Strategic Stability in a Rapidly Changing World
Horns of a Dilemma
Harold Trinkunas, the Deputy Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation, and a senior research scholar at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, recently helped assemble our special issue on emerging technologies and strategic stability. In this episode, he previews the issue by explaining how Cold War deterrence assumptions rooted in a bilateral US–Soviet relationship no longer hold amid more nuclear-armed actors, wider access to AI, cyber, hypersonics, and the possibility that these tools can threaten second-strike forces or...
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A Dystopian Take on Rising Authoritarianism and Resistance
Horns of a Dilemma
Melissa Chan joins to discuss her career reporting across Asia and why she pivoted from journalism to co-creating the graphic novel with activist-artist Badiucao. We discuss the book’s visual style (Chinese watercolor influences, Frank Miller’s Sin City palette, and manga elements), the subversive Mao-derived title, and a near-future plot spanning Hong Kong to a 2035 war over Taiwan amid surveillance, drones, and AI. Chan describes choices around depicting resistance, representation, and hidden “Easter eggs,” and reflects on the book’s strong reception. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut...
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Navigating a World Adrift with Shivshankar Menon
Horns of a Dilemma
We host Shivshankar Menon to discuss his recent article, Menon, the former national security advisor to the Indian prime minister, examines the historical rarity of stable world orders and the dangers of contemporary nostalgia for a perceived "golden age" of stability. The conversation explores the tension between a globalized economy and fragmented local politics, questioning whether the current distribution of power can support a formal international order. Menon characterizes the present era as a "world adrift" and argues that progress often emerges from such periods of political disorder....
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The Principle of Distinction in the Autonomous Age
Horns of a Dilemma
Nathan Wood, author of speaks on the principle of distinction in an age of autonomous warfare. He argues that while some concerns about these technologies are valid, we must move beyond general debates to address the specific legal and operational realities of concrete systems. Our conversation explores how the US military can utilize these advancements while maintaining a fundamental, felt sense of human responsibility. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
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Ensuring US Military Readiness in the Indo-Pacific
Horns of a Dilemma
Eyck Freymann and Harry Halem, co-authors of join us to cover a range of topics, including US–China military balance, defense procurement, and the critical need for aligned industrial capacity, technological R&D, and military doctrine. Through historical models, potential reforms, and the importance of logistics and innovation, this episode offers a comprehensive look at how the US can strategically deter China into the 2030s. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
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US Military Primacy and Alliance Resilience
Horns of a Dilemma
We speak with Bence Nemeth from King's College London about his article, The discussion covers the historical context, theoretical framework, and potential scenarios that could unfold if US military primacy were to decline. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
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Conventional Options Theory in the New Nuclear Era
Horns of a Dilemma
Tyler Bowen from the US Naval War College joins us to discuss his recent TNSR article We discuss the renewed interest in nuclear deterrence given recent global security developments such as Russia's war in Ukraine and China's nuclear expansion. The conversation also explores the challenges and frameworks, particularly Bowen's "conventional options theory," key historical case studies involving nuclear crises, and their lessons for modern policymakers.
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The Art and Science of Grand Strategy
Horns of a Dilemma
Dr. Marina Henke, a professor at the Hertie School in Berlin and visiting professor at SAIS Johns Hopkins, discusses the motivations for writing her article inspired by Germany's strategic reorientation post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She delves into the definition of grand strategy, its critical components, real-world applications, and the importance of continuous strategic updates. The discussion also critiques common flaws in recent grand strategy documents and emphasizes the essential role of public engagement in strategic discourse. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest...
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Trade, Technology, & the US–Korea Alliance: A Conversation with Ambassador Kang
Horns of a Dilemma
Sheena Chestnut Greitens sat down with Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha, the Republic of Korea’s ambassador to the United States. Recorded before a live audience at The University of Texas at Austin on December 3, the conversation explores the deepening alignment between Seoul and Washington. Ambassador Kang and Dr. Greitens discuss the implementation of the recent $350 billion Korean government-led investment in the United States, focusing on seven key sectors including shipbuilding, semiconductors, and nuclear energy. The discussion addresses the challenges of workforce training and visa policy...
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The Democratization of Violence in the Greater Middle East
Horns of a Dilemma
Dr. Carter Malkasian joins us to explore how the "democratization of violence"—driven by the availability of assault rifles and explosives—empowered non-state actors and challenged state authority throughout the Cold War. The conversation also addresses the role of Islam in legitimizing non-state violence and how foreign intervention accelerated these trends. Malkasian's latest article, is featured in TNSR Volume 9, Issue 1.
info_outlineWe speak with Bence Nemeth from King's College London about his article, "How a US 'Suez Moment' Could Hollow the US Alliance System." The discussion covers the historical context, theoretical framework, and potential scenarios that could unfold if US military primacy were to decline.
Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest
Producer: Jordan Morning