Bryan, Chris, and Melanie take on a new report by Chris Dougherty that argues that, unless America changes how it fights wars to more closely align with the priorities laid out in the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), it is in real danger of losing the next war to China or Russia. Has the thinking in the NDS become conventional wisdom? Is Dougherty's assessment overly pessimistic? Is there sufficient political will to follow through with expensive, long-term changes? Are American military planners up to the intellectual challenge? Finally, Bryan gives us the rundown on his much-anticipated staycation, Chris has some love for the U.S Women's Soccer Team, and Melanie hopes we can do a better job learning our history.

 

Links:

• Christopher M. Dougherty, "Why America Needs a New Way of War," CNAS, June 2019
• Ellen Barry, "In Leak, U.K. Ambassador to U.S. Calls Trump Administration Inept and Clumsy," New York Times, July 07, 2019
• Kate Sullivan, Zachary Cohen, and Jamie Crawford, "Admiral Set to Become Navy's Top Officer Retires Over Inappropriate Professional Relationship," CNN, July 07, 2019
• Mike Gallagher, "Sate of Deterrence by Denial," Washington Quarterly, 2019
• Bari Weiss, "San Francisco Will Spend $600,000 to Erase History," New York Times, June 28, 2019
• Sarah Mervosh, "Principal Who Tried to Stay 'Politically Neutral' about Holocaust is Removed," New York Times, July 8, 2019
• David Stout, “Janne E. Nolan, Principled Adviser on World Affairs, Is Dead at 67,” New York Times, July 8, 2019
• Francis J. Gavin, “Remembering Janne,” War on the Rocks, July 2, 2019
• Justin Amash, “Our Politics is in a Partisan Death Spiral. That’s Why I’m Leaving the GOP,” Washington Post, July 4, 2019