Pacific Pundit

By Van Jackson

News & Politics

What's Pacific Pundit about?

A podcast series on Asian geopolitics, foreign policy, and history hosted by Van Jackson. The show's niche is on the intersection of the United States and the Asia-Pacific. We're here to make sense of the world's most important region, and America's role in it.

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Pacific Pundit episodes:

08.30.2017
Conspiracy Theories, Devil's Bargains, and Asian Security
In this episode, we talk about the various ways conspiratorial thinking has encroached on the Asia-Pacific and US foreign policy. We explore a number of recent developments ripe for competing explanations, including the surprising centrality of East Asia in Steve...
08.09.2017
Bombs over Pyongyang? The Window's Already Closed
Don't call it a comeback! In this episode of "Pacific Pundit," we explain the many perils of preventive attacks against North Korea. Our history segment discusses the crazy options the U.S. considered to prevent China from going nuclear in the...
04.20.2017
Signaling Ignorance: What the Pentagon Gets Wrong about Coercion
In this episode, we explain how the Pentagon gets coercion wrong, what hip-hop tells us about deterrence, and why it all matters. Our history segment recalls Operation Rolling Thunder, the failed bombing campaign of North Vietnam. And in an interview...
03.07.2017
Will Politics Trump Process? Debating Grand Strategy Today
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we debate whether grand strategy under Trump is possible, and the role that his new national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, will play. Our history segment recalls the national security policy processes Henry Kissinger ran...
01.26.2017
Isn’t One China Enough?
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we think through the implications of President Trump’s words and deeds for the US “One China” policy. Our historical segment explores Henry Kissinger’s negotiation with China’s Chou Enlai to establish the Shanghai Communique—the foundation...
12.27.2016
Duterte, Dictatorships, and Southeast Asian Strategy
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we bring strategic sense to Southeast Asia and the rhetoric of Filipino strongman, Rodrigo Duterte. Our history segment considers how Cosimo de Medici used political communication to consolidate power in Florentine Italy during the...
11.18.2016
Asia in the Age of Trump: Stability, China Victory, or Nuclear War?
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we explore the possibilities for US Asia policy under President-elect Trump, from continuity and stability to disaster and nuclear war. Our history segment recalls the campaign rhetoric and foreign policy promises of Jimmy Carter's...
10.26.2016
Let's Talk About Great Power Competition with China
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we have the audacity to argue that great power competition exists between the United States and China. Our history segment reminisces about War Plan Orange and the importance of taking a long view of...
10.04.2016
Asia's Wicked Geometry: The Power and Problems of Trilateralism
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we explore the scope, causes and consequences of trilateral cooperation in Asia. In our history segment, we revisit how the Australia-New Zealand-US (ANZUS) alliance broke up in the 1980s. We discuss Japan-South Korea-US cooperation with...
09.15.2016
Sleepwalking into Nuclear War with North Korea
In this episode of Pacific Pundit, we put North Korea's fifth nuclear test in a historical, theoretical, and policy context. We review historical evidence revealing U.S. preferences for preventive nuclear war when America was a new nuclear power. Our guest...
08.24.2016
Red Teaming the Rebalance: Is the US Good for Asia?
In this episode, we explain why William Seward is the OG of US Asia strategy, debate the origins of the rebalance to Asia under President Obama, and bring on two guests-- James Brown (University of Sydney), explaining how Asia and...
08.08.2016
Offshore Balancing is For Suckers
In this first episode of our new podcast, Pacific Pundit, we explain why offshore balancing strategies are a loser's bet, critique an article by Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer advocating an offshore balancing grand strategy, and interview Dr. Denny Roy, Senior...