Melanie and Zack are joined by the RAND Corporation’s Mike Mazarr for a discussion about Taiwan. They examine an article by Matt Turpin for the Aspen Institute and debate what is driving increased tensions, and why both the United States and China blame the other for changing the status quo. Melanie calls out onerous education requirements for daycare providers, Mike pleads for deeper discussion of first principles in national security, and Zack gives an attaboy to Bill Russell. Episode reading: https://warontherocks.com/2022/08/is-u-s-support-to-taiwan-substantive-or-symbolic

Chris, Zack, and Melanie sit down to talk about the NATO’s new 2022 Strategic Concept, the first update since 2010. A lot has changed since then. What does the new concept get right or wrong? What missions should NATO be focused on at this time? Is the United States a sucker for continuing to carry so much of the burden of European security, or is it in our interest to do so? Can we even have an honest debate about this? Zack turns his CHIPS Act grievance into congratulations, Chris hates politicians crafting legislation merely to score points against the other side while veterans in need of care suffer, and Melanie piles another complaint on the ACLU. For episode reading: https://warontherocks.com/2022/08/is-natos-vision-for-its-future-right

Melanie, Chris, and Zack debate the Quincy Institute’s new report on U.S. defense strategy in Asia. They applaud the report for presenting a detailed plan and for highlighting the areas of both agreement and disagreement among the authors. They question the political feasibility of the strategy and whether it is sufficient to address the challenges that China poses. Zack remembers Shinzo Abe for his vision, Chris criticizes Joe Biden for a fist-bump, and Melanie commends the Webb telescope’s incredible images. For episode reading, click here: https://warontherocks.com/2022/07/active-denial-or-in-denial

Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the economic measures taken by the United States and Europe to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, especially those pertaining to oil and natural gas. To what extent are these policies responsible for rising gasoline prices? Can other measures be taken to replace Russian oil on the global market? Or should Western governments also employ demand restrictions, including possibly compulsory measures to discourage or prevent energy usage? And what political price should democratically elected governments be willing to pay in order to affirm the moral and strategic imperative of defeating Russia’s aggression against Ukraine? Grievances for Columbia’s Jeffrey Sachs who claimed that COVID originated in a U.S. lab, for super-virtuous people who take to Twitter on the Fourth of July to talk about how horrible the United States is, and toward self-absorbed TikTokers known as “Gentleminions.” Attapeople to FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and to the Quincy Institute for a smart report on defending Asia, and an atta-thing for all the ways that computers make our lives better (until they kill us). Episode reading at: https://warontherocks.com/2022/07/an-energy-strategy-to-defeat-russia

Chris, Melanie, and Zack take a look at the Summit of the Americas, which was held in Los Angeles at the beginning of June. By all accounts, the summit was poorly organized, and attending leaders were unimpressed with the lack of consultation before the event and with the initiatives set forth by the United States during the conference. The heads-of-state of several countries, including Mexico and Guatemala, refused to attend in solidarity with Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, which were not invited because the U.S. government considers them to be led by autocratic regimes. Does the planning and execution of the summit tell us anything about the Biden administration’s foreign policy more broadly? What should our policies towards Central and South American countries be? What is the connection between the administration’s domestic and foreign policies? Are President Joe Biden and his team unwilling to make hard choices in foreign policy because the decisions will be unpopular with important domestic constituencies? Chris is appalled by the Texas GOP’s new platform, Zack is grateful that the COVID-19 vaccine for small children has finally been approved, and Melanie wishes Democrats would stop boosting “Stop the Steal” candidates across the country. Episode Reading: https://warontherocks.com/2022/06/is-bidens-approach-to-latin-america-a-problem

On the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Midway, the crew discussed the Pacific Islands. Beijing has sought, but thus far failed, to strike a deal with 10 of the islands. Meanwhile, U.S. leaders are promising to devote more time and attention to the region. What is at stake? Can U.S. leaders deliver on their promises to the region? Chris also calls out U.S. political leaders for lack of action to protect the American people against gun violence, Melanie recognizes Queen Elizabeth for her many decades of leadership, and Zack hopes for good news on COVID-19 vaccinations for kids under five. This episode's reading can be found here: https://warontherocks.com/2022/06/musings-on-competition-in-the-pacific

Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider Finland and Sweden’s applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Is a larger NATO necessarily a more effective alliance? And what are the practical implications of defending these two countries from an apparently revanchist Russia? What does this mean for the future of European strategic autonomy? And does this signal a hardening of the old Cold War lines of West versus East, or, in this case, all of Europe versus Russia? Atta-peoples go out to the fact checkers, Australia’s Labor Party, and Rep. Mike Gallagher for waging war on military acronyms. Gripes and grievances for baby formula shortages, the Biden administration’s stinginess toward Asian allies, and (lobbyist) Gil Garcetti. For episode reading, go to: https://warontherocks.com/2022/05/debating-sweden-and-finlands-entry-into-nato

Zack, Chris, and Melanie get together to discuss the latest Space Threat Assessment report from the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS. People all over the world are ever-more dependent on assets in space for normal activity in their daily lives, but there are few rules of the road in place to manage space behavior. Will it be possible to develop a system of cooperation that allows for freedom of movement in space but also protects the economic and national security of all countries? Should we be concerned about the rapid growth of private satellites and related equipment in space? Secretary of Defense Austin said that “Space is already an area of great power competition.” Given the interests of China, Russia, and the United States in space, are we heading into a space arms race? Chris has an attaboy for a thrilling victory at the Kentucky Derby, Zack remembers a friend who has departed too soon, and Melanie doubles down on America. Episode Reading: https://warontherocks.com/2022/05/out-of-this-world/

Melanie, Chris, and Zack debate the National Defense Strategy — at least the unclassified details that are currently available. Does the professed strategy align with the budget? What, if anything, appears to be new and different in the Biden team’s approach? And what does it say that strategy documents are being rewritten but budget decisions have already been made? Chris laments student loan forgiveness. Melanie thanks some departed leaders. And Zack congratulates academics heading into government service.

Chris and Zack are joined by special guest co-host, Emily Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The three review the Biden administration's latest responses to the crisis in Ukraine before turning to the issue of information security, both in the U.S. government and in the private sector. What information is, and should be, classified? And are we striking the right balance between keeping government secrets secret, and ensuring that private information about customers and users is well protected? Emily has a grievance about the apparent poisoning of Ukrainian peace negotiators and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, and the subsequent response by U.S. officials who seemed to cast doubt on the story. For the second show in a row, Zack has a grievance toward Chris, and Chris is cold and cranky because his March Madness bracket was busted after the first weekend. Attapeople to the U.S. intelligence community for strategically releasing information that reset the terms of the debate over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Emily gives a shout-out to working mother and Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson for being an inspiration to other working moms. And Chris praises his colleagues Emma Ashford and Kelly Grieco. For this episode's reading, check out: https://warontherocks.com/2022/03/keeping-the-right-secrets-secret