Power Problems

Stephen Wertheim is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace. He discusses 20 years of failed post-9/11 national security policies, the strategy of global military dominance, and the ongoing the battle of ideas on the U.S. role in the world.Show Notes:Stephen Wertheim bioStephen Wertheim, “The Ever-Ready Answer for Failure in Afghanistan: More War,” The Washington Post, Stephen Wertheim, “Delusions of Dominance: Biden Can’t Restore American Primacy – And Shouldn’t Try,” Foreign Affairs, January 25, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. Naval War College professor Peter Dombrowski argues that the most pressing problems Americans face are internal domestic challenges and non-military risks like pandemics and climate change. But national security policy devotes disproportionate time and resources to confronting inflated threats from external actors. He joins the show to discuss the problems with an overly militarized grand strategy that has failed to properly identify or prioritize threats. Show Notes Peter Dombrowski bioSimon Reich and Peter Dombrowski, The End of Grand Strategy: U.S. Maritime Operations in the Twenty-First Century (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2018).Peter Dombrowski and Simon Reich, “Does Donald Trump Have a Grand Strategy?” International Affairs 93, no. 5, (September 2017): pp. 1013-1037. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The chaos that accompanied the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan does not negate the wisdom of bringing the war to an end, despite protestations in Washington about U.S. credibility and the "sustainability" of endless war. Benjamin H. Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities, weighs in.  Show Notes Benjamin H. Friedman bioBenjamin H. Friedman, “Exiting Afghanistan: Ending America’s Longest War,” Defense Priorities, August 2019. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The now-popular "ending endless wars" slogan has generated more political rhetoric than real policy changes. David Sterman, senior policy analyst at New America, helps define the concept of "endless war" as a strategy based on unachievable objectives and offers practical policy solutions for a substantive shift away from the War on Terror. Show NotesDavid Sterman bioDavid Sterman, “Defining Endless Wars: The First Step Towards Ending Them,” New America, January 26, 2021.Peter Bergen, David Sterman, and Melissa Salyk-Virk, “America’s Counterterrorism Wars: Tracking the United States’s Drone Strikes and Other Operations in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Libya,” New America, June 17, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boston University’s Joshua Shifrinson weighs in on a new critique of the restraint school in U.S. foreign policy debates and explains why the strategy proposed by some liberal internationalists to confront a rising China - a strategy he terms "neo-primacy" - is bound to fail. Show NotesJoshua Shifrinson bioJoshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson, “Neo-Primacy and the Pitfalls of US Strategy Toward China” The Washington Quarterly 41, no. 4 (Winter 2019): pp. 65-83.Bruce W. Jettleson, “Be Wary of China Threat Inflation,” Foreign Policy, July 30, 2021. Daniel Deudney and G. John Ikenberry, “Misplaced Restraint: The Quincy Coalition Versus Liberal Internationalism,” Survival 63, no. 4 (2021): pp. 7-32. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9/11 set the course for U.S. national security policy in the 21st century, often with counterproductive results. Cato Institute senior fellow Justin Logan explains how post-9/11 foreign policy went off the rails and thrust America into disastrous elective wars and wasteful spending sprees. The lack of accountability for those who carried out such failures bodes ill for the future. Justin Logan bioJustin Logan, “The Case for Withdrawing from the Middle East,” Defense Priorities, September 2020. Justin Logan, “Why Wait Five to 10 Years to Leave?” Responsible Statecraft, June 24, 2021.Jane K. Cramer and A. Trevor Thrall, Why Did the United States Invade Iraq? (London: Routledge, 2012). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 As the U.S. military withdraws from Afghanistan, the Biden administration is retaining some presence nearby. Tactics are shifting, but U.S. intervention looks far from over. Cato research fellow Sahar Khan discusses the debate over building bases in Pakistan and the role of U.S. security contractors in the so-called Forever War. Show Notes Sahar Khan bioSahar Khan, “Double Game: Why Pakistan Supports Militants and Resists U.S. Pressure to Stop,” Cato Institute Policy Analysis no. 849, September 20, 2018.Imran Khan, “Imran Khan: Pakistan is Ready to be a Partner for Peace in Afghanistan, but We Will Not Host U.S. Bases,” Washington Post, June 21, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many realists assume that national leaders are rational. But are they? University of Southern California professor Brian Rathbun draws on classical realism to argue that realpolitik is a demanding psychological standard that is less prevalent than often assumed. Constructive diplomacy obligates policymakers, therefore, to better account for both their own subjective biases and those of other states.Show NotesBrian Rathbun bioBrian Rathbun, Reasoning of State: Realists, Romantics and Rationality in International Relations (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2019).Brian C. Rathbun, Diplomacy’s Value: Creating Security in 1920s Europe and the Contemporary Middle East (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2014).Brian Rathbun, “The Reality of Realpolitik: What Bismarck Rationality Reveals about International Politics,” International Security 43, no. 1 (Summer 2018): 7-55. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has erupted again, but the politics in both Israel and the United States on this longstanding issue appear to be undergoing change. Jeremy Pressman, a political scientist at the University of Connecticut and an expert on the conflict, explains the historical context of the recent outbreak in violence, argues the cycle of military force undermines the objectives of both sides, and discusses the current tensions in the U.S.-Israeli relationship. Show NotesJeremy Pressman bioJeremy Pressman,The Sword is Not Enough: Arabs, Israelis, and the Limits of Military Force(Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2020).Jeremy Pressman, “Visions in Collision: What Happened at Camp David and Taba?”Quarterly Journal: International Security28. no. 2, (Fall 2003): 5-43. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One longstanding predicate of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East -- that America's military presence in the Persian Gulf region protects the free flow of oil -- is false. That is according to University of Pennsylvania professor Robert Vitalis, along with a growing academic literature scrutinizing the claim. Because of the global nature of the oil market, even infamous past disruptions, such as the so-called Arab oil embargo of 1973, have not had as significant an effect as commonly believed. This erroneous basis for U.S. strategy, Vitalis explains, also justifies a misguided emphasis on Washington's close relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, among other costly consequences. Robert Vitalis bioRobert Vitalis, Oilcraft: The Myths of Scarcity and Security That Haunt U.S. Energy Policy, (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2020). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The renewed debate in Washington over U.S. foreign policy reflects changing attitudes in public opinion. George Mason University professor and Cato Senior Fellow A. Trevor Thrall discusses how generational differences are changing views on U.S. military activism and America's global role. Millennials and younger people generally support international engagement while rejecting excessive military intervention.  Show NotesA. Trevor Thrall bioA. Trevor Thrall and Erik Goepner, (2021), “The New Faces of Internationalism: How Generational Change Is Reshaping American Foreign Policy Attitudes,” Cato Working Paper, Cato Institute, Washington, DC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Trisko Darden joins John Glaser to discuss how U.S. foreign aid tends to support state violence and coercion. Economic and military aid often helps undemocratic regimes secure and sustain their power and carry out human rights abuses. Even aid conditioned on good behavior and respect for democratic norms is highly fungible and often misused in ways that contradict the stated intentions of U.S. policymakers. Dr. Darden discusses the three case studies she details in her book to draw those conclusions.Jessica Trisko Darden bioJessica Trisko Darden,Aiding and Abetting: U.S. Foreign Assistance and State Violence, (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2020). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are China's international ambitions and how does Beijing seek to achieve them? Johns Hopkins professor Daniel S. Markey joins the show to discuss how the People’s Republic of China has pursued evolving strategies in discrete regions and to explore what strategic options are open to the United States in response.Daniel S. Markey bioDaniel S. Markey, China's Western Horizon: Beijing and the New Geopolitics of Eurasia, (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2020). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dominic Tierney, associate professor at Swarthmore College, explains how the “negativity bias” affects international relations. Negativity bias causes threat inflation, leads policymakers to maintain failing policies out of loss aversion, and produces misconceptions that make conflict more likely. Biden administration policies towards Iran, Afghanistan, and China are discussed, among other issues.  Show Notes Dominic Tierney bioDominic D.P. Johnson and Dominic Tierney, “Bad World: Negativity Bias in International Politics,” International Security 43, no. 3 (Winter 2018/19): 96-140. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former career diplomat Elizabeth Shackelford recounts how her experiences working for the State Department caused her to grow disillusioned with U.S. diplomatic policy. She emphasizes the advantages of adopting a more diplomatic rather than militarized foreign policy and offers policy prescriptions to help make that transition. Show Notes Elizabeth Shackelford bioElizabeth Shackelford, The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age, (New York City: Hachette Book Group, 2020). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has international war become more uncommon and unpopular since World War II? Sure some states still meddle in others’ civil wars or launch cyber offensives, but overall the world is experiencing an unprecedented era of peace. Some international relations experts claim that U.S. adventurist foreign policy has held off international war. This week’s guest, Ohio State University political scientist and Cato’s own John Mueller, argues against that premise in his new book The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency. He says that after two world wars, most people have realized that there are better solutions to disagreements than international war. Show NotesJohn Mueller bio:https://www.cato.org/people/john-mueller  John Mueller, The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency, (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2021).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geopolitical changes in East Asia call for new ideas to inform much needed policy reforms. Jessica J. Lee from the Quincy Institute joins John Glaser to discuss how policymakers can approach a rising China, traditional East Asian allies, and a nuclear North Korea.Show NotesJessica J. Lee bioMichael D. Swain, Jessica J. Lee and Rachel Esplin Odell, “Toward an Inclusive & Balanced Order: A New U.S. Strategy in East Asia,” Quincy Institute Paper No. 5, January 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the future of conservative foreign policy? The Republican Party is divided on many issues of national security as it searches for a new direction in the post-Trump age. The American Conservative senior editor Daniel Larison joins the show.Show NotesDaniel Larison bio: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/author/daniel-larison/Daniel Larison, “Where Do Conservatives Go On Foreign Policy,” The American Conservative, December 16, 2020.John Glaser, “Was Trump a Realist or a Wrecking Ball?” Empire Has No Clothes, podcast audio, January 24, 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the United States on course for a new Cold War with China? Campbell Craig tells John Glaser that there may be a chance to cooperate and ease tensions with Beijing. They discuss how changes in the U.S. military budget, threat perception, nuclear posturing, alliances, and domestic politics can help the two superpowers avoid a potential standoff.ShowNotes Campbell Craig bio:https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/542163-craig-campbell Campbell Craig and Fredrik Logevall, America’s Cold War: The Politics of Insecurity, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Russia commit a cyber attack or cyber espionage? What is the difference and how does it affect the U.S. response and future of cybersecurity? Cato Institute’s own Brandon Valeriano and Atlantic Council’s Erica Borghard join host John Glaser to discuss the severity of the SolarWinds hack and its implications for the broader cybersecurity political landscape.1.  Brandon Valeriano bio: https://www.cato.org/people/brandon-valerianoErica Borghard bio: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/erica-borghard/   2.  Sean Lawson and Brandon Valeriano, “The Russian ‘Cyber Peral Harbor’ That Wasn’t,” The American Conservative, December 18, 2020.Benjamin Jensen, Brandon Valeriano, and Mark Montgomery, “The Strategic Implications of SolarWinds,” Lawfare Blog, December 18, 2020. 3.  Erica D. Borghard, “The SolarWinds Compromise and the Strategic Challenge of Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain,” Council on Foreign Relations, December 22, 2020.Erica Borghard and Jacquelyn Schneider, “Russia’s Hack Wasn’t Cyberwarfare. That Complicates US Strategy,” Wired, December 17, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Beinart and host John Glaser discuss the problems of "global leadership" in U.S. foreign policy, why Washington over-spends on the wrong threats, the implications of President-elect Biden's incoming national security team, and how America should approach an increasingly influential China.   1. Peter Beinart bio: https://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Doctoral-Programs/Political-Science/Faculty-Bios/Peter-Beinart   2. Peter Beinart, Biden Wants America to Leader the World. It Shouldn’t., New York Times, December 2, 2020. 3. Peter Beinart, How I Changed My Mind, The Beinart Notebook, December 7, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After four years of an unpredictable commander-in-chief, it’s time to think about the future of U.S. foreign policy. John and David Hendrickson discuss the Trump to Biden transition, the illiberal nature of the "liberal order," and the impact of domestic politics on foreign policy, among other issues. 1.       David C. Hendrickson bio: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/academics/dept/politicalscience/people/profile.html?person=hendrickson_david 2. David C. Hendrickson, Republic in Peril: American Empire and the Liberal Tradition, (New York City: Oxford University Press, 2017). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump has shown excitement about the newly created Space Force division of the military. Is it worth the hype? According to Robert Farley, there is still too much unknown to make that call. 1.Robert M. Farley bio: https://www.uky.edu/~rmfarl2/ 2. There is no link yet to his Cato paper referenced as it has yet to be published. It’s a PA titled: Space Force: Ahead of Its Time, or Dreadfully Premature? Also mentioned:Robert M. Farley and Davida H. Issacs, Patents for Power: Intellectual Property Law and the Diffusion of Military Technology (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2020). Robert M. Farley, Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force (Louisville, KY: University of Kentucky Press, 2014). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 How will President-elect Biden change US foreign policy? John Glaser talks to Emma Ashford of the Atlantic Council about the transition from Trump to Biden, and from host Emma to host John.   Emma Ashford Bio https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/emma-ashford/https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/joe-biden-just-won-the-presidency-what-does-that-mean-for-americas-role-in-the-world/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Power transitions are a hot topic in international relations! David Kang and Xinru Ma join Emma Ashford to discuss why we should look outside Europe for insight.   David Kang Bio: https://dornsife.usc.edu/cf/faculty-and-staff/faculty.cfm?pid=1024445  Xinru Ma Bio: https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/people/xinru-ma#:~:text=She%20uses%20game%20theoretical%20models,processing%20methods%20to%20large%2Dscale  David Kang and Xinru Ma, “Power Transitions: Thucydides Didn’t Live in East Asia,” Washington Quarterly.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is American influence declining? Emma Ashford talks to Ali Wyne and Gabby Tarini of the Rand Corporation about their new report on America in the world.     Ali Wyne Bio: https://www.ducoexperts.com/users/ali-wyne  Gabrielle Tarini Bio: https://www.rand.org/about/people/t/tarini_gabrielle.html  James Dobbins, Gabrielle Tarini, and Ali Wyne, “The Lost Generation in American Foreign Policy,” RAND Corporation.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Ashford talks with MIT’s Taylor Fravel about ongoing China-India tensions and what China wants from the world. 1.     Taylor Fravel bio: https://polisci.mit.edu/people/m-taylor-fravel2.     Taylor Fravel, “Why are India and China Skirmishing at their Border?” Washington Post.3.     Taylor Fravel, “China’s Sovereignty Obsession,” Foreign Affairs.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Staniland of the University of Chicago joins Emma Ashford to discuss current events in India, Pakistan, and South Asia. Show Notes Paul Staniland bio: https://paulstaniland.com/Paul Staniland, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, “Political Violence in South Asia: The Triumph of the State?” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has taken America’s relationship with Europe from bad to worse. Emma Ashford chats with Rachel Rizzo of the Truman Project about the prospects for transatlantic relations.1. Rachel Rizzo Bio. 2. Tom McTague, "Remember the 90s, Don't Long for a Return," The Atlantic. 3. Emma Ashford, "Biden Wants to Go Back to a Normal Foreign Policy. That's the Problem," The New York Times.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special crossover episode, Emma sits down with the hosts of the Pop & Locke podcast and members of the Cato Foreign Policy team to explore how pop culture interacts with nuclear weapons, and why we should stop worrying and learn to love the bomb.  Pop and Locke Podcast: https://www.libertarianism.org/podcasts/pop-and-lockeEric Schlosser, The New Yorker, “Almost Everything in Dr. Strangelove was True.” Eric Gomez and Caroline Dorminey, “America’s Nuclear Crossroads”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third of our series on the world after the coronavirus, we talk about great power politics and U.S.-China relations, with returning guest Joshua Shifrinson of Boston University. 1.     Joshua Shifrinson Bio: https://www.bu.edu/pardeeschool/profile/joshua-shifrinson/2.     Joshua Shifrinson, International Security, “Partnership or Predation? How Rising States Contend With Declining Great Powers.” 3.     Emma Ashford and Matthew Kroenig, Foreign Policy, “Is This The Beginning of a New Cold War with China?”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second of our series on the world after the coronavirus, we look at the impact on Pentagon spending. Will the coronavirus prompt us to reconsider the defense budget?Sen. Bernie Sanders, "Defund the Pentagon: The Liberal Case," PoliticoAndrew Lautz and Jonathan Bydlak, "Defund the Pentagon: The Conservative Case," PoliticoEric Gomez, Lauren Sander, and Brandon Valeriano, "OCOMust Go," Defense One Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Special episode! As Trevor Thrall prepares to depart the show, our hosts chat about the show’s run and how U.S. foreign policy has changed since we've been on the air.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of a three-part series, Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall explore what international relations might look like after coronavirus. Today’s guest is Dan Drezner, a professor at Tufts University, who joins them to talk about global economic relations.   Daniel Drezner bio: https://fletcher.tufts.edu/people/daniel-drezner  Daniel Drezner, “There is No China Crisis,” Reason Magazine: https://reason.com/2020/04/25/there-is-no-china-crisis/  Daniel Drezner, “The Most Counterintuitive Prediction About World Politics and the Coronavirus,” https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/03/30/most-counterintuitive-prediction-about-world-politics-covid-19/Emma Ashford and Matthew Kroenig, “Will Trump’s Decision To Cut WHO Funding Accomplish Anything?” Foreign Policy: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/17/will-trumps-decision-to-cut-who-funding-accomplish-anything/Christopher Preble, “How Will Coronavirus Change US National Security Strategy?” Responsible Statecraft: https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/how-will-covid-19-change-us-national-security-strategy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall chat with Peter Singer of New America about his new novel Burn In, and why fiction can be useful for our understanding of national security policy.  Peter Singer bio, https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/peter-warren-singer/ Burn In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution, https://www.burninbook.com/Surveillance Takes Wing: Privacy in the Age of Police Drones, Matthew Feeney, https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/surveillance-takes-wing-privacy-age-police-dronesHow Drones are Changing Warfare, Cato Unbound, https://www.cato-unbound.org/issues/january-2012/how-drones-are-changing-warfare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric Gomez and Christopher Preble join Emma Ashford to discuss their new paper, “Building a Modern Military,” and how COVID-19 will change the U.S. military. Eric Gomez bio: https://www.cato.org/people/eric-gomezChristopher Preble bio: https://www.cato.org/people/christopher-prebleBuilding a Modern Military: https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/building-modern-military-force-meets-geopolitical-realities#citation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Hannah of the Eurasia Group Foundation joins Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall to talk about how the world views America and American-style democracy in the age of COVID-19.   Mark Hannah bio: https://egfound.org/about/our-teamEurasia Group Foundation, Global Views of American Democracy (2020)Mark Hannah, “Stop Declaring War on a Virus,” War on the Rocks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice Hunt Friend of the Center for Strategic and International Studies joins Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall to talk about the increasingly strained relations between civilian and military leaders in the Trump administration. Alice Hunt Friend bio: https://www.csis.org/people/alice-hunt-friendThis is What Was So Unusual About Making Capt. Bret Crozier Step Down: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/05/this-is-what-was-so-unusual-about-us-navy-making-captain-brett-crozier-step-down/ The Military Can’t Save Us From Covid-19: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/14/military-cant-save-us-covid-19.html  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greg Koblentz of George Mason University joins Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall to talk about the international security implications of the coronavirus pandemic.Greg Koblentz bioGreg Koblentz and Mike Hunzeker, "National Security in the Age of Pandemics," Defense One, April 3, 2020Gregory Koblentz, "Biosecurity Reconsidered: Calibrating Biological Threats and Responses," International Security, vol. 34, no. 4, Spring 2010Velibor Jakovleski, "Governance, in Crisis: What COVID-19 Means for the Present and Future of Global Governance," TheGlobal.com, April 8, 2020George Mason University: Biodefense Program, The Pandora Report Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Nexon of Georgetown University joins Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall to talk about his new book, Exit from Hegemony.Show Notes:Dan NexonExit from HegemonyDan Nexon, "What if COVID-19 Is Our First Case of Global (Non)cooperation in a Post-hegemonic World?"Power Problems: Great Power Competition, Part I | Power Problems: Great Power Competition, Part II Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall are joined by Brandon Valeriano to discuss the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s official report.Brandon Valeriano bioCyberspace Solarium CommissionBrandon Valeriano and Benjamin Jensen, "The Myth of the Cyber Offense: The Case for Restraint," Cato Institute Policy Analysis 862, January 15, 2019.Brandon Valeriano, Benjamin Jensen, and Ryan C. Mannes, Cyber Strategy: The Evolving Character of Power and Coercion (Oxford University Press, 2018) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Ashford and John Glaser are joined by political scientist Ellen Wald to discuss how global oil markets interact with U.S. foreign policy.Show NotesEllen Wald websiteEvent: The Iran Crisis and American Energy SecurityEllen Wald on Forbes.comRosemary Kelanic and Charles Glaser, Crude Strategy: Rethinking the U.S. Military Commitment to the Persian Gulf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Trevor Thrall and Emma Ashford as we discuss public engagement in the Trump era with Paul Poast, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago.Paul Poast bioPaul Poast, "Twitter Threads,"Tanisha M. Fazal and Paul Poast, "War Is Not Over: What the Optimists Get Wrong About Conflict." Foreign Affairs, November/December 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Trevor Thrall and Emma Ashford as we discuss the failures and history of regime change with Ben Denison, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.Benjamin Denison bioBenjamin Denison, The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: The Failure of Regime-Change Operations," Policy Analysis 881Benjamin Denison, "Regime Change Rarely Succeeds. When will the U.S. learn?," Washington Post, January 9, 2020Christopher Preble, "Covert Wars, to What End?," War on the Rocks, August 7, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Mount, Senior Fellow and the Director of the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, joins Trevor Thrall and Emma Ashford to discuss the future of progressive foreign policy.Adam Mount bioAdam Mount, “Principles for a Progressive Defense Policy, Texas National Security Review, December 2018Emma Ashford and Trevor Thrall, “The Battle Inside the Political Parties for the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy,” War on the Rocks, December 12, 2018Trevor Thrall and Jordan Cohen, “The Democrats’ Search for a New Foreign Policy,” Cato​.org, January 16, 2020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Ikenson, director of Cato’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, joins Trevor Thrall and guest host John Glaser to discuss the economic and foreign policy implications of Trump’s recent trade deals.Daniel J. Ikenson bioDaniel J. Ikenson, “A Few Things to Like about the U.S.-China Trade Deal,” Cato at Liberty, December 16, 2019Daniel J. Ikenson, “Trump’s Alleged Trade Deal with China Would Fix Nothing,” Cato at Liberty, December 13, 2019Simon Lester and Inu Manak, “The USMCA Is Moving Forward (Too) Quickly,” Cato at Liberty, December 16, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Swaine, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Trevor Thrall and guest host John Glaser to discuss the crisis in Hong Kong, the plight of the Uighurs, and China’s recent authoritarian turn.Michael Swaine bioMichael Swaine, “Chinese State‐​Society Relations: Why Beijing Isn’t Trembling and Containment Won’t Work,” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, March 14, 2019Austin Ramzy and Chris Buckley, ““Absolutely No Mercy”: Leaked Files Expose How China Organized Mass Detentions of Muslims,” New York Times, November 16, 2019Richard McGregor, “Party Man: Xi Jinping’s Quest to Dominate China,” Foreign Affairs, September/​October 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negar Mortazavi, diplomatic correspondent for The Independent, joins Trevor Thrall and guest host John Glaser to discuss the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran, recent Iranian protests, and the future of the JCPOA.Negar Mortazavi coverage at The IndependentFarnaz Fassihi and Rick Gladstone, “With Brutal Crackdown, Iran Is Convulsed by Worst Unrest in 40 Years,” New York Times, December 1, 2019Doug Bandow, “Trump Must Understand a War with Iran Would Be Hell,” The National Interest, November 21, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Goldgeier, former dean of the School of International Service at American University and resident scholar at the Brookings Institution, joins Trevor Thrall and guest host John Glaser to discuss President Trump’s use of irregular channels of foreign policy making in Ukraine.Jim Goldgeier BioGoldgeier and Saunders, “How much have Trump’s dealings with Ukraine deviated from the norm?” Washington PostMitchell Orenstein, “Welcome to the United States of Ukraine,” Foreign Policy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, joins Trevor Thrall and guest host John Glaser to discuss the launch of Washington D.C.’s newest foreign policy think tank.Quincy Institute websiteStephen Wertheim, “The Quincy Institute Opposes America’s Endless Wars. Why Should That Be a Scandal?,” Wahington Post, August 30, 2019David Klion, “Can a New Think Tank Put a Stop to Endless War?,” The Nation, July 29, 2019Curt Mills, “Realism Resurgent: The Rise of the Quincy Institute,” National Interest, July 1, 2019Kelley Vlahos, “The Quincy Institute Seeks Warmongering Monsters to Destroy,” The American Conservative, July 30, 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.