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Arsenal of Democracy

19: Can a US Arsenal of Democracy Handle Conflicts on Three Fronts? (feat. Jack Detsch)

Feb 7, 2024
Foreign Policy's Jack Detsch joins host Marshall Kosloff to discuss the United States' modern Arsenal of Democracy and its ability to handle conflicts on three fronts: Ukraine, the Middle East, and Taiwan. They explore the challenges faced in rebuilding the arsenal, sourcing weapons, and mobilization differences between the US and Europe. The podcast also highlights the Pentagon's defense industrial strategy and collaborations, while analyzing potential conflicts and the capacity of China and Russia.
22:21

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The United States is facing the possibility of conflicts on three fronts - Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific.
  • Efforts to rebuild the arsenal of democracy involve increasing production rates of critical munitions like artillery ammunition and precision-guided munitions.

Deep dives

Challenges facing the Pentagon in rebuilding the arsenal of democracy

The Pentagon is facing challenges in rebuilding the arsenal of democracy to address potential conflicts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. The lack of existing infrastructure and factories from World War II makes it necessary to build this capacity from scratch. The urgency arises from the need to source weapons for three different conflicts, including supporting Ukraine against Russia, preparing for a potential conflict with China over Taiwan, and addressing the ongoing conflict in Israel. The scope of revitalization required is vast, involving the production of artillery, precision-guided munitions, and denial weapons. The issue extends beyond the United States, as European countries are also involved in mobilizing their defense industrial base to support Ukraine and other conflict zones.

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