On this Washington Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guests are Dov Zakheim, PhD, former DoD comptroller, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute, Jim Townsend, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO who is now with the Center for a New American Security, Michael Herson of American Defense International and Dr. Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Topics:

— Update on National Defense Authorization Act and appropriations deliberations that are expected to yield a $60 billion increase over the Biden administration’s 2023 Pentagon budget request

— President Biden’s successful weeks that include CHIPS Plus passage and PACT Act votes, plus the reconciliation deal that will secure Senate passage of his signature climate, healthcare and tax package

— Whether dropping gas prices, legislative wins and opposition to abortion bans change political prospects for mid-term elections in November for GOP to retake House and Democrats to retain Senate

— Whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s historic visit to Taipei was an unnecessary provocation or merely an opportunity for China to manufacture outrage to stage live-fire aimed at intimidating Taiwan and the region

— What’s next in Russia’s war on Ukraine as Washington increases sanctions and promises more amid as Kyiv prepares an new offensive

— Will Washington send Moscow the wrong signal by trading arms dealer Victor Bout and KGB murderer Vadin Krasikov for hostages like Brittany Griner and Paul Whelan

— Message in 95-1 Senate approval for Finland and Sweden to join NATO

— Biden’s precision strike that killed Al Qaida leader and 9/11 Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul and whether the move validates the administration’s over the horizon strategy to hold terrorists at risk, a year after America’s shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan

— Deputy Defense Secretary Kath Hicks’ decision to tap the US Air Force for the homeland cruise missile and unmanned aircraft defense mission and funding a mission that is equally important in the Pacific as in Europe