The Glenn Show TGS Live: A Cold War Genius on Today’s Threats
Dec 19, 2025
Mark Sussman, an editor and regular contributor, teams up with Nikita Petrov, a creative director with a knack for insightful questions, to explore the impactful ideas of Thomas Schelling. They examine Schelling’s contributions to nuclear deterrence, battlefield credibility, and how his theories apply to modern conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza. The discussion delves into the dynamics of populist movements, U.S. national security strategy, and the quirks of symbolic signaling in war. Their analysis offers a fascinating lens on both history and today’s geopolitical landscape.
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Signaling Shapes Strategic Outcomes
- Schelling-style analysis focuses on intersubjective signaling and how parties interpret each other's beliefs and intentions.
- Outcomes hinge on credible communication, not just individual rationality.
Burning Bridges As Credible Signal
- Glenn describes a battlefield example where a weaker defender can make a credible stand by burning bridges to remove retreat paths.
- That signal can deter an aggressor from pressing on and produce a status quo without winning militarily.
Credibility Is Central To Deterrence
- Credibility problems in nuclear deterrence mirror the retreat example: threats only deter when believable under duress.
- Doomsday devices or institutional commitments can substitute for personal resolve to make deterrence credible.