Podcast appearances and mentions of chris preble

This week on Security Dilemma, Patrick Carver Fox and John Allen Gay interview Dr. Christopher Preble, Director of the Reimagining Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center. We discuss the reasons why the assumptions of liberal internationalism are unsustainable and we talk about Dr. Preble's upcoming paper on redeveloping U.S. foreign policy for an uncertain future. Christopher Preble is the Senior Fellow and Director of the Reimagining US Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center. Prior to joining the Stimson Center, he served as Co-Director of the Atlantic Council's New American Engagement Initiative. In his role, he leads a team of scholars who challenge prevailing assumptions surrounding US foreign policy, and who offer a range of policy options that go beyond the use of force and coercion. His own work focuses on the history of US foreign policy, contemporary US grand strategy and military force posture, alliance relations, and the intersection of trade and national security. Preble is the author of four books, including Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy (Cato Institute, 2019); and The Power Problem: How American Military Dominance Makes Us Less Safe, Less Prosperous, and Less Free (Cornell University Press, 2009). He co-authored, with John Glaser and A. Trevor Thrall, Fuel to the Fire: How Trump Made America's Broken Foreign Policy even Worse and How We Can Recover (Cato Institute, 2019), and he has also co-edited several other books and monographs, including A Dangerous World? Threat Perception and U.S. National Security (Cato Institute, 2014), with John Mueller. His work has appeared in major publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Financial Times, Survival, Foreign Policy, National Review, and The National Interest, and he is a frequent guest on television and radio. In addition to his work at the Stimson Center, Preble co-hosts the “Net Assessment” podcast in the War on the Rocks network, and he teaches the US Foreign Policy elective at the University of California, Washington Center. He has also taught history at St. Cloud State University and Temple University. He is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Preble was vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute from 2011 to 2020, and director of foreign policy studies from 2003 to 2011. Preble was a commissioned officer in the US Navy, and served aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) from 1990 to 1993.

The United States military is one of the most advanced and best funded militaries in the world. But critics argue this has helped make US foreign policy overly reliant on the use of military force. Over the past several decades, the US has grappled with blowback and retaliation, a ballooning defense budget, and a decline in traditional diplomacy. For the 100th episode of None Of The Above we're revisiting our very first episode. In 2019, IGA's Mark Hannah sat down with defense and foreign policy expert Chris Preble to discuss how big military spending might actually make us less safe. Four years later, as the US weighs the wisdom of continuing to aid the armed conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, the paradox of America's military might remains as relevant as ever.

Chris, Zack, and special guest host Rachel Hoff of the Ronald Reagan Institute, explore the recent article by Dani Rodrik and Stephen Walt “How to Build a Better Order: Limiting Great Power Rivalry in an Anarchic World." Rodrik and Walt propose a framework — or “meta-regime” — that affirms well-established norms of international behavior (as enshrined in the U.N. Charter, for example), while also preserving space for states to act unilaterally or multilaterally, but ideally in ways that do not increase the risk of conflict. But is it even realistic to speak of a rules-based order? And should we want one? Some Americans chafe at the notion of constraints on U.S. power. And what are the actual prospects for international cooperation at all, given the increasingly competitive nature of the U.S.-China relationship? Grievances for Joe Biden's talk of nuclear Armageddon, and toward the Saudis for colluding with the Russians (and others) to raise gas prices – and maybe help Republicans in the mid-term elections. An atta-secretary to Lloyd Austin for his plan to remove the names of violent insurrectionists from U.S. military bases. And, in a first, Zack praises Chris Preble … for convincing the Biden administration to finally release the National Security Strategy. We're sure that's what did it. This episode's reading: www.warontherocks.com/2022/10/searching-for-the-elusive-rules-based-order

This is the national security podcast crossover of the century! Or at least of the year...ok maybe of Spring 2022! For this special episode, Doyle Hodges of TNSR and “Horns of a Dilemma” hosts Zack Cooper, Melanie Marlowe, and Chris Preble of “Net Assessment.” They try to sort through relations between Moscow and Beijing in this time of war, as well as a whole bunch of related issues. And yes, they engage in the airing of grievances, a “Net Assessment” tradition. Make sure you subscribe to their podcasts, which are a part of the War on the Rocks family.

The last time Chris Preble joined my show, we discussed the full sweep of U.S. foreign policy from the founding period to the “forever wars” in the middle east, all through the lens of his monumental book *[Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy](https://www.amazon.com/Peace-War-Liberty-Understanding-Foreign/dp/1948647168/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556590857&sr=1-1)*.Just as one long conflict in Afghanistan comes to an end, there are new rumors of war brewing in hotspots around the world. From Taiwan to Ukraine, the temptations for new exercises of American influence abroad are everywhere. The Biden Administration has put Americans on alert that Russia may invade Ukraine at any time. But should this happen, what is the right response? Few Americans, let alone Europeans, seem to have the stomach for a hot war with Russia.Preble now serves as co-director of the New American Engagement Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at [the Atlantic Council](http://atlanticcouncil.org) in Washington DC. We discussed the shifting alliances underlying both NATO and Putin's patchwork of strongmen in Eastern Europe, and how the struggle is likely to play out. Do we have a compelling interest in “defending democracy” in far-flung regions? And what about “preserving credibility” in the wake of our disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan?

Chris Preble, director of the New American Engagement Initiative, joins us this week with some optimistic news: the age of American hegemony may be over, but there are amazing benefits to this new reality! For one, there's plenty of evidence that the so-called "rules-based order" will be just fine without Washington meddling in every problem, planting a troop in every country, or serving as the spear point for liberal democracy across the globe. Chris walks us through the steps to hegemonic recovery. In the intro segment, Kelley and Dan discuss the recent assassination attempt on the Iraqi prime minister and the tinder box of US-Iran relations.More from Chris Preble:Assumption #3: US leadership is indispensable to the health of the global order -- Nov. 3The consequences of a US overreaction to the perceived threat of terrorism -- Nov. 1What Washington owes the American people after its Afghanistan failure -- Aug. 19 Subscribe at crashingthewarparty.substack.com

Special guest Chris Dougherty joins Chris and Melanie to discuss his recent War on the Rocks article, “Gradually and then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy's Strategic Bankruptcy.” Dougherty notes that “a series of decisions (and indecisions) decades in the making have backed the Navy into a budget and force-planning corner,” and he describes the competing interests that drive different (and rarely complementary) force requirements. What decisions are most needed in order to get the Navy back on the right track? And what practical steps can be taken now and in the near future to close the gap between the many demands on the Navy, and the Navy's capacity to meet those demands? Chris Preble is mad at people who spread malicious misinformation, Melanie laments the decline of human civilization as reflected in the Associated Press' wrong-headed decision about the plural possessive, and Chris Dougherty gripes about people who gripe about the 2018 National Defense Strategy (but don't know what they're talking about). Shoutouts for the Cuban people, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Wally Funk, and Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps.   Links Christopher Dougherty, “Gradually and then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy's Strategic Bankruptcy,” War on the Rocks, June 30, 2021  Andrew Restuccia and Sarah E. Needleman, “Biden's Facebook Attack Followed Months of Frustration Inside White House,” Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2021  Colleen Sinclair, “10 ways to spot online misinformation,” The Conversation, March 27, 2020 (Updated September 17, 2020)

On this week’s episode, Kelley, Matt and Daniel talk to Chris Preble about his New American Engagement Initiative at the Atlantic Council, leaving the Cato Institute, and how there is no better time than now to change people’s minds, on the left and right, about our failed foreign policy. In the first segment we talk about the new Israel-UAE-US deal—and what might be lurking just beneath the surface.

How does a global pandemic reshuffle priorities given the threats that we face? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What's the military's role in a global pandemic? How should spending priorities change in response? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There is a glimmer of hope that the United States may soon be able to exit its longest war. What stands in the way? Chris Preble and John Glaser explain. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Brose of Anduril Industries joins Chris and Melanie to talk about Joseph Nye’s Texas National Security Review article, “What is a Moral Foreign Policy?” Should morality be taken into consideration when making foreign policy? How should we assess whether or not a president’s foreign policy is moral? Does using the language of morality make our foreign policy more or less clear? Do people in other countries view our foreign policy as moral? Should perception matter at home or abroad? Also, Chris Preble gets another opportunity to stick it to Saudi Arabia, Melanie shows some love for history, and Chris Brose recognizes the excellent work of some friends.   Links Joseph S. Nye Jr., “What is a Moral Foreign Policy?” Texas National Security Review, November 2019 Joe Heim, "National Archives Exhibit Blurs Images Critical of President Trump," Washington Post, January 17, 2020 Craig Whitlock, "Afghan War Plagued by 'Mendacity' and Lies, Inspector General Tells Congress," Washington Post, January 15, 2020 Barack Obama, Presidential Study Directive 10, White House, August 4, 2011 Rahul Sagar, "Rediscovering Indian Thought: How a Scholar Built a Database of Pre-Independence Magazines," Scroll, November 24, 2019 "War with Iraq Is not in America's National Interest," New York Times, September 26, 2002 Marc Fisher and Steven Zeitchik, “Saudi Crown Prince Implicated in Hack of Jeff Bezos’s Phone, U.N. Report Will Say,” Washington Post, January 21, 2020 Heritage Pride Productions' Elf: The Musical,  January 23, 24, and 25th “The Future of Progressive Foreign Policy: 2020 and Beyond,” Cato Policy Forum, January 28th, 5:00 PM "Is War Over?” Cato Policy Forum, February 6th, 12:00 PM

What ought to follow hostilities between Iran and the United States after Iran's military response to the death of a high ranking general? Chris Preble and John Glaser comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Glaser and Chris Preble of the Cato Institute join co-host Joe Cirincione for a discussion on the Trump Administration's effect on US foreign policy, and what it means for the theory of American primacy that Glaser and Preble argue has guided US foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. Glaser and Preble are co-authors of Fuel to the Fire: How Trump Made America’s Broken Foreign Policy Even Worse (and How We Can Recover). Early Warning features our director of policy Tom Collina, Roger L. Hale Fellow Akshai Vikram, and Catherine Killough of Women Cross DMZ analyzing exchanges on North Korea and Iran during last week's Democratic presidential debate.

What opportunities for better foreign policy emerge in John Bolton's departure from the White House? Eric Gomez and Chris Preble comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A British Parlimentarian suggests giving British citizenship to people in Hong Kong. Is it a good idea, and what would be the likely impacts? Chris Preble and Alex Nowrasteh comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute and Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the International Security Program at CSIS, discuss Gen. Hyten’s confirmation hearing, and the revolving door in leadership roles at the DoD. Asif Khan, director of financial management & assurance issues at GAO, discusses takeaways from the first Defense Department audit, and why it’s important to have someone at the top. Valerie Insinna, air warfare reporter for Defense News, discusses Japan’s intention to become a partner in manufacturing the F-35, and the ramifications it could have on the Joint Strike Fighter program

The President's decision to flex military hardware at an Independence Day celebration is at odds with a commemoration of liberty. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Preble makes the case for military restraint as a de-escalation strategy in the Middle East.

In his State of the Union address in February, President Trump sounded like a non-interventionist when he said, “Great nations do not fight endless wars.” Since then, he has begun to draw down America's military presence in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.Due to the growing unpopularity of drawn-out wars in the Middle East, and Trump's focus on reelection in 2020, he probably does not want to start another endless war with Iran. However, much of his rhetoric has been hawkish — perhaps influenced by his national security advisor, arch-hawk neocon John Bolton.The latest news is that he is growing disenchanted with Bolton, who helped design the Iraq War and has even called for a pre-emptive strike on Iran.It was reported that Trump teased Bolton last year — shortly after his appointment — asking, “You're not going to bring me into a war, are you?” But we can detect a seriousness beneath Trump's remarks, signaling an insecurity about his ability to resist outside pressures to exercise America's immense military might.Bolton is Trump's fourth national security advisor, and some worry that his reluctance to fire yet another cabinet member could lead him into the same kind of trap that led George W. Bush into Iraq in 2003. Sketchy intelligence, an idle standing army, and a convenient enemy in an oil-rich region… this story sounds familiar.The difference this time around is that the public adamantly does not want war. As Cato's Trevor Thrall documented back in 2016, a growing number of Americans — and especially young people — are part of a “restraining constituency” that does not want the U.S. to serve as the world's policeman.Sign Up for the Cato Foreign Policy NewsletterThe tensions between the U.S. and Iran have a complex history, but the latest escalation stems from intelligence linking the Iranian regime to an attack earlier this month on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.Trump's tough talk has included calling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a “terrorist group,” to which they responded in kind by labelling our own military in the Middle East as terrorists as well.It's easy to imagine this tit-for-tat spiraling out of control, unless calmer minds in the military and cabinet can influence the President to step back from the brink. Many retired admirals, generals, ambassadors, and senior government executives comprising the American College of National Security Leaders have attempted to do just that — writing an open letter to the Presidentwarning against escalation in the Persian Gulf.Tweet to the President showing your support for ending America's endless wars.As George Washington noted over two hundred years ago, the protected geography of the U.S. ought to insulate us from foreign intervention. He thought we should go to war only when absolutely necessary for national defense, and even then, engage only in short, strategic actions.So why have we so found ourselves in so many endless wars?Chris Preble was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, and is now vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. He recently released a video that explains the incentives behind America's infamous military industrial complex — the hybrid beast of a bloated weapons industry and military establishment that perpetuates itself at the expense of the taxpayer and global peace.If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.Chris's new book Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policyshows how the emergence of this complex cuts against the non-interventionist intentions of the Founders, and why the United States gains strength from the limits on war-making imposed by the Constitution.Let's hope that Trump will make good on his promise in the State of the Union. It's a modest expectation when compared to George Washington's skepticism of standing armies altogether.Chris joined me to explain why war with Iran is still a risk despite the unpopularity. It's everything you need to know about 21st century foreign policy, but were too afraid to ask. Don't miss it.

American presidents often praise U.S. foreign policy as a force for global freedom and liberty. We chat with Chris Preble about his new book, Peace, War, and Liberty. Christopher Preble bioChristopher Preble, Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign PolicyFree Thoughts/​Power Problems Crossover: “What do Libertarians Believe About Foreign Policy?” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ostrolenk speaks with Chris Preble, Vice President of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies at Cato Institute and author of Peace, War, and Liberty. Preble begins by discussing our Founding Fathers' vision for U.S. Foreign Policy, specifically the Constitution's called for a standing Navy, but the ability to raise an Army. This is an important distinction, meant to limit the United States' tendency to go to war; a deviation from the U.S. Government's current interpretation and use of war powers. Washington in his Farewell Address warned of alliances and the internal disputes of foreign countries and how we rectify this with the territorial expansion common of the U.S. at the time. Preble and Ostrolenk further discuss the now permanent war state reflected in our current approach to foreign policy and the costs to American of this approach. To learn more about Chris Preble's work, visit Cato's website (https://www.cato.org/) and find his book at (https://store.cato.org/book/peace-war-and-liberty).

It's time for Congress to start working on the 2020 defense authorization bill, but one annual topic seems to be lying dormant this year. Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, is a way for Congress to close excess military bases. The initiative has had trouble getting off the ground since the last round in 2005, despite previous calls from the Defense Department to cut bases. Federal News Network's Scott Maucione talked with Chris Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, about the potential for BRAC in the coming year.

Our first episode confronts the paradox of America’s military might. As the Cato Institute’s Chris Preble sees it, exorbitant spending on national defense actually makes America less safe. We examine the historical roots and potential consequences of our outsized military industrial complex.

Eisenhower's presidency still has enduring lessons for prospects for peace and liberty today. Chris Preble, author of the forthcoming book, Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy, offers his thoughts.Related podcast: Peace, War, and Liberty: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

American participation in the conflict in Syria was never approved by Congress, and the benefits of being involved are far from clear. The President has ordered an end to U.S. participation in the conflict. Cato's John Glaser and Chris Preble believe it’s the right move. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On a scale of "Tremendous" to "Treasonous," how did the Trump/Putin summit in Helsinki go? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What does "American decline" look like? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Pompeo is expected to replace Rex Tillerson at the State Department, and Gina Haspel, a longtime intelligence agent who oversaw black sites for the CIA, may replace Pompeo at CIA. Chris Preble and Emma Ashford comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a special live recording of the podcast, we explore the President’s relationship with the military, the defense budget, and what the Pentagon wants for Christmas with our guest Aaron Mehta.Show NotesGuest Bio: Aaron MehtaAaron Mehta, “One hand tied behind your back: Why DoD’s empty policy chair matters.” Aaron Mehta, “America’s Nuclear Weapons will cost $1.2 Trillion Over the next 30 Years.”Chris Preble, “Senate Passes a Pentagon Budget, but a BCA Trainwreck Looms.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whatever turns up in a planned audit for the Pentagon won't address a larger problem: The U.S. military does too much in too many places. Still, it’s a good idea. Chris Preble discusses what an audit might reveal. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What would it mean for the war in Afghanistan to show improvement? Without metrics, it's hard to say. Chris Preble discusses why the war sits in a holding pattern. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

China has presented to the U.S. and North Korea its perceived commitments if the two countries decide to tangle. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How we think about and respond to terrorist attacks depends a great deal, perhaps too much, on where they happen. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

President Trump has attacked Syria with apparently no support from Congress or other world leaders. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What do we know about the costs and benefits of the Obama foreign policy as his time in the White House comes to an end? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There wasn't much, but the small bit of foreign policy substance in the second debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was illuminating. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

President Obama's pledge of 250 troops to fight ISIS in Syria seems to be designed mainly to placate domestic constituencies. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Rand Paul's exit from the race for the White House, a foreign policy of restraint becomes less likely. Chris Preble and John Samples comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Following meaningful gains against ISIS by Iraqi Security Forces, just how should American leaders respond to maximize the benefits? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Americans at present have little appetite for wars of choice, but debates among presidential candidates reflect a very different consensus. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tuesday's Democratic debate featured less-than-satisfying answers about how the candidates might handle the next drumbeat for war. Emma Ashford and Chris Preble comment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are we really spending more and getting less out of the U.S. military? Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The United States launches airstrikes in Iraq based on authority granted in 2002 as the terrorists attack civilians in the country. Chris Preble evaluates the unfolding situation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dick Cheney and John Bolton would prefer that Americans not examine the decade of the Iraq War, but understanding those errors will help the U.S. choose its fights more carefully. Chris Preble comments. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“War” is the ultimate political cover for the unconstitutionally excessive exercise of governmental power. Any politician addicted to the wielding of power has discovered that war is the perfect narcotic; the ideal cover. Just find an enemy, declare war on them, or it (i.e. “terrorism,” “poverty,” “drugs”) and a world of weapons and powers becomes available. Then, as in the case of the war of terror, the authorization by our President to kill American citizens on foreign soil becomes possible, eavesdropping without warrants is accepted, and travel restrictions become standard. Add drones to this mix and much of the values which define us are eroded. In this episode, Bob is joined by Chris Preble, Vice President for Defense and Foreign Studies at The Cato Institute. Chis has studied the profound effect of drones on foreign and domestic policy, the erosions of national borders and the threats to our privacy. Bob and Chris will also discuss cyber war, what it is and what it is not. The so- called “main stream media” has ignored this issue which transcends party lines and changes all of us from citizens to subjects. This is too important to miss.