Horns Of A Dilemma

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Tess Owen, senior reporter at VICE News covering extremism, hate crimes, and gun control, sits down with Brianna Kablack, a Master of Global Policy Studies candidate at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, to discuss domestic extremism. Their talk examines the evolution and developments that Owen has seen in the course of reporting on domestic extremism. These findings include the evolution of what she refers to as “suit and tie extremists,” as well as the mainstreaming of increasingly extremist views.   This talk was sponsored by the Strauss Center and was part of the Brumley Speaker Series.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Josh Rogin, journalist for the Washington Post and CNN, joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the 21st Century. Rogin details the response of the Trump administration to China, and describes the groups that had influence within the White House in helping to shape policy.   This talk took place at the University of Texas at Austin and was sponsored by the Clements Center and the Strauss Center.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Sean McFate, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and professor of strategy at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, discusses his book The New Rules of War: How America Can Win Against Russia, China, and Other Threats. McFate argues that the lack of strategic success achieved by the U.S. military over the last 30 to 40 years stems not from a lack of investment nor a lack of technology, but from the fact that the United States suffers from what he terms “victors curse.”   This talk took place at the University of Texas at Austin and was sponsored by the Clements Center.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma we listen to a talk from Eli Lake, a national security journalism fellow at the Clements Center and a syndicated columnist on foreign affairs for Bloomberg. Lake shares his thoughts on what he describes as the “new non-interventionism,” comprised of those thinkers, scholars, and policy makers who oppose continued U.S. presence around the world in pursuit of a war on terror. 

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Hilary Matfess (a Ph.D. candidate at Yale University and a Peace Scholar Fellow at the United States Institute for Peace), and Robert Nagel (a postdoctoral research fellow at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security), to discuss gender in conflict and the issues surrounding women in the field of security.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Frank Gavin, chair of the editorial board of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Philip Zelikow to discuss his new book, The Road Less Traveled: The Secret Battle to End the Great War, 1916 - 1917. Gavin and Zelikow explore the story of the peace talks and what might have happened had they succeeded. Moreover, Zelikow explores why this story has never been told. It is an interesting look into how history is shaped and how we understand the past.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Paul Edgar, associate director of the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin, sits down with Gen. (ret.) David Petraeus, currently serving as the director of the KKR Global Institute. During the conversation, Petraeus discusses China and other challenges facing U.S. national security after the Trump administration.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Prof. Sarah Paine of the U.S. Naval War College examines a variety of explanations for why the Cold War ended, when it did, and how it did. Paine does not arrive at a single answer but paints a much richer portrait of the fascinating events that led to a substantial shift in world order.

In this episode of Horns, Nina Jankowicz, , discusses her book, How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict. Jankowicz’s book covers Russian disinformation efforts in Estonia, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States. She argues that disinformation shouldn’t be viewed strictly from a technical perspective, since successful disinformation takes advantage of preexisting fissures and issues within society and exacerbates divisions and emotions surrounding them. An effective response to disinformation should have a strong human component, and it is impossible to mount an effect campaign against foreign disinformation when some portions of society engage in those same tactics.

The military is one of the most trusted institutions in American society. But the question of how the military views itself is different than that and one that has significant implications. Recently, the Texas National Security Review published an article titled, “From Citizen Soldier to Secular Saint: The Societal Implications of Military Exceptionalism,” that looks at the implications of military exceptionalism. The authors, Heidi Urben, Susan Bryant, and Brett Swaney sit down with Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, to discuss their findings of servicemembers’ perception of themselves.

On March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill delivered a speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. This speech, known as “The Sinews of Peace” speech, became famous for the phrase that Churchill coined about the fall of the “Iron Curtain” across Europe.   To mark its 75th anniversary, the Clements Center assembled a panel to discuss the speech itself, the context in which it was given, and its enduring impact. The conversation is hosted by Will Inboden, executive director of the Clements Center, and features David Reynolds, professor of international history at Cambridge University, Kori Schake, director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and Tim Riley, director of the National Churchill Museum.   You can listen to the speech at the National Churchill Museum.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Paul Edgar, associate director of the Clements Center, sits down with Ray Takeyh to discuss his book, The Last Shah: America, Iran, and the Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Takeyh argues that, contrary to popular belief, the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq was not the most pivotal event in shaping Iran’s destiny. He argues that Mossadeq’s expulsion was the result, at least in large part, of disapproval of fellow Iranian elites rather than a strictly successful CIA coup. Instead, Takeyh states that understanding the rise of the revolution and the downfall of the Shah should focus more on the period in the early 1960s when Pahlavi became increasingly autocratic and separated from his advisers.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Thomas Schwartz of Vanderbilt University, discusses his book, Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography. Few figures in American history are as controversial or divisive as Henry Kissinger. Schwartz argues that Kissinger, while mostly associated with international diplomacy and international affairs, is best understood by understanding him as a domestic political figure whose moves were calculated based on his approval ratings and how he played within the domestic political audience. Schwartz also makes the case that Kissinger’s relationship with President Richard Nixon involved rivalry as well as partnership, and was carefully calculated on Kissinger’s part to present an image that put him in the best and most favorable light to the American public.  

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Dulce Garcia, executive director of Border Angels, an organization that provides outreach to asylum seekers and border crossers, joins the podcast to discuss the challenges faced with immigration policy and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Garcia talks about the security implications of immigration and asylum policy, and the human implications of the choices that are made regarding these topics. This talk was sponsored by the Strauss Center and was part of their Brumley Speaker Series.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Will Inboden, executive director of the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin, sits down with Dan Blumenthal of the American Enterprise Institute to discuss his book, The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Decaying State. Blumenthal’s thesis is that China is a rising power with extraordinary strategic capabilities that make it a strong competitor for the United States. Where his thesis may diverge from conventional wisdom is that he argues China is also beset by significant vulnerabilities including questions of how to deal with dissent and pluralism within their own population, demographic effects of the “one child” policy, and risks posed by a stagnating economy.    Blumenthal adds that the most dangerous time in the competition between great powers does not come when one is rising and one is declining, but when a state like China sees the risk that their status may go away and feels the need to lock in gains.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Ben Rohrbaugh, author of More or Less Afraid of Nearly Everything: Homeland Security, Border, and Disasters in the Twenty-First Century, stops by to discuss the role of the Department of Homeland Security.   Rohrbaugh points out that the department has been something of an unloved stepchild within the government structure, lacking both a consistent and coherent organizational culture, as well as at times the perception that it intrudes on the turf of other more established agencies. Although Rohrbaugh acknowledges the case against the Department of Homeland Security, he comes to the conclusion that the department is an important organization in dealing with the threats the United States faces in the 21st century, like infectious diseases, terrorism, right-wing extremism, organized crime, natural disasters, and border security.   This talk was sponsored by the Strauss Center at the University of Texas at Austin and was part of the Central America/Mexico Policy Initiative

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Doyle Hodges, executive editor of the Texas National Security Review, sits down with Sam Jackson, assistant professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity at the University of Albany, to discuss far right-wing, antigovernment groups in the United States. In particular, Hodges and Jackson focus on the group, the Oath Keepers. Who are the Oath Keepers? Why were they founded and when? Jackson’s book, Oath Keepers: Patriotism and the Edge of Violence in a Right-Wing Antigovernment Group, sheds light on these questions and more.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Will Inboden, executive director at the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin, sits down with David Adesnik and John Hannah from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to discuss their recent work, “From Trump to Biden: The Way Ahead for United States National Security.” Inboden and the authors identify the successes and failures of Donald Trump’s foreign policy. The discussion serves to shine a light on areas where there are opportunities for a bipartisan consensus in foreign policy going forward.

In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Amb. (ret.) Bonnie Jenkins discusses the array of treaty obligations, international law, and other agreements that make up the arms control and nuclear non-proliferation regime.   Paul Pope, senior fellow at the Intelligence Studies Project, introduces Marigny Kirschke-Schwartz, a Brumley fellow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, to moderate the talk with Amb. Jenkins.

This episode of Horns of a Dilemma features a panel discussion on prospects for civil-military relations in the Joe Biden administration.  The discussion brings a wealth of knowledge on civil-military issues, as well as a wealth of experience in administering defense programs. The conversation covers a broad range of topics ranging from the challenges that stemmed from the Donald Trump administration, challenges associated with the presidential transition, as well as what the enduring impacts of the current administration will be on civil-military ties.   The discussion is moderated by Jim Golby, senior fellow at the Clements Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and features Peter Feaver, professor of political science and public policy at Duke University, Lt. Gen (ret.) Dave Barno, professor at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies , and Kori Schake, director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.