Podcasts

Dr. Todd C. Helmus talks about Russia’s disinformation campaign and the violent extremism pursued by terror organizations and individuals. What threat does Russia’s disinformation effort pose to national security? How can it affect us in day to day interactions and among different sectors of society? What can we learn from it? What are the most effective methods to counter the phenomenon? To what extent can states blunt the incentive of those who are drawn to violent extremism? Can we identify and track lone wolf terror activity?

Russia’s influence in the social Media: Is it possible to measure and identify Russian government involvement vs. the posts of innocent civilians? How does this research work, involving engineers, psychologists, and linguistic experts following trends, patterns, phrasings, and timings? How can Israel prepare for its upcoming general elections regarding the threat of foreign and domestic influences, and should the state educate the public on this matter?

The Syrian arena after the Russian intervention: What are Russia’s main reasons for arming Assad with S-300? How good/bad are the relations between Israel and Russia, and is there a core of agreement regarding the Iranian presence in Syria? Also – what are Russia’s goals in its Arabic propaganda efforts, targeting Arabic speaking youth?

Russia’s position in the international sphere: why does Russia want to play the balancing role in Syria? How can it reach an agreement and raise funds to rebuild Syria, and how long will it take? What is the nature of the relationship between Russia and Iran?

The Russian involvement in Syria and its attempts to halt the activity of Iran and its proxies, and the Russian viewpoint on Israel’s strategy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Dr. Rob Geist Pinfold and Dr. Vera Michlin-Shapir discuss the recent rise in covert action worldwide, focusing on the alleged Russian poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the United Kingdom. Together, they define the concept of covert action, consider several high profile case studies from history and contemporary events, and note the modern evolution of covert action, particularly in cyberspace. “Classic” examples of covert action, such as the Skripal case, are contrasted with other recent instances that involved advanced technology, such as Stuxnet and the alleged Russian interference in the 2015 US presidential election. This podcast addresses a variety of questions related to covert action, such as: what does covert action hope to achieve? How does it differ from more conventional acts? Finally, what can liberal, democratic governments do to stop the spread of “fake news” and clandestine propaganda?