SSI Live

SSI Live 095 – Putin Mobilizes as Ukraine Advances – Ukraine's recent battlefield successes, Putin's partial mobilization, Moscow's annexation announcement, and the Kremlin's nuclear saber rattling all add up to a shifting outlook for Russia's war of aggression.  What do these events tell us about Russia's strategy and the trajectory of the conflict?  Do they signal instability within Russia?  SSI's own Dr. Bob Hamilton, former SSI research professor Dr. Steve Blank, and former USAWC professor Dr. Craig Nation again joined SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss these and related issues in the unfolding conflict.  Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 094 – Gorbachev's Passing and Legacy – Earlier this week, the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, passed. To discuss his leadership of the Soviet Union's last years and his legacy today, SSI's own Dr. Bob Hamilton, former SSI research professor Dr. Steve Blank, and former USAWC professor Dr. Craig Nation sat down with SSI Live host John Deni.  How did Gorbachev differ from his predecessors? What was his enduring impact on Russia?  What is his legacy beyond Russia's borders?  And how does Gorbachev's legacy relate to Putin's war in Ukraine today?  Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 093 – The Grand Strategy of Gertrude Bell and Implications for US Policy Today – British strategist and diplomat Gertrude Bell shaped the modern Middle East and played a leading role in crafting London's policies at a time of shifting great power dynamics. In this podcast, Dr. Heather Gregg discusses her monograph on Bell's life and legacy and the implications for managing strategic competition today. What lessons can be drawn from Bell's story and how can the United States leverage those lessons today? Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 092 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Chinese Investment in European Infrastructure – This is the fifth podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing's Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, Dr. John R. Deni discusses Chinese investment in militarily relevant infrastructure in Europe. Which European countries are of greatest concern? Where and how is China investing in infrastructure? What kinds of infrastructure are most relevant and most at risk? Are there any mitigating factors? Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 091 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Europe's Evolving Policies Toward China – This is the fourth podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing's Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, Dr. John R. Deni discusses Europe's evolving policies toward Chinese economic statecraft. What tools have Europeans relied upon to fend off predatory Chinese behavior? What role has investment screening played, and what gaps remain in the defenses? Why did Chinese investment in Europe dip after 2017, and has it rebounded since then? Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 090 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Europe's Evolving Attitude Toward China – This is the third podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing's Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Erik Brattberg joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Europe's evolving attitude toward China. How does Europe view China today, relative to the early 2010s? What led to changes in perception? Has the Russian war against Ukraine changed opinions of China in Europe? And what's the outlook for Europe's relationship with China? Listen here, or subscribe below.

SSI Live 089 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: China's Strategy Toward Europe – This is the second podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing's Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Dr. Roger Cliff joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss China's strategy toward Europe. What does Beijing seek to get out of its relationship with Europe? What policy tools does it employ there? Has the Russian war against Ukraine changed China's approach? And what's the outlook for China's activities in Europe? Listen here, or subscribe below.

China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: COVID-19's Economic Impact on Europe – This is the first podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing's Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Dr. Mark Duckenfield joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Europe. How does this crisis differ from the Great Recession and the Euro crisis of a decade ago? How has Europe's response differed as well? Is Europe still at risk from predatory Chinese economic statecraft? Listen here, or subscribe below.

China, Taiwan, and the Outlook for 2022 – Tensions between China and Taiwan increased dramatically through most of 2021, yet a somewhat calmer, steady state situation has prevailed in recent weeks. What explains this? What role does the 2022 Party Congress in China play, and how might President Xi Jinping approach 2022 and beyond? SSI's Dr. Roger Cliff joins SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Beijing's way ahead. Listen below or click here to download.

Negotiations between Russia and the United States, NATO, and the OSCE regarding the situation in/around Ukraine begin this week. How should the West approach those negotiations? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni argues the West should strike a hard bargain, even if it risks war in Ukraine.

Recent elections in Honduras and Chile appear to indicate that left-leaning parties are on the rise across Latin America. Is this the case and, if so, what are the strategic implications for U.S. security? Dr. Evan Ellis, SSI's Latin America expert, joined SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Latin America's shift to the left.

The fall of Afghanistan raises serious questions about whether the United States and the West more broadly are able to successfully implement what military practitioners call Foreign Internal Defense, or supporting a friendly foreign government under attack from an internal insurgency.  What explains success or failure in these cases?  SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Dr. Chris Mason to address the key variables Washington needs to bear in mind when it considers whether to intervene abroad.  Dr. Mason drew on his long experience working in and studying Afghanistan, his book The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and his recent Parameters article on how “Counterinsurgency Doctrine is Wrong.”

How did Afghanistan fall to the Taliban after 20 years of effort by the United States and its allies?  SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Dr. Chris Mason to address the end of America's longest war and to help shed light on the key reasons for why Afghanistan fell.  Dr. Mason drew on his long experience working in and studying Afghanistan, as well as his book The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Within the context of Europe, the US Army must develop a force posture that best navigates the tensions between deterring or defeating armed conflict at an acceptable cost, successfully competing below armed conflict, and maintaining global responsiveness and institutional flexibility through the global operating model and dynamic force employment. While Russia's economy, and consequently military capability will likely shrink over the next 10 years, which can make them more dangerous as the Kremlin continues to try to punch above its weight. Colonel J.P. Clark Dr. C. Anthony Pfaff  Download the article.

Given the multifaceted great power competition underway in the Indo-Pacific theater, how can the United States military best position itself? What role can and should the Army play in facilitating a joint approach? After a two-year hiatus, SSI Live returns as Dr. John R. Deni discusses a major newly released SSI study on USINDOPACOM theater design with two of its authors – Professor Nate Freier and Professor John Schaus. Their study was also the subject of an essay at Defense One.

The Helsinki summit meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin may be the first step in a rapprochement between the United States and Russia. If so, what are the strategic and policy implications in Europe, with specific regard to the security of U.S. allies in Eastern Europe, with regard to the conflict in Syria, vis-à-vis U.S. partners in the Middle East, or in other regards? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Prof. Nate Freier and Dr. Chris Bolan to think about and discuss the potential implications of a reset with Russia.

Getting the Indo-Asia-Pacific and relations with China right is the key to a peaceful and prosperous 21st Century. The challenge for the U.S. administration, and for policy experts writ large, is to build an effective strategy for a whole-of-government approach that will achieve a free and open Indo-Asia-Pacific while avoiding the Thucydides Trap. U.S. Army War College professors Fred Gellert, David Lai, and Jef Troxell joined host John R. Deni to discuss their new book on this subject, which provides analysis and policy recommendations on topics regarding the instruments of national power, regional affairs, and key Asia-Pacific countries.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration released its first National Defense Strategy (NDS). What's new about this strategy and what does it tell us about the direction of U.S. defense strategy and policy? What does the new NDS get right, and where does it fall short? SSI Live host John R. Deni sat down with SSI colleagues Chris Bolan and Nate Freier to discuss these questions and more.

In gross or raw potential, the United States remains the world's leading global military power. At present though, American power is either dormant in or ill-adapted to many if not most of the world's most important competitive spaces. American military position and influence are most immediately under duress in the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Area of Responsibility. In PACOM, enduring U.S. defense objectives and the nation's most active, complex, and dangerous multi-domain security challenges converge. To discuss these issues and more, SSI host Dr. John R. Deni sat down with the SSI's Prof. Nate Freier.

On 13 October, President Trump announced his intention not to certify Iran's compliance with the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and threatening to leave the nuclear deal altogether if it was not amended in various ways. Why did the President announce this? Meanwhile, there are reports that some of his senior advisors opposed this move — what were their counterarguments? More broadly, what is the outlook with regard to Iran's nuclear program? To discuss these issues and more, SSI host Dr. John R. Deni sat down with the SSI's Middle East expert, Dr. Chris Bolan.

Continuing security challenges in Eastern Europe, as well as saber-rattling on the Korean Peninsula, have raised questions once again about the capabilities, posture, and positioning of U.S. overseas forces. In this podcast, SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni examines the reasons why the Army has become an increasing U.S.-based force, assesses the shift toward rotational peacetime deployments over the last several years, and offers a series of practical recommendations for returning balance to the Army's posture. This podcast is based on Dr. Deni's study on forward presence.

On 21 August, President Trump announced a new strategy toward the conflict in Afghanistan, America's longest war. What's new about the strategy? Does a renewed focus on Pakistan, and the role it plays in Afghanistan, have any chance of succeeding? And how will the new approach toward the war affect broader U.S. objectives with regard to Afghanistan? The SSI's Dr. Chris Mason, author of The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, discusses these and related questions with SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni.

How does DoD go about defining, identifying, and mitigating risk? Are DoD risk assessment practices and procedures effective and useful to the Department and other stakeholders? SSI Research Professor Nate Freier joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss the release of a major U.S. Army War College study on DoD risk assessment. Prof. Freier led an interdisciplinary team of faculty and student researchers in researching and writing At Our Own Peril: DoD Risk Assessment in a Post-Primacy World.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of the number of Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs)? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of expanding the number of maneuver units? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, COL Esli Pitts, a resident student at the War College, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss increasing the number of BCTs, the last in a series of podcasts on challenges of, and recommendations for, expanding the Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of its organization and materiel? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of expanding its organization and ensuring sufficient materiel? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, COL Mitch Mitchell, a resident student at the War College, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss organization, materiel, and an expanded Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of personnel? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of expanding its personnel pool? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, LTC Chad Bridges, a resident student at the War College, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss SOF and an expanded Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of military intelligence? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of expanding its intelligence capability and capacity? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, COL Rose Keravuori, a distance education student based at CENTCOM headquarters, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss military intelligence and an expanded Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of its force generation installations? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of using its Mobilization Force Generation Installations (MFGIs) to leverage the reserve component? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, LTC Ana Navarro, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss MFGIs, the reserve component, and an expanded Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of expanding its Special Operations Forces? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of increasing Special Operations Forces? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, COL Eric Schwedo, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss SOF and an expanded Army.

Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War' against a peer competitor, in terms of maintaining and sustaining an expanded Army? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it encounter in maintaining and sustaining that large of a force? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary team of Army War College student researchers, under the direction of Dr. Tony Echevarria, have examined issues related to great power war and whether the Army is ready. One of those team members, COL H.R. Willingham, joined Dr. John R. Deni to discuss maintaining and sustaining an expanded Army.

On 24-25 May, NATO heads of state and government will meet in Brussels. This will be President Trump's first NATO summit, and although the meetings will lack the scope and number of initiatives and other deliverables many have come to expect from a formal alliance summit, there are some key, even contentious issues that will be addressed. In addition to whether and how the alliance contributes to the anti-ISIS coalition, burden-sharing is expected to be a major focus. Although not the worst in terms of burden-sharing, Germany has come under particularly criticism lately. However, German officials have often parried Washington's cajoling through several increasingly dubious arguments, as Dr. John R. Deni argues in this latest SSI Live podcast.