Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Sanger discusses U.S. international conflict, trade, and power dynamics. Topics include trial memories, 'prior bad acts', and Preet's favorite law movie. They also delve into China's rise, Russia's actions, and American foreign policy in defending the West.
Building a strong internal democratic foundation is crucial for countries, as forcibly imposing democracy externally proves challenging.
Deciphering crucial insights from vast surveillance data is complex, as the abundance of information hinders understanding in conflicts like Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Predicting adversaries' actions in conflicts remains elusive despite advanced surveillance, highlighting the need for nuanced analysis beyond quantitative metrics.
Deep dives
Democracy: Import vs. Export
Democracy proves to be a great import for countries with the capacity to sustain it, rather than a successful export. Despite the global aspiration for democratic values, nations struggle to impose democracy forcibly. Recent geopolitical events highlight the challenge of projecting democratic ideals onto other regions, underscoring the significance of a strong internal democratic foundation over external promotion.
Information Overload in Intelligence
The modern era presents a paradoxical situation in intelligence gathering, where access to vast surveillance resources floods agencies with data. Contrary to the assumption that more information leads to better understanding, deciphering crucial insights from this deluge becomes the primary challenge. Examples such as misjudgments in conflicts like Ukraine and Afghanistan demonstrate the complexities of discerning critical intelligence amidst an overwhelming abundance of data.
Challenges in Deterrence and Assessment
Navigating the landscape of deterrence poses intricate challenges in understanding adversaries' responses. Despite advanced surveillance capabilities, predicting and comprehending the motives behind opponents' actions remains elusive. Misreadings in Afghanistan and other conflicts underscore the limitations of solely relying on quantitative intelligence metrics, emphasizing the necessity for nuanced analysis integrating both tangible and intangible factors.
Challenges in Assessing Will to Fight
Assessing the will to fight presents a significant challenge due to individual and unit-level variability. Assumptions about the Russian military's professionalism were proven wrong during the conflict in Ukraine, where initial strategic failures highlighted the importance of real combat experience and adaptability.
Deterrence Strategies and International Relations
Deterrence in international relations has evolved post-Cold War, focusing on deep economic engagement to prevent conflicts with major powers like Russia and China. Efforts such as climate agreements and nuclear proliferation deals aimed to foster cooperation. However, the rise of technological supremacy as a new battleground complicates traditional deterrence strategies, emphasizing the need to understand and manage global power dynamics.
David Sanger is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, serving as the White House and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, where he’s worked for over four decades. His latest book is New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West. He joins Preet to discuss how the U.S. has grappled with international conflict, trade, war, and power over the last few decades.
Plus, how do jurors remember everything from trial? What are “prior bad acts” and what’s their connection to Trump’s Manhattan trial and Harvey Weinstein’s appeal? And, what is Preet’s favorite movie about the law?
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