SSI Live Podcast

SSI Live 093 – The Grand Strategy of Gertrude Bell and Implications for US Policy Today – British strategist and diplomat Gertrude Bell shaped the modern Middle East and played a leading role in crafting London’s policies at a time of shifting great power dynamics. In this podcast, Dr. Heather Gregg discusses her monograph on Bell’s life and legacy and the implications for managing strategic competition today. What lessons can be drawn from Bell’s story and how can the United States leverage those lessons today? Listen here, or subscribe below. Read the monograph: https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/950/Keywords: Middle East, US Policy, strategic competition, Gertrude Bell

SSI Live 092 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Chinese Investment in European Infrastructure – This is the fifth podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing’s Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, Dr. John R. Deni discusses Chinese investment in militarily relevant infrastructure in Europe. Which European countries are of greatest concern? Where and how is China investing in infrastructure? What kinds of infrastructure are most relevant and most at risk? Are there any mitigating factors? Listen here, or subscribe below.Keywords: Europe, China, Pandemic, Chinese Investments, European Infrastructure, militarily relevant infrastructure

SSI Live 091 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Europe’s Evolving Policies Toward China – This is the fourth podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing’s Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, Dr. John R. Deni discusses Europe’s evolving policies toward Chinese economic statecraft. What tools have Europeans relied upon to fend off predatory Chinese behavior? What role has investment screening played, and what gaps remain in the defenses? Why did Chinese investment in Europe dip after 2017, and has it rebounded since then? Listen here, or subscribe below.Keywords: Europe, China, Pandemic, Beijing, Transatlantic Security

SSI Live 090 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Europe’s Evolving Attitude Toward China – This is the third podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing’s Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Erik Brattberg joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Europe’s evolving attitude toward China. How does Europe view China today, relative to the early 2010s? What led to changes in perception? Has the Russian war against Ukraine changed opinions of China in Europe? And what’s the outlook for Europe’s relationship with China? Listen here, or subscribe below.Keywords: Europe, China, Pandemic, Beijing, Transatlantic Security

SSI Live 089 – China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: China’s Strategy Toward Europe – This is the second podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing’s Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Dr. Roger Cliff joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss China’s strategy toward Europe. What does Beijing seek to get out of its relationship with Europe? What policy tools does it employ there? Has the Russian war against Ukraine changed China’s approach? And what’s the outlook for China’s activities in Europe? Listen here, or subscribe below.Keywords: Europe, China, Pandemic, Beijing, Transatlantic Security

China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: COVID-19’s Economic Impact on Europe – This is the first podcast in a short series to launch a recently published multi-author study on China, Europe, and the Pandemic Recession: Beijing’s Investments and Transatlantic Security. In this podcast, contributing author Dr. Mark Duckenfield joins Dr. John R. Deni to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19 on Europe. How does this crisis differ from the Great Recession and the Euro crisis of a decade ago? How has Europe’s response differed as well? Is Europe still at risk from predatory Chinese economic statecraft? Listen here, or subscribe below.Keywords: Europe, China, COVID-19, Chinese economy

China, Taiwan, and the Outlook for 2022 – Tensions between China and Taiwan increased dramatically through most of 2021, yet a somewhat calmer, steady state situation has prevailed in recent weeks. What explains this? What role does the 2022 Party Congress in China play, and how might President Xi Jinping approach 2022 and beyond? SSI’s Dr. Roger Cliff joins SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss Beijing’s way ahead. Listen below or click here to download.Keywords: China, Taiwan,

Negotiations between Russia and the United States, NATO, and the OSCE regarding the situation in/around Ukraine begin this week. How should the West approach those negotiations? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni argues the West should strike a hard bargain, even if it risks war in Ukraine.Keywords: Russia, Ukraine, NATO, United States, OSCE

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