Net Assessment
by The Stimson Center
Latest episode
Second to None? Evaluating a Second Island Chain Strategy
Second to None? Evaluating a Second Island Chain Strategy
About this podcast
Hosts Melanie Marlowe, Christopher Preble, and Zack Cooper, debate their way through some of the toughest and most contentious topics related to strategy, international relations, and the use of force. This podcast is brought to you by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 99 episodes
- Second to None? Evaluating a Second Island Chain Strategy · 1 h 2 minChris, Melanie, and Zack debate the merits of Jennifer Kavanagh's proposed Second Island Chain strategy for Asia. They discuss U.S. objectives in the region and whether…
- Debating the Meaning of Military Victory · 57 minOn this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the question of military victory. Is there such a thing? Is military victory achievable for either Russia or Ukraine? And if…
- Will AI Tank Think Tanks? · 1 h 1 minAs the artificial intelligence revolution advances and the Trump administration questions the value of outside experts, think tanks are facing a worsening supply-demand…
- Unpacking the IG Report on the Iran War · 59 minWith Zack out collecting frequent flyer miles, Tom Karako joins Chris and Melanie to discuss the Lead Inspector General Report on Operation Epic Fury. When the war began in…
- Lessons Learned (and Unlearned) from the GWOT · 55 minIn this show, the Net Assessment crew ponders the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Twenty-five years after 9/11 and five years after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. what…
- Science: A New Golden Age? · 54 minThe team sits down to talk about the new OSTP report, Science: A New Golden Age. What role should the government have in the scientific enterprise? What should national…
- The Beginning of the End in the Middle East? · 54 minChris, Melanie, and Zack debate Michael Fuchs's recent article arguing for a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East. They also discuss the impact of the Iran War and shifting…
- A Strategy of Denial? · 54 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss public attitudes toward the United States and China, and the Trump administration's response -- which mostly seems to deny that they matter. Why…
- Net Assessment Assesses the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment · 56 minChris, Zack, and Melanie have a look at the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment. Does the document get the threats, and their prioritiztion, right? How does Trump administration policy…
- Apocalypse Soon? The US and NATO at a Crossroads · 1 h 0 minWith Chris galavanting across Europe, Stimson's Emma Ashford joins Melanie and Zack to debate whether the United States is undermining deterrence in Europe. What does a decreased…
- Might the United States Lose Access to Foreign Bases? · 51 minIn this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the benefits and costs for U.S. allies and partners who host U.S. bases on their territory. As traditional allies have limited air…
- Mexico's Fight against the Cartels · 59 minChris, Zack, and Melanie have a chat about how Mexico is handling the drug cartels, which continue to perpetrate terrible violence and facilitate massive corruption in the…
- A Strategy of Consolidation: Playing for Time? · 58 minChris, Melanie, and Zack debate Wess Mitchell's proposed U.S. strategy of consolidation. They discuss whether this strategy would finally realign America's objectives with its…
- Is the US a Predatory Hegemon? · 57 minDo we live in a world governed only by force, one in which the United States' military and economic power alone will advance U.S. interests? Or are the Trump administration's…
- Can the UN Be Reformed? · 56 minChris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about whether the United Nations can and should continue in its current form. Has it outlived its original purposes? Does it serve the…
- Implementing a Hellscape Strategy for Taiwan · 59 minOn this show, Melanie, Chris, and Zack consider whether the porcupine strategy that Taiwan is currently implementing is the best plan to deter or defend against China. What could…
- Is There an End in Sight for the US War in Iran? · 53 minWhat are the goals in the US war in Iran? Is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz manageable, or is the Iranian threat to shipping a challenge that must be confronted? And can…
- Will U.S. Allies Hedge? Should They? · 1 h 0 minChris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about how America's allies and partners, after decades of relying on the US for security, are derisking from what they view as an…
- A Broadside Against Battleships · 58 minChris, Melanie, and Zack debate the wisdom of President Trump's proposal for a Golden Fleet of new American "battleships." They question the strategic logic, timelines, cost…
- Is Resolute Global Leadership the Right Grand Strategy for the United States? · 57 minIn this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack, discuss a recent Council on Foreign Relations special report which explores varies grand strategies, and proposes an alternative known…
- New Denial Strategy? Assessing the 2026 NDS · 1 h 5 minZack, Melanie, and special guest Kelly Grieco take a look at the Department of War's 2026 National Defense Strategy. What does a "decent peace" with China look like? Is that what…
- Crude Awakening: Maduro's Seizure and Venezuela's Future · 57 minFresh off the shock of the U.S. operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, the Net Assessment team debates the merits of the operation and what it means for Venezuela's future. They…
- Farewell 2025, Hello 2026 · 42 minIn this special bonus episode, the Net Assessment crew – Chris, Melanie, and Zack - looks back on the highs (and lows) of 2025, and makes a few predictions for 2026. Thanks all…
- What Does the United States Want From China and Why Can't We Get It? · 45 minIn this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack look at U.S. policy toward China. What does the United States, that is Donald Trump, want from China? What should the Trump…
- 'Safer, Richer, Freer, Greater'? Trump's New Strategy for American Power · 1 h 8 minChris, Zack, and Melanie take a look at the Trump administration's newly-released US National Security Strategy. Is it a coherent strategy? How will diplomacy, military might…
- Reciprocity: The Once and Future Strategy? · 1 h 0 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Oren Cass's recent article articulating a "Grand Strategy of Reciprocity." Cass argues that the United States should build a bloc of countries…
- Whither Venezuela? · 57 minChris, Melanie, and Zack, convene for a wide-ranging discussion of U.S. current and prospective military operations against the country of Venezuela, and the regime of Nicolas…
- Are Rising Powers Over? · 57 minChris, Zack, and Melanie get together to talk about Michael Beckley's new article, "The Stagnant Order and the End of Rising Powers." What consequences might the decline and…
- Can Foreign Aid Be Reformed? Should It Be? · 58 minChris, Melanie, and Zack review Adam Tooze's recent article on the failure of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and Western-directed aid efforts generally. What…
- Prediction is Hard, Especially about Confidence Levels · 58 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the confidence problem among national security experts. As Jeffrey Friedman shows in a recent Texas National Security Review article, experts are…
- Is a Fight with Russia Worth the Risks? · 57 minChris, Zack, and Melanie take some time to talk about how the United States, Europe, and Russia are dealing with the Ukraine conflict. Would a Russian win in a war which is…
- How Will the U.S. Deal With a Weaponized World Economy? · 1 h 0 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman's new article "The Weaponized World Economy." Is the United States, which has been accused of weaponizing the…
- A Strategy of Prioritization? · 1 h 0 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Jennifer Lind and Daryl Press's recent article on strategies of prioritization. They examine the challenges of executing such a strategy and…
- What's the Plan for AI? · 1 h 1 minChris, Zack, and Melanie sit down to chat about the recently-released White House AI Action Plan. Should American AI policy be in pursuit of unchallenged dominance in the field?…
- Combating Mexican drug cartels: Is there a military solution? · 53 minIn this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the different military options being considered to combat Mexican drug cartels. Are the cartels that manufacture and distribute…
- A New Nuclear Age: The Sum of All Fears? · 55 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the "nuclear hurricane" sweeping the world. They begin by returning to the question of whether President Trump made the right decision to conduct…
- Trump Hammers Iran. What Comes Next? · 1 h 1 minChris, Zack, and Melanie get together to discuss the very rapidly moving events in the Middle East following the execution of Operation Midnight Hammer. Why did President Trump…
- Understanding the Four-Day War between India and Pakistan · 54 minChris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the recent short war between India and Pakistan. Christopher Clary's first cut of history provides a careful reconstruction of the key events…
- Great Power Competition or Collusion? · 56 minIs President Trump's approach to foreign policy best described as a spheres of influence approach in which the major players are the United States, China, and Russia? Chris…
- The Paradoxical Power? · 57 minAn immense and growing national debt, entrenched political polarization, and falling levels of patriotism might lead some to conclude that the position of the United States in…
- Is Arms Control Dead? · 51 minChris, Melanie, and Zack consider Rose Gottemoeller's claim that arms control is not yet dead, but essential. Are there realistic prospects for a new arms control deal? If the…
- Why the Trump Administration Will Struggle to Make National Security Policy · 58 minChris, Melanie, and Zack launch their first Stimson-hosted Net Assessment show with a look at policymaking in the Trump administration. What are the major areas of consensus and…
- One Last Trip Around the World? · 24 minChris, Melanie, and Zack are joined by a special guest for a big announcement. They also lament the demise of the Office of Net Assessment, debate the merits of DOGE, and discuss…
- Will Israel Strike Iran? · 49 minChris, Melanie, and Zack debate whether Israel will strike Iranian nuclear facilities and whether the United States would discourage, encourage, or participate in such an…
- The End of the World, Again? · 53 minChris, Zack, and Melanie have a rather somber discussion about the Trump administration's efforts to get a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Why is Trump so insistent on…
- Is The People's Liberation Army Ready For a Fight Over Taiwan? · 49 minIn this show, Melanie, Chris, and Zack discuss Timothy Heath's recent paper on China's military capabilities. Heath argues that the People's Liberation Army mostly focused on…
- Risky Business: Assessing Risk to U.S. Strategy · 48 minThe Net Assessment team discusses Frank Hoffman's recent Joint Force Quarterly article about risk. They share concerns about the challenges that U.S. policymakers face in…
- Will Trump Focus on the Western Hemisphere? · 52 minChris, Zack, and Melanie got together to talk about the second Trump administration's agenda in the Western Hemisphere. What interests does the United States have in Latin…
- Exploring the Implications of Precise Mass · 45 minBack from their holiday break, Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Michael Horowitz and Joshua Schwartz's recent War on the Rocks' article, which considers whether and how the…
- What's Next in Syria? · 47 minThe fall of Bashar al-Assad is transforming not just Syria but also dynamics in the broader Middle East. What implications does this have for U.S. policy in the region? Should…
