Hudson Institute Events Podcast

The Daniel Ortega regime arrested Francisco Aguirre-Sacasa, a former foreign minister and ambassador to the United States from Nicaragua, as part of a crackdown on domestic opponents in 2021. The government sentenced him for alleged crimes against national sovereignty and held him in El Chipote prison until February 2023, when he and 221 other political prisoners were released and deported to the United States.  Please join Hudson Institute Adjunct Fellow Daniel Batlle for a conversation with Aguirre-Sacasa on his experience as a political prisoner and the repressive nature of the Ortega regime. 

Force structure—which includes the allocation of personnel, equipment, and weapons—is one of the most important and overlooked components of military readiness. With rising threats abroad, the US military needs to maintain a force structure that allows it to project combat power whenever and wherever it is required. Please join Jon Askonas, a military scholar and assistant professor of politics at the Catholic University of America, and Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a conversation about the state of our military’s force structure and what it means for our national security.

A recently released Senate report found that drug shortages increased by nearly 30 percent from 2021 to 2022. One prevailing cause for this issue is that 80 to 90 percent of critical medical supplies are manufactured overseas—particularly in China. How does this vulnerability affect our national security? Please join former US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a discussion on the future of American health security.

Russia’s armed forces and proxy troops have committed an array of mass atrocities in Ukraine, including widespread and systematic attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, arbitrary detentions, torture and ill treatment, rape and other sexual violence, and the forcible displacement of thousands of children. The evidence suggests that Russia is using war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide to extinguish Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and national identity. To hold Russia—as well as individual perpetrators—accountable, Ukraine and its partners will need to coordinate between Ukrainian courts, the International Criminal Court, a United Nations special tribunal for Russian aggression, the EU-US Joint Investigation Team, third states conducting investigations under the principle of universal jurisdiction, and more.In this event, Hudson Senior Fellow Luke Coffey will discuss Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine and the various avenues for prosecuting the crimes and seeking justice with Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin. 

After Vladimir Putin assembled upward of 100,000 troops along the Ukraine border over one year ago, his full-scale invasion of Ukraine has proven anything but successful. Russia’s initial attack on Kyiv failed, and its subsequent setbacks in Kharkiv and Kherson only further highlighted the poor performance of Moscow’s armed forces. By contrast, the people of Ukraine have fought heroically and tenaciously to repel the Russian attacks and defend their homeland against further encroachment. Ukraine now faces a critical moment as it gears up for yet another counteroffensive to liberate its territory following Russia’s most recent offensive in the Donbas. Few members of Congress are better positioned to assess the war than Jason Crow of Colorado. A former Army Ranger and Bronze Star recipient, Congressman Crow serves the people of Colorado’s sixth congressional district on the Armed Services Committees and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Please welcome Congressman Crow back to Hudson Institute for a conversation with Peter Rough, director of the Hudson Center on Europe and Eurasia, on the state of the war, US strategy, and the importance of continued congressional support. 

Fighting that broke out on April 15 in Sudan continues throughout the country despite several declared ceasefires. The conflict among Sudanese security forces has already killed hundreds, decimated critical infrastructure such as hospitals, and severely damaged the energy grid.An unknown number of foreigners, including Americans, are trapped in Sudan. Roving bands of fighters are looting property and committing indiscriminate violence against civilians, and even Americans who have managed to find shelter are likely running low on food and water. Several countries have abandoned attempts to rescue their citizens, and the US government has said it has no plans to coordinate an evacuation.Please join Hudson Fellows James Barnett, Robert Greenway, and Joshua Meservey as they discuss the urgent need for a US-led effort to evacuate Americans and outline the principles and hazards that evacuation planners should keep in mind.

Join Hudson Institute Director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Michael Doran and Director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia Peter Rough for a discussion with the Twentieth United States National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley on his new book, Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama.About the BookHand-Off offers a firsthand look at the foreign policy the Bush administration turned over to President Obama. The book includes thirty newly declassified transition memoranda made public for the first time, offering an exclusive glimpse into Bush's foreign policy legacy. In a postscript to each memorandum, national security experts from the Bush administration take a look back at their foreign policy record after more than a dozen years out of office.

As the State of Israel celebrates 75 years of independence, the country is going through its most acrimonious political and social discord in recent memory. Friends and allies of the Jewish state are trying hard to understand and influence the outcome, while Israel’s enemies are testing its defenses and will. In this event, panelists will share their insights about what to expect in and around Israel over the next 75 days and with an eye toward the next 75 years.

China is offering Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure and security pacts to extend its strategic influence deep into the Pacific. Although Beijing has suffered diplomatic setbacks, including accusations of bribery and bullying, America should not take its position as a strong Pacific power for granted. Join Hudson Institute in person or online on Friday, April 28, at 11:00 a.m. for a conversation with Ambassador Joseph Yun. He is the special presidential envoy for compact negotiations and leads the renegotiation of agreements with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau—collectively known as the Freely Associated States. Amb. Yun will talk with Hudson Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick Cronin about the Pacific states’ concerns and the ongoing negotiations, as well as whether Congress will muster bipartisan support to ensure the renewal of these long-term compacts of free association.

The US military faces one of its most serious readiness challenges in recent history. The Army did not meet its recruitment goals, falling nearly 15,000 soldiers short at the end of the last fiscal year. At that same time, junior enlisted service members are underpaid and often unable to afford basic necessities for their families. All the while, our military continues to face procurement shortfalls that threaten our ability to produce and deploy vital systems for our military. With rising threats abroad, what can policymakers do to restore readiness and strength to our armed forces? Please join Congressman Mike Garcia (CA-27) and Hudson Media Fellow Jeremy Hunt for a discussion on the way out of this crisis.