Waitt, What? The Podcast

Who are the men quietly carrying the burden of America's longest wars? Sam Waitt sits down with Willy Stern, founder of the Legion Fund, for a rare inside look at the world of America's Green Berets. Far removed from Hollywood stereotypes, Stern explains why the Green Berets of Fifth Special Forces Group are among the military's most intellectually demanding and versatile warriors — trained not only for combat, but also diplomacy, languages, strategy, and unconventional warfare. Stern also shares how the Legion Fund supports soldiers and families behind the scenes — from emergency home repairs to long-term care for those carrying the invisible burdens of war. At the center of the conversation is a difficult but important question: What does a nation owe the people who quietly fight its wars while asking for nothing in return?

What if the last thirty years were the exception — not the rule? Host Sam Waitt sits down with American strategist, historian and former Assistant Secretary of State A. Wess Mitchell to discuss the return of great power competition and why the world may be reverting back to something far more familiar: geopolitical rivalry between major powers. From China's rapid rise to America's strategic miscalculations after the Cold War, Mitchell argues that geopolitics never disappeared. America simply stopped treating it as central, while rivals like China never stopped thinking strategically. At the heart of the episode is a difficult question: What if peace and stability were the anomaly and history is simply returning to normal?

What if the greatest success of American foreign policy is something most people never notice? Host Sam Waitt sits down with leading civil-military relations expert Dr. Peter Feaver to explore the real costs — and often invisible benefits — of U.S. global engagement. From Pearl Harbor and World War II to the post-9/11 era, Dr. Feaver explains how American alliances, military power, and global leadership helped prevent catastrophic conflicts that once defined the 20th century. The conversation also examines NATO, the changing nature of war, burden sharing with allies, and why modern security challenges involving China and Russia may be more dangerous than many Americans realize.

What happens when the United States pulls back from the world stage? Host Sam Waitt sits down with former diplomat and foreign policy expert Mietek Boduszynski to explore the real-world consequences of American disengagement. From the Balkans to Libya, the conversation examines how diplomacy, media development, democratic institutions, and soft power shape global stability long after wars end. Boduszynski explains why hard power may create peace agreements — but soft power is often what sustains peace afterward. As global politics become increasingly unstable, this conversation asks a deeper question: What are the long-term costs when America stops showing up?

What actually drives economic growth, and why do so many countries get it wrong? Host Sam Waitt sits down with legendary economist Dr. Arthur Laffer for a wide-ranging conversation on the principles that shape global economies. From the origins of the Laffer Curve to firsthand experiences inside the Nixon and Reagan administrations, Dr. Laffer breaks down the real impact of tax policy, incentives, and government intervention. He also shares a rare, personal perspective on China's economic rise after visiting the country in 1970 — long before it became a global powerhouse. Whether you're interested in policy, global markets, or the future of the economy, this episode offers a masterclass from one of the most influential economists of our time.

We end Season 2 exploring the challenges posed by America's key adversaries — China, Russia, and Iran — each driven by expansionist ambitions that threaten global stability. This season we highlighted Iran's nuclear aspirations and ideological extremism, China's economic and technological dominance under the Chinese Communist Party's expansionist agenda, and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine fueled by imperial ambitions. And yet, while these external threats are serious, America's greatest danger may lie within its own divisions, as polarization and disputes over basic facts weaken the nation from inside. It's time to bridge divides, restore respectful dialogue, and help Americans confront their internal adversary: disunity.

Professor Brent Nelsen, director of the Tocqueville Center at Furman University, reflects on Alexis de Tocqueville's warnings about democracy, America's deepening political polarization, and the role universities must play in bridging those divides. Nelsen warns that polarization now shapes perceptions of truth itself, yet he remains committed to the possibility of healing through dialogue and compromise.

Dr. Thomas Graham, former Senior Director for Russia at the National Security Council and now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, takes us on a deep dive into Russia's mindset, its leader Vladimir Putin, and what the future might hold for U.S.-Russia relations. As a seasoned diplomat, Dr. Graham unpacks the psychology of Russian power and what the U.S. gets right — and wrong — about its most complex geopolitical rival.

Hudson Institute senior fellow Michael Sobolik exposes the hard truths about the Chinese Communist Party's global ambitions and deep infiltration into American society. Drawing from over a decade of experience in U.S.–China relations, Sobolik joins host Sam Waitt to argue that economic engagement has only strengthened the CCP's authoritarian grip — and now, they're turning that power against us. From Confucius Institutes and cyber sabotage to TikTok and Taiwan, he outlines how the CCP is waging a strategic, ideological battle for global dominance — and why the U.S. must respond with urgency and creativity.

Retired U.S. Army General William Hickman has served both on battlefields and in boardrooms across the globe. His career includes deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as key leadership roles within NATO's military command. In this episode our conversation centers on the one alliance that has anchored the West for over 75 years — NATO, aka the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Gen. Hickman reflects on the Alliance's ultimate mission, its impending expansion and its relevance in today's chaotic global order.