Marcel Dirsus
@marceldirsus.com
Political scientist and author of How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive. Hosting The Next Best, a politics podcast. www.youtube.com/@TheNextBestPod
Pinned
Marcel Dirsus
@marceldirsus.com
· Dec 4
In case you missed it: I started a podcast named The Next Best with Marcel Dirsus. You can listen to it on YouTube, Spotify, Apple or wherever else you get your podcasts. It's about war and dictators and geopolitics etc
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
A Hong Kong court sentenced former tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken 78-year-old critic of China’s Communist Party, to 20 years in prison, a ruling that adds further friction in U.S. relations with China.
Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai Given 20-Year Sentence, Adding Friction to U.S.-China Ties
World leaders have called for the release of the 78-year-old who became the face of the democracy movement.
on.wsj.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:38 PM
A Hong Kong court sentenced former tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken 78-year-old critic of China’s Communist Party, to 20 years in prison, a ruling that adds further friction in U.S. relations with China.
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
Despite US pressure on New Delhi, Russia remains India's largest supplier of crude oil
• In recent months Indian refineries have halved imports of Russian oil, but at 1m b/d these remain huge
• Any reduction of the Indian market would further add to Moscow’s fiscal woes
www.ft.com/content/aaa9...
• In recent months Indian refineries have halved imports of Russian oil, but at 1m b/d these remain huge
• Any reduction of the Indian market would further add to Moscow’s fiscal woes
www.ft.com/content/aaa9...
February 9, 2026 at 12:02 PM
Despite US pressure on New Delhi, Russia remains India's largest supplier of crude oil
• In recent months Indian refineries have halved imports of Russian oil, but at 1m b/d these remain huge
• Any reduction of the Indian market would further add to Moscow’s fiscal woes
www.ft.com/content/aaa9...
• In recent months Indian refineries have halved imports of Russian oil, but at 1m b/d these remain huge
• Any reduction of the Indian market would further add to Moscow’s fiscal woes
www.ft.com/content/aaa9...
If you told a Stasi agent about this they probably wouldn't believe it's real. Those guys had to camp outside dissidents' houses to keep track of them, now people are paying to turn their own homes into surveillance outposts for the government. Just insane
February 9, 2026 at 12:55 PM
If you told a Stasi agent about this they probably wouldn't believe it's real. Those guys had to camp outside dissidents' houses to keep track of them, now people are paying to turn their own homes into surveillance outposts for the government. Just insane
"Russia a massive threat, America no longer reliable. Europeans will inevitably move closer together."
Actual Europeans:
Actual Europeans:
"PARIS — The long-troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) being developed between France, Germany and Spain is on the verge of collapse, four European officials in Paris and Berlin told POLITICO."
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
France and Germany’s next-generation fighter jet project is ‘dead’
An official familiar with French President Emmanuel Macron’s thinking said a failure is more likely than a relaunch.
www.politico.eu
February 9, 2026 at 12:33 PM
"Russia a massive threat, America no longer reliable. Europeans will inevitably move closer together."
Actual Europeans:
Actual Europeans:
"PARIS — The long-troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) being developed between France, Germany and Spain is on the verge of collapse, four European officials in Paris and Berlin told POLITICO."
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
France and Germany’s next-generation fighter jet project is ‘dead’
An official familiar with French President Emmanuel Macron’s thinking said a failure is more likely than a relaunch.
www.politico.eu
February 9, 2026 at 12:23 PM
"PARIS — The long-troubled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) being developed between France, Germany and Spain is on the verge of collapse, four European officials in Paris and Berlin told POLITICO."
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
www.politico.eu/article/fran...
"I am doing something so worthwhile, please don't hand me a gun and send me to the front."
February 6, 2026 at 6:16 PM
"I am doing something so worthwhile, please don't hand me a gun and send me to the front."
This is amazing because Poles are perhaps the most pro-American people on earth. It really takes some skill to mess up that relationship, but Trump's people inevitably will. It doesn't matter how good of an ally you are, it'll never be enough. You can't win
February 6, 2026 at 11:46 AM
This is amazing because Poles are perhaps the most pro-American people on earth. It really takes some skill to mess up that relationship, but Trump's people inevitably will. It doesn't matter how good of an ally you are, it'll never be enough. You can't win
And as you can tell from the thumbnail, graphic design really is my #1 passion. I just don't have an eye for it. Like the proportions are off maybe? Who knows
New episode of the podcast! This week, we discuss the limits of propaganda, effective responses to Russia's hybrid warfare and the difficulty of deterrence. This one definitely made me think
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
Why Russian Propaganda Actually Fails | Gavin Wilde
YouTube video by The Next Best with Marcel Dirsus
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 10:40 AM
And as you can tell from the thumbnail, graphic design really is my #1 passion. I just don't have an eye for it. Like the proportions are off maybe? Who knows
New episode of the podcast! This week, we discuss the limits of propaganda, effective responses to Russia's hybrid warfare and the difficulty of deterrence. This one definitely made me think
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
Why Russian Propaganda Actually Fails | Gavin Wilde
YouTube video by The Next Best with Marcel Dirsus
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 10:24 AM
New episode of the podcast! This week, we discuss the limits of propaganda, effective responses to Russia's hybrid warfare and the difficulty of deterrence. This one definitely made me think
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
youtu.be/3RbluoxINcc
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
That’s some cover.
Everyone should mourn how an asset that is an investors’ haven is increasingly tainted by risks the whole world must now bear econ.st/3M4LgRF
February 5, 2026 at 1:43 PM
That’s some cover.
I'm changing my mind on the whole Europe debate. To ignore the (perceived) national interests of sovereign states is bad, especially when it comes to questions like security and foreign policy. But I worry that the status quo is so ineffective that it's worse
February 5, 2026 at 4:51 PM
I'm changing my mind on the whole Europe debate. To ignore the (perceived) national interests of sovereign states is bad, especially when it comes to questions like security and foreign policy. But I worry that the status quo is so ineffective that it's worse
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
I know I'm quite late, but I really need to recommend this episode of @marceldirsus.com podcast, having managed to yet again secure a brilliant guest. Come for CIA development after Cold War and 9/11, stay for more recent development of espionage competition with China (it's not good).
#8 Tim Weiner: Fear, Torture & The CIA's Strategic Failure After 9/11
Spotify video
open.spotify.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:08 PM
I know I'm quite late, but I really need to recommend this episode of @marceldirsus.com podcast, having managed to yet again secure a brilliant guest. Come for CIA development after Cold War and 9/11, stay for more recent development of espionage competition with China (it's not good).
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
Again
@marceldirsus.com is having a great „frightening“ conversation with @maxbergmann.bsky.social of CSIS about how Europe can defend itself without America
And please do Marcel a favor and subscribe to the podcast
He deserves a little bit more publicity
And read „How Tyrannts fall“
That’s an order
@marceldirsus.com is having a great „frightening“ conversation with @maxbergmann.bsky.social of CSIS about how Europe can defend itself without America
And please do Marcel a favor and subscribe to the podcast
He deserves a little bit more publicity
And read „How Tyrannts fall“
That’s an order
How Europe Can Defend Itself Without America | Max Bergmann
YouTube video by The Next Best with Marcel Dirsus
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Again
@marceldirsus.com is having a great „frightening“ conversation with @maxbergmann.bsky.social of CSIS about how Europe can defend itself without America
And please do Marcel a favor and subscribe to the podcast
He deserves a little bit more publicity
And read „How Tyrannts fall“
That’s an order
@marceldirsus.com is having a great „frightening“ conversation with @maxbergmann.bsky.social of CSIS about how Europe can defend itself without America
And please do Marcel a favor and subscribe to the podcast
He deserves a little bit more publicity
And read „How Tyrannts fall“
That’s an order
Just got the 2nd volume of Stephen Kotkin's biography of Stalin in the mail and if you include the index and notes, it's 1154 pages. Alright
February 5, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Just got the 2nd volume of Stephen Kotkin's biography of Stalin in the mail and if you include the index and notes, it's 1154 pages. Alright
Seems to me the main problem here is that people are more likely to pay for opinion than reporting and reporting is much more expensive to "produce" than opinion. The most rational business decision is to just tell people what they want to hear over and over again
February 5, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Seems to me the main problem here is that people are more likely to pay for opinion than reporting and reporting is much more expensive to "produce" than opinion. The most rational business decision is to just tell people what they want to hear over and over again
I don't know what the solution is to fixing the media, but I will say this: The more I hear about these billionaires, the less I care for them
As a subscriber, the thing that I always appreciated most about the Washington Post was its coverage of foreign affairs. And frankly, the idea that you can focus on national security while firing all these reporters working on protests and wars and diplomacy is just ridiculous
February 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
I don't know what the solution is to fixing the media, but I will say this: The more I hear about these billionaires, the less I care for them
As a subscriber, the thing that I always appreciated most about the Washington Post was its coverage of foreign affairs. And frankly, the idea that you can focus on national security while firing all these reporters working on protests and wars and diplomacy is just ridiculous
February 4, 2026 at 4:56 PM
As a subscriber, the thing that I always appreciated most about the Washington Post was its coverage of foreign affairs. And frankly, the idea that you can focus on national security while firing all these reporters working on protests and wars and diplomacy is just ridiculous
Final update: The translator sent a very kind email to explain the context around all this. If even a single Iranian can draw strength from the book, I'm glad it was published in Farsi. It's an honour and I hope you will succeed
Just found out through this tweet that my book How Tyrants Fall appears to be available in Farsi (!) in Iran? Like you can buy it as a physical book in bookshops in Tehran or whatever. Can someone who speaks Farsi please tell me whether this is actually real?
February 4, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Final update: The translator sent a very kind email to explain the context around all this. If even a single Iranian can draw strength from the book, I'm glad it was published in Farsi. It's an honour and I hope you will succeed
Reposted by Marcel Dirsus
NEW: US intelligence analysts assess that Xi Jinping has a remarkable level of paranoia. This could help explain his persecution of China's top general, Zhang Youxia, and other purges. Some experts say Xi could be moving to extend his rule for a 4th term. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
Ruptures in China’s Leadership Could Be Due to Paranoia and Power Plays
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:30 PM
NEW: US intelligence analysts assess that Xi Jinping has a remarkable level of paranoia. This could help explain his persecution of China's top general, Zhang Youxia, and other purges. Some experts say Xi could be moving to extend his rule for a 4th term. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/u...
Can't get over this. When you spend this much time on a book you hope that it'll be useful but to hear that Iranians have been reading it is just incredible. These people are so unbelievably brave, I hope they succeed
Just found out through this tweet that my book How Tyrants Fall appears to be available in Farsi (!) in Iran? Like you can buy it as a physical book in bookshops in Tehran or whatever. Can someone who speaks Farsi please tell me whether this is actually real?
February 3, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Can't get over this. When you spend this much time on a book you hope that it'll be useful but to hear that Iranians have been reading it is just incredible. These people are so unbelievably brave, I hope they succeed
Just found out through this tweet that my book How Tyrants Fall appears to be available in Farsi (!) in Iran? Like you can buy it as a physical book in bookshops in Tehran or whatever. Can someone who speaks Farsi please tell me whether this is actually real?
February 3, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Just found out through this tweet that my book How Tyrants Fall appears to be available in Farsi (!) in Iran? Like you can buy it as a physical book in bookshops in Tehran or whatever. Can someone who speaks Farsi please tell me whether this is actually real?
What other topics should I have on the podcast? Iranian regime survival? State of the Russian economy? I think I'll do a longer series on dictators soon. What else would interest you?
February 3, 2026 at 12:58 PM
What other topics should I have on the podcast? Iranian regime survival? State of the Russian economy? I think I'll do a longer series on dictators soon. What else would interest you?
"How does Europe fight as Europe? The answer is it can't, it doesn't. There is no structure for it to do that. The structure is through NATO, but really all that means is docking into a US-led alliance where the US provides everything."
youtube.com/shorts/gbGi0...
youtube.com/shorts/gbGi0...
Europe Can't Defend Itself #geopolitics #internationalrelations #nato #internationalrelations #eu
YouTube video by The Next Best with Marcel Dirsus
youtube.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:43 PM
"How does Europe fight as Europe? The answer is it can't, it doesn't. There is no structure for it to do that. The structure is through NATO, but really all that means is docking into a US-led alliance where the US provides everything."
youtube.com/shorts/gbGi0...
youtube.com/shorts/gbGi0...
What Poland has achieved over the last couple of decades is just incredible. Look at that line! Seriously impressive
February 2, 2026 at 11:37 AM
What Poland has achieved over the last couple of decades is just incredible. Look at that line! Seriously impressive