Great Power Podcast

In this special edition episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik turns the conversation over to AFPC President Herman Pirchner and AFPC Advisory Board Member Manisha Singh for a discussion on the past year of warfare in Ukraine, what the coming months could look like, and what it means for the United States and global security. Guest biographies Herman Pirchner, Jr. is the founding President of AFPC. Under his leadership, AFPC has hosted Washington events for hundreds of foreign officials ranging from the Prime Minister of Malta to the Prime Minister of Russia; conducted hundreds of briefings for Members of Congress and their staffs and, organized dozens of fact-finding missions abroad for current and former senior American officials. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, Former Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, former Director of Central Intelligence R. James Woolsey, as well as the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dick Myers are among those who have participated in this program. Pirchner’s travels have taken him to most areas of the world, including more than 65 trips to the former Soviet Union since 1989, and more than 30 trips to China since 1994. He is an engaging speaker with a compelling grasp of the dynamics of world affairs. AFPC’s publication program includes sponsorship of articles, monographs, books and Congressional testimony. AFPC authors have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines including the Washington Post, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Jane’s Defense Weekly, Washington Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and National Review. In addition to his duties at AFPC, Mr. Pirchner directed the national security team advising the 2012 Presidential campaign of Newt Gingrich. Among his many publications is Pirchner’s very prescient 2004 monograph, Reviving Greater Russia: The Future of Russia’s Borders with Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Ukraine. He is also the author of Post Putin: Succession, Stability, and Russia's Future (Rowman and Littlefield, May 2019), which is also available in Ukrainian and Russian editions. Before founding AFPC, Mr. Pirchner served in the U.S. Senate as Director of Legislation for Senator Roger Jepsen (R-IA) and Legislative Assistant to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). She is an American attorney and government official who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs in the Trump administration until January 20, 2021. She previously also served as Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. Previously, Singh worked as a lawyer at Reed Smith and Squire Patton Boggs. She also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs during the Bush administration. Resources from the conversation Read Herman's book, Post Putin Read Herman's Washington Times op-ed about U.S. assistance to Ukraine

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik chats with Rick Lane about the controversy surrounding TikTok, what it means for national security, and what we should do about it. Guest biography Rick Lane is a tech policy expert, child safety advocate, and the founder and CEO of Iggy Ventures. Iggy advises and invests in companies, projects, and public policy intitiatives that can have a positive social impact. Prior to starting Iggy, Rick served for 15 years as the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for 21st Century Fox. Until its purchase by Disney, 21st Century Fox was one of the world's premier entertainment companies with a portfolio of cable, broadcast, film, pay TV and satellite assets spanning six continents across the globe. As Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Rick was responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the Company’s public policy activities. Resources from the conversation Read Rick’s congressional testimony about TikTok Read Rick’s full biography Read Rick’s 2023 article about TikTok and foreign lobbying Read Rick’s 2020 article about TikTok Read Michael’s latest op-ed about the China spy balloon Support the work of AFPC Subscribe to AFPC’s Indo-Pacific Monitor

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik caught Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) between votes for a conversation about the Senator's recent trip to Taiwan and Japan, as well as his legislative efforts to counter Beijing's economic coercion and insulate America's supply chain vulnerabilities. Guest Biography Senator Todd Young represents the state of Indiana. He currently serves on the U.S. Senate Committees on Finance; Foreign Relations; Commerce, Science & Transportation; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Previously, in the House, he served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Budget Committee, and most recently the House Ways and Means Committee. Resources from the Conversation Read Sen. Young's interview with Politico about his trip to Taiwan Read Sen. Young's bill, S.4514 - "Countering Economic Coercion Act of 2022" Read reporting on Sen. Young's backroom negotiations to pass the CHIPS and Science Act Read Michael's op-ed in Newsweek about Speaker Pelosi's trip to Taiwan in August 2022 Subscribe to the AFPC Indo-Pacific Monitor Give to AFPC

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Josh Kurlantzick about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) public diplomacy, its malign activities around the world, and what it means for the United States. Guest Biography Joshua Kurlantzick is senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is the author, most recently, of Beijing's Global Media Offensive: China's Uneven Campaign to Influence Asia and the World. Kurlantzick was previously a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he studied Southeast Asian politics and economics and China's relations with Southeast Asia, including Chinese investment, aid, and diplomacy. Previously, he was a fellow at the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy and a fellow at the Pacific Council on International Policy. He is currently focused on China’s relations with Southeast Asia, and China’s approach to soft and sharp power, including state-backed media and information efforts and other components of soft and sharp power. He is also working on issues related to the rise of global populism, populism in Asia, and the impact of COVID-19 on illiberal populism and political freedom overall. Resources from the Conversation Read Josh's new book, Beijing's Global Media Offensive Read Josh's previous book about China's public diplomacy Read reporting from Politico about Beijing's charm offensive Read reporting from The Wall Street Journal about China-Australia relations Subscribe to AFPC's Indo-Pacific Monitor

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Matt Pottinger about the Chinese Communist Party's censorship and propaganda, its impact on America, and how the United States can counter it. Guest Biography Matt Pottinger is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution and Chair of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Pottinger served the White House for four years in senior roles on the National Security Council staff, including as deputy national security advisor from 2019 to 2021. In that role, he coordinated the full spectrum of national security policy. He previously served as senior director for Asia, where he led the administration’s work on the Indo-Pacific region, in particular its shift on China policy. Before his White House service, Pottinger spent the late 1990s and early 2000s in China as a reporter for Reuters and the Wall Street Journal. He then fought in Iraq and Afghanistan as a US Marine during three combat deployments between 2007 and 2010. Following active duty, he founded and led an Asia-focused risk consultancy and ran Asia research at an investment fund in New York. Resources from the Conversation Read Matt's latest article in Foreign Affairs with Matthew Johnson and David Feith Read Matt's prior articles and congressional testimony about the Great Firewall of China Subscribe to AFPC's Indo-Pacific Monitor Support the work of AFPC

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik speaks once again with Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council, about disinformation, public diplomacy, and media narratives — specifically in the context of U.S.-China relations.  Guest Biography  Ilan Berman is Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. An expert on regional security in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Russian Federation, he has consulted for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency as well as the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, and has also provided assistance on foreign policy and  national security issues to a range of governmental agencies and congressional offices. He has been called one of America's "leading experts on the Middle East and Iran" by CNN. Mr. Berman is a member of the Associated Faculty at Missouri State University's Department of Defense and Strategic Studies. A frequent writer and commentator, he has written for the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, Foreign Policy, the Washington Post and USA Today, among many other publications. He has also edited and published multiple books.  Resources from the Conversation  Read Ilan’s op-ed in Newsweek  Liston to Ilan’s AFPC podcast, Disinformation Wars  Follow Ilan on Twitter  Subscribe to AFPC's Indo-Pacific Monitor

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Craig Singleton about the People's Liberation Army (PLA), risk of strategic overstretch, and ways the United States can exploit this possibility. Guest Biography Craig Singleton is a senior fellow at FDD, where he analyzes great power competition with China. He previously spent more than a decade serving in a series of sensitive national security roles with the U.S. government, where he primarily focused on East Asia. In that capacity, Craig regularly briefed federal law enforcement, U.S. military personnel, foreign governments, congressional oversight committees, and the White House on a wide range of issues, including China’s overseas military expansion, Chinese malign influence, and North Korea. Craig is a regular contributor to outlets such as Foreign Policy, The Hill, Defense News, Newsweek, The National Interest, The Diplomat, Real Clear Defense, The Wall Street Journal, Axios, Yahoo, CNBC, NBC News, and Fox News. Craig received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and his master’s degree in international policy from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. Resources from the Conversation Read Craig's article in Foreign Policy about ways to sabotage the PLA's overseas military bases Read Craig's research about the nexus of US higher education and the PLA

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Ian Easton about the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party, its impact on Beijing’s foreign policy, and what it means for the United States. Guest Biography Ian Easton is a senior director at the Project 2049 Institute and author of The Chinese Invasion Threat: Taiwan's Defense and American Strategy in Asia. He previously served as a visiting fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA) in Tokyo and a China analyst at the Center for Naval Analyses in Virginia. He has testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and given talks at the U.S. Naval War College, Japan’s National Defense Academy, and Taiwan’s National Defense University. Ian holds an M.A. in China Studies from National Chengchi University in Taiwan and a B.A. in International Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He studied Chinese at Fudan University in Shanghai and National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. Resources from the Conversation Read Ian’s new book, The Final Struggle: Inside China’s Global Strategy Read Ian’s book, The Chinese Invasion Threat: Taiwan’s Defense and American Strategy in Asia

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Nury Turkel about the Chinese Communist Party's genocide in Xinjiang, the nature of the atrocities, and what it means for the United States. Guest Biography Nury Turkel is the first U.S.-educated Uyghur-American lawyer, foreign policy expert, and human rights advocate. He is the recent author of No Escape: The True Story of China's Genocide of the Uyghurs. He was born in a re-education camp at the height of China’s tumultuous Cultural Revolution and spent the first several months of his life in detention with his mother. He came to the United States in 1995 as a student and was later granted asylum by the U.S. government. Since June 2021, Turkel has served as the Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. In September 2020, Turkel was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World; and in May 2021, he was named on Fortune's List of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders. He is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In June 2021, the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative honored Turkel with the first Notre Dame Prize for Religious Liberty. Turkel received an M.A. in International Relations and a J.D. from the American University in Washington, DC. As an attorney, he specializes in regulatory compliance, federal investigation and enforcement, anti-bribery, legislative advocacy, and immigration. In addition to his professional career, Turkel has devoted his time and energy to promoting Uyghur human rights and supporting American and universal democratic norms. He serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), which he co-founded in 2003. Resources from the Conversation Read Nury's new book, No Escape: The True Story of China's Genocide of the Uyghurs Watch the PBS Frontline special on Xinjiang Read the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act Read the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Read Michael's policy paper on America's response to the atrocities in Xinjiang Follow Nury on Twitter

In this episode of GREAT POWER PODCAST, host Michael Sobolik interviews Derek Grossman about the recent security agreement between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Solomon Islands, what it means for the United States and our Indo-Pacific allies, and what America should do moving forward. Guest Biography Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation focused on a range of national security policy and Indo-Pacific security issues. He closely tracks intensifying U.S.-China competition throughout the region, to include in Northeast, Southeast, South, and Central Asia as well as Oceania. He has led or participated in numerous RAND studies assessing regional responses to competition, with a particular emphasis on Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Pacific Island states, Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan.     Grossman is widely quoted regionally and globally. He has interviewed with Australian Broadcasting Corp, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, LA Times, New York Times, NPR, Sydney Morning Herald, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and others. Grossman has published dozens of commentaries and journal articles, including for Asia Policy, Foreign Policy, International Security, Nikkei Asia, Strategic Studies Quarterly, Studies in Intelligence, The Diplomat, The Hill, War on the Rocks, and World Politics Review. Before RAND, Grossman served over a decade in the Intelligence Community, where he served as the daily intelligence briefer to the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and to the assistant secretary of defense for Asian & Pacific Security Affairs. He also served at the National Security Agency and worked at the CIA on the President's Daily Brief staff.  Grossman is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and an Indo-Pacific Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre. He holds an M.A. from Georgetown University in U.S. national security policy and a B.A. from the University of Michigan in political science and Asian studies. Resources from the Conversation Read background about the China-Solomon Islands security pact Follow Derek's work at the RAND Corporation Check out the Lowy Institute's Pacific Aid Map Read Michael's analysis of the strategic importance of the Northern Pacific to the United States in RealClearDefense Follow Derek on Twitter