US Forces Off the Coast of Venezuela: What's Really Going On?
In recent weeks, tensions between the US and Venezuela have been growing. Several US military strikes have targeted boats in the Caribbean allegedly carrying illicit drugs, and US President Donald Trump has said that he has authorized the CIA to use lethal force in Venezuela. And the issue doesn't end there, now there is wider involvement from Europe and elsewhere. GPF Chairman George Friedman joined host Christian Smith on this episode of Talking Geopolitics to dive into what's really going on, how it ties into the Monroe Doctrine - the policy relating to affairs in the Western Hemisphere - and what Russia's role in all of it is. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.
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Why America's Crisis Is Predictable: George Friedman on US Cycles & Trump's Role
As GPF Chairman George Friedman has written about in recent months, the United States is trying to reduce its exposure in foreign conflicts. With the US now entering its third week of a government shutdown, the nation has its own set of crises to work through, while Trump is also working to broker peace in Gaza and a trade agreement with China. How does the current situation fit within the framework of institutional and socioeconomic cycles, as described in George's most recent book, The Storm Before the Calm? And where does President Trump fit into it all? Host Christian Smith is back on the podcast with Dr. Friedman to discuss the US and the historic shifts of the 2020s. Visit www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion. There you'll also find George's new series on the 2020s and Its Historic Shift, including his updated forecast for Poland, Turkey and Japan.
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Will Trump's Gaza Plan Work? George Friedman on Israel, Palestine and the Geopolitics of Peace
Two years ago this week, Hamas' October 7 attacks stunned Israel and the world. And now for the first time there is palpable excitement that the war in Gaza may be on the path to an end. The first part of Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan seems to have been agreed by Israel and Hamas, though the plan still faces many hurdles. Geopolitical Futures Chairman and Founder George Friedman has joined host Christian Smith on this week's episode of Talking Geopolitics to discuss how we got here, whether the plan will work and also why the Gulf states are so important to the plan's success. This interview was recorded on Thursday, October 9th 2025. Visit http://www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion.
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Putting George Friedman's Turkey Predictions to the Test: Kamran Bokhari on The Next 100 Years
In his 2009 book, The Next 100 Years, GPF Chairman George Friedman forecasted that Turkey would become the major power in the Middle East. As Trump draws down on US involvement abroad, Putin gets bogged down in Russia, and Israel is distracted in Gaza, Turkey is spying opportunities. While Turkey's dominance has been on the rise despite its own internal instability, Saudi Arabia on the other side of the region has been giving it a run for its money. In this week's episode of Talking Geopolitics, host Christian Smith is joined by GPF contributor Kamran Bokhari to discuss all this as well as the latest developments out of Israel following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's public apology to Qatar. Visit www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion. There you'll also find George's new series on the 2020s and Its Historic Shift, including his updated forecast for Poland, Turkey and Japan.
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George Friedman on Putin's NATO Provocations and Poland's Emerging Power
Already this month, Russia has violated the airspace of three NATO countries: Estonia, Romania and Poland - twice. What is Russian President Vladimir Putin trying to achieve with these bold moves, and what impact might they have on Ukraine negotiations? GPF Chairman George Friedman joined host Christian Smith to discuss the latest geopolitical developments in the region as well as outline his forecast for Poland's evolution from his 2009 book, The Next 100 Years. Visit www.geopoliticalfutures.com for world-class geopolitical analysis and discussion. There you'll also find George's new series on the 2020s and Its Historic Shift, including his updated forecast for Poland, Turkey and Japan.
A non-partisan podcast brought to you by Geopolitical Futures, an online publication founded by internationally recognized geopolitical forecaster George Friedman. Geopolitical Futures tells you what matters in international affairs and what doesn’t. Go to https://geopoliticalfutures.com/podcast for details.
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