RealClear Defense presents Hot Wash

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Roger Pielke Jr., a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about his article detailing how Al Gore's seminal 2006 book and film on climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth,” helped politicize science. In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss Paul Sperry's article for RCI on newly declassified documents showing how a top government official fast-tracked a politically compromised whistleblower complaint in 2019 that ultimately triggered the first impeachment of President Trump. They also discuss the sexual accusation that forced Rep. Eric Swalwell to resign from Congress – and why this evidently widely-known questions about his conduct had not been reported until now.  00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 01:00 Impeachment Insights and Partisan Politics 07:05 The Eric Swalwell Controversy 16:05 Legacy of Al Gore's Climate Advocacy 17:01 The Evolution of Climate Change Discourse 22:08 Current Understanding of Climate Science 28:00 Global Perspectives on Climate Change 29:14 Decarbonization and Energy Sources 31:28 The Politicization of Science 38:35 Millenarianism in Climate Science 42:47 Finding Common Ground in Climate Policy 46:38 The Impact of COVID on Public Trust 50:39 The Future of Academia and Climate PolicyArticles Discussed in This Podcast: Roger Pielke Jr.: The Legacy of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" 20 Years Later Paul Sperry, CI: BREAKING: Newly Declassified Docs Reveal Bias of Impeachment 'Whistleblower' Paul Sperry, RCI: The Beltway's 'Whistleblower' Furor Obsesses Over One Name Washington Post: How Eric Swalwell Rose Despite Disturbing Reputation  American Prospect: Eric Swalwell and the Death of Accountability   Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Jan Jekielek, a senior editor at The Epoch Times, about his bestselling new book, “Killed To Order: China's Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America's Biggest Adversary". On the news roundup, Zane and Varney discuss a CBS News investigation of potential hospice care fraud in California, a Wired article on how a top ranking DOJ official misled a judge regarding voter rolls, a New York Times story reporting that federal prosecutors failed to watch the video connected to a high-profile shooting in Minneapolis before charging the wounded man, and Roger Pielke Jr. Substack piece on the legacy of Al Gore's influential 2006 book (and film) on climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth.” Articles & Books Discussed in this Episode Jan Jekielek Book Excerpt: Killed To Order: China's Organ Harvesting Industry and the True Nature of America's Biggest Adversary CBS News: The Most Connected Hospice Doctor in California Wired: DOJ Misled Judge About How It's Using Voter Roll Data   New York Times: Video of Minneapolis Shooting Undermines ICE Account https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-video.html Roger Piekle Jr. Substack: The Legacy of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" 20 Years Laterhttps://rogerpielkejr.substack.com/p/the-legacy-of-al-gores-an-inconvenient Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Walter Curt – a podcaster and investigative journalist who operates The W.C. Dispatch - about how the Trump administration's push to open source some government payment systems and the rise of artificial intelligence are empowering citizen sleuths to track down fraud, waste and abuse. In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss Peter Schweizer's reporting from his new book, “The Invisible Coup,” about how China is exploiting America's tradition of granting birthright citizenship, recent articles in the Washington Post, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal that indicate the legacy media is finally acknowledging some successes in the Iran War, and a ProPublica story and how Trump's pardons of convicted swindlers throws into question his commitment to combatting fraud. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/4Xh9mvq32D0 Articles discussed in this podcast: The W.C. Dispatch, https://wcdispatch.com/ Peter Schweizer: The Invisible Couphttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/31/book_excerpt_-_the_invisible_coup_how_american_elites_and_foreign_powers_use_immigration_as_a_weapon_1173586.html Washington Post: Iran's Missile Infrastructure Severely Strainedhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/2026/03/30/irans_missile_infrastructure_severely_strained_1173364.html New York Times: Iran's Fractured Leadership Is Struggling to Coordinatehttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/30/us/politics/iran-leaders-trump-war.html Wall Street Journal: Trump's Foreign Policy Targets Rusia's Allieshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/why-russia-is-stepping-up-its-support-for-an-embattled-iran/ar-AA1ZFsGW?ocid=BingNewsSerp ProPublica: Trump's War On Fraud Doesn't Include Swindlers He's Pardonedhttps://www.propublica.org/article/joseph-schwartz-trump-pardon-skyline-nursing-home-patients   Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Jacob Siegel about his masterful new book, “The Information State: Politics in the Age of Total Control,” which details how technology and progressivism have helped give rise to mass censorship, surveillance and propaganda. In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss a California Post article on the ongoing epidemic of sexual abuse at public schools, pieces in Reason and the Daily Caller that look at how government subsidies and illegal immigration are beleaguering the trucking industry and making America's roads less safe, and a Politico story on Russia's efforts to make sure its soldiers and citizen can only communicate through government-controlled channels. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/Tgvz63kdZiw | Articles discussed in this podcast: California Post: California School District Allegedly Buried Teacher Sex Abusehttps://nypost.com/2026/03/20/us-news/el-monte-school-district-buried-teacher-sex-abuse-reports-probe/   Reason: The Truth About the Supposed Truck Driver Shortagehttps://reason.com/2026/03/24/welfare-on-wheels/   Daily Caller: The 'Mess' Lying Under Hood of the Illegal Trucker Crisishttps://dailycaller.com/2026/03/26/exclusive-derek-barrs-fmcsa-illegal-trucking-crisis/   Politico: The Race To Cut Off Russia From the Global Internethttps://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/14/russias-self-inflicted-communication-crisis-00827197   Jacob Siegel: Book Excerpt: The Information State - Politics in the Age of Total Controlhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/27/book_excerpt_the_information_state_-_politics_in_the_age_of_total_control_1172464.html Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Nancy Rommelmann about her recent RCI article about a man who became a MeToo scapegoat thanks to the New York Times. On the News Roundup, Zane and Varney discuss Paul Sperry's RCI exclusive report detailing new evidence of bias and misconduct in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of President Trump. They also dig into a Semafor piece on Trump's penchant for answering his own phone, Fox News' report on Swedish parents who lost their child because they were too Christian and a New York Times story reporting that the revered civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez, allegedly molested and raped girls as young as 12. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/odoRXB4Ittc Articles and Documentaries Discussed in this Episode: RCI/Nancy Rommelmann: The Scapegoat: How One Man's Career Was Ended by MeToohttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/17/the_scapegoat_how_one_mans_career_was_ended_by_metoo_1170856.html   RCI/Paul Sperry: FBI Misled Court To Spy on Second Trump Campaign Adviserhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/20/fbi_misled_court_to_spy_on_second_trump_campaign_adviser_1171646.html   Semafor: Why (and How) Everyone's Cold-Calling the President https://www.semafor.com/article/03/15/2026/why-and-how-everyone-is-cold-calling-the-president   Fox News: Swedish Parents Lose Child for Being Too Christianhttps://www.foxnews.com/media/christian-parents-lose-final-appeal-after-swedish-state-took-daughters-following-false-abuse-claim   New York Times: Cesar Chavez Accused of Abusing Girlshttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/us/cesar-chavez-sexual-abuse-allegations-ufw.html Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney use the new Netflix documentary “Cover-Up,” on investigative reporting legend Seymour Hersh as a springboard for a wide-ranging discussion with RCI contributor Aaron Maté about the decline of skepticism and rise of propaganda in the legacy media. On this week's News Roundup, Zane and Varney discuss a Washington Post article about Trump's effort to remake the federal bureaucracy by firing and then hiring workers; two Wall Street Journal investigations of Medicaid and Medicare that suggest that in addition to fraud, waste and abuse, a near criminal lack of oversight costs taxpayers billions and a City Journal article on the politicization of sports reporting. YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/-ZyNWgiL4z4 00:00 Intro 00:31 News Roundup: Trump Administration's Impact on Federal Workforce 05:29 Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Government 10:02 Politicization of Sports Writing 16:16 Interview with Aaron Mate on Netflix Seymour Hersh Documentary “Cover-Up” 29:04 Russiagate and Media Accountability 50:15 Conclusion and Upcoming Work Articles and Documentaries Discussed in this Episode: Washington Post: After Firing, Trump Admin Now Hiring https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/after-slashing-federal-jobs-trump-administration-ramps-up-hiring/ar-AA1XOlP3?ocid=BingNewsSerp Wall Street Journal: Seniors Pay for Medicare Overpaymentshttps://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/seniors-paid-billions-in-extra-premiums-due-to-alleged-medicare-overpayments-d41f5d79?mod=RSSMSN Wall Street Journal: Autism Therapy Is Medicaid's Fastest-Growing Jackpothttps://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/the-boom-in-autism-therapy-is-medicaid-s-fastest-growing-jackpot/ar-AA1XWJa7?ocid=BingNewsSerp City Journal: How Sports Journalism Lurched Leftwardhttps://www.city-journal.org/article/sports-journalism-writers-media-politics Seymour Hersh Trailer: “Cover-Up”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CxEnECKs9U&t=3s Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with RCI contributor John Murawski about his article detailing the backlash against policies adopted by thousands of public schools that aim to conceal the gender identity of trans students from their parents.   In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss an NBC News report about Iran's reliance on cheap and simple to make drones, a CNN article on the high-tech wizardry Israel has deployed to track and kill Iranian scientists and leaders, a Tablet piece reporting that China may not be as strong as commonly portrayed and an Atlantic report that Cuba may be Trump's next target. They also discuss Ana Kasparian's recent article for RCI about chronic fraud and mismanagement in California's Medi-Cal system and the “billionaire's tax” leaders are pitching to fund but not reform the $200 billion system. Chapters 00:00 Intro: News Roundup with Peder Zane and James Varney 01:00 Global Military Dynamics and Drone Warfare 06:15 China's Influence and Economic Challenges 08:11 Cuba's Political Landscape and U.S. Relations 11:30 California's Medi-Cal System and Government Fraud 15:12 Interview with John Murawski 16:30 Backlash Against School Policies on Gender Identity 19:00 Legal Challenges and Parental Rights in Education 23:48 Cultural Shifts and the Role of Parents 31:19 The Impact of Social Media on Gender Identity 37:18 The Cultural Revolution and Identity PoliticsYOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/P3aFw3rjT6U Articles mentioned in this Podcast: John Murawski/RCI: Transparency: Suing Schools That Hide Trans Kids' Identities From Parentshttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/05/transparency_suing_schools_that_hide_trans_kids_identities_from_parents_1168501.html Ana Kasparian/RCI: Can Billionaire Tax Cure California's Healthcare Woes? https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/03/03/can_billionaire_tax_cure_californias_healthcare_woes_1167959.html NBC News: Cheap, Effective and Battle-Tested by Russia: Iran Leans on Shahed Drones to Penetrate U.S. Defenseshttps://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/shahed-drones-iran-us-war-ukraine-russia-rcna261285 CNN: Hacked Traffic Cameras and US Intelligence: How a Plot To Kill Iran's Supreme Leader Came Togetherhttps://archive.is/NnZiX#selection-3417.13-3429.11 Tablet: Paper Dragon: Behind the Chinese illusion of strengthhttps://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/paper-dragon-china Atlantic: Cuba Is Nexthttps://archive.is/g0qSn Subscribe to RCI's and other RealClear Newsletters here.https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/daily_newsletters/ Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Jeremy Portnoy, a researcher for OpentheBooks.com who writes RCI's Waste of the Day feature, about rampant fraud, waste and abuse in government spending. In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss the Daily Caller's report on Chinese researchers working on US defense projects, the Daily Mail's article on a Chinese spy's effort to recruit American figure skater Alysa Liu and the New York Times piece on Russia's campaign to create mayhem across Europe.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/UbbcWrjKLYA 0:00 Intro 01:33 Daily Caller: US Funded Defense Projects Riddled with Chinese Researchers 05:15 Daily Mail: Chinese Spies Tried to Turn Skater Aylsa Liu 07:04 New York Times: Ex-Cabbie Driving Russia's Shadow War 10:30 RealClearInvestigations: Bad Bets: Massive EV Subsidies Not Paying Off  13:18 Jeremy Portnoy, OpentheBooks.com, RCI's Waste of the Day feature Articles mentioned in this Podcast: RealClearInvestigations: Bad Bets: Massive EV Subsidies Not Paying Off https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/26/bad_bets_federal_and_state_ev_subsidies_are_not_paying_off_1167122.html Daily Caller: US Funded Defense Projects Riddled with Chinese Researchers https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/23/exclusive-us-intel-defense-grants-chinese-researchers/ Daily Mail: Chinese Spies Tried to Turn Skater Aylsa Liu https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/winterolympics/article-15591857/olympics-alysa-liu-father-china-spy-truth.html New York Times: Ex-Cabbie Driving Russia's Shadow War https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/22/world/europe/russia-sabotage-europe.html RealClearInvestigations: Waste of the Day Archive https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/stream/?topic=waste_of_the_day Subscribe to RCI's and other RealClear Newsletters here.https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/daily_newsletters/ Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/2YcAFTe3L_A Articles discussed in this podcast: Paul D. Thacker for RCI: Deporting Censorship: US Targets UKhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/18/deporting_censorship_us_targets_key_ally_of_british_government_over_free_speech_1165667.html New York Times: Obama Took On Recession, Health Care and Iraq. What He Didn't See Coming Was Trumphttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/politics/obama-trump-oral-history.html RCI: Obama's Fingerprints All Over Investigations of Trump And Clinton | RealClearInvestigationshttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/01/22/obamas_fingerprints_all_over_investigations_of_trump_and_clinton_1160121.html Reason: Report: The FBI bent its own rules to spy on 1,100 'sensitive' targetshttps://reason.com/2026/02/16/the-fbi-bent-its-own-rules-to-spy-on-1100-sensitive-targets/ Guardian: No water or electricity, and children begging in streets filled with rubbish – but this is why I won't leave Cuba | Cuba | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/13/no-water-or-electricity-and-children-begging-in-streets-filled-with-rubbish-but-this-is-why-i-wont-leave-cuba Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/W939iZBA-VU RealClearInvestigations: Caring for Mom Is an Education in Scams and Fraudhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/10/caring_for_mom_is_an_education_in_scams_and_fraud_1163842.html Wall Street Journal: Trump Admin Nepo Babies Love Their Crypto https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/one-generation-runs-the-country-the-next-cashed-in-on-crypto/ar-AA1VTTn1?ocid=BingNewsSerp New York Times: Ghislaine Maxwell's Key Role in the Clinton Global Initiative https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/us/politics/epstein-clintons-maxwell.html New York Magazine: YouTubers Weaponized FOIA to Embarrass Young Womenhttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/body-cam-youtube-foia-abuse.html Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

YOUTUBE:  https://youtu.be/j5MoleO39Kw Read the articles discussed in this episode: Mark Hemingway article for RealClearInvestigations: Model City: Portland's Journey From Symbol of Chic to Shabby | RealClearInvestigationshttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/05/model_city_portlands_journey_from_symbol_of_chic_to_shabby_1162950.html Washington Free Beacon: Democrat Stacey Plaskett Called Epstein Her Friend, Gave Disgraced Pedophile Exclusive Information About Her Legislative Workhttps://freebeacon.com/democrats/democrat-stacey-plaskett-called-epstein-her-friend-gave-disgraced-pedophile-exclusive-information-about-her-legislative-work-text-messages/ RealClearInvestigations: Paradise Lost: Jeffrey Epstein's Legacy Still Clouds the U.S. Virgin Islandshttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/05/21/paradise_lost_jeffrey_epsteins_legacy_still_clouds_the_us_virgin_islands_1111523.html RealClearInvestigations: Power On: What PA's Battle Over Climate Change Can Teach the Nationhttps://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/03/power_on_what_pas_battle_over_climate_change_can_teach_the_nation_1162501.html Washington Post: Homeland Security Targeting Americans with Secretive Legal Weaponhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/homeland-security-is-targeting-americans-with-this-secretive-legal-weapon/ar-AA1VyFoP?ocid=BingNewsSerp Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

For more, check out: https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/01/07/one_fell_swoop_lawsuit_eyes_death_blow_to_racial_preferences_1157201.html YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/XSAaTiGdHPI Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter. Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube ChannelContact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com

January 30, 2026—On this week's episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting. 00:00 Zane and Varney discuss articles that report on President Obama's efforts to protect Hillary Clinton from legal problems while advancing the Russiagate hoax against Donald Trump; the rising death toll in Russia's war against Ukraine and how anti-ICE protestors are using sophisticated communication techniques to organize their resistance. 19:19 RCI Editor J. Peder Zane speaks with RCI Senior Contributor Ben Weingarten about the DOJ's efforts to redirect the FACE Act, a law used primarily against pro-life demonstrators, against anti-ICE protestors in Minneapolis. Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter.  Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube Channel Contact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com 

On the first episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Ryan Thorpe of the Manhattan Institute, who helped uncover massive Somali fraud in Minnesota's social welfare programs. In our round-up of the week's best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss articles that report on the aggressive resistance percolating in Minneapolis, China's growing dominance of global technology and the communist nation may be exploiting America's tradition of birthright citizenship to subvert democracy. 00:00 RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss the stories of the week. 11:55 RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with Ryan Thorpe of the Manhattan Institute. Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter.  Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube Channel Contact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com 

Welcome to the new RealClearInvestigations Podcast on this feed! Each week J. Peder Zane, Editor of RealClearInvestigations, and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney discuss the week's best investigative reporting and speak with journalists about cracking challenging stories. Whether it's culture, politics, or the markets, RealClearIInvestigations should be your source for in-depth reporting from a wide range of perspectives. From the publishers of RealClearPolitics.com. Sign up for the RealClearInvestigations Newsletter.  Watch each episode on the RealClearPolitics YouTube Channel Contact us with your thoughts and feedback: jpederzane@realclearinvestigations.com 

In August of this year, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced the “Replicator Initiative” a new program to field thousands of less costly autonomous weapon systems. Aimed directly at offsetting China's growing advantages in the Pacific, the ambitious program is set to deliver all within the next 18-24 months. Replicator is part of a growing concern that, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Charles Q. Brown framed the issue while still Chief of the Air Force, the Pentagon must, "Accelerate, change or lose."But is the defense industry able to deliver on that promise? With new defense programs taking sometimes a decade or more to reach the battlefield, what is needed to transform the way the pentagon develops new technology? Can it keep up with the accelerating pace of change especially drones and AI?To answer these questions and more, host John Sorensen speaks with:Mike Brown who served as the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit at the Department of Defense. He also led the DoD-sponsored investment group, National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) to fund dual-use technology companies. Prior to working in government, Brown served as the CEO of Symantec, Quantum, and Chairman of EqualLogic. He is currently a partner at the dual-use venture capital firm, Shield Capital and a visiting scholar at Stanford University.Retired Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, who until this year was the Navy's Chief of Naval Research. He has also served as a submarine officer, in acquisitions, as a nuclear engineer, and as Deputy Director in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, for the House.And Steve Blank, adjunct professor at Stanford and a co-founder of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. He is an entrepreneur and founder of multiple startups in Silicon Valley, the author of “The Four Steps to the Epiphany” credited with launching the Lean Startup movement, and most recently, “The Startup Owner's Manual.”"Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.  

On today's episode we return to an interview with Jonathan Schanzer, Senior Vice President for Research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and the author of “Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War”. Host John Sorensen and RealClearDefense editor David Craig spoke with Schanzer in November of 2021 about an attack from earlier that year when Hamas launched more than four thousand rockets and mortars toward Israel killing 12 and injuring more than 100. Retaliatory Israeli air strikes resulted in the deaths of more than 200, including at least 129 civilians, and nearly 2000 injured, according to the United Nations. Schanzer details how the media covered the 2021 conflict, Iran's critical support for Hamas, and what Hamas' strategy in Gaza means for the region.

As China's military capabilities grow, discussions about the US posture in the Pacific often return to the question how large a force does the US need to deter or possibly confront the Chinese Navy? If China were to launch an attack on Taiwan, how do the US and Chinese navies match up?To find out, “Hot Wash” host John Sorensen speaks with Tom Shugart an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security. During his twenty-five years in the US Navy, Shugart served as a submarine warfare officer on both fast attack and ballistic missile submarines, including as commander of the attack submarine USS Olympia from 2013 to 2016. He also served on the Joint Staff as the principal officer responsible for nuclear strike planning, as well as in the Defense Department's Office of Net Assessment. "Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Note this episode contains explicit language and discussion of self-harm.On the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash” John Sorensen and RCD contributor John Waters speak with Miles Lagoze, the documentary filmmaker behind “Combat Obscura” a gripping unfiltered look at the war in Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012 during his time as an eighteen year-old Combat Camera with the 1st Battalion 6th Marines. Most recently he is the author of a new book about his experiences in Afghanistan and returning home. It's called, “Whistles From the Graveyard: My Time Behind the Camera on War, Rage, and Restless Youth in Afghanistan”"Whistles From the Graveyard" is available for pre-order.Look for RCD Contributor John Waters' new novel “River City One” published this fall."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash,” host John Sorensen speaks with Dr. Peter Feaver, a long-time researcher of civil-military affairs about his new book, a comprehensive study of public attitudes towards the military called, “Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military.” He is also a professor of political science and public policy at Duke University, has served twice on the National Security Council staff, and as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserves."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

John Waters speaks with entrepreneur, Army veteran, and author Mike Erwin about applying lessons from the military to positive leadership off the battlefield. Erwin is a graduate of West Point and served as an Intelligence officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Stars. After studying positive psychology and leadership at the University of Michigan he founded “Team Red, White, and Blue” a nonprofit connecting veterans through physical and social activity. He is also the author of two books on leadership, “Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leaders Through Solitude” and most recently, “Leadership is a Relationship: How to Put People First in the Digital Age.”Team Red, White, and Blue"Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

As Republican candidates prepare for the first debate, does the GOP have a China strategy? In a recent piece for the Wall Street Journal, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin)  challenges the candidates and the party to confront what he calls “America's greatest geopolitical threat.” RealClearDefense contributor John Waters and guest columnist Stephen Young speak with Gallagher about developing a clearer strategy to deter China.  Read Rep. Mike Gallagher's article in the Wall Street Journal, "GOP Presidential Candidates Need to Talk About China"Read Stephen Young's opinion piece on RealClearDefense.com, "How Xi Jinping Thinks""Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

The war in Ukraine has rapidly reshaped how strategists think about the modern battlefield, especially the use of drones, cyber, social media, and the importance of electronic warfare. Looking at a potential conflict with China, what would a military confrontation over Taiwan look like in this new technological era?On this episode of “Hot Wash,” host John Sorensen speaks with Retired Australian Major Gen Mick Ryan. Ryan is a frequent commentor on the transformation of warfare, and is a 35-year veteran of the Australian Army, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of the US Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the USMC School of Advanced Warfare, and is an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.. He is also the author of the nonfiction book “War Transformed,” and most recently the author of a new fiction book, “White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan”"Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's “Hot Wash,” CNN's Jake Tapper talks about his new fiction thriller “All the Demons Are Here” about an AWOL US Marine back from the Vietnam War and lost in the chaos of the 1970's. We also discuss his nonfiction book, “The Outpost” about the heroism and tragedy of one of the deadliest battles in the Afghanistan War, and the coverage of the current Russian war against Ukraine.Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Ukraine for in depth conversations about military, defense, and national security. "Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Welcome to the first episode of BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front, presented by Real Clear Defense, in which we ask a member of Congress 7 questions that cut to the chase of what they're doing and why they're doing it. Today we hear from Republican Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee, who graduated from West Point, served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, and later became an army physician serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, he chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security and sits on the Committee on Foreign Affairs."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated film “Oppenheimer” opens this weekend. For the story behind one of America's most consequential and controversial scientific minds in his own words, listen to a mini-audio documentary about Robert Oppenheimer: his connections to the Communist party, his troubled relationship with President Truman, and the legacy of his work on the most devastating invention of the 20th century. This episode of the RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash" is sponsored by Pratt & Whitney. Pratt & Whitney's F135 Engine Core Upgrade leverages the expertise and capabilities of RTX while saving taxpayers $40B—it's the smart decision for the F-35."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On Friday June 23rd Yevgeny Prighozin, the leader of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group, took to Telegram to announce that he would, “march for justice” to stop the Russian defense ministry “evil”. By Saturday morning Wagner forces had claimed control of Rostov-on-Don, the Russian military headquarters near the Ukrainian border. His forces proceeded in a convoy into Russia toward Moscow, getting to within 200 km of the capital. Putin declared him a traitor and seemed destined for a bloody showdown. Then in a dizzying turn it was announced that Prighozin would be allowed to retire to Belarus and his troops disbanded. To try and understand what happened and what it means for Putin's hold on power in Russia, "Hot Wash" host John Sorensen speaks with Kathryn Stoner, the Mosbacher Director at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at the Hoover Institution. Her most recent book is "Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order." Read Kathryn Stoner's article in the Atlantic, "Why Putin Let Prigozhin Go""Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

RealClearDefense contributor John Waters speaks with Wall Street Journal National Security reporter Brett Forrest about his new bestselling book, "Lost Son: An American Family Trapped Inside the FBI's Secret Wars.” Expanding on his investigation for the Journal, Forrest explores the disappearance of Billy Reilly, a gifted civilian who volunteered as an undercover FBI source inside Russia. When their son went missing, Reilly's parents were shut out of the investigation by the FBI and turned to Forrest to uncover what happened. Brett Forrest is a national security reporter for The Wall Street Journal where his work often focuses on the former Soviet Union. He has covered the war in Ukraine and was the first reporter to into the Kiev suburb of Bucha following the Russian military's withdrawal, where he broke the news of alleged atrocities. "Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Did the Cold War really end? As recently as this week, the New York Times confirmed that in 2020 Russian intelligence attempted to assassinate a defector on US soil, crossing a major red line even during the height of the Cold War. On today's episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash” host John Sorensen and RCD contributor John Waters speak with Calder Walton, the historian who uncovered that attempted assassination and the author of a new book, “SPIES: The Epic Intelligence War Between the East and West.” Using archival evidence only declassified as recently as 2022, Walton looks at the 100 year espionage competition between the Soviet, American and British intelligence services. By comparing each side's internal secrets the book reveals double agents, the tactics of disinformation, covert action, and assassinations. How did espionage shape the Cold War?Walton is the Assistant Director of the Harvard Belfer Center for Applied History and Intelligence Project. He is also the author of the three-volume Cambridge History of Espionage and Intelligence and Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War, and the Twilight of Empire."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's "Hot Wash," RCD contributor John Waters talks to the authors of a new book, “Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind.” It is the story of how the wives of Prisoners of War and those Missing In Action during the Vietnam War compelled the military and the US government to change policy and focused a nation on the unfinished business of a war it would rather forget. Symbolized by the rapidly ubiquitous black POW/MIA flags around the nation, the movement fundamentally changed how America thought about those lost in combat, and its obligation to those they left behind.Taylor Kiland is a former naval officer, the third generation in her family to serve in the Navy, and is also the author of two other books about our nation's POWs. And Judy Gray is a former correspondent for The Tampa Tribune who has published five books on military topics. A retired Coast Guard chief petty officer, she is the third generation in her family to serve in the military."Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's "Hot Wash," RCD contributor John Waters talks to the authors of one the site's most popular recent articles, “The Navy SEAL Who Went to Ukraine Because He Couldn't Stop Fighting.” The tortured story of Daniel Swift, a decorated Navy SEAL who went AWOL, only to end up on the frontlines of Ukraine's war with Russia. It's a story about the complicated relationship some of America's most experienced veterans have with combat, the challenges of returning home, the desire to make a difference, and the pull to return to the fight. Brett Forest and Ian Lovett are journalists for the Wall Street Journal who cover Ukraine.Read the article here, “The Navy SEAL Who Went to Ukraine Because He Couldn't Stop Fighting.”"Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Visit RealClearPublishing for more information on“Kissinger's Betrayal: How America Lost the Vietnam War”"Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Read the article on RealClearDefense Why America Loses WarsFollow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On this episode of "Hot Wash" we look at the US military's peer adversaries from a “Free Markets” perspective. Are defense budgets bloated by threat inflation?  RCD contributor John Waters and I speak with John Tamny, a frequent commentator on financial markets and the economy and the Editor at RealClearMarkets, the Vice President at the small government advocacy group FreedomWorks, and the author most recently of “The Money Confusion: How Illiteracy About Currencies and Inflation Sets the Stage for the Crypto Revolution.” Read John Water's full interview with John Tamny, Big and Brassy Defense BudgetsFollow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Follow Hot Wash on Twitter @hotwashrcdEmail comments and story suggestions to editors@realcleardefense.comSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.On today's episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash,” we look at the context behind Putin's catastrophic decision to invade Ukraine. What does the history of Russia's post-Soviet wars tell us about the current conflict? Is Putin really playing 3-dimensional chess? Or has he blundered into a disaster of his own making, victim of an increasingly small information bubble? Host, John Sorensen speaks with Mark Galeotti, a prolific longtime observer of Russian history, defense and security issues. He is a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Institute of International Relations Prague, a Senior Assoc Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, and the principle director at Mayak Intelligence, a consultancy firm specializing in Russia. And most recently he is the author of a new book, “Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine.”

On today's episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash,” host John Sorensen, and RCD contributor John Waters speak with journalist and combat veteran Ben Kesling about his new book, “Bravo Company: An Afghanistan Deployment and Its Aftermath”.It is the story of one unit of the famed 82nd Airborne, their tour in Kandahar's notorious Arghandab Valley and the impact on their lives in the years after. By the end of their deployment, three soldiers had been killed in action, a dozen more grievously injured, and nearly half the company awarded Purple Hearts. In the decade since, two more have died by suicide, with a dozen others attempting, and still more admitting they had considered it. It is a story about the lasting price of war and how to help those who have paid it.Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash,” RCD contributor John Waters speaks with Bill Bee and Wills Robinson the authors of “The Shot: The Harrowing Journey of a Marine in the War On Terror.”Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On the RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash", host John Sorensen and RCD Contributor John Waters speak with Stephanie Savell, the Co-Director of the Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International Relations at Brown University. Savell is an anthropologist, who researches militarism, security, and civic engagement in relation to the United States post-9/11 wars. The Costs of War project takes an interdisciplinary approach to ask what are the real total costs of war? Have the post-9/11 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan improved those nations or left them worse off for the American interventions? What are the combined costs of using the military when you include financing the "military industrial complex," the costs of financing that borrowing,  the long term medical care of veterans, the impact on communities, and all the ripples that 20 years of war sends through a society?To read more about the Costs of War projectSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's episode of the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash" host John Sorensen and RCD contributor Todd Carney, speak with Jason Kander, veteran, politician and most recently author of “Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD” In 2006, Kander served as a military intelligence officer in Afghanistan for the Army Reserve. After returning to civilian life, Kander entered politics serving in his home state of Missouri's House of Representatives in 2008, and then in 2012 as the Missouri Secretary of State. In 2016 he ran for Missouri's Senate seat, narrowly losing to Republican Roy Blunt by a small margin in a state where President Trump beat Hillary Clinton by more than 18 points. He became a rising star in the Democratic party with speculation about a presidential run. In 2018 he ran for mayor of Kansas City, but in a dramatic turn dropped out of the race citing symptoms of PTSD and depression.Currently, he co-Hosts with Ravi Gupta the progressive political podcast Majority 54. And is the president of national expansion at Veterans Community Project, a non-profit supporting homeless veterans.Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash," host John Sorensen and RCD Editor David Craig, talk with Jamie Roberts, the director of a new documentary on HBO/Max “Escape From Kabul” about the chaotic evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan in August of last year. The documentary uses never before seen archival footage and interviews with participants and eyewitnesses from the Marines on the ground to the Taliban forces who took over the city. Roberts is also the director of “Four Hours at the Capitol” about the January 6 riot. Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security. 

Today on the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash” RCD editor David Craig, contributor John Waters, and host John Sorensen speak with retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller, about holding the political and military leadership accountable for the chaotic withdrawal and ultimate Taliban victory in Afghanistan. Scheller, an infantry officer who in part became well known for viral videos on Facebook in which he criticized command for the pull out, is now the author of a new memoir looking at his 17 years in the corps, Crisis of Command: How We Lost Trust and Confidence in America's Generals and Politicians. Can there be accountability for the failures in Afghanistan?Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On this edition of the RealClear Defense podcast Hotwash, John Sorensen hosts retired Marine Colonel Andrew Milburn, Founder and CEO of the Mozart Group, an organization that is training Ukrainian frontline units in the war against Russian occupation. Milburn retired from the Marine Corps as a colonel in 2019. His last position in uniform was as deputy commander of Special Operations Command Central, and prior to that, commanding officer of the Marine Raider Regiment and Combined Special Operations Task Force–Iraq.

Writer/Director Abi Damaris Corbin discusses her new film, "Breaking," based on the real-life story of the late Brian Brown-Easley, a former Marine Corps veteran who robbed a Wells Fargo Bank with a bomb threat in 2017.

RealClearDefense Contributor John Waters and "Hot Wash" host John Sorensen speak with Michael Gordon national security correspondent at the Wall Street Journal, about his new book “Degrade and Destroy: The Inside Story of the War Against the Islamic State, From Barack Obama to Donald Trump.” Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

This week a look at the documentary, “Who Killed Lt. VanDorn?”In a January 2014 training exercise off the coast of Virginia, pilot Lt. Wes VanDorn, his co-pilot Lt. Sean Snyder, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Collins died when VanDorn's MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter caught fire and crashed into the frigid Atlantic. The MH-53E is the Navy's largest, oldest, and most deadly aircraft.Today, we speak with Zach Stauffer, director of the feature documentary, “Who Killed Lt. VanDorn?” which explores Wes's story and the investigation into why this aging aircraft with a known deadly track record continues to fly.We are also joined by Wes' widow Nicole VanDorn whose efforts helped spur the inquiry into the institutional failings that led to her husband's death, and by Chris Humme, Navy mechanic and aircraft maintainer on the MH-53E."Who Killed Lt. Van Dorn?" Currently available on AmazonAlso available on iTunesSubscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

Today on the RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash", host John Sorensen and RCD contributor John Waters talk to Retired Marine Major Fred Galvin about his new book, “A Few Bad Men: The True Story of US Marines Ambushed in Afghanistan and Betrayed in America.”Galvin enlisted in the Marine Corps as a 17-year-old and quickly deployed to combat in the Persian Gulf. A few years later, he commissioned as a Marine officer and served with elite infantry, reconnaissance, and force reconnaissance units. In early 2007, Maj. Galvin deployed to eastern Afghanistan to lead the first Marine Special Operations (MARSOC) task force in combat. Shortly after deploying, Galvin and his men found themselves in an ambush along Highway 1 in Bati Kot. Before they had even returned to their base, accusations of killing civilians rocketed through the media. Galvin was removed from command and faced a Court of Inquiry, the first for the Marines in 65 years. Ultimately cleared of all accusations, Galvin's story touches on the complicated and sometimes adversarial relationship between the Marine Corps and its special operations units. Read John Waters' article in RealClearDefense Bullets Flying', Soldiers Lyin'Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

On today's RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash", RCD Editor David Craig and Contributor John Waters speak with retired four-star Admiral James Stavridis about his new book, “To Risk It all: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision.” It's a gripping collection of stories of Naval heroes demonstrating how to make decisions under pressure. As much a book about leadership as it is naval history, Stavridis' profiles demonstrate key elements of successful decision making regardless of the arena.During his more than 30 years in the US Navy, Stavridis served as Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, as well as commander of a destroyer squadron, and an aircraft carrier battle group in combat. He also holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he recently served as dean. He is currently the Vice Chair for Global Affairs at the Carlyle Group and the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Rockefeller Foundation. Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.