reshape Donald Trump’s presidency—and how far would the consequences travel beyond America? Dr John Bruni welcomes Professor Scott Lucas to The Focus for a discussion of the prospect of a Democratic “blue wave”, the pressures facing the Republican Party, and the capacity of America’s institutions to hold presidential power accountable. At the centre of the conversation is a question with global implications: if Trump faces a serious electoral setback, what happens next? The discussion explores Republican loyalty, JD Vance’s political future, election integrity, press freedom and the relationship between domestic political pressure and America’s behaviour abroad. For Australia and other US allies, these questions have direct implications for the reliability of American leadership and the assumptions underpinning their security. Show Notes: ABOUT SCOTT LUCAS Professor Scott Lucas is Professor of International Politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin, and Professor Emeritus of International Politics at the University of Birmingham. He is also the founder and editor of EA WorldView, which provides news and analysis of US politics and international affairs. An academic and journalist, Scott specialises in American politics and foreign policy, media and propaganda, and intelligence services. He brings decades of experience to examining presidential power, the resilience of democratic institutions and the global consequences of political change in Washington. Read Scott’s analysis at EA WorldView. Have your say:
Would a major Republican defeat weaken Trump’s hold on the party? And should Australia be doing more to prepare for uncertainty in Washington? Watch The Focus:
https://www.youtube.com/@thefocus_SAGEIntl Explore SAGE International:
https://sageinternational.com.au Follow The Focus on your preferred podcast platform, leave a review and share this episode.Host: Dr John Bruni
Guest: Professor Scott Lucas
Producers: Neil Smart & Lin Siah
A podcast of SAGE International. Challenge the assumption, test the system, identify the consequence   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can military superiority compensate for bad strategy? In this special episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni speaks with Sir Lawrence Freedman—one of the world’s foremost authorities on strategy and war—about the strategic failures shaping today’s increasingly interconnected conflicts. Using the Iran War as a starting point, Sir Lawrence explains why strategy remains an art rather than a science, why overwhelming military power cannot guarantee a satisfactory political outcome, and why states must consider how a war will end before they begin it. The conversation examines whether Iran has proved more strategically effective than the United States, the internal struggle over Iranian policy, the independence of the Houthis, and the growing connections between the conflicts involving Iran, Russia and Ukraine. John and Sir Lawrence also discuss: • The difference between military action and political strategy
• Bismarck and Moltke’s disagreement during the Franco-Prussian War 
• Pete Hegseth and the dangers of strategic boasting
• The emerging Adversarial Entente
 • Why the current disorder may benefit China
• Europe’s capacity to defend itself against Russia
 • America’s changing relationship with its allies
• The “hurting stalemate” in Ukraine
• SAGE International’s Threshold Conditioning model
• The danger of escalation and war by miscalculation 
• China’s strategy towards Taiwan
 • How Australia can resist coercion below the threshold of war
 • The most important lesson for the next generation of strategists This is a wide-ranging discussion about the enduring relationship between force, politics and strategic judgement—and what happens when governments possess enormous military power but lack a realistic political end state. ABOUT SIR LAWRENCE FREEDMAN Sir Lawrence Freedman is one of the world’s leading scholars of strategy and war. His influential books include Strategy: A History, Command and The Future of War. His work has shaped contemporary thinking about military power, political decision-making and the changing character of conflict. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse societies—but is it truly multicultural? In Episode 116 of The Focus, Dr John Bruni speaks with Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, political sociologist at the University of Sydney, about immigration, assimilation and what he calls “the multicultural myth.” Babones argues that Australia is a multiracial society held together by a broadly shared national culture—not a collection of separate cultures living under entirely different social rules. He explains why most Australians may be “secret assimilationists,” how the language of multiculturalism can nevertheless serve a valuable social purpose, and why importing historical ethnic conflicts can undermine cohesion. SHOW NOTES & FURTHER READING About Salvatore Babones Associate Professor Salvatore Babones is a political sociologist at the University of Sydney. His research and commentary examine democracy, social cohesion, immigration, education and the political challenges confronting contemporary Western societies. He is the author or editor of numerous books and writes regularly for Australian and international publications. Salvatore Babones — “Monoculturalism Is Not a Dirty Word” The article underpinning Salvatore’s argument that Australia can be a multiracial society while maintaining a shared national culture.
 Dr John Bruni — “The AfD and Meeting Reality”
Related analysis examining Germany’s migration debate, the rise of the AfD and the increasingly contentious concept of remigration. https://jbruni.substack.com/p/when-remigration-meets-reality   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On September 10, 2001, the United States stood at the height of its power. Twenty-five years later, what happened to the American moment? In this special 25th-anniversary episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni sits down with historian and political scientist Professor Roy Casagranda for a sweeping — and at times fiercely provocative — conversation about America before 9/11, the choices it made afterwards, and the world those decisions helped create. Was the invasion of Iraq the great strategic mistake of the post-9/11 era? Did two decades of war give China the time and strategic space it needed to catch up with the United States? How did Washington’s relationship with Vladimir Putin unravel? And is Donald Trump dismantling the post-9/11 order — or is he ultimately a product of it? From George H. W. Bush and Boris Yeltsin to George W. Bush, Iraq, Afghanistan, Putin, China, Trump, Iran and the remilitarisation of Germany, Casagranda challenges conventional accounts of the last quarter-century of American power. Some of his arguments are deliberately contentious. That is precisely the point of this conversation: challenge the assumption, test the argument, and examine the consequences. Twenty-five years after the attacks that changed America and the world, one question hangs over the entire discussion: DID THE UNITED STATES USE ITS EXTRAORDINARY POWER WISELY AFTER 9/11 — AND IF NOT, CAN IT RECOVER WHAT IT LOST? ABOUT PROFESSOR ROY CASAGRANDA Roy Casagranda is a Professor of Government, political scientist, historian, public lecturer and commentator on Middle Eastern affairs. He is widely known for his interdisciplinary approach, combining history, politics, economics, philosophy and culture to explain contemporary global events. He is also a Golden Narrative Laureate and a regular commentator on international affairs. ROY'S WORK BOOKS • The Blood Throne of Caria• Empire of the Nightingale CURRENT LECTURE SERIES Sessions from the Past — Museum of the Future, Dubai (2025–2026) Including: • The 1000-Year Legacy of Ibn Sina• The Roman Republic• The Great Library of Alexandria• The Reconquista• Modern Ideologies and Political Thought FOLLOW PROFESSOR ROY CASAGRANDA YouTube:Dr. Roy Casagranda YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@DrRoyCasagranda Apple Podcasts:Dr. Roy Casagranda Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/dr-roy-casagranda-podcast/id1837193563 X / Twitter:@RoyCasagranda Facebook:Roy Casagranda Books & Lectureshttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6157983973489 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if Russia’s most dangerous weapon isn’t the one that starts a war — but the one that keeps us permanently on the edge of one? From drones over European airports and sabotage to cyberattacks, disinformation and military intimidation, Russia is testing NATO below the threshold of open conflict. But how far can Moscow push before someone miscalculates? In this episode of The Focus Podcast, Dr John Bruni speaks with leading German security expert Dr Karl-Heinz Kamp about Russia’s campaign of pressure against Europe, what Moscow is trying to achieve, and whether NATO is genuinely prepared for a confrontation that may never look like conventional war. Show Notes: About Dr Karl-Heinz Kamp: Dr Karl-Heinz Kamp is one of Germany’s leading experts on NATO, European security and nuclear deterrence. A former President of Germany’s Federal Academy for Security Policy and Research Director at the NATO Defense College in Rome, he has also served in senior roles within Germany’s defence establishment and advised NATO on its Strategic Concept. He is currently an Associate Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), specialising in transatlantic security, NATO and deterrence. Karl-Heinz’s top three publications: Nuclear NATO: How to Make it Credible and Efficient — German Council on Foreign Relations, 2024. A substantial examination of how NATO needs to adapt its nuclear deterrence posture to the changed European security environment.  Nuclear Implications of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict — NATO Defense College, 2015. An important early analysis of how Russia’s aggression against Ukraine brought nuclear deterrence back to the centre of Euro-Atlantic security.  NATO’s Nuclear Weapons in Europe: Beyond “Yes” or “No” — NATO Defense College, 2010. One of Kamp’s notable earlier studies of NATO nuclear strategy and the future credibility of the Alliance’s deterrent.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India has spent decades pursuing strategic autonomy. But what happens when the world around it begins choosing sides? In this episode of The Focus Podcast, Dr John Bruni is joined by LTGEN (Ret.) Ravi Shankar to examine India's increasingly complex strategic position as instability surrounding Iran reshapes the Middle East and reaches deep into South Asia. At the centre of the discussion is a larger question: Can India preserve strategic autonomy as the international system becomes increasingly organised around competing security relationships and centres of power? Show Notes LTGEN (Ret.) Ravi Shankar brings a distinctly Indian military and strategic perspective to a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. LTGEN (Ret.) Ravi Shankar is a former Director General of Artillery in the Indian Army and a leading commentator on Indian defence, military strategy and regional security. He writes and speaks extensively on India’s strategic challenges, military modernisation, China, Pakistan and the changing character of warfare. 🔗 Contact Shankar, The Gunners Shot YouTube Channel:    / @gunnersshot    Website: https://gunnersshot.com/ LinkedIn:   / palepu-ravi-shankar-08480214 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From pandemics and wars to artificial intelligence, geopolitical rivalry, and presidential candidates, the pace of change has never been faster. Yet governments, businesses and intelligence agencies continue to be caught off guard by events they often should have seen coming. Why? In this episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni speaks with strategic foresight expert Patti Morrissey about why strategic surprises keep happening, how leaders can better prepare for uncertainty, and why the future isn't something we predict—it's something we prepare for. Show Notes: About PattiPatti Morrissey is the founder & CEO of Global Foresight Strategies. She has deep expertise in providing strategic planning and foresight analysis for government and non-government clients. Patti has 36 years of experience in government, national and international security policy and strategy, working for the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.   Global Foresight Strategies See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Colombia defeat the FARC—and what can other democracies learn from its experience? In Part 2 of my conversation with General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero, former Commander of the Colombian Armed Forces, we continue our examination of counterinsurgency, national resilience and the long campaign that transformed Colombia’s security environment. We begin with Colombia’s enduring urban-rural divide, and the way geography, uneven development and weak state presence helped shape decades of internal conflict. General Mejía then explains how the Colombian state adapted its military, political and institutional approach to weaken and ultimately defeat the FARC as a strategic force. Our discussion also covers: • The historical development of Colombia• The military and political campaign against the FARC• The continuing threat posed by the ELN• Venezuela’s support for armed groups• Security along the Colombia-Venezuela border• Regional security cooperation in Latin America• The credibility of US defence of the Western Hemisphere• The democratisation of drone warfare after Ukraine• How General Mejía would prepare the Colombian military today• America’s difficult relationship with counterinsurgency warfare• The impact of Venezuelan refugees on Colombia This is not simply a discussion about Colombia. It is a wider examination of how democracies confront insurgency, restore state authority and convert battlefield success into lasting strategic outcomes. Show Notes: About General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero is a retired Colombian Army officer who served as Commander of the Colombian Army and later as General Commander of Colombia’s Armed Forces. During his military career, he held senior operational and strategic appointments during Colombia’s campaign against the FARC and other illegal armed groups. Following his retirement from military service, he served as Colombia’s Ambassador to Australia. His career provides a rare perspective on counterinsurgency, military transformation, strategic leadership, civil-military relations and the changing security environment of Latin America. Glossary: ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional) in English - the National Liberation Army See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does a democracy defeat one of the world's longest-running insurgencies? For more than fifty years, Colombia fought a brutal conflict against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)—a war fuelled by ideology, narcotics trafficking and some of the most challenging terrain on Earth. Yet against the odds, Colombia changed the strategic balance.I n Part One of this special two-part conversation, Dr John Bruni speaks with General (Ret.) Alberto José Mejía Ferrero, former Commander of the Colombian Army and former General Commander of Colombia's Armed Forces, about the campaign that helped reshape Colombia's modern history.Drawing on more than four decades of military leadership, General Mejía explains what really weakened the FARC, why Plan Colombia became one of the most significant security partnerships of the 21st century, and whether military success alone is enough to secure lasting peace. In this episode, we discuss: • Colombia's decades-long campaign against the FARC 
• The turning points that changed the conflict
 • Plan Colombia and the role of the United States 
• Military leadership and strategic decision-making
• Counterinsurgency lessons for democratic governments
 • Why winning the peace can be harder than winning the war Whether you're interested in military history, counterinsurgency, international security or strategic affairs, this conversation offers rare insights from one of the commanders who helped lead Colombia through one of its defining conflicts. Part Two continues the discussion with Venezuela after Nicolás Maduro, organised crime, armed drones, emerging technologies and the future of security in the Western Hemisphere.If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and share it with colleagues and friends. Your support helps us continue bringing leading strategic thinkers from around the world to The Focus.What do you think is the greatest lesson other democracies can learn from Colombia's experience? Let us know in the comments below. Show Notes: About General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero  General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero is a retired Colombian Army officer who served as Commander of the Colombian Army and later as General Commander of Colombia’s Armed Forces.During his military career, he held senior operational and strategic appointments during Colombia’s campaign against the FARC and other illegal armed groups. Following his retirement from military service, he served as Colombia’s Ambassador to Australia. His career provides a rare perspective on counterinsurgency, military transformation, strategic leadership, civil-military relations and the changing security environment of Latin America.Glossary Operation Sword of Honour (Operación Espada de Honor) was Colombia's national counterinsurgency campaign launched in 2012 under President Juan Manuel Santos. It was designed to intensify military pressure on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) by concentrating operations against the group's strongest rural strongholds and leadership.Plan Colombia was a joint security, counter-narcotics and institutional reform initiative launched in 1999 by Colombian President Andrés Pastrana in partnership with the United States. The programme formally began in 2000 following approval of substantial U.S. assistance. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, commonly known by its Spanish acronym FARC, was a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla organisation founded in 1964. For more than five decades, the FARC fought the Colombian state through guerrilla warfare, bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and attacks on military and civilian targets. It financed much of its insurgency through narcotics trafficking, extortion, illegal mining and hostage-taking, eventually becoming one of the largest and most powerful armed groups in Latin America. The National Liberation Army, commonly known by its Spanish acronym ELN, is Colombia's oldest active guerrilla organisation. Founded in 1964, it emerged from a blend of Marxist ideology, Cuban revolutionary influence and liberation theology, seeking to overthrow the Colombian state through armed struggle. The Maoist way of war is a revolutionary strategy developed by Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong during the Chinese Civil War. It is based on the principle that a weaker force can defeat a stronger conventional military through a prolonged struggle that combines political mobilisation, guerrilla warfare and, ultimately, conventional military operations. Chapters: 00:00 Cold Open00:33 Introduction02:09 Understanding Colombia's Long War11:07 The Cocaine Economy: Why the War Endured17:00 How Colombia Built a Winning Counterinsurgency18:40 Rebuilding the Colombian Air Force19:20 The Role of the Colombian Marines19:57 The Controversial Crop Spraying Campaign23:57 Discipline, Ethics & Winning Public Trust34:22 Fighting an Enemy Without Rules of War44:13 The Toughest Command Decision59:43 Why Did the FARC Keep Recruiting? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 2 of this in-depth conversation, Dr John Bruni continues his discussion with economist Dr Jenny Gordon to examine one of the defining questions of the 21st century: who shapes the global economic system in an era of great-power competition, technological disruption and growing public discontent? From the role of governments in setting the rules of the economy to the impact of artificial intelligence, inflation, immigration and the future of work, Dr Gordon offers a thoughtful and evidence-based assessment of the forces reshaping modern economies. The discussion also explores why many people feel economically left behind, whether Modern Monetary Theory can withstand scrutiny, the rise of populism, and how changing media dynamics are influencing public debate. Finally, the conversation turns to the outlook for the United States under President Donald Trump and the broader challenges confronting policymakers in an increasingly uncertain world. Whether you are interested in economics, geopolitics, public policy or Australia's place in the changing international order, this conversation provides valuable insights into the issues likely to shape the decades ahead. Show Notes: About Dr Jenny Gordon Dr Jenny Gordon is an economist, Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, former Chief Economist at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and Non-Resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute. She has held senior positions at the Productivity Commission and has spent her career advising governments on international trade, economic policy, productivity, migration and Australia's engagement with the global economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.