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, Heather A. Conley, president of the German Marshall Fund and Chris Servello, a founder of Provision Advisors public relations firm (and Defense and Aerospace team member).

Topics:

— Key takeaways from consequential NATO summit that included a new strategy, new US headquarters in Poland, growing rapid reaction force to 300,000, and technology investment

— Analysis of alliance’s new strategic concept and Turkey’s decision, for now, to allow Finland and Sweden to join NATO in exchange for tougher stance on terrorism

— Whether alliance has staying power in the face of Russian efforts to undermine cohesion using energy, food and propaganda as weapons

— Beijing’s view of NATO summit and G7 pressure on Russia

— Xi Jinping’s trip to Hong Kong on 25th anniversary of city’s turnover from British to Chinese rule

— Update on impending Israeli election and Iran nuclear talks

— Challenges recent Supreme Court verdicts on guns, abortion, religion and government’s regulatory limits have on the Pentagon and military members

— Global perceptions of high court’s rulings