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As President Trump continues to try to end the war in Ukraine, Russia is playing for time. For as long as the U.S. continues to support Ukraine, Russia's military effort will remain weak and unsustainable. But if Russia is able to stall in negotiations, and degrade American and Western support for Ukraine, they could very […]
As President Trump continues to try to end the war in Ukraine, Russia is playing for time. For as long as the U.S. continues to support Ukraine, Russia's military effort will remain weak and unsustainable. But if Russia is able to stall in negotiations, and degrade American and Western support for Ukraine, they could very well emerge victorious. How should Ukrainian leadership respond to continued American attempts at war-ending negotiations? And what are the consequences if America withdraws its support for Ukraine? Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.Read the transcript here. Subscribe to our Substack here.
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc speak to Fred Kagan about Israel's strike against Iran over the weekend, retaliating against Iran's unprovoked October 1 missile barrage against the Jewish state. Israel's strike, involving over 100 aircraft, effectively took out Iranian air defense systems and decimated Iran's missile production capabilities. However, either because […]
On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc speak to Fred Kagan about Israel's strike against Iran over the weekend, retaliating against Iran's unprovoked October 1 missile barrage against the Jewish state. Israel's strike, involving over 100 aircraft, effectively took out Iranian air defense systems and decimated Iran's missile production capabilities. However, either because of Israel's strategic calculation or pressure from President Biden, Israel chose not to target Iran's nuclear or oil production. Did Israel effectively put a halt to the tit-for-tat escalation with Iran? Or did it miss an opportunity to prevent a much more dangerous Iran down the road?Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.Read the transcript here. Subscribe to our Substack here.
Last weekend, for the first time since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory. In total, some 170 drones, 120 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, and more than 30 cruise missiles targeted Israel, with most coming from Iran, and some from Iranian proxies in Iraq and Yemen. In response to what was a well-advertised attack, Israel, the United States, Great Britain, France, and Jordan (among other Arab countries) deployed from land, sea, and air with jets, missile defense, and a guided missile cruiser among a sophisticated array of defensive assets. As a result, a reported seven missiles landed mostly harmlessly in Israel, with injuries restricted to shrapnel injuring a young Bedouin girl. Israeli and American leaders were quick to celebrate Iran's failed attack and the “restoration of deterrence.” But are the Israelis correct in celebrating Iran's inability to cause real damage? Or are they ignoring the very real risk that seven Iranian missiles actually hit the State of Israel? What will Iran learn from this exercise? And how did their attack reflect the lessons Russia is learning on Iranian equipment in Ukraine?Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.Download the transcript here. Find the Critical Threats Project's Iran Updates here.
In this episode of our continuing 9/11 series, we look at the individuals and think tanks invilved in the planning & execution of 9/11. We also play a 20 minute lecture from April Gallop, who was in the Pentagon when it was hit. We also play some audio from the documentary "A Very Heavy Agenda", which exposes the authors of PNAC. Email us: thefacthunter@mail.comWebsite: thefacthunter.comShow notes:April Gallop Lecture:https://rumble.com/v2g25ly-april-gallop-what-really-happened-on-911-2007.htmlA Very Heavy Agenda Part 1: A Catalyzing Eventhttps://odysee.com/@QuantumRhino:9/A-Very-Heavy-Agenda---Part-1:3?r=3bmR2zT31pC4585gTYmwKpD9rD497wyqThe Pentagon Renovation Program (PENREN) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_Renovation_Program Ukraine's counteroffensive might yet surprise critics By David Petraeus and Frederick W. Kagan https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/24/ukraine-counteroffensive-victory-breakout/ You Can't Handle the 9/11 Truth https://www.activistpost.com/2012/09/you-cant-handle-911-truth.html Frederick Kagan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Kagan
Day 530. Today, we bring you the latest updates from Ukraine, discuss the Russian strike on a hotel and pizza restaurant in Pokrovsk and we interview Frederick Kagan Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute.Contributors:David Knowles (Host). @djknowles22 on Twitter.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on Twitter.Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent). @RolandOliphant on Twitter.With thanks to Frederick Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute. @FredWKagan on Twitter.Ukraine accuses Russia of targeting emergency workers in ‘double tap' missile strike on hotel, by Roland OliphantSubscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.ukSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Yevgeny Prigozhin is a unique figure among Russian President Vladimir Putin's tight circle of power players. He has no official position within the Kremlin, but controls a network of influential state-backed media outlets and serves as the de-facto head of the Wagner mercenaries. As Putin begins to lose his credibility with the Russian people, is Prigozhin proving to be a formidable threat? On this week's episode of The Eastern Front, Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia speak with returning guest, Frederick W. Kagan, AEI senior fellow and director of the Critical Threats Project, to discuss how Prigozhin's attempts to independently control the Russian military has badly distorted Putin's war effort. What might this struggle for power say about the sustainability of the Russian regime? Might it encourage other players to challenge Putin's leadership? Kagan and the co-hosts also raise questions about Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive, including how the UK's supply of long range missiles factor into the Russian military's strategy and what the Biden administration still fails to understand about Ukraine's path to victory.Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front's biweekly newsletter here. Follow us on Twitter here.
Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia are joined by podcast regular, Frederick W. Kagan, senior fellow and director of AEI's Critical Threats Project, to reflect on the war one year following Russia's invasion. Kagan recounts Russia's significant losses, re-examines misconceptions about Ukrainian counter offensives, and considers when we will likely witness the next Ukrainian counter offensive. Kagan also discusses China and Iran's support for Russia, specifically how the two may support Russia's depleting defense supply chain. Finally, they all discuss "Putinism," religious extremism, racism, and the effort to dismantle NATO that has come to define the new era of Russian ultra-nationalism.
With the war not going as smoothly as he might have hoped, Putin turns to Iran for help replenishing Russia's arsenal. Frederick W. Kagan, director of the Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins David to explain the nature of this alliance-of-convenience and where things could go from here.Show Notes:-Critical Threats: Ukraine Stream-Critical Threats: Iran Crisis Updates
Giselle, Iulia, and Dalibor are joined again by Frederick W. Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at AEI, to discuss implications of Ukraine's successful reclamation of Kherson from Russian occupation. Fred outlines how victory was achieved and that the Ukrainian military's objective was to retake Kherson without destroying it. Fred also theorizes about what politics within elite Russian military circles might have compelled Russia to withdraw from Kherson. He notes tension between the dire state of Russian military forces and the ongoing pressure from Russia's extreme pro-war factions. Lastly, all discuss Russia's counteroffensive in the Donetsk region, Russia's current holdings in Ukraine and the likelihood of the Russian military's collapse in the near-future.Show notes: Sign up for The Eastern Front's newsletter here and connect with us on Twitter here.
One year later, a WTH throwback to an outstanding pod recorded in the wake of the disastrous withdrawal… Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden's decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden's decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FINAL-Kagan-Transcript-8.18.21-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
As Russia's violent assault on Ukraine enters its second week, causalities on both sides have been climbing, and many of Ukraine's largest cities remain under siege. Despite Russian combat operations initially facing severe setbacks as a result of a determined Ukrainian resistance, the Russian offensive has been gaining ground in recent days, with Russian troops capturing their first major city, the southern port of Kherson. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the current military state of play in Ukraine, Putin's initial miscalculations, and the Ukrainian people's heroic stand against Putin's aggression. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the US military mission.
This episode was recorded on February 27, 2022.Dr. Frederick W. Kagan is a former professor of history with a Ph.D. in Russian and Soviet military history from Yale. He is also a celebrated author and the director of the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project. In this episode, I discuss the nature of the conflict that has taken the world by storm over the last 5 days—Putin's decision to invade Ukraine and the ongoing resistance of its citizens. Dr. Kagan is a wealth of information on military history, geopolitics, Putin's relationship with the USSR (which his father helped defend) and Ukrainian sovereignty, and other aspects of what's most certainly a moment in human history that won't be forgotten soon.Find more Dr. Frederick Kagan: https://understandingwar.org and https://criticalthreats.orgFor regular updates on the situation in Ukraine: https://understandingwar.org or https://criticalthreats.org/analysis/ukraine-conflict-updatesWays to help: https://linkedin.com/posts/nataliya-bugayova-97469a1a_wwwstopputinnet-activity-6903830899821985793-Z_qbAn excellent discussion of the evolution of Putin's attitudes toward the West: https://understandingwar.org/report/how-we-got-here-russia-kremlins-worldview__________________________Chapters__________________________[0:00] Intro[2:32] Current Situation[4:55] Motivations for Expansion[6:25] Russia & the West: A Brief History [10:47] Russian Ideology [18:09] The Bolshevik Revolution Today[21:59] History of Putin, Russia, & NATO[31:33] Putin in Power[01:00:25] Why Now? [01:04:30] Putin Subverts Expectations[01:07:30] Biden, Hybrid Warfare, & Propaganda[01:10:17] Putin's Invasion: a Tactical Perspective[01:15:30] Ukranian Response[01:16:40] International Response & Russian Allies[01:19:00] SWIFT Ban[01:24:30] Protests[01:27:50] A Way Forward?[01:31:00] UnderstandingWar.org[01:31:50] WWIII[01:35:39] Repercussions of a Russian attack on NATO[01:38:58] Defense Budgets[01:39:10] Outro#Ukraine #Russia #Putin #VolodymyrZelenskyy #JordanPeterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This episode was recorded on February 27, 2022. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan is a former professor of history with a Ph.D. in Russian and Soviet military history from Yale. He is also a celebrated author and the director of the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project. In this episode, I discuss the nature of the conflict that has taken the world by storm over the last 5 days—Putin's decision to invade Ukraine and the ongoing resistance of its citizens. Dr. Kagan is a wealth of information on military history, geopolitics, Putin's relationship with the USSR (which his father helped defend) and Ukrainian sovereignty, and other aspects of what's most certainly a moment in human history that won't be forgotten soon. Find more Dr. Frederick Kagan: https://understandingwar.org and https://criticalthreats.org For regular updates on the situation in Ukraine: https://understandingwar.org or https://criticalthreats.org/analysis/ukraine-conflict-updates Ways to help: https://linkedin.com/posts/nataliya-bugayova-97469a1a_wwwstopputinnet-activity-6903830899821985793-Z_qb An excellent discussion of the evolution of Putin's attitudes toward the West: https://understandingwar.org/report/how-we-got-here-russia-kremlins-worldview __________________________ Chapters __________________________ [0:00] Intro [2:32] Current Situation [4:55] Motivations for Expansion [6:25] Russia & the West: A Brief History [10:47] Russian Ideology [18:09] The Bolshevik Revolution Today [21:59] History of Putin, Russia, & NATO [31:33] Putin in Power [01:00:25] Why Now? [01:04:30] Putin Subverts Expectations [01:07:30] Biden, Hybrid Warfare, & Propaganda [01:10:17] Putin's Invasion: a Tactical Perspective [01:15:30] Ukranian Response [01:16:40] International Response & Russian Allies [01:19:00] SWIFT Ban [01:24:30] Protests [01:27:50] A Way Forward? [01:31:00] UnderstandingWar.org [01:31:50] WWIII [01:35:39] Repercussions of a Russian attack on NATO [01:38:58] Defense Budgets [01:39:10] Outro #Ukraine #Russia #Putin #VolodymyrZelenskyy #JordanPeterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two hour video conference call as a Russian troop buildup on the border with Ukraine has caused fears of a military invasion. The White House released a statement that said President Biden warned of "strong economic and other measures' against Moscow if an invasion would take place. FOX's Trey Yingst speaks to Frederick W. Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, on the meeting between the two leaders and why the West needs to stand behind Ukraine.
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two hour video conference call as a Russian troop buildup on the border with Ukraine has caused fears of a military invasion. The White House released a statement that said President Biden warned of "strong economic and other measures' against Moscow if an invasion would take place. FOX's Trey Yingst speaks to Frederick W. Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, on the meeting between the two leaders and why the West needs to stand behind Ukraine.
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two hour video conference call as a Russian troop buildup on the border with Ukraine has caused fears of a military invasion. The White House released a statement that said President Biden warned of "strong economic and other measures' against Moscow if an invasion would take place. FOX's Trey Yingst speaks to Frederick W. Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, on the meeting between the two leaders and why the West needs to stand behind Ukraine.
Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden's decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government. Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden's decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission. https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FINAL-Kagan-Transcript-8.18.21-2.pdf (Download the transcript here. )
Today, the AEI Podcast Channel presents a conversation between the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project, Fred Kagan, and General David H. Petraeus on the http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/isws-overwatch-podcast-series (Overwatch) podcast. Civil war and an unrestrained al Qaeda are all but certain should the US withdraw its forces from Afghanistan in May per the US-Taliban deal signed over a year ago. American disengagement will only embolden revisionist powers and create an even more dangerous security situation for the region and beyond. On this episode of Overwatch, Frederick W. Kagan, director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, and General David H. Petraeus sit down to discuss the US-Taliban agreement, the consequences of a US withdrawal, and a sustainable way forward that protects not only American interests, but also advances those of the Afghan people. You can learn more about the Critical Threats Project https://www.criticalthreats.org (here).
Civil war and an unrestrained al Qaeda are all but certain should the US withdraw its forces from Afghanistan in May per the US-Taliban deal signed over a year ago. American disengagement will only embolden revisionist powers and create an even more dangerous security situation for the region and beyond. On this episode of Overwatch, Frederick W. Kagan, director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, and General David H. Petraeus sit down to discuss the US-Taliban agreement, the consequences of a US withdrawal, and a sustainable way forward that protects not only American interests, but also advances those of the Afghan people.
Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, Fred Kagan is a foreign policy strategist and military historian. In this conversation, Kagan and Kristol discuss the strategy for the troop surge in Iraq in 2006/07, which Kagan helped devise. The two also consider the state of the U.S. military today, including how it operates in wartime, how it educates its cadets, and how it interacts with civilians.
Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, Fred Kagan is a foreign policy strategist and military historian. In this conversation, Kagan and Kristol discuss the strategy for the troop surge in Iraq in 2006/07, which Kagan helped devise. The two also consider the state of the U.S. military today, including how it operates in wartime, how it educates its cadets, and how it interacts with civilians.
Director of the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, Fred Kagan is a foreign policy strategist and military historian. In this conversation, Kagan and Kristol discuss the strategy for the troop surge in Iraq in 2006/07, which Kagan helped devise. The two also consider the state of the U.S. military today, including how it operates in wartime, how it educates its cadets, and how it interacts with civilians.