For decades, the West operated under a simple assumption: American power would underpin global stability indefinitely.


But today, that assumption is under growing pressure.


In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe’s rapid rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the limits of American power, and whether the post-Cold War order is beginning to fracture before our eyes.

Show Notes:

In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe’s rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and whether the era of uncontested American power is beginning to fracture under the pressure of simultaneous global crises.


About Andrew A. Michta


Andrew A. Michta is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Hamilton School at the University of Florida and a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the  Atlantic Council. He is one of America’s leading strategic thinkers on NATO, European security, Russia, and great-power competition. 


Recent Publications & Commentary by Andrew A. Michta


👉🏻“Russia Is the Big Winner in the Iran War” —  19FortyFive Author Page
👉🏻“Why Putin Believes He Can Win His ‘Civilizational War’ Against the West” —  19FortyFive Author Page
👉🏻“Donald Trump’s Russia Strategy Could End NATO as We Know It” —  19FortyFive Author Page

For decades, the West operated under a simple assumption: American power would underpin global stability indefinitely.
 But today, that assumption is under growing pressure.
 In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe&rsquo;s rapid rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, the limits of American power, and whether the post-Cold War order is beginning to fracture before our eyes.
Show Notes:
In this episode of The Focus Podcast, John Bruni speaks with Andrew A. Michta about the future of NATO, Europe&rsquo;s rearmament, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, and whether the era of uncontested American power is beginning to fracture under the pressure of simultaneous global crises.
 About Andrew A. Michta
 Andrew A. Michta is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Hamilton School at the University of Florida and a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the &nbsp;Atlantic Council. He is one of America&rsquo;s leading strategic thinkers on NATO, European security, Russia, and great-power competition.&nbsp;
 Recent Publications &amp; Commentary by Andrew A. Michta
 👉🏻&ldquo;Russia Is the Big Winner in the Iran War&rdquo; &mdash; &nbsp;19FortyFive Author Page 👉🏻&ldquo;Why Putin Believes He Can Win His &lsquo;Civilizational War&rsquo; Against the West&rdquo; &mdash; &nbsp;19FortyFive Author Page 👉🏻&ldquo;Donald Trump&rsquo;s Russia Strategy Could End NATO as We Know It&rdquo; &mdash; &nbsp;19FortyFive Author Page

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.

The Focus&nbsp;is the flagship current affairs podcast of&nbsp;SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical &nbsp;think tank.
Hosted by&nbsp;Dr. John Bruni&mdash;a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media&mdash;The Focus&nbsp;brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the&nbsp;Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for&nbsp;Jane&rsquo;s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.
Produced by&nbsp;Neil Smart,&nbsp;The Focus&nbsp;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.

The Focus

The End of the Post-Cold War Order? | Andrew Michta

Are UFOs real — or are humans simply terrible witnesses?


In this thought-provoking episode of The Focus Podcast, Avi Loeb joins John Bruni to explore the dangerous intersection of UFOs/UAPs, artificial intelligence, military surveillance systems, and the limits of human perception.


As AI increasingly interprets battlefield data faster than humans can, could false positives, hallucinations, or sensor misinterpretation trigger geopolitical crises between nuclear powers?
This is not a conversation about “little green men.” It is a serious discussion about reality, cognition, technology, and strategic risk in the 21st century.


Show Notes:

About The Galileo Project


The Galileo Project is a Harvard-led scientific initiative founded by Avi Loeb focused on the systematic search for evidence of extraterrestrial technological artifacts and the scientific study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).  

Books Published


Bestselling Titles
Interstellar
Extraterrestrial

Top Medium Articles


“The End of Cosmic Modesty”
“Why We Should Search for Alien Civilizations”
“The Scientific Method and UAPs”

Are UFOs real &mdash; or are humans simply terrible witnesses?
 In this thought-provoking episode of The Focus Podcast, Avi Loeb joins John Bruni to explore the dangerous intersection of UFOs/UAPs, artificial intelligence, military surveillance systems, and the limits of human perception.
 As AI increasingly interprets battlefield data faster than humans can, could false positives, hallucinations, or sensor misinterpretation trigger geopolitical crises between nuclear powers? This is not a conversation about &ldquo;little green men.&rdquo; It is a serious discussion about reality, cognition, technology, and strategic risk in the 21st century.
 Show Notes:
About The Galileo Project
 The Galileo Project is a Harvard-led scientific initiative founded by Avi Loeb focused on the systematic search for evidence of extraterrestrial technological artifacts and the scientific study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). &nbsp;
Books Published
 Bestselling Titles Interstellar Extraterrestrial
Top Medium Articles
 &ldquo;The End of Cosmic Modesty&rdquo; &ldquo;Why We Should Search for Alien Civilizations&rdquo; &ldquo;The Scientific Method and UAPs&rdquo;

Prof. Avil Loeb | The Crisis of Perception: UFOs, AI & Reality

What happens when middle powers stop trusting the old global order?

In this episode of The Focus, host John Bruni speaks with Kishore Mahbubani — one of the world’s leading geopolitical thinkers — about the growing fragmentation of the international system, the future of American leadership, the rise of Asia, and whether middle powers can shape the emerging global order rather than simply survive it. 

Show Notes:

In this episode of The Focus, Kishore Mahbubani — former President of the UN Security Council, veteran Singaporean diplomat, and one of Asia’s most influential geopolitical thinkers — joins John Bruni to discuss the accelerating transformation of the global order.

Topics include:

The “Carney Moment” and the rise of middle powers
Whether Western dominance is fading
Strategic autonomy in an age of interdependence
U.S.-China rivalry and the future of the Indo-Pacific
Whether allies still trust the old international system
Australia’s strategic dilemma between Washington and Beijing
Can middle powers genuinely shape the future — or are they merely surviving it?

Prof. Mahbubani brings decades of diplomatic experience and strategic insight to one of the defining questions of the 21st century:

Is the old order breaking down faster than a new one can emerge?

Prof. Kishore Mahbubani’s latest books:

Can Asians Think of Peace? (2025) 
Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir (2024) 
The Asian 21st Century (2022) 

Follow The Focus Podcast for more conversations on geopolitics, defence, strategy, and global affairs.

What happens when middle powers stop trusting the old global order?
In this episode of The Focus, host John Bruni speaks with Kishore Mahbubani &mdash; one of the world&rsquo;s leading geopolitical thinkers &mdash; about the growing fragmentation of the international system, the future of American leadership, the rise of Asia, and whether middle powers can shape the emerging global order rather than simply survive it.&nbsp;
Show Notes:
In this episode of The Focus, Kishore Mahbubani &mdash; former President of the UN Security Council, veteran Singaporean diplomat, and one of Asia&rsquo;s most influential geopolitical thinkers &mdash; joins John Bruni to discuss the accelerating transformation of the global order.
Topics include:
The &ldquo;Carney Moment&rdquo; and the rise of middle powers Whether Western dominance is fading Strategic autonomy in an age of interdependence U.S.-China rivalry and the future of the Indo-Pacific Whether allies still trust the old international system Australia&rsquo;s strategic dilemma between Washington and Beijing Can middle powers genuinely shape the future &mdash; or are they merely surviving it?
Prof. Mahbubani brings decades of diplomatic experience and strategic insight to one of the defining questions of the 21st century:
Is the old order breaking down faster than a new one can emerge?
Prof. Kishore Mahbubani&rsquo;s latest books:
Can Asians Think of Peace? (2025)&nbsp; Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir (2024)&nbsp; The Asian 21st Century (2022)&nbsp;
Follow The Focus Podcast for more conversations on geopolitics, defence, strategy, and global affairs.

The Carney Moment: A Post-American World?

Is the United States still the stabilising force of the international system — or has it become part of the instability?


In our first episode back, Professor Scott Lucas joins John Bruni to unpack the Iran War, the growing global energy crisis, NATO’s deepening anxiety, and whether Trump-era America has entered a state of permanent political and strategic turbulence.


From the Strait of Hormuz to Washington itself, this is a hard conversation about power, disorder, and whether the world’s superpower is now accelerating the very chaos it once contained.


Show Notes:


After a period away due to medical leave, John Bruni returns to The Focus for a major conversation on the state of the international system — and the growing instability surrounding the United States itself.


Joining us is Professor Scott Lucas from the Clinton Institute in Dublin, one of the most respected analysts of American politics and international affairs.


Together, they examine whether the United States is still acting as the stabilising force of the global order — or whether internal political turmoil, strategic overreach, and the Trump presidency are now contributing to international instability.


Topics include:


The Iran War and risks of wider U.S. escalation
Strait of Hormuz tensions and global energy insecurity
“World War E” — energy as the new geopolitical battlespace
Concerns over American reliability
Trump, executive power, and institutional strain


Scott’s presence on socials:


X: @ScottLucas_EA
Bluesky: @scottlucas.bysky.social
Instagram: scottlucasworldview
Web: https://eaworldview.com/ 

Is the United States still the stabilising force of the international system &mdash; or has it become part of the instability?
 In our first episode back, Professor Scott Lucas joins John Bruni to unpack the Iran War, the growing global energy crisis, NATO&rsquo;s deepening anxiety, and whether Trump-era America has entered a state of permanent political and strategic turbulence.
 From the Strait of Hormuz to Washington itself, this is a hard conversation about power, disorder, and whether the world&rsquo;s superpower is now accelerating the very chaos it once contained.
 Show Notes:
 After a period away due to medical leave, John Bruni returns to The Focus for a major conversation on the state of the international system &mdash; and the growing instability surrounding the United States itself.
 Joining us is Professor Scott Lucas from the Clinton Institute in Dublin, one of the most respected analysts of American politics and international affairs.
 Together, they examine whether the United States is still acting as the stabilising force of the global order &mdash; or whether internal political turmoil, strategic overreach, and the Trump presidency are now contributing to international instability.
 Topics include:
 The Iran War and risks of wider U.S. escalation Strait of Hormuz tensions and global energy insecurity &ldquo;World War E&rdquo; &mdash; energy as the new geopolitical battlespace Concerns over American reliability Trump, executive power, and institutional strain
 Scott&rsquo;s presence on socials:
 X: @ScottLucas_EA Bluesky: @scottlucas.bysky.social Instagram: scottlucasworldview Web: https://eaworldview.com/&nbsp;

The End of the Post-Cold War Order? | Andrew Michta

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