In this episode of The Voices of War, Maz speaks with Brigadier (Ret.) Dan Fortune, DSC and Bar, a retired SASR commander and one of Australia’s most decorated special operations officers, reflecting on leadership, accountability, and the human cost of Australia’s war in Afghanistan.

Dan served extensively within SASR Sabre Squadrons as both an enlisted operator and later a commissioned officer. His career includes multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan, senior targeting and command roles, counter-terrorism operations, combat freefall missions, and leadership appointments within Australian and NATO Special Operations Task Groups. He also served alongside US Tier One special forces and commanded the ADF Tactical Assault Group during the Sydney Olympics.

Building on themes raised in the award-winning documentary Bravery and Betrayal and Episode 1 on this topic with Vando and Brett, this conversation explores the effects of relentless operational tempo, repeated rotations, and prolonged exposure to violence on moral judgement and decision-making. Dan discusses how cultural mismatch and partner force dynamics shaped operational realities on the ground, including green-on-blue incidents and force protection failures.

The episode examines the conduct and consequences of the IGADF and Brereton processes, including findings later characterised by the Royal Commission as ‘weaponised injustice’. Dan reflects on how bureaucratic risk aversion, strategic distance, and institutional self-protection displaced accountability downward, leaving tactical operators to absorb blame, reputational damage, and long-term moral injury.

Rather than focusing on individual wrongdoing, this episode interrogates systems: how wars are managed from afar, how leadership decisions cascade, and how justice, recognition, and responsibility are applied after conflict. It offers a sober, first-hand perspective on command, culture, and the enduring costs of a war of choice.

Key Moments:

• DSC and Bar SASR commander reveals moral compass shift in combat
• Civilian casualties & how tolerance hardened over deployments
• Fat Lady's Arms hypocrisy: PMs drank, troops demonized
• IGADF as weaponized injustice - Royal Commission critique
• Green-on-blue murders & partner force cultural clashes
• O6 and below values vs One Star and above interests: Leadership cowardice exposed
• Healing through truth: Veteran recognition & future lessons

Is Israel beginning to collapse from within?

In this in depth conversation, renowned Israeli historian Ilan Pappé explains why he believes Zionism has entered its final phase, how Israeli society is disintegrating internally, and what a just future for Palestinians and Israelis could look like.

Pappé, director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies and author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic and Israel on the Brink, draws on decades of archival research to argue that Israel is a classic settler colonial project built on ethnic cleansing, apartheid and permanent military rule over Palestinians. He details the social implosion inside Israel, the growing split between secular and religious Jews, the role of the U.S. and European powers, and why he thinks decolonization is inevitable.

We discuss 1948 and the Nakba, the Gaza war, accusations of genocide, the collapse of the two-state solution, one democratic state between the river and the sea, Jewish-Palestinian coexistence, and what real decolonization might require in practice.

For anyone trying to understand the future of Israel-Palestine, this is an unfiltered, long form analysis from one of the conflict’s most important dissident historians.

If you value independent conversations like this, please like the episode, leave a comment, share it, and subscribe to The Voices of War for more long‑form interviews with critical thinkers from around the world.

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📘 About Ilan Pappé Renowned Israeli historian, director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies, and author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Ten Myths About Israel and Israel on the Brink.

🎙️ Related episodes & reading Explore more conversations on Palestine, Gaza, decolonization and the lived experience of war at https://thevoicesofwar.com

#IlanPappé #IsraelPalestine #Gaza #Zionism #Decolonization #Nakba #SettlerColonialism #EndTheOccupation

Is the UK really on the brink of collapse - or are we victims of our own narratives?

In this revealing conversation, Dr. Mike Martin, former British Army officer, author of Why We Fight, and now Member of Parliament, breaks down what’s really driving Britain’s political, social, and moral crisis.

From the rise of authoritarian narratives to the weaponization of social media, Mike reveals why our biggest enemy isn’t immigration or the economy, it’s misinformation. Drawing from his experience on the battlefield and now in Parliament, Mike explains:

⬛ Why migration isn’t the crisis we think it is

⬛ How social media and foreign influence are polarizing the West

⬛ Why “the House of Commons is just theatre”

⬛ How the real work of politics happens behind the scenes

⬛ The connection between Ukraine, Gaza, and the global information war

⬛ What gives him hope about Britain’s future

A candid, no-nonsense conversation that cuts through political noise to uncover the psychology of modern conflict, the truth about migration, and what leadership really looks like. If you want to understand how narratives shape nations, and how to fix a broken system from within, this is a must-listen.

🎧 Listen to more from The Voices of War

🌐 Website: https://thevoicesofwar.com

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📘 About Dr. Mike Martin Author of Why We Fight and How to Fight a War Website: https://mike-martin.co.uk/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/threshedthought

#MikeMartin #UKPolitics #MigrationCrisis #SocialMediaWarfare #Geopolitics #InformationWarfare #Democracy #PoliticalPolarization #IsraelGaza #UkraineWar #GlobalPolitics #WhyWeFight

What if the real story of Gaza isn’t about sides but about people?

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian writer and policy analyst from Gaza, breaks through decades of noise, propaganda, and polarization to share what life in Gaza really means.

From surviving war to speaking truth in the West, Ahmed reveals the human reality behind the headlines, the pain, hope, and determination of ordinary Palestinians caught between Hamas, occupation, and a collapsing system. Now living in the U.S., Ahmed has become one of the most courageous Palestinian voices of his generation, challenging both Israeli and Palestinian narratives while calling for something radical: pragmatism, empathy, and moral courage.

He explains:

⬛ Why Hamas’ rule has failed Gaza and its people

⬛ How Palestinians can reclaim agency and rewrite their future

⬛ Why peace requires rejecting victimhood and embracing complexity

⬛ The truth about how Gazans really feel about Hamas and Israel

⬛ Why he still believes in hope after losing everything

This isn’t a political debate, it’s a masterclass in humanity, nuance, and resilience. If you want to understand Gaza beyond the headlines, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

🌐 Follow Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib: https://www.instagram.com/afalkhatib

📸 Twitter/X: https://x.com/afalkhatib

🎧 Listen to more from The Voices of War: https://thevoicesofwar.com

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🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, ethics, and human impact. 🔖

#Gaza #AhmedFouadAlkhatib #Palestine #Israel #VoicesOfWar #Humanity #Peacebuilding #MiddleEast #GazaConflict #WarAndPeace #Hope #Empathy #HumanStories #Resilience #Hamas #Freedom #UnderstandingGaza #IsraelPalestine

Why does nationalism look less like a mistake and more like a structural feature of modern capitalism? In this provocative and deeply researched episode, Professor Zlatko Hadžidedić explains why nationalism often functions as the social glue that stabilizes capitalism’s contradictions and why the current phase of hyper-capitalism risks producing more authoritarian nationalisms over the next decades. Using Bosnia (the Lisbon maps and Dayton aftermath), the Balkans, and contemporary flashpoints as case studies, Zlatko connects theory to concrete history: how imperial legacies, external power strategies, and the logic of the military-industrial complex help produce recurring conflict. He also shows how consumer tech, information flows, and media narratives help pacify populations while power consolidates.

He explains:

⬛ Why nationalism can be a structural necessity for capitalism

⬛ How “hyper-capitalism” creates conditions for authoritarian nationalism

⬛ The Lisbon maps & Bosnia case study — why partition was engineered and what it means today

⬛ How information, phones and consumer culture shape political consent

⬛ Why great-power strategies sometimes manufacture zones of instability

⬛ What citizens and leaders can do to cultivate nuance, media literacy, and democratic resilience

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction: Capitalism, Nationhood & the Big Question

03:10 - Thesis: “No Capitalism Without Nationalism” — the argument explained

08:45 - The Lisbon maps & Bosnia: how partition was made possible

13:30 - From Yugoslavia to the Balkans: external influence and local politics

18:20 - Imperial legacies, Mackinder & geopolitical strategy

22:45 - Hyper-capitalism defined: inequality, pacification, and authoritarian pressures

27:50 - Phones, streaming & control: the tech-consumer pact

32:40 - Gaza, Ukraine & manufactured instability — strategic utility of conflict

37:55 - Predictions: the next 20–30 years of nationalism and power

42:10 - Practical takeaways: media literacy, nuance, and democratic repair

46:00 - Closing reflections & recommended reading

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in political economy, history, geopolitics, and media, especially listeners who want frameworks that connect the dots between capitalism, nationalism, and contemporary conflict.

🎧 Listen now to understand the hidden structures shaping modern conflict, from imperial maps to smartphone screens, from Bosnia to the broader global order.

🔗 Resources & Links

🎧 Listen to more from The Voices of War Website: https://thevoicesofwar.com Full episodes + extras: https://thevoicesofwar.com Newsletter: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@UCLS_kSQmxMAZIByOr9DTS5Q Twitter/X: https://x.com/thevoicesofwar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevoicesofwar/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-voices-of-war/ 📘

About Zlatko Hadžidedić Professor, author and analyst focused on nationalism, political economy and Balkan history. (Check episode for recommended reading and sources.)

🎙️ Related Episodes & Reading Look for prior episodes and sources on Bosnia, the Lisbon conference, and imperial legacies in our archives at thevoicesofwar.com.

🔖 Hashtags #ZlatkoHadzidedić #Nationalism #HyperCapitalism #Bosnia #LisbonMaps #Balkans #Geopolitics #InformationWarfare #EmpireLegacy #MultipolarWorld #AuthoritarianNationalism #PoliticalEconomy #MediaManipulation #HistoryOfEmpires #GlobalPolitics

In this landmark episode, Professor William Schabas — one of the world’s foremost experts on international criminal law and the legal architect behind much of our modern understanding of genocide — joins The Voices of War to unpack the explosive legal and political debates surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza.

🔥 With over 20 books and 400 articles to his name, Schabas walks us through:

• What legally constitutes genocide under the 1948 Convention

• How intent is proven in international courts

• Why the ICJ is now handling four major genocide cases

• Why Gaza meets the threshold for genocide, in his legal opinion

• The unprecedented global response — and 50+ states intervening

• Western double standards: Ukraine vs Gaza

• Whether states like the US and Germany could be complicit

• The future of the Genocide Convention in a multipolar world

📚 This is the definitive episode on the politics of accountability and the contested meaning of genocide in a rapidly shifting global order.

🎥 Full video episode: https://youtu.be/OhHavUpazyc 🌐 More: https://www.thevoicesofwar.com 📬 Substack: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com

As the world fractures into competing blocs and narratives, the so-called "rules-based international order" is under growing strain. From Gaza to Ukraine, accusations of hypocrisy, selective enforcement, and double standards are eroding trust in the West’s claim to moral and legal authority.

In this episode of The Voices of War, I’m joined by Dr. Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and one of the most prominent voices calling for a shift in U.S. foreign policy toward restraint and diplomacy.

Together, we unpack the contradictions at the heart of the West’s global strategy, the shifting balance of power in the Middle East, and why the next war between Israel and Iran may be closer than many realise.

🔍 What We Discuss:

• 🌍 Why the “rules-based order” is breaking down

• ⚖️ How Western double standards weaken international law

• 🛑 What “snapback sanctions” reveal about Europe’s strategy

• 🇮🇷 Why Iran missed its chance to become a regional middle power

• 🇮🇱 The real objectives behind Israel’s war with Iran—and why they failed

• ⚔️ The risks of escalation and U.S. involvement in a wider conflict

• 🧠 Whether external pressure will liberalise or harden Iran’s regime

• 🧭 How China and Russia are shaping a multi-order world

• 🤯 Why Europe is sacrificing its own principles—for Israel

📚 About the Guest:

Dr. Trita Parsi is Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute, founder of the National Iranian American Council, and author of several acclaimed books on U.S.–Iran relations and Middle East geopolitics. He has advised diplomats, policymakers, and civil society leaders on diplomacy, multilateralism, and regional conflict resolution.

📎 Resources Mentioned:

• 📖 Trita's Books

• 🔗 Better Order Project

• 🔗 Quincy Institute

• 🔗 Trita Parsi on Twitter/X

🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🌐 Website: https://thevoicesofwar.com 📬 Newsletter: https://thevoicesofwar.substack.com