Horns of a Dilemma

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Brought to you by the Texas National Security Review, this podcast features lectures, interviews, and panel discussions at the University of Texas.

Texas National Security Network


    • May 13, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 277 EPISODES

    4.6 from 127 ratings Listeners of Horns of a Dilemma that love the show mention: like.


    Ivy Insights

    The Horns of a Dilemma podcast is an incredibly insightful and thought-provoking show that promises to deliver a wealth of wisdom and knowledge in the field of national security and policy. With its impressive lineup of guests, it is hard to imagine that future episodes won't continue to captivate listeners with their insightful discussions and expert perspectives. From the first two episodes alone, it is evident that this podcast is one not to be missed.

    One of the best aspects of The Horns of a Dilemma podcast is the caliber of guests that are featured on each episode. The show brings in former agency leaders and experts in the field, offering listeners a unique opportunity to gain insights into the world of public office and leadership. The discussions are deep and nuanced, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of complex issues in national security and policy. It's truly fascinating to hear firsthand accounts and personal experiences from individuals who have played pivotal roles in shaping these domains.

    Furthermore, The Horns of a Dilemma podcast stands out for its ability to tackle important topics with depth and clarity. The conversations are well-structured, allowing for a thorough exploration of key issues while still maintaining an engaging pace. Listeners can expect to gain valuable knowledge on various subjects related to national security and policy, making this podcast an excellent resource for those looking to expand their understanding in these areas.

    However, every podcast has its flaws, and The Horns of a Dilemma is no exception. One potential downside is that the discussions may occasionally become overly technical or jargon-heavy, which could pose a challenge for listeners who are not well-versed in the subject matter. While it's commendable that the show delves deeply into complex topics, it would be beneficial if there were occasional explanations or simplifications provided for those who may be less familiar with certain terms or concepts.

    In conclusion, The Horns of a Dilemma podcast is undeniably a must-listen for anyone interested in national security and policy. With its impressive roster of guests and thought-provoking discussions, this show is a treasure trove of insights and knowledge. While there may be occasional moments of technicality that could alienate some listeners, the overall value offered by this podcast far outweighs any minor drawbacks. I eagerly look forward to future episodes and anticipate that they will continue to be as insightful and engaging as the first two.



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    Latest episodes from Horns of a Dilemma

    Remembering Joseph Nye

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 46:21


    TNSR was saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Joseph Nye on May 6. He was a titan in the field of national security, a gifted professor, a dedicated servant of the people, and a great friend. In honor of his life's work, we are re-airing an episode of Horns of a Dilemma from last year when Frank Gavin, Chair of the TNSR editorial board, sat down with Nye to discuss his memoir and a range of other historical and contemporary topics.

    Dual Use Deception: How Technology Shapes Cooperation in International Relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 25:45


    In this special episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Rick Landgraf talks with Jane Vaynman and Tristan Volpe, co-authors of “Dual Use Deception: How Technology Shapes Cooperation in International Relations,” published in the journal International Organization. The study won IO's 2023 Robert O. Keohane Award for best research article published by an untenured scholar.

    Machine Failing: The Linkage Between Software Development Flaws and Military Accidents

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 27:04


    Rick Landgraf talks with Jeffrey Ding, author of "Machine Failing: How Systems Acquisition and Software Development Flaws Contribute to Military Accidents," featured in Volume 8, Issue 1 of the Texas National Security Review. They discuss how flaws in the U.S. military's systems acquisitions process can lead to accidents.

    Davy Crockett and the Boy Scouts: The Korean War and Mismanaging Protracted Conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 26:18


    Rick Landgraf talks with Andrew Forney, author of "Davy Crockett and the Boy Scouts: The Korean War and Mismanaging Protracted Conflict," featured in Volume 8, Issue 1 of the Texas National Security Review. They discuss how a series of strategic force management decisions undermined the ability of the United States to militarily coerce China and North Korea.

    Soviet-India Relations: Cold War Contest and Cooperation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 23:40


    Kerry Anderson talks with Gokul Sahni, author of "The Main Drivers of Soviet Foreign Policy Towards India, 1955–1991," published in Volume 8, Issue 1 of the Texas National Security Review. They discuss the historical evolution of Soviet-India relations and what lessons it might provide for current geopolitics.

    Australian and New Zealand Views on the U.S. Relationship

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 24:09


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Charles Edel about reactions to Trump's election in Australia and New Zealand and the future of the Indo-Pacific region.

    The War of Words Between FDR and Charles Lindbergh

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 33:08


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Paul Sparrow about his book, "Awakening the Spirit of America: FDR's War of Words with Charles Lindbergh and the Battle to Save Democracy."

    Hunting for Submarines in the Warming Ocean

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2024 24:53


    TNSR Managing Editor Rick Landgraf sits down with Mauro Gilli to discuss the effect of climate change on the detection range of submarines.

    Drones, AI, and the Changing Nature of Warfare

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 31:18


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Stacie Pettyjohn about the roles of uncrewed systems and artificial intelligence in shaping the future of war.

    How China Uses Economic Sanctions

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 30:18


    Kerry Anderson, TNSR Production Editor, talks with Ketian Zhang about her article for TNSR, "Just Do It: Explaining the Characteristics and Rationale of Chinese Economic Sanctions." Zhang, an assistant professor of international security in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, highlights that China imposes sanctions differently than Western states tend to do, including taking a more ambiguous approach.

    Access Denied? Non-Aligned State Decisions to Grant Access During War

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 22:13


    Access decisions play a crucial role in large-scale conflicts and yet the decision-making process of potential host nations has largely been unexplored. Rick talks with TNSR author Emily Ellinger about how leaders consider regime survival, economic repercussions, and potential retaliation when making access decisions.

    The Political Thought of Xi Jinping

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 37:09


    On Sept. 19, Dr. Olivia Cheung, Research Fellow at the China Institute at SOAS University of London, spoke about her book, The Political Thought of Xi Jinping, co-authored with Steve Tsang.

    Combatant Command and the Intersection of Policy and Military Execution

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 58:23


    On Sept. 17, at the University of Texas at Austin, General (Ret.) Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr. spoke about his book, “The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century.” This discussion, moderated by Joseph Maguire, covers Gen. McKenzie's military career, with a particular focus on his time as commander of U.S. Central Command – which included the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

    Russia, Central Asia, and the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 21:27


    TNSR Managing Editor Rick Landgraf talks with Charles Ziegler about his latest article, Filling the Void Left by Great-Power Retrenchment: Russia, Central Asia, and the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Charles and Rick discuss how the Central Asian countries have reacted to the withdrawal, how Russia has tried to reassert itself in the region, and why China might eventually supplant Russia as the regional hegemon.

    Wisdom for a World in Turmoil

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 49:41


    Robert D. Kaplan spoke at the University of Texas at Austin, where he discussed how our leaders can come to grips with a world seemingly in disarray.

    Placing Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait in the Context of the End of the Cold War

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 41:49


    TNSR Production Editor Kerry Anderson talks with historian Daniel Chardell about his article The Origins of the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait Reconsidered, published in Volume 6, Issue 3 of TNSR. Daniel and Kerry discuss Saddam Hussein's understanding of the shifts in power that followed the Soviet Union's collapse, how U.S. and Iraqi leaders perceived each other, Saddam's concerns about Israel, and historians' use of Iraqi archives.

    Sport and War: Martin Pengelly on his book "Brotherhood"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 31:51


    Marshall Kosloff talks with journalist Martin Pengelly about his book, "Brotherhood: When West Point Rugby Went to War." They discuss rugby and Pengelly's story about members of a West Point rugby team in the aftermath of 9/11.

    The Debate Over Why the United States Invaded Iraq in 2003

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 28:25


    In this episode, TNSR Production Editor Kerry Anderson sits down with Joseph Stieb to discuss his article from Volume 6, Issue 3 of TNSR: "Why Did the United States Invade Iraq? The Debate at 20 Years."

    Great-Power Expectations in Europe

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 27:35


    Jim Goldgeier and Marshall Kosloff discuss the post-Cold War era, NATO expansion, great-power expectations, and the future of the U.S. role in Europe.

    Estimating China's Defense Spending: How to Get It Wrong (and Right)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2024 43:05


    China's defense spending is difficult to quantify because many assessments make methodological errors that result in inflated figures. Taylor Fravel, George Gilboy, and Eric Heginbotham explain these flaws and offer a novel method for a more accurate assessment. Their article was published in the summer 2024 issue of TNSR.

    History and Perspective in Statecraft and War

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 29:37


    At the Clements Center for National Security's Summer Seminar in History and Statecraft, Susan Colbourn and Simon Miles discussed how different concepts of history have shaped the war in Ukraine and how students of international affairs should challenge their assumptions and embrace uncertainty.

    Introducing our new editor-in-chief, Sheena Chestnut Greitens

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 34:06


    In this episode, TNSR publisher Ryan Evans spoke with the journal's new editor-in-chief, Prof. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, an award-winning scholar and associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs. They spoke about why she became a scholar, her research, the intellectual challenges of the competition with China, and her vision for taking TNSR to the next level.

    Mitigating Risks in a Volatile World: A Conversation with Philip Zelikow

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 38:48


    Ryan Evans talks with Philip Zelikow about his recent article for TNSR, "Confronting Another Axis? History, Humility, and Wishful Thinking." Their wide-ranging and insightful conversation covers everything from Zelikow's career as a high-level foreign policy practitioner and as an historian, his experience directing the 9/11 Commission, his argument that we are in an exceptionally volatile time in global politics, and more.

    Why the United States Failed to Retrench from Europe during the Early Cold War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2024 25:08


    Rick talks with TNSR author Joshua Byun about how American attempts to leave Europe during the first decade of the Cold War were thwarted by European concerns that German rearmament would trigger a Soviet attack.    

    Salami Tactics in the Shadow of Major War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 27:26


    Rick sits down with Richard Maass, the author of "Salami Tactics: Faits Accomplis and International Expansion in the Shadow of Major War," to discuss how powerful countries can use repetitive, limited acts of aggression to expand influence while avoiding potential escalation.

    Joseph Nye on Scholarship and Practice in International Relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 45:22


    Frank Gavin, chair of TNSR's editorial board, talks with Joseph Nye about his new memoir, "A Life in the American Century." This fascinating conversation covers a range of issues, including lessons from Nye's extensive experience as an influential analyst, policymaker, and scholar.

    The Difficult Balance of Constitutional Statesmanship During Times of War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 32:05


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Luke Schumacher about his recent article in TNSR, "Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II, and the Reality of Constitutional Statesmanship."

    The Pivot to Asia Remains Incomplete

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2024 45:55


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Ambassador Robert Blackwill and Richard Fontaine about their new book, "Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power."

    Sweden, Finland, and the Meaning of Alliance Membership

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024 27:45


    Ahead of the NATO Summit in Washington in July, Rick sits down with Katherine Elgin and Alexander Lanoszka to discuss what alliance membership means for Sweden and Finland.

    From Panic to Policy: The Limits of Foreign Propaganda and the Foundations of an Effective Response

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 28:19


    Gavin Wilde joined TNSR managing editor Rick Landgraf to discuss Gavin's recent article about the effects of foreign propaganda on U.S. domestic politics. They discuss how the fear that hostile foreign powers could subvert democracy by spreading misinformation may be exaggerated, as the relationship between people's beliefs and attitudes and their media consumption remains unclear. Policy interventions should therefore avoid needlessly intervening, lest they inadvertently imitate the authoritarian states they seek to combat.

    Why the Humanities Still Matter in Higher Education

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 28:55


    Marshall Kosloff talks with Editorial Board Chair Frank Gavin about his essay in TNSR, "Cracks in the Ivory Tower?" They discuss why universities need to consider the purpose of higher education and the ongoing importance of the humanities, including when studying international security issues.

    The Evolution of China's Navy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2024 41:45


    The Clements-Strauss Asia Policy Program hosted Xiaobing Li, professor of history and the Don Betz endowed chair in international studies at the University of Central Oklahoma, for a book talk on China's New Navy: The Evolution of PLAN from the People's Revolution to a 21st Century Cold War.

    The Multiple Collisions Involved in the War in Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 31:40


    The Clements Center for National Security, the Center for European Studies and the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies hosted Michael Kimmage, Professor of History at Catholic University, for a book talk on his upcoming release Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability.

    Leadership Lessons From Our Top Presidents

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2024 37:53


    The Clements Center for National Security, the LBJ Presidential Library and the UT-Austin History Department hosted Talmage Boston, historian and partner at the Dallas law firm Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, for a book talk on How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons From Our Top Presidents.

    South Korea's Grand Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 35:37


    On Wednesday, April 10, the Clements-Strauss Asia Policy Program hosted Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Professor of International Relations at King's College London and the KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance of Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Pardo discussed his book, South Korea's Grand Strategy: Making Its Own Destiny.

    Fighting in Iraq's Triangle of Death

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 40:40


    On Tuesday, March 26, the Clements Center for National Security, the Army ROTC and the UT-Austin History Department hosted Kelly Eads and Dan Morgan for a book talk on their recent release: Black Hearts and Painted Guns: A Battalion's Journey into Iraq's Triangle of Death.

    Understanding the Defense Department's Industrial Base Problems

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2024 45:37


    Marshall Kosloff, the Clements Center National Security media and journalism fellow, moderated a discussion with Jeff Decker, the managing director of Tech Transfer for Defense at Stanford University's Doerr School of Sustainability, and Noah Sheinbaum, the founder of Frontdoor Defense, about their recent article, "Shining a Light on the Defense Department's Industrial Base Problems."

    George Shultz and the End of the Cold War

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 37:11


    Philip Taubman, a lecturer at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation, discussed his latest book, In the Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz. The conversation touched on the legacy of Secretary Shultz, his approach to the Soviet Union, and is filled with anecdotes from Philip's time in Moscow at the end of the Cold War.

    AI and Making the Supply Chain More Robust

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 30:28


    Dr. Meg Reiss, the founder and CEO of of SolidIntel Inc., sat down with Marshal Kosloff, the national security media and journalism fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, to discuss supply chain risks and how the risks could be mitigated with investments in new technology. The conversation explored the upstream challenges, how to manage China's role in supply chains, and how to minimize risk factors for industry.

    America's Effort to Shield Itself

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024 44:53


    Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Government, spoke about the history of isolationism in the United States, its role in the formulation of American foreign policy, and how the idea is now resurgent in U.S. domestic politics. The conversation is based on Charlie's most recent book, Isolationism: A History of America's Efforts to Shield Itself from the World.

    The United States and Afghanistan Before the Soviet Invasion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2024 42:59


    In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Aaron O'Connell, associate professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin and director of research for the Clements Center for National Security, hosts a discussion with Rob Rakove,  a lecturer in Stanford University's Program in International Relations. They discuss Rakove's new book, Days of Opportunity: The United States and Afghanistan Before the Soviet Invasion.

    European Security and the Russo-Ukrainian War

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2024 41:31


    Paul Edgar, the associate director of the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security, moderated a discussion with Amb. Kurt Volker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO from 2008-2009, and Gen. Tod Wolters, the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, about the state of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the future of European security, and the impact of the conflict on global security. The conversation explored the evolution of President Putin's approach to relations with the West, the changes in Russian foreign policy, and what this may portend for regional security in the future.

    Foreign Policy In the Johnson Years

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2024 61:40


    Marc Selverstone, the director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, co-chair of the Center's Presidential Recordings Program, and professor of presidential studies, moderated a discussion with Francis Gavin, the Giovanni Agnelli distinguised professor and director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University; Sheyda Jahanbani, an associate professor at the University of Kansas; and Fredrik Logevall, the Laurence D. Belfer professor of international affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a professor of history at Harvard University. The conversation focused on President Lyndon Johnson's foreign policy and the recent book, LBJ's America: The Life and Legacies of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

    China's Digital Data Trafficking

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2024 31:09


    Aynne Kokas, the C.K. Yen Professor at the Miller Center and an associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia, spoke about her book Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty. Kokas explained how the asymmetry in digital regulations between the United States and China, along with practices of private industry, have helped empower Beijing's broader effort to control digital data.

    Government Historians and Engagement with Classified Information

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2024 36:01


    Carter Burwell, a Public Interest Declassification Board board member, moderated a discussion with Erin Mahan, Chief Historian at the Office of the Secretary of Defense; Adam Howard, the director of the Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State; and John Fox, a historian at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The conversation discussed the role of historians and archivists inside the U.S. government, the role that historians play in preserving institutional knowledge, and how that role intersects with classification/declassification issues.

    The Media, Secrecy and Transparency

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2023 46:11


    Ben Powell, a Public Interest Declassification Board board member, moderated a discussion with Adam Goldman, a reporter at the New York Times; Nomaan Merchant, a reporter at the Associated Press; Dustin Volz, a reporter with the Wall Street Journal; and Josh Gerstein, a journalist with Politico. The conversation talked about the role of the media in holding government accountable, the use of the Freedom of Information Act, and how the classification issue impacts the media business and the job of reporting. 

    A Conversation with Sen. John Cornyn

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2023 33:02


    Dr. Will Inboden sat down with Sen. John Cornyn to discuss the issues of declassification and transparency, along with the ongoing debate about the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The two also discussed the role of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Congressional oversight, and how Section 702's renewal is important for U.S. national security  

    The Future of Presidential Libraries

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2023 38:21


    Paul Noel Chretien, a Public Interest Declassification Board Board Member and retired Central Intelligence Agency Officer, moderated a discussion with Tim Naftali, a clinical associate professor of History and Public Policy at New York University; Matthew Connelly, a professor of History at Columbia University; Warren Finch, the former director of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library; and Mark Lawrence, the director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. The conversation explored the role of presidential libraries, the issues they face, and the future of these institutions.

    Using Technology to Solve the Declassification Problem

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 45:43


    Adam Klein moderated a panel with Jared Abrams, a research associate at Applied Research Laboratories; Ivan Lee, the founder & CEO of Datasaur.ai; Alex Joel, a senior project director and adjunct professor at Washington College of Law, American University; and Ezra Cohen, the former chair of Public Interest Declassification Board and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. The conversation touched on the role of technology in helping to manage classified material and the declassification process, along with how technology has increased the amount of classified material. The panel also discussed how AI could help scholars with research. This conversation was part of a multi-panel event on classification and U.S. democracy.

    Classification and Scholarship

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2023 46:01


    Aaron O'Connell, the director of research at the Clements Center for National Security, moderated a panel with Jim Goldgeier, a visiting scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation; Deborah Pearlstein, co-director of the Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy; Jeremi Suri, the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at UT Austin; and Sheena Greitens, the founding director of the Asia Policy Program at the University of Texas at Austin. The conversation focused on the classification process, scholarship, the need for more transparency, and why it matters for the writing of history. This was the first of a three panels exploring the topic of classification and democracy.  

    Counter-Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 38:11


    Christy Abizaid, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, spoke about the duties of the center, terrorist threats to the United States and the role of counter-terrorism during an era of strategic competition. She also participated in a moderated question and answer session with Mark Pomar, discussing U.S. foreign policy, the counter-terrorism mission, and what it is like to work with in the intelligence community.  

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