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 and Michael Herson of American Defense International.

Topics:

— House passes National Defense Authorization Act that’s $45 billion higher than Biden administration request as all eyes on whether Senate will follow

— Long-term impact on military discipline of reversing DoD’s covid vaccination requirements that drove hundreds from uniform

— Omnibus appropriations and debt ceiling talks stall raising fears of prolonged continuing resolution, and late 2023 borrowing limit battle

— Senate power dynamic as Sen. Kirsten Sienama changes affiliation from Democrat to Independent

— Turkey makes further demands in exchange for blessing Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership

— Analysis of Biden administration’s decision to trade WNBA and Olympic star Brittney Griner for convicted arms merchant Viktor Bout

— As America and France bolster their alliance, implications of Poland’s demands Germany pay $1.3 trillion in World War II reparations

— Beijing backtracks on strict covid lockdowns in the wake of unprecedented nationwide demonstrations

— China strikes strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia as Riyadh embraces Huawei technology despite US pressure to shut Chinese 5G gear

— Update on AUSMIN and AUKUS, and whether Japan might join pact that includes US, UK and Australia

— Japan’s decision to join British-led effort to develop Tempest next generation fighter that includes Italy and Sweden

— Outlook for Iranian regime after violent demonstrations and suggestion morality police would be abolished

— Binyamin Netanyahu shifts further right as be prepares his new Israeli government