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 and Jim Townsend, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO who is now with the Center for a New American Security. 

Topics:

— European sentiment on Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine as Kyiv plans major offensive to retake Kherson and Moscow uses Iranian drones to hit Ukrainian power, water and rail

— Outlook for defense spending in US, Europe and Asia as concerns mount of an impending worldwide recession

— Impact of statements by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., that Ukraine as well as Pentagon spending would be curtailed should Republicans retake Congress in November elections

— How US and Europe must respond to Russian grey zone and intimidation operations in cyber, destroying Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, cutting undersea cables connecting Shetland Islands to Britain, impacting German rail, a Russian sub transiting the Bay of Biscay or firing missile near RAF reconnaissance plane over Black Sea

— Lessons China is learning as Washington and allies fail to respond to Russian provocations

— Takeaways from Chinese Communist Party’s quinquennial meeting in Beijing

— China’s new approach to Taiwan that would subjugate the island nation

— Deterring China from invading Taiwan whether through new legislation like Taiwan Policy Act, modernizing Taipei’s forces, economic pressure, or event posting US troops on the island

— North Korea’s upcoming nuclear test

— Impact of Russia’s reduction of forces in Syria on Israel’s campaign against ISIS as Iran steps up attacks on Kurdish Iraq

— Iran’s crackdown on worsening demonstrations and outlook for overthrowing the clerical rule