1 Minute Foreign Policy

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Dr. Emma Ashford, a Senior Fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center. The two discuss Dr. Ashford’s new book, “First Among Equals: U.S. Foreign Policy In A Multipolar World.”  The discussion touches upon the end of the Unipolar Moment, the emerging schools of thought on the future of American power, “unbalanced multipolarity,” the argument for free trade, and what a realist internationalism approach means for American involvement in Europe and the Middle East, as well as great power relations with China, India, and Russia. You can purchase First Among Equals from Yale University Press, or wherever books are sold.-Emma Ashford is a Senior Fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy program at the Stimson Center. She works on a variety of issues related to the future of U.S foreign policy, international security, and the politics of global energy markets. She has expertise in the politics of Russia, Europe, and the Middle East. Ashford i

Greg Lawson is a realist thinker, a history buff, and a geopolitical analyst. He joins the podcast to discuss the legacy and meaning of former Secretary of State, the late Dr. Henry Kissinger, as well as the problem of Russia, and the urgency of China. There has never been a more urgent time for prioritization in American foreign policy; Greg lays out a clear vision on what he sees as the realist way forward. Greg R. Lawson is a Contributing Analyst at WikiStrat and a Research Fellow at the Buckeye Institute. His opinions have been widely circulated in the foreign policy community amongst thought leaders in the field; his 2014 article "Avoiding America's Ultimate Geopolitical Nightmare" published in The National Interest was an insightful and landmark text on the burgeoning Sino-Russian axis. He is a graduate of Ohio State University. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he earned a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Adm

In this episode Garrison speaks with Rory Truex of Princeton about China's domestic politics, the political nature of Xi Jinping, the domestic perceptions of the CCP, the threat of a Taiwan invasion, and the appropriate response from U.S. policy makers in this new Great Power era. Rory Truex is an Assistant Professor in Princeton's Department of Politics and Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs. His research focuses on Chinese politics and theories of authoritarian rule. His book Making Autocracy Work: Representation and Responsiveness in Modern China investigates the nature of representation in authoritarian systems, specifically the politics surrounding China's National People's Congress (NPC). He argues that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is engineering a system of “representation within bounds” in the NPC, fostering information revelation but silencing political activism. Original data on deputy backgrounds and behaviors is used to explore the nature of representa

On this episode, Garrison is joined by Mohammed Soliman of the Middle East Institute to discuss his vision for the Middle East.  Or more specifically, why he has argued that the Middle East as an American strategic concept should be replaced with his concept of "West Asia".  The two discuss the intellectual origins and foundations of West Asia as a historically relevant framework built on Indo-Abrahamic transregional order.  Mohammed further explained how this new order is being developed and deployed into the new "I2U2" group of nations, how the Abraham Accords paved the way for these ideas, and what Iran and China, respectively, will do about these developments (and what could happen next). Mohammed's two landmark publications outlining his vision for West Asia and Indo-Abrahamic relations can be found here at the MEI, and in National Interest. Mohammed Soliman is a Non-Resident Scholar with MEI's Cyber Program and Egypt Program, and a Senior Associate at McLarty Associates’ Middle East and North Africa P

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Ali Wyne of the Eurasia Group, to discuss his landmark new book America's Great Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy To Meet The Challenges Of Strategic Competition.  The two discuss Wyne's background in the field, how he came to be interested with, at the forefront of, foreign policy discussions.  He discusses the meaning of great power opportunity, the benefits and drawbacks of historical analogies in foreign policymaking, and the role of human agency in history.  They also talk about the need for democratic revitalization at home, and renewing America's unique strengths abroad (and what those strengths are, in light of Russia and China). They close by discussing key strategies for escaping the reactionary trap of great powers, and implementing the principles outlined in his book for great power relations, particularly "Pursu[ing] cooperative possibilities that can temper the destabilizing effects of great-power competition." Ali Wyne is a

On this first of three "From the Archives" specials, The New Diplomatist is proud to present a never-before-released episode from March 30th of 2022 with Greg Lawson, discussing Russia's War in light of history and grand strategy.  In the sweeping conversation, Greg and Garrison trace the present war in Ukraine through the lens of theory and statecraft, past and present, to yield a fascinating dialogue on the deeper geopolitical realities and forces at work in the conflict raging in Eastern Europe.  From Kissinger to Kennan, the Mongols to Taiwan, its a discussion you won't want to miss. Greg R. Lawson is a Contributing Analyst at WikiStrat; his 2014 article "Avoiding America's Ultimate Geopolitical Nightmare" published in The National Interest was an insightful and landmark text on the burgeoning Sino-Russian axis (click here to read). He is also a Research Fellow at the Buckeye Institute; his opinions have been widely circulated in the foreign policy community amongst thought leaders in the field,

In this episode, Garrison was joined by Elbridge Colby, author of The Strategy of Denial and key architect of the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy. They discuss an overview of Colby’s landmark book and its strategic approach to the rise of China and maintenance of U.S. national defense. In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two discuss the return of military hard power to European security and world order, including the drastic shift in Berlin and other European capitols towards enhanced defense, and implications for the idea of increased burden sharing. The position of denial is contrasted to the historic trend towards neo-conservative posture on one side or neo-isolationism on the other. The two discuss the hypothetical fait accompli strategy of Beijing towards a war with Taiwan, and whether or not this describes Vladimir Putin’s intended plan for Ukraine (and lessons that holds for the PRC). Their discussion also focuses on potential pitfalls for US deterrence of a potential conflict in Taiwa

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, to discuss a wide range of topics about the Ukraine Crisis. The two discuss the history of NATO expansion and Ukrainian orientation as a few of the factors influencing the timing of the present crisis; the stance of the West; and the strategic motivations behind Russia’s current aggressive posture. The two also discuss the future of potential NATO membership for Kiev, whether or not there is “trade space” regarding the subject of implied Ukrainian neutrality and so forth. They take a careful look at the questions surrounding Germany’s stance under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and what future (if any) there is for Macron’s view of Europe as a “strategic balancer” (exercising strategic autonomy with French leadership) in light of the current security challenges facing the continent. And how has domestic politics influenced London, Berlin, and Paris in their recent stances? In light of a potential Russian invasion

On this episode, Garrison takes a deep dive into the view from Venezuela with the deeply knowledgable Ivan Briscoe, Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean from the International Crisis Group. The two discuss the current state of Venezuelan affairs, tracing the counters of the rivalry between Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido with their respective claims to the Presidency. Is Juan Guaido losing his sense of legitimacy in the eyes of the opposition forces and the general public? They discuss the failed effort by the Trump administration to topple the Maduro regime, the after-effects of that attempt, and the present outlook for the Venezuelan economy, particular its oil economy and its interactions with China and Iran. They discuss the declining influence of American sanctions, and the condition of the multi-million Venezuelan refugee community inside neighboring Columbia. Briscoe considers the possibility of a Russian build up in the Latin American region with Venezuela as a possible area of focus. A

From a new Asiatic superpower in China and a rogue state in North Korea, to domestic political change and an rapidly aging population, 2022 will be a pivotal year for Japan’s national security. On this episode, Garrison is joined by Dr. Stephen Nagy, an expert on Japan to discuss these important topics. The two discuss a wide range of subjects, beginning with the political-security implications of the newly minted Kishida administration. They also discuss the historical roots and contemporary complications of Japan’s pacifist constitution which drive Tokyo’s emphasis on the use of holistic foreign policy soft power even as it maintains a pseudo-military “Self-Defense Force”. How Japan will balance defending against the militaristic assertiveness of China’s new power projection strategies (including the issue of Taiwan, maritime security, etc) with the economic reality of the vital level of trade with Beijing is also discussed. The state of Tokyo-Washington relations in the Biden era both in a strategic and po

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Dr. Jerry Hendrix, Vice President of the Telemus Group, retired U.S. Navy officer, and a widely respected naval expert. The two discuss Dr. Hendrix’s recent Foreign Policy magazine article: “Sea Power Makes Great Powers” (click here to read: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/10/us-navy-sea-power-china-decline-military-strategy/).  The discussion considers the nature of naval power as a reflection of a great power’s rise or decline, and specifically the need for the U.S. Navy to recover both quantitive and qualitative strength, escape the ‘divest to invest’ trap that historically degraded British naval supremacy, rebuild national naval shipbuilding and repair capacity, and prioritize naval development for national security. Historical examples from Congressman Carl Vinson to President Ronald Reagan era subsidy reductions inform the discussion throughout. Also, they discuss the nature of hypersonic weapons as a new ‘Sputnik Moment’ for American military research and s

In this episode, Garrison is rejoined by returning guest and renowned maritime security analyst, Dr. Collin Koh.  The two embark on an informative discussion regarding the maritime strategic implications of the AUKUS deal to the Indo-Pacific, from why nuclear submarines are significant, to the nature of Australia as a geopolitical linchpin in Washington’s counter-China strategy. They also discuss Russia’s testing of a sub-launched Zircon hypersonic missile, how this fits into the historical Soviet-Russian naval strategy to counter the United States, and what this class of weapons means for the future of networked fleet defenses in space and cyberspace specifically, and naval competition more broadly, in the Indo-Pacific. To read the article mentioned in the episode recently published from The Diplomat Magazine interviewing Collin, click here: https://tinyurl.com/diplomatarticle5 Dr. Collin Koh is Research Fellow at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies which is a constituent unit of the S. Rajar

On this episode, Garrison is rejoined by a valued guest of the podcast, Dr. Yoichiro Sato, to discuss the race to replace retiring Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.  Dr. Sato takes a deep dive into the circumstances that led to Suga's resignation, the role of the Olympics and the pandemic in upending Japanese politics, the leading candidates to replace Suga as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (including a deep examination of factional politics and his predicted winner), and the possibility for greater instability in the Japanese political system in the years to come. Dr. Yoichiro Sato is a professor at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Previously he was a professor at the US Defense Department’s Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also has held teaching positions at the University of Auckland, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Government from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a M.A. of International Relations and Affairs f

In this sweeping interview, Garrison had the pleasure of interviewing former India Ambassador Vishnu Prakash who brought his in-depth regional insights to the discussion of Afghanistan and beyond. The two discuss India’s view on the aftermath of The Afghanistan War, the humanitarian concerns, the potential challenges of dealing with a possible Taliban takeover of Kabul, the China-Taliban relationship in light of the Uyghurs situation in Xinjiang, and the influence of Pakistan on the Taliban during the war with the U.S. They further discuss the recent attitudes of Beijing and Islamabad (particularly Prime Minister Imran Khan) in the region during U.S. withdrawal, the potential of a “China Quintuple” to counter “The Quad”, and the priorities of Prime Minister Modi ahead of “The Quad” in-person summit in D.C. this fall. Vishnu Prakash, has served as High Commissioner to Ottawa, Ambassador to Seoul, as well as the Official Spokesperson of India’s Foreign Office, and Consul General to Shanghai. He has also done po

In this episode, Garrison is joined by former India Ambassador and Distinguished Fellow from the prestigious Gateway House (Indian Council on Global Relations), Mr. Rajiv Bhatia.  The ambassador carefully defines and contrasts Indo-Pacific as a strategic concept (apart from the now increasingly outdated Asia-Pacific). He then defines The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (The Quad), and discusses its historical formation, its current strategic nature, and its future geopolitical outlook ahead of the fall summit in the US. Contrary to China’s assertions that The Quad represents an “Asian NATO”, the ambassador defines The Quad’s main goal as maintaining and expanding cooperation on international law and stability in the Indo-Pacific, aimed at constraining not containing, China. He discusses four areas of coordination for The Quad; he announces a forthcoming Gateway House report on how economic and technological coordination can be deepened across The Quad; he also touches on the broader regional cooperation

In this episode, Garrison is joined once again by returning guest Dr. Patrick Holden of the University of Plymouth to discuss the state of Brexit as the West begins to try and plan for life beyond the pandemic. In particular, the two focus on the state of the Northern Ireland Protocol, including its continuing impact on the trading relations between the U.K. and the EU, as well as the disruption to internal British flow of goods. They also discuss the potential impacts of the announcement of a global minimum tax on corporations first presented at the G7 Cornwall Summit, including how that program might highlight and fuel populist views within the EU.  They close by gauging the success of how the U.K.’s first domestically hosted post-Brexit, in-person major international summit reflected on the newly-minted status of “Global Britain”. Dr. Patrick Holden is an Associate Professor (Reader) of the School of Law, Criminology and Government (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business) at the University of Plymou

In this episode, Garrison is joined by Mr. Robert B. Zoellick (former President of the World Bank and Deputy Secretary of State) who is the author of the book "America in the World: A History of U.S. Diplomacy and Foreign Policy".  The two discuss Mr. Zoellick's perspectives on American diplomacy grounded in pragmatism, problem-solving, and the influence of history, noting the Five Traditions outlined in his book, and focusing in particular on his chapters regarding the foreign policy of President Lincoln and Secretary of State Seward during the Civil War, as well as the efforts of Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes during the arms control negotiations of the 1921 Washington Naval Conference. The two also discuss lessons to be learned from Mr. Zoellick's time as lead negotiator during German re-unification "2+4" talks in 1990, as well as the work of his former boss Secretary of State James Baker and the George H.W. Bush administration to unify alliance perspectives and stabilize Europe in the post-C

In this episode Garrison is joined by Benjamin Anthony Co-Founder and CEO of The MirYam Institute. They discuss Benjamin’s personal experiences as a Jew growing up in the United Kingdom, overcoming anti-semitic attacks, his emigration to the State of Israel (making “Aliyah”), his service in the IDF (and personal perspectives on Israeli security), his role in advising the Trump administration during peace plan formation (and why he disagreed with the finalized offer), as well as his outline of the New State solution (read more here: https://www.miryaminstitute.org/nss), and its promise of peace and security for both the State of Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. As Co-Founder & CEO of the MirYam Institute, Benjamin Anthony brings considerable experience and expertise to his position in the areas of substantive, policy driven dialogue and debate about the State of Israel throughout the international community. His portfolio includes the coordination of high level briefings by senior members of the Israel de

In this episode, Garrison is joined by returning guest Dr. Nick Wright of University College London. They discuss the AstraZeneca vaccine export controversy between London and Brussels, the return of left-right political alignments in the new post-Brexit era, and discuss the political prospects surrounding Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s vaccine rollout success. They also discuss the upcoming Scottish parliamentary elections in May in light of the launch of the new Alba party in Scotland under Alex Salmond. Finally, they analyze the UK Integrated Defense Review, including its views on the transatlantic relationship, the UK’s approach to addressing China, and the diversifying of defense to a holistic approach to data, cyber, climate, trade, science research, soft power, and hard power (particularly naval). They close out the episode by taking a look ahead via the British view of the upcoming German Federal Elections at the end of 2021 and the French Presidential elections coming early next year (2022). Dr. Nich

Today Garrison is joined by Dr. Yoichiro Sato, who is an expert analyst of foreign and security policy regarding Japan, the US, and the Indo-Pacific.  The two discuss the 2021 outlook of security policy from Japan towards North Korea’s nuclear program, as well as the naval arms race developing between Tokyo and Beijing in light of increasing assertiveness in China’s maritime activity. They also discuss the RCEP trade deal and the TPP trade negotiations, Japan’s global soft power and role hosting the delayed summer Olympic Games, as well as Prime Minister Suga’s policies of office (and political future) as Japan moves away from the Abe era and faces a new US administration under Biden. Dr. Yoichiro Sato is a professor at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Previously he was a professor at the US Defense Department’s Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also has held teaching positions at the University of Auckland, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science a