Purpose and Peril On The ZeroLine

Did Assad's ouster from Syria reveal the weakness of Putin and Russia? How will Putin react to the humiliation - and are Russians growing weary of him yet? Is the Trump-Putin strategic bromance on the rocks? Julia Davis, creator of Russian Media Monitor, joined Rick, Joe, and Stuart for a fascinating discussion of all that and much more. Catch up now!

US Citizen and member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Sarah Ashton-Cirillo exposes the brutal and inhumane ongoing practice of using vulnerable, mentally disabled children to build weapons for Putin's senseless slaughter of Ukrainians in his illegal war of aggression.

Trump loves dictators. For today's episode, Rick discusses Bob Woodward's new book War, which highlights Donald Trump's admiration for dictators, particularly Vladimir Putin. He argues that Trump's transactional nature and attraction to power make him susceptible to autocratic influences. He warns that if re-elected, Trump would likely cut U.S. support for Ukraine, leading to a Russian victory and weakening NATO. Trump's worldview aligns more with authoritarianism than democracy, posing a serious threat to global stability and American values.

Simon Rosenberg writes, "The splintering of the GOP and the open rebellion against Trump by prominent party leaders - former VPs, former nominee, former VP nominee, former Speaker, etc - remains to me one of the most consequential stories of the 2024 election. "

Brian Daitzman examines the tensions between democratic nations and authoritarian regimes, as the global landscape resembles the prelude to World War II. He writes, "These two opposing blocs—the new Axis and Allies— are poised on the brink of global conflict. The critical question remains: what will ignite this confrontation?"