School of War

Peter Feaver, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Duke University and author of Thanks For Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military, joins the show to talk about the state of civil-military relations in America, and to call for a truce on the issue of “wokism.”▪️Times     • 01:46 Introduction     • 2:40 Precedents    • 4:18 Citizen soldier to today     • 11:40 Expanding fissures    • 18:46 Downsides to a high approval rating    • 25:04 Isolationism and “wokeness”    • 33:56 Sloppy discourse    • 38:16 An echo of the ’90s    • 41:11 Progress    • 48:28 Race/Sexuality/Gender    • 55:03 A bit of Sparta in AthensFollow along  on InstagramFind a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Sean Mirski, author of We May Dominate the World: Ambition, Anxiety, and the Rise of the American Colossus, joins the show to talk about how the United States came to its global position and China’s attempts to match it.▪️Times     •    01:40 Introduction     •    2:22 An accidental project    •    6:41 The view from Washington     •    13:18 American paranoia    •    16:43 Post Civil War Mexico    •    22:04 Smedley Butler    •    24:46 The problem of order    •   31:12 After WWI    •   33:04 Strategic vulnerabilities    •    38:32 Regional hegemony    •    44:51 A desire to dominate    •    48:36 A lesson and a warning Here is a link to the article discussed todayFollow along  on InstagramFind a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Paul Edgar, Executive Director of the Clements Center for National Security and U.S. Army veteran, shares his insights on ancient Near Eastern warfare. He delves into the evolution of battle tactics, emphasizing the historical continuity of military strategies. Edgar also highlights the importance of understanding ancient military history for modern geopolitics, revealing how past conflicts inform current international relations. With anecdotes from his military background, he bridges the gap between the ancient and present-day political landscapes.

Iskander Rehman, author and fellow at SAIS’s Kissinger Center, discusses how future wars may be more about endurance. Topics covered: limitations of quick victories, geography as predictor in wars, role of national leadership, Sino-US competition, and absorbing massive casualties.

Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History and Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University and author of The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History, joins the show to talk about director Ridley Scott’s Napoleon.▪️Times     •    02:54 Introduction     •    04:52 First reactions    •    08:18 Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon    •    15:12 Propaganda of the time    •    17:14 No invention needed    •    21:22 Wellington and Talleyrand    •    23:24 Napoleon: Master Tactician    •    27:35 Waterloo    •    33:45 Josephine and Elba    •    35:44 More Napoleon contentFollow along  on InstagramFind a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack 

Nicholas Morton, associate professor of history at Nottingham Trent University and author of The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East, joins the show to talk about the Mongol invasions.▪️Times     •    01:40 Introduction     •    02:15 Central Asia before the Mongols    •    04:15 Mongol methods    •    09:15 Sailing the Eurasian Steppe    •   13:54 Temujin    •    18:38 A dearth of sources    •    21:50 Khwarazmian Empire    •    26:40 The Mongol secret    •   32:03 Selective savagery     •    36:30 The Near East    •    40:15 Mamluks   •    42:03 Mongol rule    •    45:17 Lasting effects

Matthew Waxman, Liviu Librescu Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, discusses the law of war, its importance, and its application in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. They explore topics such as military necessity vs humanitarian interest, bright line rules, reasonableness, sieges, weaponizing the law, perverse incentives, and the evolution of the law.

Edward Luttwak, strategist and co-author of The Art of Military Innovation, discusses the IDF's research and development methods, evaluating Israel's strategy, the downside of discipline, macro-innovation, and tackling Iran's threats and deterrence strategy.

Naval historians Vincent O'Hara and Trent Hone discuss how technology transformed naval warfare, focusing on night combat at sea. Topics include pre-19th-century night combat, German naval thinking, Japanese success, long-range torpedoes, and changes in command expectations.

Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at Foundation for Defense of Democracies and co-host of Jewish Insider’s Limited Liability podcast, joins the show to talk about the war in Israel, Iran’s objectives, and America’s.▪️Times     •    01:41 Introduction     •    02:22 Sit Rep 10/23    •    12:05 Confused messaging from Washington    •    20:21 Too clever by half    •   24:54 Owner operated proxies?    •    32:40 What does Iran want    •    35:51 Volatile Israeli politics    •    40:52 Dancing to the enemy tune    •   42:51 The cost of being America’s ally    •    44:25 DeterrenceFollow along  on InstagramFind a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack