Archive - Public Sphere

Trump's War of Choice in Iran Might Save Putin's War of Choice in Ukraine

Relieving sanctions is a huge win for Moscow, and if oil prices stay high, Putin will gain a windfall for his aggressive war in Ukraine

Mar 13 • Luke Johnson

Vladimir Putin is Winning the Iran War

Rumors of Russia's global demise are greatly exaggerated

Mar 9 • Luke Johnson

Q&A: Journalist Anand Gopal Tells the Story of a Democratic Experiment in Syria

How a city overthrew Assad, and then tried to build a democracy from scratch

Mar 7 • Luke Johnson

Regime Change is a Bell That Cannot Be Unrung

Trump and his administration are backpedaling in their backing for a democratic uprising in Iran, but it's not clear what else the goal might have been

Mar 3 • Luke Johnson

February 2026

Trump's Dangerous War for Regime Change in Iran

There is no precedent for triggering a popular uprising by foreign airpower alone

Feb 28 • Luke Johnson

How Drones are Reshaping Ukraine's Frontline -- and the Future of the War

An interview with defense analyst Olena Kryzhanivska

Feb 25 • Luke Johnson and Olena Kryzhanivska

29:59

4 Years Into the Ukraine War, the U.S. is Out

Trump has no cards to play

Feb 22 • Luke Johnson

Will the U.S. (and Israel) attack Iran?

Talking with journalist Jo-Ann Mort about Trump's plans for military action

Feb 20 • Luke Johnson and Jo-Ann Mort: A Precise Chaos

34:56

Reflections: Munich Security Conference

A behind-the-scenes look at conversations about the U.S. and Ukraine

Feb 17 • Luke Johnson

To De-Risk From Trump, Europe Could Form a Costco For Defense

Europe is spending more on defense, but still is as reliant on the Americans as before

Feb 15 • Luke Johnson

We're in the Epstein Files!! 🤦‍♂️

Historian Claire Potter and I discuss our quotidian mentions in the latest document dump, as well as Epstein's connections to academia and Trump.

Feb 9 • Luke Johnson and Claire Potter

37:55

Democracy Dies Without a Sports Section 🏈

Too much "eat your vegetables" coverage means a less informed public

Feb 8 • Luke Johnson

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