A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

Instead of what the Melian dialogue tells us, which is that 'Might Makes Right,' ... when it comes to Supreme Command, 'Right Makes Might.' Whoever has the superior decisions wins. Science fiction has a long history of helping provide simple explanations for complex phenomena. Few phenomena are as complex, and as elusive, a grand strategy. In this podcast, active Army strategist Major ML Cavanaugh, co-editor of Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict (recently published by Potomac Books), explains how he uses the Star Wars universe as a lens to explain grand strategy in simple terms, and then applies the lessons learned to several historical examples of strategy in action. Just as Yoda taught Luke Skywalker the ways of the Force, perhaps he can also teach us about the ways of strategy. WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Andrew A. Hill moderates.     Matt Cavanaugh is a major in the U.S. Army and an Army strategist. Andrew A. Hill is the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Charles Platiau

30 years ago, we still talked about deterrence a lot in this country. We still talked about nuclear weapons in this country. Today, the broader population does not, and therefore part of my job is to make sure that that becomes part of the dialogue again. What happens when an important strategic message is simply not salient to the audience? How does a senior military leader overcome disinterest or lack of understanding? The U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) offers an interesting case study -- a unique organization with a broad mission of deterring "strategic attack" across a range of major threats -- nuclear, space, missile, and others. But topics such as nuclear attack or missile defense are not as central to the public discourse as they were in decades past. General John Hyten, U.S. Air Force and Commander of STRATCOM, addresses the challenges facing senior leaders who must tell the organization's story to a wide range of internal and external audiences -- believers, skeptics, and the indifferent alike. WAR ROOM editor-in-chief Andrew A. Hill moderates.     John Hyten is the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Andrew A. Hill is the WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief. Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Julie R. Matyascik Other posts in the Leader Perspectives series: A CONVERSATION WITH THE HONORABLE MELISSA DALTON OF DEFENSE POLICYCAMPAIGNING IN THE PACIFIC: A CONVERSATION WITH GEN FLYNNA TRANSATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE ON NATO (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)ALLIES ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING SPACE SECURE (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)TENSIONS AND PARADOXES FACING SENIOR LEADERS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEADING AND WINNING IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE CLASSICS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLONELS TO BE SUCCESSFUL (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)BALANCING BETWEEN CIVILIAN LIFE AND SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD“WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE” — AND OTHER CAUTIONARY TALES FOR LEADERSWHEN THE MILITARY IS NOT IN CHARGE: DEFENSE SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIESWHAT DOES ‘SUCCESS’ MEAN AS A STRATEGIC LEADER?STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND CHANGING THE US ARMY IN EUROPETHE CHALLENGES OF SENIOR LEADER COMMUNICATIONTHE SENIOR NCO AS A STRATEGIC LEADERSTRATEGIC LEADERSHIP FROM AN AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVEWHAT DO THE BRITS THINK OF AMERICAN OFFICERS?PERSPECTIVES ON STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP — GEN. ROBIN RAND, U.S. AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMANDGROWING AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING CAPACITY

It's silly to expect that intelligence will always get it right. WAR ROOM welcomes Dr. Richard Betts from Columbia University to discuss what success and failure really mean in the intelligence community. For example, when adversaries successfully strike U.S. targets, the results are tragic and are often followed by soul searching and, unfortunately, blame. Success stories, such as the thwarting of probable attacks, are far more numerous but attract less attention. What does this mean for intelligence professionals? U.S. Army War College resident student Adam Dietrich moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Richard Betts is is the Arnold Saltzman Professor of War and Peace Studies in the Department of Political Science, the director of the Institute of War and Peace Studies, and the director of the International Security Policy Program in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Adam Dietrich is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and a student in the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Sean Wornell. Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGEEVERY CITIZEN A SENSOR? DEMOCRATIZING INTELLIGENCEGOOD DECISIONS START WITH GOOD CONSUMERSASPIRATIONAL, VAGUE, AND STRATEGIC: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGYTHE AIR FORCE HAS SPIES?! RISE OF THE MAVERICKSSOLVING DATA PROBLEMS AT SUPERHUMAN SPEEDSASKING DATA THE RIGHT QUESTIONSTHE SPY AND THE STATE: THE PARADOX OF AMERICAN INTELLIGENCEDATA-DRIVEN DEFENSE: THE MAVEN SMART SYSTEMINSIDE THE PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEFSIGNALS, CYBER AND STRATEGY: RETIRED GENERAL PAUL NAKASONEVULNERABLE SKIES: DRONES AND NATIONAL SECURITYAI-READY DEFENSE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN CENTCOMSEAMLESS SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL DATA IN THE FIRST ARMYBEYOND ADMIRING THE PROBLEM: JIATF 401’S JURISDICTIONAL JUMPRELEVANCE AND TRUST: THE FUTURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

What a President or any other senior leader brings with him or her to office in inevitably a simplified view of how the world works. Is it critical that national leaders have an open mind? Or is it sometimes necessary? In this third episode in the WAR ROOM series on Intelligence, special guest Paul Pillar, a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency discusses the inconsistent role that intelligence often plays in strategic decision making. Preconceived notions and personal choices may lead to intelligence being joined at the hip of strategic decisionmakers or shut out of the room. What does that mean for the quality of the decisions and likely outcomes? The answers may surprise you. U.S. Army War College resident student Ms. Dawn Hicks moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Paul Pillar is a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency and a senior fellow at Georgetown University. Dawn Hicks is a Department of Defense civilian and a student in the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: Photo from U.S. National Archives (public domain). Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGEEVERY CITIZEN A SENSOR? DEMOCRATIZING INTELLIGENCEGOOD DECISIONS START WITH GOOD CONSUMERSASPIRATIONAL, VAGUE, AND STRATEGIC: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGYTHE AIR FORCE HAS SPIES?! RISE OF THE MAVERICKSSOLVING DATA PROBLEMS AT SUPERHUMAN SPEEDSASKING DATA THE RIGHT QUESTIONSTHE SPY AND THE STATE: THE PARADOX OF AMERICAN INTELLIGENCEDATA-DRIVEN DEFENSE: THE MAVEN SMART SYSTEMINSIDE THE PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEFSIGNALS, CYBER AND STRATEGY: RETIRED GENERAL PAUL NAKASONEVULNERABLE SKIES: DRONES AND NATIONAL SECURITYAI-READY DEFENSE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN CENTCOMSEAMLESS SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL DATA IN THE FIRST ARMYBEYOND ADMIRING THE PROBLEM: JIATF 401’S JURISDICTIONAL JUMPRELEVANCE AND TRUST: THE FUTURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

If they come out with an after-action review or lessons learned from Iraq and all it talks about is how officers executed the war, then you know the Army missed an opportunity. WAR ROOM welcomes Command Sergeant Major Christopher Martinez who retired from the U.S. Army after culminating his career as Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army War College. In this interview with WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Andrew A. Hill, CSM Martinez reflects on his thirty years of military service. How have the responsibilities of senior enlisted leaders has changed over time, and how can they uniquely contribute to strategic decision making?   Christopher Martinez is a retired command sergeant major from the U.S. Army whose most recent assignment was Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army War College. Andrew A. Hill is Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. 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. Image: Collage depicts current or retired command sergeants major from the U.S. Army as of May 2018. Top row from left -- CSM Paul E. Biggs (CSM, Military District of Washington), CSM Christopher Martinez (U.S. Army War College until May 2018), CSM Rakimm Broadnax-Rogers (CSM, Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Leonard Wood), CSM John W. Troxell (Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff). Bottom row from left -- CSM Steven L. Payton (CSM, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea), Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey, CSM Charles Tobin (Senior Enlisted Advisor, Defense Logistics Agency until July 2017), and CSM Mulholland (Command Sergeant Major, 86th Training Division until February 2016) Image Credit: Tom Galvin Releases from the Leader Perspectives series: A CONVERSATION WITH THE HONORABLE MELISSA DALTON OF DEFENSE POLICYCAMPAIGNING IN THE PACIFIC: A CONVERSATION WITH GEN FLYNNA TRANSATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE ON NATO (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)ALLIES ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING SPACE SECURE (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)TENSIONS AND PARADOXES FACING SENIOR LEADERS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEADING AND WINNING IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE CLASSICS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLONELS TO BE SUCCESSFUL (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)BALANCING BETWEEN CIVILIAN LIFE AND SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD“WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE” — AND OTHER CAUTIONARY TALES FOR LEADERSWHEN THE MILITARY IS NOT IN CHARGE: DEFENSE SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIESWHAT DOES ‘SUCCESS’ MEAN AS A STRATEGIC LEADER?STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND CHANGING THE US ARMY IN EUROPETHE CHALLENGES OF SENIOR LEADER COMMUNICATIONTHE SENIOR NCO AS A STRATEGIC LEADERSTRATEGIC LEADERSHIP FROM AN AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVEWHAT DO THE BRITS THINK OF AMERICAN OFFICERS?PERSPECTIVES ON STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP — GEN. ROBIN RAND, U.S. AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMANDGROWING AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING CAPACITY

Failure is not just the result of one part of the equation. [Sometimes] you can give the right piece of intelligence and they won't act on it. What does it take to be a successful intelligence officer or civilian? Or perhaps, what negative traits indicate the likelihood of failure? In this second episode in the WAR ROOM series on Intelligence, special guest Dr. Rose McDermott of Brown University discusses the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that intelligence professionals need (or must avoid), along with a political culture where success is often miscredited to policy while intelligence is blame for any perceived failure. U.S. Army War College resident student Mr. Paul Mekkelson moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Rose McDermott is the David and Mariana Fisher University Professor of International Relations at Brown University and a Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Paul Mekkelson is a Department of Defense civilian and a student in the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: Photo of the Operations Deputy's Conference Room in the National Military Command Center located at the Pentagon (1984) by Robert D. Ward (public domain). Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGEEVERY CITIZEN A SENSOR? DEMOCRATIZING INTELLIGENCEGOOD DECISIONS START WITH GOOD CONSUMERSASPIRATIONAL, VAGUE, AND STRATEGIC: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGYTHE AIR FORCE HAS SPIES?! RISE OF THE MAVERICKSSOLVING DATA PROBLEMS AT SUPERHUMAN SPEEDSASKING DATA THE RIGHT QUESTIONSTHE SPY AND THE STATE: THE PARADOX OF AMERICAN INTELLIGENCEDATA-DRIVEN DEFENSE: THE MAVEN SMART SYSTEMINSIDE THE PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEFSIGNALS, CYBER AND STRATEGY: RETIRED GENERAL PAUL NAKASONEVULNERABLE SKIES: DRONES AND NATIONAL SECURITYAI-READY DEFENSE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN CENTCOMSEAMLESS SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL DATA IN THE FIRST ARMYBEYOND ADMIRING THE PROBLEM: JIATF 401’S JURISDICTIONAL JUMPRELEVANCE AND TRUST: THE FUTURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

People say, "Well, people break the rules of warfare all the time, so why should we have rules?" Is there an absolute moral and ethical framework that guides forces in war, or is it no more than the rules chosen by the powerful to justify their actions? What is the benefit of such frameworks in a world where adversaries appear free to act immorally? These and other questions are presented by special guest Dr. Pauline Shanks-Kaurin, professor of military ethics at Pacific Lutheran University and Andrew A. Hill, Chair of Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College.   Pauline Shanks-Kaurin is professor of military ethics at Pacific Lutheran University and the author of "Achilles Goes Asymmetric." Andrew A. Hill is the Chair for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief. 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 Credit: U.S. Army

For national security officials who are wading through floods of information, how do they find that nugget, ... that piece of information that fits with all the other pieces? What is the role of intelligence in a world where information is everywhere and the global security environment moves and evolves at breakneck speed? Answering this question is the purpose behind this exciting six-part podcast series on Intelligence. Dr. Genevieve Lester, the DeSerio Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College, is the host for the series and she leads off the series with a discussion of the purpose and present-day challenges facing the intelligence field. With her for this discussion is Jacqueline E. Whitt, Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM podcast editor.     Genevieve Lester is the De Serio Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM Podcast Editor. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: Photo from the National Guard Command Center during response to Hurricane Irene (Department of Defense photo). Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGEEVERY CITIZEN A SENSOR? DEMOCRATIZING INTELLIGENCEGOOD DECISIONS START WITH GOOD CONSUMERSASPIRATIONAL, VAGUE, AND STRATEGIC: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGYTHE AIR FORCE HAS SPIES?! RISE OF THE MAVERICKSSOLVING DATA PROBLEMS AT SUPERHUMAN SPEEDSASKING DATA THE RIGHT QUESTIONSTHE SPY AND THE STATE: THE PARADOX OF AMERICAN INTELLIGENCEDATA-DRIVEN DEFENSE: THE MAVEN SMART SYSTEMINSIDE THE PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEFSIGNALS, CYBER AND STRATEGY: RETIRED GENERAL PAUL NAKASONEVULNERABLE SKIES: DRONES AND NATIONAL SECURITYAI-READY DEFENSE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN CENTCOMSEAMLESS SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL DATA IN THE FIRST ARMYBEYOND ADMIRING THE PROBLEM: JIATF 401’S JURISDICTIONAL JUMPRELEVANCE AND TRUST: THE FUTURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

A story ... breaks down more complicated theoretical concepts into something that is relatable. Among the challenges of educating senior national security professionals is that the dynamics and complexity of the strategic environment inhibits the creation of clean models or simple how-to guides. The context of each problem is different, as even the same type of problem will vary according to the relationships and histories of the actors and entities involved. So how can one teach career military officers, who have served mostly at unit level, think and make quality decisions and recommendations at the strategic level? One tool is the case method which is described in this presentation by Dr. Volker Franke from Kennessaw State University and Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt, Professor of Strategy from the U.S. Army War College.     Volker C. Franke is Professor of Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM Podcast Editor. 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 Credit: U.S. Army photo by Charity Murtorff

Films can bring to life war's battles, leaders, examples of strategic decisions, and examples of less successful strategic decisions. As Mark Gagnon and Jacqueline E. Whitt show in this presentation, there are many ways that films can be used in professional military education. From learning about strategic decisions and their impacts to broadening the world views and perspectives, films help viewers visualize the dynamics and complexity of strategic environments better than other media. For example, the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Art Film Program provides a terrific forum for students and faculty to view a film and discuss both its context and lessons learned for today's military. Also on WAR ROOM is an article about the classic film Tunes of Glory, an example of such a film with important insights and lessons for today's leaders.   https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/18-043-Gagnon-Whitt-Film-and-Strategy-RLS-v3.mp3   You can also download a copy of the podcast here.   Mark Gagnon is a colonel in the U.S. Army and Professor of German in the Department of Foreign Languages at the U.S. Military Academy. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM Podcast Editor. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Image: Still from All's Quiet on the Western Front, an anti-war film from 1930 that won the Academy Awards for Outstanding Production and Best Director (Lewis Milestone). Film is now in the public domain.