The Asia Chessboard

In part two of host Mike Green's conversation with Kelly Magsamen and Mira Rapp-Hooper, the three focus on the likely approaches a future Democratic administration would take on trade issues, defense policy, and democratic values. What elements of the Trump-era National Defense Strategy, if any, might a future Democratic president continue in their own Asia grand strategy? The group also discusses polling from the Center for American Progress, and how young progressive grand strategists can find their footing within the Asia policy community. Download full transcript here.

In part one of a two-part discussion, Mike is joined by Kelly Magsamen, vice president for national security and international policy at the Center for American Progress and a former pentagon and NSC official; and Mira Rapp-Hooper, senior fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and Yale Law School China center. With the Democratic presidential primary in full swing, the three discuss the history of Democratic grand strategy in Asia, noting the prevalence of both realist and institutionalist tendencies in Democratic administrations. Stay tuned for a further discussion on the importance of trade strategy, defense issues, and democratic values in a future Democratic administration’s Asia grand strategy in part two Download full transcript here.

In part two of Mike and Andrew's discussion with Kurt Campbell, the group turns to the domestic implications of the Trump administration's grand strategy in Asia. How does the Trump administration's aggressive trade policy affect American farmers crucial to Trump's voter base, and how do Trump administration trade policies fit into the larger discourses on free trade? Mike and Kurt also discuss the Trump administration's departure from long held norms in Asia grand strategy. Is the focus on browbeating allies and adversaries sustainable? Will future American administrations adopt an anything-but-Trump approach? The conversation concludes with a brief examination of President Trump's summit diplomacy with North Korea. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Mike and Andrew sit down with Dr. Kurt Campbell, president and CEO of The Asia Group, co-founder of the Center for a New American Security, and former assistant Secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs. In part one of a two-part discussion, Mike, Kurt, and Andrew give an inside look at the establishment of the Nye Initiative, the post-Cold War drive to restructure the U.S.-Japan alliance for the present era. They also grade the Trump and Obama administrations' records against combating strategic drift. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Mike sits down with Will Inboden, associate professor of public policy and director of the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Will is also a former senior NSC official for strategic planning. Mike and Will unpack popular misconceptions about the application of history to grand strategy and discuss the critical place of values in American foreign policy. They also preview Will’s forthcoming book on the Reagan administration. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Mike and Andrew interview a true grandmaster of the Asia chessboard: Ambassador Richard Armitage. Ambassador Armitage has seen it all, from riverine patrols with the “brown-water navy” in Vietnam to hard-fought bureaucratic battles as Deputy Secretary of State. Andrew and Mike discuss Ambassador Armitage’s background in Asia. They grade the Trump administration’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.” Plus, they forecast possible black swans shadowing the Asia chessboard. (And Ambassador Armitage’s all-time bench press record is revealed.) Download full transcript here.

Andrew Schwartz interviews the host, Dr. Mike Green, senior vice president for Asia at CSIS, director of Asian Studies at Georgetown University, and former senior director for Asia on George W. Bush’s national security council. Andrew explores Dr. Green’s career, examining how Dr. Green originally became interested in the study of grand strategy and how he landed on Asia as his focus. Dr. Green and Andrew further consider the questions that will frame The Asia Chessboard going forward: is grand strategy possible in the United States today? How do leaders execute strategy in the midst of crises? Where is U.S. strategy towards the region heading? Download full transcript here.