Conversations on Strategy Podcast

This episode explores the intersection of food insecurity and precision agriculture in the United States with author Michael W. Parrott, an expert in Special Operations Forces counterintelligence. Drawing from his experience in combat zones and research, Parrott discusses the vulnerabilities of the agricultural industry and the potential nexus with violent extremist organizations globally. He delves into the evolving tactics of these groups, the role of precision agriculture in modern farming, and the importance of enhancing security measures to protect against cyber and physical threats. Parrott emphasizes the imperative of studying the impact of nation-states and non-state actors on agriculture and calls for proactive measures to fortify the industry against emerging risks. Keywords: food insecurity, VEOs, violent extremist organizations, China, DJI Agriculture E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.

Dr. Sarah Lohmann discusses the use of AI in terrorism, emphasizing its potential for both good and malicious intent. She highlights terrorists’ utilization of AI tools for recruitment and accessing sensitive data, posing cybersecurity risks. Lohmann also touches on AI regulation efforts, disparities between regions, and the importance of innovation and transparency in AI governance. Global cooperation is crucial in mitigating security risks in the digital age. Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, terrorism E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Download the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/09/2003499211/-1/-1/0/COS-45-LOHMANN-CHATGPT-AI-TRANSCRIPT.PDF

Colonel Eric Hartunian and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Milas, co-editors with Susan Sims of Emerging Technologies and Terrorism: An American Perspective, discuss their newly published collaborative study from the US Army War College Press. The publication focuses on how terrorists may exploit emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, augmented reality, biotechnology, and nanotechnology from an American and Western Hemisphere perspective over the next 5–10 years. They highlight the pace of technological development and the need to safeguard against terrorist exploitation of these innovations. E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the collaborative study. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI, drones, nanotechnology, agriculture, augmented realityDownload the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jul/03/2003497269/-1/-1/0/COS-44-HARTUNIAN-MILAS-EMERGING-TECHNOLOGIES-TRANSCRIPT.PDF

Lieutenant Colonel Zachary Griffiths and Sergeant First Class Leyton Summerlin of the Harding Project discuss military discourse and why it matters, the impact of professional writing, tips for aspiring writers, and more. Named after Major General Edwin Forrest Harding, the Harding project focuses on US Army professional publications with the intent to renew and revive them. Keywords: Harding Project, professional discourse, US Army journals, writing, publishingE-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Download the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jun/12/2003484109/-1/-1/0/COS-43-GRIFFITHS_SUMMERLIN-TRANSCRIPT.PDFwritingpublishingprofessional discourseHarding ProjectUS Army journals

Lieutenant Colonel Zachary Griffiths and Sergeant First Class Leyton Summerlin of the Harding Project discuss military discourse and why it matters, the impact of professional writing, tips for aspiring writers, and more. Named after Major General Edwin Forrest Harding, the Harding project focuses on US Army professional publications with the intent to renew and revive them. Keywords: Harding Project, professional discourse, US Army journals, writing, publishingE-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Download the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jun/12/2003484109/-1/-1/0/COS-43-GRIFFITHS_SUMMERLIN-TRANSCRIPT.PDF

Contesting Paul Scharre’s influential vision of “centaur warfighting” and the idea that autonomous weapon systems will replace human warfighters, this podcast proposes that the manned-unmanned teams of the future are more likely to be minotaurs, teams of humans under the control, supervision, or command of artificial intelligence. It examines the likely composition of the future force and prompts a necessary conversation about the ethical issues raised by minotaur warfighting. The guests also explore culture and trust in relation to AI and the military.Keywords: manned-unmanned teaming, centaur warfighting, artificial intelligence, future force, ethics, trustDownload the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/May/30/2003475799/-1/-1/0/COS-41-LUSHENKO_SPARROW_HENSCHKE-PART-2-TRANSCRIPT.PDF

Contesting Paul Scharre’s influential vision of “centaur warfighting” and the idea that autonomous weapon systems will replace human warfighters, this podcast proposes that the manned-unmanned teams of the future are more likely to be minotaurs, teams of humans under the control, supervision, or command of artificial intelligence. It examines the likely composition of the future force and prompts a necessary conversation about the ethical issues raised by minotaur warfighting. The guests also explore culture and trust in relation to AI and the military. Keywords: manned-unmanned teaming, centaur warfighting, artificial intelligence, future force, ethics, trust E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Download the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/May/15/2003466223/-1/-1/0/COS-40-TRANSCRIPT-LUSHENKO_SPARROW_HENSCHKE.PDF

The likelihood China will attack Taiwan in the next decade is high and will continue to be so, unless Taipei and Washington take urgent steps to restore deterrence across the Taiwan Strait. This monograph introduces the concept of interlocking deterrents, explains why deterrents lose their potency with the passage of time, and provides concrete recommendations for how Taiwan, the United States, and other regional powers can develop multiple, interlocking deterrents that will ensure Taiwanese security in the short and longer terms. By joining deterrence theory with an empirical analysis of Taiwanese, Chinese, and US policies, the monograph provides US military and policy practitioners new insights into ways to deter the People’s Republic of China from invading Taiwan without relying exclusively on the threat of great-power war. In this episode, Dr. Jared M. McKinney, Dr. Peter Harris, Col. Rich D. Butler, and Josh Arostegui discuss Deterrence Gap: Avoiding War in the Taiwan Strait and the possible trajectories for China and Taiwan over the coming decades. Keywords: China, Taiwan, deterrence, One China, Chinese Communist Party, Silicon Shield, deterrence theory E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.

The likelihood China will attack Taiwan in the next decade is high and will continue to be so, unless Taipei and Washington take urgent steps to restore deterrence across the Taiwan Strait. This monograph introduces the concept of interlocking deterrents, explains why deterrents lose their potency with the passage of time, and provides concrete recommendations for how Taiwan, the United States, and other regional powers can develop multiple, interlocking deterrents that will ensure Taiwanese security in the short and longer terms. By joining deterrence theory with an empirical analysis of Taiwanese, Chinese, and US policies, the monograph provides US military and policy practitioners new insights into ways to deter the People’s Republic of China from invading Taiwan without relying exclusively on the threat of great-power war. In this episode, Dr. Jared M. McKinney, Dr. Peter Harris, Col. Rich D. Butler, and Josh Arostegui discuss Deterrence Gap: Avoiding War in the Taiwan Straight and the possible trajectories for China and Taiwan over the coming decades.Keywords: China, Taiwan, deterrence, One China, Chinese Communist Party, Silicon Shield, deterrence theoryE-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Download the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Apr/12/2003438389/-1/-1/0/COS-38-TRANSCRIPT-MCKINNEY_HARRIS_BUTLER_AROSTEGUI_PART%201.PDF

In this episode, Dr. Luke P. Bellocchi, Major Jamie Critelli, and Captain Gustavo Ferreira address strategic concerns the United States should consider when evaluating the current Asia-Pacific environment, including Taiwan’s potential food insecurity should China invade or blockade Taiwan, China’s supply of rare-earth elements and how a conflict with China might affect the US technology and defense sectors, and ramifications for the global economy if a Chinese blockade around Taiwan is successful.E-mail usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.Keywords: China, Taiwan, food insecurity, rare-earth elements, global economyDownload the transcript: https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jun/12/2003483834/-1/-1/1/COS-PODCAST-37-TRANSCRIPT-BELLOCCHI_CRITELLI_FERREIRA.PDF