SSI Live Podcast

Recent elections in Honduras and Chile appear to indicate that left-leaning parties are on the rise across Latin America. Is this the case and, if so, what are the strategic implications for U.S. security? Dr. Evan Ellis, SSI’s Latin America expert, joined SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Latin America’s shift to the left.

Keywords: Latin America, Chile, Honduras, left-leaning politics

The fall of Afghanistan raises serious questions about whether the United States and the West more broadly are able to successfully implement what military practitioners call Foreign Internal Defense, or supporting a friendly foreign government under attack from an internal insurgency. What explains success or failure in these cases? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Dr. Chris Mason to address the key variables Washington needs to bear in mind when it considers whether to intervene abroad. Dr. Mason drew on his long experience working in and studying Afghanistan, his book The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and his recent Parameters article on how “Counterinsurgency Doctrine is Wrong.”

Keywords: United States, Foreign Internal Defense, fall of Afghanistan, internal insurgency

How did Afghanistan fall to the Taliban after 20 years of effort by the United States and its allies? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Dr. Chris Mason to address the end of America’s longest war and to help shed light on the key reasons for why Afghanistan fell. Dr. Mason drew on his long experience working in and studying Afghanistan, as well as his book "The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan."

Keywords: Taliban, United States, U.S. allies, Afghanistan, America’s longest war

Within the context of Europe, the US Army must develop a force posture that best navigates the tensions between deterring or defeating armed conflict at an acceptable cost, successfully competing below armed conflict, and maintaining global responsiveness and institutional flexibility through the global operating model and dynamic force employment. While Russia’s economy, and consequently military capability will likely shrink over the next 10 years, which can make them more dangerous as the Kremlin continues to try to punch above its weight.

Keywords: Europe, Kremlin, the US Army, dynamic force employment, Russia’s economy

Given the multifaceted great power competition underway in the Indo-Pacific theater, how can the United States military best position itself? What role can and should the Army play in facilitating a joint approach? After a two-year hiatus, SSI Live returns as Dr. John R. Deni discusses a major newly released SSI study on USINDOPACOM theater design with two of its authors – Professor Nate Freier and Professor John Schaus. Their study was also the subject of an essay at Defense One.

Keywords: Indo-Pacific, USINDOPACOM, great power competition

The Helsinki summit meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin may be the first step in a rapprochement between the United States and Russia. If so, what are the strategic and policy implications in Europe, with specific regard to the security of U.S. allies in Eastern Europe, with regard to the conflict in Syria, vis-à-vis U.S. partners in the Middle East, or in other regards? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Prof. Nate Freier and Dr. Chris Bolan to think about and discuss the potential implications of a reset with Russia.

Getting the Indo-Asia-Pacific and relations with China right is the key to a peaceful and prosperous 21st Century. The challenge for the U.S. administration, and for policy experts writ large, is to build an effective strategy for a whole-of-government approach that will achieve a free and open Indo-Asia-Pacific while avoiding the Thucydides Trap. U.S. Army War College professors Fred Gellert, David Lai, and Jef Troxell joined host John R. Deni to discuss their new book on this subject, which provides analysis and policy recommendations on topics regarding the instruments of national power, regional affairs, and key Asia-Pacific countries.

Keywords: China, Indo-Asia-Pacific, INDOPACOM, whole-of-government approach

The Helsinki summit meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin may be the first step in a rapprochement between the United States and Russia. If so, what are the strategic and policy implications in Europe, with specific regard to the security of U.S. allies in Eastern Europe, with regard to the conflict in Syria, vis-à-vis U.S. partners in the Middle East, or in other regards? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni invited his SSI colleagues Prof. Nate Freier and Dr. Chris Bolan to think about and discuss the potential implications of a reset with Russia.

Keywords: Syria, Putin, President Trump, Helsinki summit, U.S. allies in Eastern Europe

In gross or raw potential, the United States remains the world’s leading global military power. At present though, American power is either dormant in or ill-adapted to many if not most of the world’s most important competitive spaces. American military position and influence are most immediately under duress in the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Area of Responsibility. In PACOM, enduring U.S. defense objectives and the nation’s most active, complex, and dangerous multi-domain security challenges converge. To discuss these issues and more, SSI host Dr. John R. Deni sat down with the SSI’s Prof. Nate Freier.

Keywords: Area of Responsibility, U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), global military power

On 13 October, President Trump announced his intention not to certify Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and threatening to leave the nuclear deal altogether if it was not amended in various ways. Why did the President announce this? Meanwhile, there are reports that some of his senior advisors opposed this move — what were their counterarguments? More broadly, what is the outlook with regard to Iran’s nuclear program? To discuss these issues and more, SSI host Dr. John R. Deni sat down with the SSI’s Middle East expert, Dr. Chris Bolan.

Keywords: President Trump, Iran’s nuclear program, JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)