A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

How do "sunk costs" influence wartime decisions? JP Clark interviews Brian Groves on his book, "When Presidents Fight the Last War."

The conversation on defending against sUAS continues. Lushenko & Spahr discuss the new Joint Interagency Task Force 401 a whole-of-govt approach focusing on warfighter lethality.

Peter Pomerantsev, a Johns Hopkins University scholar and author specializing in propaganda, joins Michael Neiberg to explore the psychology of modern propaganda. They reveal how Sefton Delmer's covert WWII radio tactics subverted German morale. Pomerantsev connects these historical strategies to present-day Russian propaganda in Ukraine, emphasizing how propaganda thrives amid identity crises. The discussion also delves into social media's role today, the importance of cultural understanding, and techniques for countering conspiracy beliefs.

Taiwan's "porcupine defense" aims to stop a #Chinese invasion. Jay Hsieh & Pete Roongsang say new policies need faster innovation & US aid synchronization in order to succeed.

Grant Golub explains how Henry Stimson transformed the WWII War Department into a political force, cementing the military's influence on U.S. foreign policy.

The final TRADOC cdr, GEN Gary Brito, joins JP Clark to discuss the U.S. Army's "continuous transformation" & the new T2COM.

Stephan Kieninger discusses his new book on former Dep Sec of State Strobe Talbott whose belief that both NATO expansion & engagement with Russia were achievable.

Kurt McDowell, a colonel in the U.S. Army and Director of the Washington Field Office for U.S. Southern Command, joins the conversation to explore innovative military strategies. He and co-guest Michael Smith advocate for an 'elastic mindset' essential for adapting to future warfare by 2040. They discuss how effectual logic, an entrepreneurial approach, can transform military planning. The duo also emphasizes the need for a cultural shift within the Army that embraces technology's role in decision-making and the lessons learned from recent conflicts like Ukraine.

The Battle of Mogadishu, known by many as "Black Hawk Down," lasted roughly 18 hours and cost the lives of 18 Americans and one Malaysian, along with many more allied troops wounded. Somali casualties were far higher, with some estimates nearing 700 dead or injured. Jonathan Carroll, author of Beyond Black Hawk Down, points out that this was just one day in a nearly two-and-a-half-year operation. He joins host and Editor-in-Chief JP Clark to discuss what he has deemed the most ambitious attempt in history to rebuild a nation—the first country to be called a "failed state" after a brutal civil war. Carroll concludes that Somalia offers crucial lessons on the need for a clear strategy and that the events there foreshadowed challenges later faced in Iraq and Afghanistan. In my view, Somalia isn't an example of why we shouldn't intervene... Somali is an example of don't go in without a strategy on how to get there. Jonathan Carroll is an Associate Professor of Military History at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, a doctoral graduate of Texas A&M University and a former infantry officer in the Irish Defence Forces, Jonathan specializes in analyzing modern military operation with a current focus on the military history of 1990s conflict and stabilization operations. In addition to his recent work on the intervention in Somalia, Jonathan is working on research projects focusing on the UNAMIR mission during the Rwandan Genocide, and the UN/NATO intervention during the Bosnian War.  The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Description: A "technical" vehicle in Mogadishu at the time of the UNOSOM I mission 1992-1993. Photo Credit: CT Snow from Hsinchu, Taiwan via Wikipedia.org

U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platform called Vantage to provide leaders with a "single pane of glass" view of friendly forces, including data on equipment, personnel, and finances. She emphasizes the importance of leadership empowerment and building trust to drive collaboration and cultural change within a large organization.