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, We sit down with Jaden Braves a young Canadian political organiser and director at the Sephira Institute.
They explore how a new generation is engaging with democracy—and where it’s breaking down. From flawed electoral systems and youth disengagement to the impact of social media, foreign influence, and global conflict, Jaden argues that democratic systems are f...
Are political parties actually undermining democracy?
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We sit down with businessman-turned-author Metin Peckin, whose new book Breaking Democracy’s Chains argues that the biggest threat to modern democracy isn’t dictators—it’s the system itself.
Peckin makes a provocative case: political parties have become gatekeepers, limiting true representation and concentrati...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with Dr. Roberto Foa, one of the world’s leading political scientists studying democratic legitimacy and populism. Drawing on decades of research into public attitudes, Dr. Foa explains his influential theory of “democratic deconsolidation” — the erosion of faith in democracy, particularly among younger generations.
We explore why democratic values li...
*Note from the host - I apologize for the missed weeks, a combination of holiday and family concerns. Also, my audio in this one is a little poor, unfortunately my good mic has developed an issue.*
In this episode, we speak with Ukrainian veteran and civil activist Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a former combat medic who returned from war to fight a different battle — defending democracy at home in Ukraine.
After serving on the...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak with Mamatjan Juma, a veteran Uyghur journalist and one of the most important voices documenting China’s repression in Xinjiang.
For nearly two decades, Juma reported for Radio Free Asia’s Uyghur Service, helping to expose the reality of mass internment, forced labour, family separation and the systematic erasure of Uyghur identity. His reporting was am...
In this special and unusually candid episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak to an anonymous American investor who has privately channelled close to half a million dollars into Ukrainian frontline units fighting Russia’s invasion.
At his request, this interview is audio-only and his voice has been altered.
Our guest explains what drove him, as a private citizen, to step far beyond conventional chari...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak with Jakub Kalenský, one of Europe’s leading experts on disinformation, hybrid threats, and information warfare.
Jakub is Deputy Director at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki and a former senior figure behind the EU’s flagship EUvsDisinfo initiative. For over a decade, he has worked at the sharp end of efforts t...
In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We are joined by Commander (Ret.) Lance McMillan, a former US Navy officer with more than 25 years of service and a regular contributor to independent US media on defence, security and global affairs.
Lance reflects on growing up across multiple countries during the Cold War, witnessing stark inequalities and contrasting political systems, and how those experien...
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, respo...
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 We...
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 youn...
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 evol...
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...
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 ...
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 th...
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 p...
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 t...
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 u...
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 hundred...
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...
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
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. 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.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.