The Torch
Illuminating Security and Defence Issues
Podcasts
Cold Hard Truths: Arctic Security in a Changing World
11 May, 2026
This week on War & Peace, Olga speaks with Gabriella Gricius, Senior Fellow at the Arctic Institute, to discuss Arctic security, Donald Trump’s ambitions to acquire Greenland, Russia’s and China’s interests in the High North, and how NATO and European capitals are responding....
Space Lords with Commander of 3 Canadian Space Division, Brigadier-General C.J. Horner
8 April, 2026
Welcome to a new episode of Battle Rhythm,...In today’s feature interview, Steve speaks with Canada’s Space Division Commander, Chris Horner....
How is Canada Rebuilding Its Armed Forces
10 March, 2026
43 Minutes On today’s episode of the Expert Series, UBC Professor and CDA Institute Fellow David Borys is joined by CDAI Chair General (Ret’d) Tom Lawson and Vice-Chair Wendy Gilmour to discuss their recent National Post opinion piece on rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces. Together, they examine Canada’s defence spending and its implications for the military, including recruitment and retention challenges, procurement hurdles, and how new investments could strengthen operational readiness, support the defence industry, and position Canada amid growing geopolitical pressures....
What China’s Demographics Mean for Its Military
2 February, 2026
RAND's Mark Cozad discusses how China's shrinking, aging population could affect its military ambitions—and what that might mean for U.S. strategy and global security....
War Room (U.S. Army War College)
TAIWAN’S PORCUPINE DEFENSE: THE RACE TO READINESS
4 January, 2026
Taiwan’s defense strategy against a potential cross-strait invasion from China is widely known as the “porcupine defense,” which aims to deny or significantly degrade a rapid ground assault. In a discussion hosted by Tom Galvin, Ying-Chie Hsieh and Pete Roongsang examine Taiwan’s “whole-of-society” resilience program. Their research focuses on three major defense policies enacted since 2022: strengthening the Reserve Component Initiative, reforming the military force structure and people’s defense and establishing the Whole of Society Defense Committee. ...
US Forces Off the Coast of Venezuela: What’s Really Going On?
13 December, 2025
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....
Are We Ready? | The New Weapons of War
13 November, 2025
Michael Horowitz, Richard Perry professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and senior fellow for technology and innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how emerging military technologies are revolutionizing the modern battlefield and how the Pentagon is adapting and incorporating these new technologies.
What challenges and opportunities will the River-Class Destroyer pose for Canada’s naval strategy?
13 October, 2025
The River-class destroyer is needed to address the aging and retiring fleet of Iroquois and Halifax-class warships, whose capabilities no longer meet current and future operational demands. These new ships will ensure Canada maintains a credible naval presence to support national defence, international alliances, and emerging security challenges, particularly in strategic regions like the Indo-Pacific and the Arctic....
How AGI Could Reshape National Security
5 September, 2025
How might the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) reshape global security? RAND experts explore the uncertain future of AGI and identify five major security challenges it could bring—from new “wonder weapons” to sweeping shifts in the balance of global power.
Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl
Why The West Is Losing The Global Shadow War with Iran, Russia and China
27 July 2025 -
With the war in Ukraine still ongoing it's not surprising that conventional warfare usually dominates the headlines but underneath this traditional battlefield there are other types of conflict that are taking place as well.