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The Focus

The Focus

著者： Auscast Network
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The Focus is the flagship current affairs podcast of SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical think tank.

Hosted by Dr. John Bruni—a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media—The Focus brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.

Produced by Neil Smart, The Focus cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

2026 Auscast Network 哲学 政治・政府 政治学 社会科学 科学
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  • Dr. Ramzy Baroud | What the World Gets Wrong About Palestine

    Dr. Ramzy Baroud | What the World Gets Wrong About Palestine
    2026/07/03

    Few conflicts have shaped global politics as profoundly—or generated as much division—as the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. Yet meaningful discussion is often replaced by slogans, outrage, and competing narratives.

    In this episode of The Focus Podcast, Dr John Bruni is joined by internationally renowned Palestinian journalist, historian, and author Ramzy Baroud for an in-depth discussion that goes beyond the headlines.

    Whether you agree with every conclusion or not, this conversation offers historical context, strategic analysis, and a perspective rarely explored in mainstream Western media.
    If you're looking for a thoughtful, informed discussion rather than another shouting match, this episode is for you.

    Show Notes

    About our Guest

    Ramzy Baroud is a Palestinian-American journalist, historian, internationally syndicated columnist, author, and Editor-in-Chief of The Palestine Chronicle. Born in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in Gaza, he focuses his work on Palestinian history, international politics, and the lived experience of conflict.

    He has authored numerous books and writes extensively on Middle Eastern affairs for international publications.

    Featured Books

    📖 Before the Flood: A Gaza Family Memoir Across Three Generations of Colonial Invasion, Occupation, and War (2026)

    📖 These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (2020)


    📖 The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story (2018)

    Learn More


    The Palestine Chronicle

    https://www.palestinechronicle.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

    Thinking Palestine

    https://thinkingpalestine.com/

    Editor's Note
    During the discussion (approx. 44:49), Ramzy Baroud refers to an Australian historian who argued that suicide bombings are closely linked to humiliation but could not recall the scholar's name.
    We were unable to verify the identity of this individual. Readers interested in this area may wish to consult the work of Robert A. Pape, whose research argues that suicide terrorism is closely associated with foreign military occupation, and Evelin Lindner, whose work explores humiliation as a driver of political violence. These scholars represent related, though not identical, schools of thought.

    Subscribe to The Focus Podcast for informed conversations on geopolitics, defence, security, economics and international affairs.

    🌐 SAGE International

    https://sageinternational.com.au/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  • Jenny Gordon | Can Australia Afford the Future? Part 2

    Jenny Gordon | Can Australia Afford the Future? Part 2
    2026/07/10

    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.
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  • How Colombia Defeated the FARC

    How Colombia Defeated the FARC
    2026/07/17
    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...
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