Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight
A 'Dictators v Democrats' program https://tamullis.substack.com/ Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/tamullis Patreon: patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/vsTNKRvy Democracy is at war. We can see the forces rallied against it: autocratic states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, techno-aristocrats, religious fundamentalists and populist demagogues. From the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of power in the US, democratic, free values are under determined assault. But, there are those who resist. In 'Why We Fight' we talk to those who claim to be defending democracy; that's everyone from soldiers, protestors, activists, religious leaders, industrialists and politicians. We find out who they are, what drove them to take up the struggle, what their work is and why their idea of democracy is worth fighting for.
Episodes
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, Theo Allthorpe-Mullis is joined by Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon OBE, one of the UK’s leading authorities on chemical weapons and modern deterrence.
Drawing on more than three decades of service and frontline experience, Hamish reflects on why he joined the British Army, what service means in a democracy, and how Syria shaped his understanding of power, respons...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with Jenny Chan, historian and co-founder of Pacific Atrocities Education, about the overlooked history of the Asia–Pacific theatre of the Second World War and its impact on today’s geopolitics.
Jenny explains how her grandmother’s experience under Japanese occupation shaped her interest in history, and why much of the Pacific War remains absent from West...
In this episode, T. A. Mullis speaks with Ji Hyun Park, who escaped North Korea twice and went on to rebuild her life in the United Kingdom. (Sorry for the delay, recent family bereavements have left my schedule all out of whack)
Park describes her childhood under the Kim dictatorship, the famine, and the complete control the regime holds over information and daily life. She explains her first escape to save her younge...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak with Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, for a wide-ranging and unusually candid conversation about the state of democracy, the duty of military leaders, the future of Ukraine’s defence, and the global challenge posed by modern autocracies.
General Hodges reflects on the oath he took, how its meaning evolve...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, host T. A. Mullis speaks with Zarina Zabrisky, an American war correspondent and filmmaker reporting from the frontlines of Kherson, Ukraine — a city living under daily Russian drone and artillery attacks.
Zabrisky, who has spent a decade documenting Russia’s hybrid war against the West, reveals the horror of what she calls a “human safari” — Russia’s use of FPV d...
Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight — Episode: American War Correspondent Phil Ittner
In this episode, host TA Mullis speaks with Phil Ittner, an American war correspondent with more than two decades of experience covering conflicts around the world — from Iraq and Afghanistan to Georgia and Ukraine. Now based in Kyiv, Ittner discusses the moral and historical battle lines between democracy and authoritarianism that de...
American Azov: Vegas — The Firefighter Who Joined Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, host Theo Allthorpe-Mullis speaks with Vegas, an American firefighter and medic who left Texas to join Azov’s International Battalion in Ukraine.
From pulling people out of burning buildings to pulling wounded soldiers off the zero line, Vegas shares his journey from civilian life in the ...
In this episode, host we speak with Nick Soutter — American author, philosopher, and journalist behind In Time Media and the dystopian novel The Water Thief.
Soutter has spent years dissecting the moral and political decay of democratic societies and the slow rise of corporate authoritarianism.
Together, Theo and Nick explore the erosion of democracy in the United States and across the Western world, from the Trump phe...
In this episode, host Theo Allthorpe-Mullis speaks from Kyiv with Knight, a British volunteer serving in Ukraine’s Azov International Battalion.
Knight explains why he left the United Kingdom to join Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, how he copes with fear and loss on the front line, and why he considers this war a just and necessary struggle. He describes daily life within Azov, the realities of combat in the...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, host Theo Allthorpe-Mullis speaks with Oleg Magaletsky, a Ukrainian investor, strategist and one of the founders of the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum.
Oleg argues that true and lasting peace in Europe will only be possible through the decolonisation and disintegration of the Russian Federation. From the Caucasus to Siberia, dozens of captive nations remain und...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak with Lieutenant Colonel Andrii “Djakonda” Koval, head of the Unmanned Systems Battalion “Kondor” of the 1st Presidential Operational Brigade Bureviy in the Ukrainian National Guard.
Djakonda and his soldiers are on the cutting edge of modern warfare—fighting with drones and robotic systems that have reshaped the battlefield from the front line to hundreds,...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak with Rosie Cecil — head of strategic partnerships for Mission Ukraine UK and a medic/ambulance driver with Mobile Medical Rescue (MMR). For three years, Rosie has volunteered in Ukraine, supporting frontline medics, delivering vehicles and aid, and driving into danger zones to evacuate the wounded.
We discuss her journey from delivering generators to war-t...
On this unique episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak with LK, a Hong Kong artist, puppeteer, playwright, and dissident now living in exile in France.
LK’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and defiance. We discuss how art can resist silence, the dangers and power of puppetry and object theatre, and the struggle to create freely under censorship. LK opens up about leaving Hong Kong in 2019, the w...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, I speak with Dr Mark Clifford President of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, journalist, academic, and author of The Troublemaker, a biography of Jimmy Lai.
Mark spent nearly three decades in Hong Kong, working as editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post and The Standard, and serving on the board of Apple Daily. He witnessed the city’s demo...
In this very special episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we are honoured to speak with General David H. Petraeus: former CIA Director, Commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and one of America’s most respected military leaders.
Across a remarkable career at the highest levels of military and intelligence service, Petraeus has had a front-row seat to the great struggles between democr...
“If you fire, fire at me.”
During Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution in 2014, Ray Wong saw an older man stand in front of armed police and offer his life to protect the crowd. That moment changed Wong forever, and set him on a path from student protester to activist leader, and finally into exile.
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, Ray — now policy and strategy advisor at Hong Kong Watch — tells his st...
In this compelling episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we sit down with Professor Tim Wilson - academic, filmmaker, YouTuber, and former politician - in London to explore the crisis facing modern democracy and what we can do about it.
Professor Wilson brings a unique perspective, having taught in authoritarian countries including Russia, where he met Vladimir Putin in 2016 ("he emanates evil"), an...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we’re joined by Professor Mark Galeotti, one of the world’s leading experts on modern Russia, for a sweeping conversation on authoritarianism, democracy, and the future of Putin’s regime.
We explore:
- Why democracy failed in post-Soviet Russia
- The real legacy of Boris Yeltsin and the 1990s
- How Putin rebuilt an authoritarian state with elite loyalty and public apat...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight we’re speaking with Jonathan Fink. He was a digital marketing strategist, then Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed everything.
Now, he’s the creator of Silicon Curtain, a YouTube channel and podcast that battles Russian disinformation with facts, context, and strategic narrative warfare.
Be sure to check out his work through the link above!
In this episo...
In this gripping episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight we sit down with award-winning journalist and war correspondent John Sweeney.
With four decades on the frontlines from Grozny to Kyiv, Sweeney unpacks what he's learned about authoritarian power, the role of propaganda, and why telling the truth still matters.
From Chechnya to Ukraine, from the Taliban to Tommy Robinson, Sweeney reflects on how democr...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.