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The General & the Journalist

The General & the Journalist

Written by: The Times
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How wars start, how they are won and what they leave behind them.


General Sir Patrick Sanders and Tom Newton Dunn first met in a war zone. Drawing on their real-life experience of armed conflict, they bring you the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and the dozens of other bitter struggles being fought across our increasingly divided planet.


From interviews with key people on the frontlines of modern warfare to discussing the future of nuclear weapons and where Russia will attack next, this podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times also faces up to the biggest question - how ready are we for war, right now, if we had to fight one?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Times Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Venezuela: where next for Trump?

    Venezuela: where next for Trump?
    Jan 7 2026

    With Maduro gone and Venezuela seemingly bending to Trump’s will, the world is now asking who will be next and where will it stop? General Jack Keane knows the President well and has his ear. In a wide-ranging conversation, Tom and Jack discuss the Latin American countries the US now wants to bring to heel, and talk about the likelihood of Trump following through on his threat to take Greenland, by force if necessary.


    Host: Tom Newton Dunn

    Guest: General Jack Keane

    Clip: Fox News

    Photo: Getty Images

    Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    25 mins
  • Why the west has one year to see off a polycrisis

    Why the west has one year to see off a polycrisis
    Jan 1 2026

    In this New Year edition of The General and the Journalist, Tom and Patrick explore the idea of a looming 'polycrisis', a convergence of geopolitical, economic and technological shocks that could peak around 2027. Joined by intelligence expert and China specialist Sam Olsen, they unpack what a simultaneous crisis involving China, Russia, and potentially North Korea and Iran could mean for the West. The conversation moves from worst-case scenarios to practical mitigations, asking whether governments, businesses and citizens truly grasp the scale of the challenge ahead.


    Hosts: General Sir Patrick Sanders & Tom Newton Dunn


    Guest: Sam Olsen


    Photo: Getty


    Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    34 mins
  • Q&A: From rogue Nato states to British fighting power, your biggest questions answered

    Q&A: From rogue Nato states to British fighting power, your biggest questions answered
    Dec 25 2025

    For their Christmas special, Tom and Patrick turn the entire show over to you. They answer as many listener questions as possible that have landed in the General & Journalist inbox since May. Among them: what to do about wayward NATO members who still help Russia, and the state of Britain’s fighting power, and plenty more.


    Vote for The General & the Journalist for People's Choice at the 2026 Political Podcast Awards.


    Hosts: Tom Newton Dunn & General Sir Patrick Sanders


    Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    38 mins
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