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What’s the U.S. endgame in Afghanistan now—and what role does the Taliban really play?

In this episode of At the Boundary, host Jim Cardoso speaks with Dr. Jonathan Schroden, a non-resident fellow at the Global and National Security Institute (GNSI), to explore how U.S. foreign policy toward Afghanistan has evolved under the the most recent presidential administrations.

Schroden examines the administration’s transactional relationship with the Taliban, which prioritizes counterterrorism cooperation and human rights advocacy, while contrasting it with the Trump administration’s more rhetorical approach. The conversation also breaks down the threat landscape in Afghanistan, identifying ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan) as the primary concern, alongside Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).

Key topics include:

· U.S. policy shifts from Trump to Biden

· The rise of ISIS-K and regional terrorism threats

· Challenges of working with the Taliban and neighboring powers

· The moral and strategic dilemmas of engagement

This episode offers a timely, candid look at one of America’s most complex foreign policy challenges.

Links to the Show:

• 2025 Notes from Cambridge Student Blog

• Jonathan Schroden’s Article in the Journal of Strategic Security

• “Policy Options for Securing U.S. Interests in Afghanistan” Decision Briefs

• CNA Website

At the Boundary from the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida, features global and national security issues we’ve found to be insightful, intriguing, fascinating, maybe controversial, but overall just worth talking about.

A "boundary" is a place, either literal or figurative, where two forces exist in close proximity to each other. Sometimes that boundary is in a state of harmony. More often than not, that boundary has a bit of chaos baked in. The Global and National Security Institute will live on the boundary of security policy and technology and that's where this podcast will focus.

The mission of GNSI is to provide actionable solutions to 21st-century security challenges for decision-makers at the local, state, national and global levels. We hope you enjoy At the Boundary.

Look for our other publications and products on our website publications page.

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you!

Polarization Feels Unstoppable. Will it Destroy Democracy?
In this episode of At the Boundary, we explore how America’s deepening divides are shaking the very foundations of democracy. Dr. Josh Scacco—USF’s first-ever Carnegie Fellow and founding director of the Center for Sustainable Democracy—joins us to dissect the troubling link between political polarization, public trust, and national security. From social media echo chambers and disinformation to local political violence and eroding public health consensus, Scacco explains why polarization feels so relentless—and what it could ultimately cost us.

He also reveals his new research on vaccine attitudes in Latino and Hispanic communities, showing how polarized messaging threatens long-term democratic resilience. Most importantly, we discuss practical ways to rebuild trust and civic engagement, starting close to home. If you’re concerned about America’s democratic future—or just curious about how communication shapes the security landscape—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Episode Links:

• Receive Updates on the first Florida Security Forum (Nov 4: Port and Maritime Security: Risks & Resilience)
• GNSI Decision Brief: Assessing BRICS Gold Holdings
• The Ubiquitous Presidency: Presidential Communication and Digital Democracy in Tumultuous Times

At the Boundary from the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida, features global and national security issues we’ve found to be insightful, intriguing, fascinating, maybe controversial, but overall just worth talking about.

A "boundary" is a place, either literal or figurative, where two forces exist in close proximity to each other. Sometimes that boundary is in a state of harmony. More often than not, that boundary has a bit of chaos baked in. The Global and National Security Institute will live on the boundary of security policy and technology and that's where this podcast will focus.

The mission of GNSI is to provide actionable solutions to 21st-century security challenges for decision-makers at the local, state, national and global levels. We hope you enjoy At the Boundary.

Look for our other publications and products on our website publications page.

Text the ATB Team! We'd love to hear from you!

In this episode of At the Boundary, GNSI Senior Director Jim Cardoso speaks with Dr. Jeff Rogg, Senior Research Fellow at the Global and National Security Institute, about his new book The Spy in the State: The History of American Intelligence. Drawing on both history and current events, they explore the enduring coordination struggles in the U.S. intelligence community, tensions between executive and legislative oversight, and how the balance between liberty and security continues to evolve.

Dr. Rogg explains why U.S. intelligence has often been accused of failure, from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, and how a lack of coordination among its many agencies, not a single department, plays a central role. The discussion also tackles the complex relationship between the intelligence community (IC) and the American public, and the growing challenges posed by domestic surveillance, new technologies, and public expectations.

Key topics:

• Coordination struggles and failures in U.S. intelligence

• Executive vs. legislative tensions in intelligence oversight

• The rise and limits of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI)

• Domestic surveillance, technology, and threats to civil liberties

• Public perception of intelligence and its impact on policy

Links From the episode:

• Transatlantic Forum on Cybersecurity | GNSI Policy Dialogues

• Axis of Resistance Episode 4: Iraq Panel | GNSI Research Initiative

• "At the Boundary:" SPECIAL EPISODE Iran's Breaking Point: Missiles, Miscalculation and Reckoning

• “The Spy and the State: The History of American Intelligence” by Jeffrey P. Rogg

At the Boundary from the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida, features global and national security issues we’ve found to be insightful, intriguing, fascinating, maybe controversial, but overall just worth talking about.

A "boundary" is a place, either literal or figurative, where two forces exist in close proximity to each other. Sometimes that boundary is in a state of harmony. More often than not, that boundary has a bit of chaos baked in. The Global and National Security Institute will live on the boundary of security policy and technology and that's where this podcast will focus.

The mission of GNSI is to provide actionable solutions to 21st-century security challenges for decision-makers at the local, state, national and global levels. We hope you enjoy At the Boundary.

Look for our other publications and products on our website publications page.