The Friday Brief by Girl Friday
The Friday Brief is a news podcast by Girl Friday, a boutique global affairs firm in Washington, D.C. We believe awareness impels action for a world of good.
The Friday Brief by Girl Friday
Hegseth's Orders & Kashmir's Borders
Welcome to Season 2 of The Friday Brief! In this episode, you'll learn more about the latest news from the Pentagon, Sen. Fetterman's push to engage Iran, and the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Why is Kashmir one of the most militarized regions in the world? Tune in and don't forget to share The Friday Brief with friends who want a global affairs overview in less than 10 minutes.
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Welcome to The Friday Brief, a news podcast by Girl Friday. I’m Phoenix Ricks, the CEO of Girl Friday and your host. We had a spring break at Girl Friday, but The Friday Brief is back for season two. This is your brief for May 8, 2025.
Hegseth vs. Generals
“The Pentagon is in chaos” is not an opening line you want to read in The Economist. According to their reporting, Pete Hegseth recently fired aides over alleged leaks (which they deny being part of). Now he is firing military leaders without any timelines or explanation, except to say we have too many generals. When looking at firings of our top generals, The Economist added that, thus far, there has been “no discernible reason beyond their colour or sex.” And to think, just a moment ago, it seemed like Pete’s questionable use of Signal would be the biggest concern about his leadership. Or maybe it would be, as The Guardian noted, that he’s brought his wife to sensitive, high-level meetings with foreign officials for no known reason. With those previous concerns still at play, we also have to worry about our military lacking enough trained, competent leaders. This matters not just in theory, but in practice.
Fetterman vs. Iran
Here’s one reason why: Is the U.S. seriously considering taking action against Iran? Over the past month, Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania has been telling anyone who will listen, from micro to mainstream media outlets, that he wants the U.S. to support striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. Here’s what he told the Washington Free Beacon in April: “You’re never going to be able to negotiate with that kind of regime that has been destabilizing the region for decades already, and now we have an incredible window, I believe, to do that, to strike and destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
This is all happening while people close to him have reported witnessing deeply concerning behaviors, as noted in New York Magazine last week and by the AP today. Are his calls for military action against Iran going to impact the Trump administration’s policies?
Thus far, this administration has promoted a diplomacy-first approach. This might be the only stance of this administration that galvanized support from both progressives and MAGA. For instance, last weekend, The Washington Post reported that Mike Waltz “appeared to have engaged in intense coordination with Netanyahu about military options against Iran ahead of an Oval Office meeting between the Israeli leader and Trump.”
We see the result: he is no longer the U.S. National Security Advisor. Mike will now have to face a tense confirmation hearing to potentially become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. If confirmed, he won’t have the same autonomy to coordinate with world leaders on their thoughts about military operations separately from the White House’s stated agenda. The Nation reported, “On Iran at least, Trump wants to try to negotiate a nuclear deal first.”
India vs. Pakistan
Now, speaking of nuclear powers. You’ve probably seen India and Pakistan in the news. Because these are two nuclear neighbors with a history of combat, this week’s skirmishes are cause for concern. It all started with a terrorist attack in Kashmir two weeks ago, which killed at least two dozen people and injured many more. NBC said India blamed Pakistan, and Pakistan denied responsibility. India retaliated by launching missiles yesterday, and Pakistan has vowed to respond. Both the U.S. and China have urged restraint. A war in Kashmir would be devastating. In terms of square miles, Kashmir is only a little bit larger than Utah or Idaho, but according to Amnesty International, there are roughly 15 million people living there, with the overwhelming majority concentrated in the Indian-controlled part of the region. When you look at the most contentious arguments over Kashmir, the BBC analyzed why the Indian-controlled areas might have more unrest. Some people in Indian-administered Kashmir want to be a semi-autonomous region again. The BBC added that others “want outright independence.” Religion may also play a role in these diverse opinions on governance. The area India controls is 60% Muslim, which the BBC says makes it the only Muslim-majority area in India.
If you’ve never seen Kashmir, you will want to immediately search for pictures. It is stunning. The snow-capped mountains are beautiful, and there’s a large memorial garden with colorful, endless tulips. It is a National Geographic photographer’s dream. But, beauty aside, here’s the downside for the millions of people in Kashmir. It has, quite possibly, the most concerning borders in the world, which explains the heavy military presence. In recent history, it has been called the most militarized region in the world.
Kashmir is bordered by India, Pakistan, and China. And zeroing in on the borders with China, Kashmir is more specifically bordered by Tibet and Xinjiang, the Uyghur Autonomous Region. Talk about being sandwiched between multiple foreign policy crises at once. To make matters even more complicated for the people in Kashmir, it is administered in part by both India and Pakistan. There’s a de facto border called the Line of Control that was established at the end of 1971, after another war between India and Pakistan. But wait, that’s not the only line to worry about. There’s also the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border between India’s territories and China’s territories.
But, looking back at just India and Pakistan, this conversation about Kashmir has been going on since before the end of British colonial rule. However, it has certainly escalated since the 1940s. Treaties and handshake photo ops aside, neither party has ever seemed to fully accept the Line of Control or the other nation’s authority over the other parts of Kashmir, which brings us to the present-day fight. The problem is that now they are both nuclear powers.
The U.S. has stepped in to diffuse conflict before, but is the current administration prepared to continue taking on that role? And better yet, have they positioned themselves as a trusted voice of reason and a valued partner to both nations? When their nations look at our top diplomats, national security officials, and military leadership, do you think they would feel secure trusting our advice about a path forward? If you want to learn more, I recommend reading the BBC’s latest article, “Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan fight over it.”
Until next time!
Make sure you and your friends don’t miss an episode of The Friday Brief! Check out our new website, thefridaybrief.com, and follow The Friday Brief on Instagram. These are brand-new spaces just for this podcast and The Friday Brief newsletter. Until next time, I’m Phoenix Ricks signing off from Washington, D.C. Let’s work together for a world of good.
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