This podcast offers a preview of the latest Parameters demi-issue and full issue.

Read the demi-issue here.

Email usarmy.carlisle.awc.mbx.parameters@army.mil to give feedback on this podcast or the genesis article.



Keywords: Taiwan, China, food resiliency, COVID-19, biotechnology,
Episode Transcript
Stephanie Crider (Host) 

You're listening to Decisive Point, a US Army War College Press production focused on national security affairs. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army, the US Army War College, or any other agency of the US government. I have Dr. Conrad C. Crane, acting editor in chief of Parameters, with me today to talk about the summer demi-issue and the forthcoming full summer issue of Parameters. Thank you for being here, Dr. Crane. 

Dr. Conrad C. Crane 

Glad to be here. 

Host 

Always glad to have you. So, the Demi issue—this is a relatively new product for the Army War College Press. It's released about a month before the full issue of Parameters, and it addresses unfolding current events and topics critical to our readership. It generates interest in the forthcoming full issue, and it tackles the big questions being asked today in the fields of military strategy and defense policy.  

What does the summer demi-issue have in store for our audience? 

Crane 

We've got a couple of very interesting articles. The first is an In Focus special commentary responding to future pandemics, bio security implications, and defense considerations by a couple of civilian PhDs—Diane DeEuliis and James Giordano. They look at the expanding bio threat landscape, and they look at the experience of COVID-19 and the challenges that put on (the Department of Defense) DoD, especially. And (they) argue for a modernized improved preparedness and response system.  

They contend that the COVID-19 experience revealed a bunch of weaknesses, including the Department Defense's inability to sustain the military mission while dealing with intra-governmental expectations to assist with other pieces of the government. And it's really going to challenge how we balance our resources. So, it's an interesting look at the future, perhaps, of these future pandemics. 

The second piece is a piece of a Taiwan Forum where we're taking a look at Taiwan in this issue and it's on Taiwan's food resiliency—or not—in a conflict with China. The authors there, Gustavo Ferreira and Jamie Cartelli, are both reserve officers. They deal with some military issues in their normal work, but they really talk about the dilemma that we face with Taiwan is if it gets cut off, it's got about six month’s worth of food. So, the question is, how do you deal with the possibility that the Chinese may blockade or somehow degrade their ability to sustain themselves?  

And they really look at the potential scenarios and findings that underscore the urgency for US leadership and for military planners to really develop long-term logistical solutions before this crisis happens. So two very insightful articles, (going in) a little different directions, but really should give our readers something to think about. And then, of course, there's more articles coming in the full issue when it comes out about a month later. 

Host 

Speaking of the full issue, what can we expect? Do you have any idea what we can look forward to? 

Crane 

We've got a set of very interesting articles scheduled for the full issue, starting out with Dr. Allison Abbe, who's one of the faculty here at the War College. The title of her piece is called “Understanding the Adversary: Strategic Empathy and Perspective Taking in National Security,” and she looks at this whole issue of how do you gain insight into the motives and mindsets of adversaries and partners? She looks at a number of different scenarios. It's interesting that she talks a lot about this idea of strategic e...