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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He has been published in RealClearDefense, and Pacific Forum International's "Issues & Insights", among other publications. Guest opinions are their own. All music licensed via UppBeat.
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 representation, policymaking, and incentives in this constrained system. He is currently working on a new set of projects on repression, human rights, and dissent in contemporary China. His research has been published in the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Comparative Political Studies, China Quarterly, among other journals. You can watch Rory Truex's "Talks at Google" lecture from 2018: here. More information on his publications and research can be found: here. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He has had the privilege of interviewing some of the leading policymakers, thinkers, and experts of our time, including Robert B. Zoellick, Elbridge Colby, Richard Fontaine, Andrew Roberts, Ivan Briscoe, Vishnu Prakash, Rajiv Bhatia, Aparne Pande, Mohammed Soliman, Rory Truex and others. Guest opinions are their own. Originally recorded March 15th, 2023.
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 Practice. His work focuses on the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Mohammed frequently appears on Arabic- and English-language television to provide commentary on unfolding events in the Middle East. A native of Cairo, Mohammed started his career as an engineer and worked as a consultant, providing strategic advisory services for local and international businesses. In Washington, DC, he has also served as a country analyst for the Peace Tech Lab at the US Institute of Peace, as a Huffington Fellow at Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, and as a Junior Centennial Fellow at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. Mohammed is a 2017 recipient of the Open Society Foundation's Civil Society Leadership Award. In 2021, he was selected by the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) as one of their 40 Under 40 Professionals Making a Difference in US-Middle East Relations. That same year, Mohammed was named to the Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) 2021 U.S. National Security & Foreign Affairs Leadership List, which honors the contributions of diverse practitioners in U.S. national security and foreign policy. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He has had the privilege of interviewing some of the leading policymakers and experts of our time, including Robert B. Zoellick, Elbridge Colby, Richard Fontaine, Andrew Roberts, Ivan Briscoe, Vishnu Prakash, Rajiv Bhatia, Aparne Pande, and many others. Guest opinions are their own. Originally recorded Aug. 8, 2022.
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 senior analyst with Eurasia Group's Global Macro-Geopolitics practice, focusing on US-China relations and great-power competition. He has served as a junior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a research assistant at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and a policy analyst at the RAND Corporation. Ali has also been a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and a nonresident fellow at the Modern War Institute. He received dual bachelor's degrees in management science and political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned his master in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Ali is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a David Rockefeller fellow with the Trilateral Commission, and a security fellow with the Truman National Security Project. He also serves as a member of Foreign Policy for America's Board of Directors and as a member of the American Pakistan Foundation's Leadership Council. An avid coffee drinker, Ali continues to expand his collection of coffee mugs, cups, and tumblers. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He h as had the privilege of interviewing some of the leading policymakers and experts of our time, including Robert B. Zoellick, Elbridge Colby, Richard Fontaine, Andrew Roberts, Ivan Briscoe, Vishnu Prakash, Rajiv Bhatia, Aparne Pande, and many others. Guest opinions are their own. Originally recorded July 15, 2022
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, including by Elbridge Colby (author of the 2018 National Defense Strategy; author of Strategy of Denial). 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. Guest opinions are their own.
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 Taiwan given China's greater economic strength vis a vis Russia; the need to balance support for Europe while maintaining a clear higher priority for Washington to focus on China as the biggest national security challenge. The role of scarcity in defense strategy is discussed, with a key focus on the need to differentiate responses based on region, and to accommodate various allied and partner responses based on the immediacy of the respective regional threats. Further discussion focuses on the nature of the Russian military power in a ‘limited war’ and its implications for Moscow’s power projection capabilities; the warning the present crisis presents to Taipei (and questions surrounding stirring Taiwanese commitment to defense); whether taking Taiwan would be harder or easier based on geography when compared to Ukraine; and they close out the discussion on the Biden Administration's response and what must be improved towards both China and Russia. Colby’s article from TIME Magazine can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/colbyTIME Elbridge Colby is co-founder and principal of The Marathon Initiative, a policy initiative focused on developing strategies to prepare the United States for an era of sustained great power competition. He is the author of The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict (Yale University Press), which The Wall Street Journal selected as one of the top ten books of 2021. Previously, Colby was from 2018-2019 the Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. Before that, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development from 2017-2018. In that role, he served as the lead official in the development and rollout of the Department’s preeminent strategic planning guidance, the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) which shifted the DoD’s focus to the challenges to U.S. military superiority and interests posed by China in particular followed by Russia, prioritizing restoring the Joint Force’s warfighting edge against these major power competitors. Prior to this, Colby was from 2014 to 2017 the Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security and held numerous roles across the federal government. Colby is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. Guest opinions are their own. Originally recorded 2/28/22
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 the two discuss possible impacts of sanctions on Moscow and what responses (such as cyberattacks) Putin may undertake in retaliation. Most importantly, Fontaine examines the implications for the “pivot to Asia” if Putin green lights an invasion of Ukraine, and what future U.S. priorities will be in light of a renewed sense of danger in Eastern Europe. The two close by discussing what grade that Fontaine would give to the Biden administration’s handling of the Ukraine crisis and how they might improve that response. Richard Fontaine is CEO of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He served as President of CNAS from 2012-2019 and previously as a Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow. He also served as foreign policy advisor to Senator John McCain for more than five years. He has worked at the State Department, the National Security Council and on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Mr. Fontaine served as foreign policy advisor to the McCain 2008 presidential campaign and, following the election, as the minority deputy staff director on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Prior to this, he served as associate director for Near Eastern affairs at the National Security Council (NSC) from 2003-04. He also worked in the NSC’s Asian Affairs directorate, where he covered Southeast Asian issues. During his time at the State Department, Mr. Fontaine worked in the office of former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and in the department’s South Asia bureau, working on issues related to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Mr. Fontaine began his foreign policy career as a staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, focusing on the Middle East and South Asia. He also spent a year teaching English in Japan. A native of New Orleans, Mr. Fontaine graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in International Relations from Tulane University. He also holds a M.A. in International Affairs from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, and he attended Oxford University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. If you enjoyed the episode please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Follow The New Diplomatist on social media for latest updates. Thank you for listening. Originally Recorded Feb 7. 2022
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. And they close by talking through what policies the United States should change in relation to the regional situation in both Columbia and Venezuela. Ivan Briscoe joined Crisis Group in June 2016 as Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. He has worked on Latin American politics, conflict and crime since 1996. Before joining Crisis Group, Ivan worked as a senior research fellow in the Clingendael Institute of the Netherlands and in the Foundation for International Relations and Foreign Dialogue (FRIDE) in Spain, where he specialized in the study of illicit networks in Latin America, new forms of armed violence and the effects of inequality. Prior to that, he worked for over a decade as a journalist and editor in Argentina, France and Spain, where he edited the English edition of El Paнs. He has carried out fieldwork-based research in various Latin American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, and has written for numerous media in the region and in Europe. He graduated from Oxford University with a First Class Honour’s Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, studied as a Frank Knox Fellow at Harvard University, and also holds a Master’s Degree in Development from the Complutense University of Madrid. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. If you enjoyed the episode please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Follow The New Diplomatist on social media for latest updates. Thank you for listening.
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 political sense; Japan’s response to the North Korean nuclear threat, and the evolution of state immigration policy in the face of an aging population round out their discussion. Stephen has been a Senior Associate Professor at the Department of Politics and International Studies at the International Christian University since September 2014. Concurrently, he is a Senior Fellow at the MacDonald Laurier Institute, a Research fellow the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI); a Senior Fellow with the East Asia Security Centre (EASC); & a Visiting Fellow with the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA). He was selected as a Distinguished Fellow for the Asia Pacific Foundation from 2017-2020. He serves as the Director of Policy Studies for the Yokosuka Council of Asia Pacific Studies (YCAPS) spear heading their Indo-Pacific Policy Dialogue Series and as a Governor for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCCJ). Prior to returning to Tokyo, he was an Assistant Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from Dec. 2009 -Jan. 2014. He obtained his Ph.D. from Waseda University, Japan in International Relations in Dec. 2008. Stephen is published widely in peer-reviewed international journals such as China Perspectives, East Asia, the Journal of Asian Politics and History and the International Studies Review on topics related to trade, nationalism and China-Japan relations. He has also published in think tank and commercial outlets such as the China Economic Quarterly and the World Commerce Review on trade and political risk. He is also a frequent political/ economic and security commentator on Japan-China-Korea-US relations in Japanese and international media outlets such as the New York Times, BBC, CNN, SCMP, WSJ, The Japan Times, The National Post, cNBC, Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, etc. 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 Administration (Summa Cum Laude) at Liberty University in the United States. He formed The New Diplomatist from scratch and today it is in the top 10% of all podcasts globally, including top ten placements on government charts in ten countries across Europe and the Indo-Pacific. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. If you enjoyed the episode please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Follow The New Diplomatist on social media for latest updates. Thank you for listening.
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 scientific development. They close with a tribute to the man Dr. Hendrix believes is the most important figure in American naval development. Dr. Hendrix is a vice president at the Telemus Group and the author of To Provide and Maintain a Navy. He is a retired Navy officer with experience in strategy, force structure planning, carrier strike group operations, and anti-submarine warfare. Outside of his military experience, Dr. Hendrix has held posts with senior staffs including the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel, the Secretary of Defense’s Office of Force Development, and the Office of Net Assessment where he served as the Senior Military Assistant to its Director. Prior to joining the Telemus Group, Dr. Hendrix served as the Director of the defense program at the bi-partisan Center for a New American Security where he authored a number of cutting-edge studies on the need for a larger Navy, the evolution of the carrier air wing, the long range heavy bomber, and the growing gap in anti-submarine capabilities in the North Atlantic. While on active duty he served as an instructor naval flight officer in the P-3C Orion aircraft as well as a Tactical Action Officer and an Air Operations Officer on nuclear and light amphibious aircraft carriers. He supported combat operations in operations Desert Storm, Allied Force, Deliberate Forge, and Iraqi Freedom. In addition, he served as the Director of the Secretary of the Navy’s Advisory Panel and as Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command. He holds graduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and Harvard University as well as a doctorate from King’s College, London. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University in the United States where he also received a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude). All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. If you enjoyed the episode please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Follow The New Diplomatist on social media for latest updates. Thank you for listening.
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. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, based in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has research interests on naval affairs in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on Southeast Asia. Collin has published several op-eds, policy- and academic journal articles as well as chapters for edited volumes covering his research areas. He has also taught at Singapore Armed Forces professional military education and training courses. Besides research and teaching, Collin also contributes his perspectives to various local and international media outlets and participates in activities with geopolitical risks consultancies. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University in the United States where he also received a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude). All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. If you enjoyed the episode please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Follow The New Diplomatist on social media for latest updates. Thank you for listening.
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 from the University of South Carolina-Columbia, and a Bachelors in Law from Keio University. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University in the United States where he also received a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude). All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback; join the podcast on Patreon for bonus perks. Follow The New Diplomatist on Twitter and Instagram. Thank you for listening. (Originally recorded September 4, 2021)
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 postings in Moscow, New York, Vladivostok, Tokyo, Islamabad and Cairo. Since retirement in Nov. 2016, he has turned to being a foreign affairs analyst & commentator, with special focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the U.S. He is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University, focusing on U.S.-Portuguese relations. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Join us on social media especially Twitter, for the latest updates, read our blog on Medium and be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Thank you for listening. Episode originally recorded: August 4th, 2021. Published: August 11th, 2021
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 with ASEAN and others. The two also detail the ambassador’s recent article in The Hindustan Times detailing the formation of a rival “Red Quad/China’s Quad” consisting of China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran; as well as how India’s transition from the former stance of the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War, to a more activist stance on guard against rivals and cooperating with democratic partners across the Indo-Pacific. They close discussing a sneak peek of the ambassador’s forthcoming third book on Africa-India relations. Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia is Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies Programme at Gateway House. He is a member of CII’s International Advisory Council, Trade Policy Council and Africa Committee. He is the Chair of FICCI’s Task Force on Blue Economy, and served as Chair of Core Group of Experts on BIMSTEC. He is a founding member of the Kalinga International Foundation and a member of the governing council of Asian Confluence. As Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) from 2012-15, he played a key role in strengthening India's Track-II research and outreach activities. During a 37-year innings in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), he served as Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico and as High Commissioner to Kenya, South Africa and Lesotho. He dealt with a part of South Asia, while posted as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. A prolific columnist, he is also a regular speaker on foreign policy and diplomacy in India and abroad. He was Senior Visiting Research Fellow during 2011-13 at the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore. He holds a master’s degree in political science from Allahabad University. His first book India in Global Affairs: Perspectives from Sapru House (KW Publishers, 2015) presented a sober and insightful view of India’s contemporary foreign policy. His second book India-Myanmar Relations: Changing Contours (Routledge, 2016) received critical acclaim. He is presently working on his third book which will deal with India-Africa relations. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. He will be a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University beginning August 2021, focusing on U.S.-Portuguese relations. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Join us on social media, read our blog on Medium and be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Thank you for listening. Episode originally recorded: July 20th, 2021. Published: July 28th, 2021
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 Plymouth, U.K. He is the author of numerous academic articles, and conducts research and teaching in relation to International Political Economy, the European Union in the World, International Development Policy, Global Governance and Regional Integration, as well as the Brexit process. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. He will be a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University beginning August 2021, focusing on U.S.-Portuguese relations. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Join us on social media, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Thank you for listening. Episode originally recorded: June 29th, 2021. Published: July 8th, 2021
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-Cold War framework. In light of his experience as President of the World Bank and as the former U.S. Trade Representative under George W. Bush, they discuss Mr. Zoellick's recent op-ed in The Wall Street Journal discussing the need for a strong American trade policy. Robert B. Zoellick has served as Deputy Secretary, Under Secretary, and Counselor of the U.S. State Department; Ambassador and U.S. Trade Representative; Counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury; Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House; and President of the World Bank. His experience spans six U.S. presidencies - beginning during the Cold War, in its closing chapter, and into the first decades of the twenty-first century. Zoellick is now a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where he contributes to the "Applied History" project. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. He will be a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy - Foreign Policy at Liberty University beginning the fall of 2021, focusing on U.S.-Portuguese relations. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Thank you for listening.
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 defense establishment - active and retired - to elected officials; including within the US Administration, the US Senate, and the US House of Representatives, on matters relating to the state of Israel and her strategic relationship and positioning in an international context. Of particular note is the advisory role he undertook to key members of the Administration on the Israel-Palestinian conflict and potential avenues for its resolution. An I.D.F. combat reservist, Benjamin is a veteran of service in: ▪ The Second Lebanon War, 2006 ▪ Operation Pillar of Defense, 2012 ▪ Operation Protective Edge, 2014. He has served in Judea and Samaria / The West Bank and along Israel’s northern border. To this day, his policy outlook is greatly informed by his military service. Since 2006, Benjamin has worked with the Israel National Police and the Israel Defense Forces to prepare, write, brief, and oversee presentations by senior ranked active officials at select graduate schools throughout the English speaking world and before international policy-makers and legislators. He first did so through Our Soldiers Speak, the precursor to the MirYam Institute, an organization he founded during the Second Lebanon War. Through his leadership, that organization generated more than 450 campus lectures in several continents. A highly sought after lecturer, Benjamin regularly speaks before audiences at Ivy League colleges and has been the keynote speaker for Israel Bonds, CAMERA, CUFI, and numerous Jewish Federations. In 2013 he spoke at the plenary session of the AIPAC Convention in Washington DC. He is a graduate of the University of Manchester, UK. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Thank you for listening.
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. Nicholas Wright is a Senior Teaching Fellow in EU Politics at University College London. He is author of the 2018 book "The EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy in Germany and the UK". He is also the author of numerous academic articles and publications on the U.K., Brexit, Northern Ireland, the European Union, European security policy, and more. He is an alumnus of the University of East Anglia and Durham University. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback. Thank you for listening. Season 2 Episode 20
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 and Government from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a M.A. of International Relations and Affairs from the University of South Carolina-Columbia, and a Bachelors in Law from Keio University. Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback; join the podcast on Patreon for bonus perks. Follow The New Diplomatist on Twitter and Instagram. Thank you for listening. (Originally recorded February 22, 2021)
In this episode, Garrison is joined by returning guest Pedro Sousa from Portugal. After reviewing some of the significance and history of the role, the two discuss Portugal’s priorities and outlook as it serves as rotating President of the Council of the European Union from January to June of 2021. In particular, they discuss Portugal’s response to the pandemic both nationally and in the Presidency role, as well as the focus on an equitable economic recovery and long term resilience framework (contending with debt vs state aid), coinciding with an emphasis on the EU social summit in May. Further topics include the focus of Portugal on EU-Africa relations in advance of this summer’s EU-Africa Summit; Portugal’s focus on connecting NATO and the EU in political-security relationship in light of reset transatlantic relations with the advent of the Biden administration in the US; and the role of Portugal in a world of China tensions with Europe and the West. Pedro Ponte e Sousa is a professor of International Relations at the Universidade Portucalense in Porto, and a researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA). Garrison Moratto is the founder and host of The New Diplomatist Podcast; he holds a M.S. of International Relations as well as a B.S. in Government: Public Administration (Summa Cum Laude) from Liberty University in the United States. All guest opinions are their own and not that of The New Diplomatist podcast formally. Please subscribe and leave a review for feedback; join the podcast on Patreon for bonus perks. Follow The New Diplomatist on Twitter and Instagram. Thank you for listening. (Originally recorded February 18, 2021)