Pod Save the World Pod Save the World

Can Germany’s Far Right Be Stopped?

Sep 9, 2026 · 1h 36m

Summary

Tommy and Ben discuss the historic rise of Germany’s far-right AfD in regional elections, the ineptitude of Trump envoies Witkoff and Kushner in Ukraine diplomacy, and the disturbing glorification of war criminal Ratko Mladić in Serbia. They also cover the UK’s landmark decision to declare the Israeli occupation unlawful and ban settlement goods, alongside a reflective interview with Lawrence Wright on the lessons of the 9/11 failures.

Topics discussed

Sponsorship: Remy night guards Sponsorship: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Episode overview: Germany, Ukraine, and US intelligence Analysis of AfD election wins in Germany German political strategy and working-class discontent Serbian nationalism and war criminal celebrations Sponsorships: Monarch and SimplSafe Critique of US diplomatic efforts in Ukraine Far-right resurgence in Serbia and EU implications Promo: Still Counting series and BetterHelp UK policy shift on Israeli occupation Haaretz report on Hamas warnings and Netanyahu Iran-US tensions and nuclear deal status Nigel Farage corruption allegations in UK Sponsorships: Squarespace and QuestLove Interview: Lawrence Wright on 9/11 legacy US intelligence failures and current complacency Costs of the War on Terror and Afghanistan 9/11 investigation details and personal anecdotes Sponsorship: Plan B emergency contraception
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