A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

In "Is 'VUCA' a Useful Term or is it 'VUCA'ed Up?", Paul Kan, Jacqueline E. Whitt, and Andrew A. Hill critique (and poke fun at) a popular term in the military lexicon. VUCA -- an acronym standing for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous -- is supposed to describe the strategic environment. But does it? And when one invokes VUCA, what is one intending to say, and how can one say it better or differently?

We're in a support role, and sometimes that's a little bit challenges for folks to wrap their mind around. In the next release in the 'Leader Perspectives' series, WAR ROOM welcomes Brigadier General James Blankenhorn, U.S. Army retired and former Commander of the Command and Control of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Response Force Alpha. In this interview, BG Blankenhorn discusses strategic leadership in the context of defense support to civil authorities, using response to a homeland nuclear attack as an example. How well prepared are the Army's senior leaders to deal in situations where they, as military leaders, have tremendous capability but are not in charge of the response force? What implications may this have on leader development? WAR ROOM Social Media Editor Buck Haberichter moderates.     James Blankenhorn is a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army and former Commander, Command and Control CBRN Response Element Alpha. Buck Haberichter is WAR ROOM's Social Media Editor. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: Submerged freeways from the effects of Hurricane Harvey are seen during widespread flooding in Houston Interstate highway 45 is submerged from the effects of Hurricane Harvey seen during widespread flooding in Houston, Texas, U.S. on August 27, 2017. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Richard Carson Other Releases in the 'Leader Perspectives' Series: A TRANSATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE ON NATO (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)ALLIES ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING SPACE SECURE (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)TENSIONS AND PARADOXES FACING SENIOR LEADERS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEADING AND WINNING IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE CLASSICS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLONELS TO BE SUCCESSFUL (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)BALANCING BETWEEN CIVILIAN LIFE AND SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD“WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE” — AND OTHER CAUTIONARY TALES FOR LEADERSWHEN THE MILITARY IS NOT IN CHARGE: DEFENSE SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTH...

WAR ROOM continues its "Leader Perspectives" series with an interview with Dr. Sarah Sewell, former Undersecretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights under the Obama administration. "What Does 'Success' Mean as a Strategic Leader?" addresses how 'success' is defined and misunderstood, and how conditions in the environment shape our understanding of successful strategic leadership.

In "The Murky Mix of Media, Public Opinion, and Policymaking," Naval War College Fellow for National Security Affairs Samantha Taylor and U.S. Army War College Professor of Strategy Jacqueline E. Whitt explore the relationship between policymakers and the public in the face of an increasingly complex media environment. From the advent of e-mail and round-the-clock cable news coverage a quarter-century ago to today's social media, the avenues available to the public are increasing. What happens when public opinion opposes options that an Administration wishes or needs to consider?

The intelligence community typically focuses too much on the here-and-now and urgent, as opposed to the more distant and important future. In this culminating podcast in the Intelligence series, WAR ROOM welcomes former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to discuss the strategic roles of intelligence and his perspectives on themes presented throughout this series. How do unrealistic expectations on the intelligence community increase risks to national security? What are the unique intelligence challenges that ground combat presents? These and other topics as discussed with Genevieve Lester, Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College.     James Clapper is the former Director of National Intelligence. Genevieve Lester is the DeSerio Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: U.S. Army photo. Composite by Tom Galvin. Other Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGE

In "Strategic Leadership and Changing the U.S. Army in Europe," WAR ROOM welcomes retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling to discuss his perspectives on strategic leadership and the solving of difficult strategic problems where the ways and means are not aligned with the ends. He includes his experiences in the transformation of U.S. Army Europe from 2003-2013. WAR ROOM podcast editor Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.

How do we take an institution ... that is designed to collect sensitive material and incorporate everything else that is out there [-- Journalism, social media, academic literature, etc.]? WAR ROOM welcomes Adam Wasserman, a former political analyst from the Central Intelligence Agency to discuss the particular challenges of conducting strategic intelligence analysis in today's environment. For example, historically the intelligence community organized and functioned to pursue an adversary's inner secrets, but now must apply its resources to combing through all the open source information in the environment, as though looking for all the needles in the haystack. How does such change affect the timely and relevant provision of quality analysis to national leaders? U.S. Army War College resident student Chris Todd moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Adam Wasserman is a retired political analyst from the Central Intelligence Agency and former faculty member of the U.S. Air War College. Chris Todd is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a student of the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Danielle Prentice. Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGE

In "'Star Wars' as a lens for grand strategy?" Matt Cavanaugh and Andrew A. Hill show how science fiction can help provide simple explanations for complex phenomena, such as grand strategy. Then, they apply the ideas to real historical examples of successful field commanders. Just as Yoda taught Luke Skywalker the ways of the Force, perhaps he can also teach us about the ways of strategy.

30 years ago, we still talked about deterrence a lot in this country. We still talked about nuclear weapons in this country. Today, the broader population does not, and therefore part of my job is to make sure that that becomes part of the dialogue again. What happens when an important strategic message is simply not salient to the audience? How does a senior military leader overcome disinterest or lack of understanding? The U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) offers an interesting case study -- a unique organization with a broad mission of deterring "strategic attack" across a range of major threats -- nuclear, space, missile, and others. But topics such as nuclear attack or missile defense are not as central to the public discourse as they were in decades past. General John Hyten, U.S. Air Force and Commander of STRATCOM, addresses the challenges facing senior leaders who must tell the organization's story to a wide range of internal and external audiences -- believers, skeptics, and the indifferent alike. WAR ROOM editor-in-chief Andrew A. Hill moderates.     John Hyten is the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Andrew A. Hill is the WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief. Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Julie R. Matyascik Other posts in the Leader Perspectives series: A TRANSATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE ON NATO (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)ALLIES ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING SPACE SECURE (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)TENSIONS AND PARADOXES FACING SENIOR LEADERS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEADING AND WINNING IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE CLASSICS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLONELS TO BE SUCCESSFUL (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)BALANCING BETWEEN CIVILIAN LIFE AND SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD“WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE” — AND OTHER CAUTIONARY TALES FOR LEADERSWHEN THE MILITARY IS NOT IN CHARGE: DEFENSE SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIESWHAT DOES ‘SUCCESS’ MEAN AS A STRATEGIC LEADER?

It's silly to expect that intelligence will always get it right. WAR ROOM welcomes Dr. Richard Betts from Columbia University to discuss what success and failure really mean in the intelligence community. For example, when adversaries successfully strike U.S. targets, the results are tragic and are often followed by soul searching and, unfortunately, blame. Success stories, such as the thwarting of probable attacks, are far more numerous but attract less attention. What does this mean for intelligence professionals? U.S. Army War College resident student Adam Dietrich moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Richard Betts is is the Arnold Saltzman Professor of War and Peace Studies in the Department of Political Science, the director of the Institute of War and Peace Studies, and the director of the International Security Policy Program in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Adam Dietrich is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and a student in the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Sean Wornell. Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGE

What a President or any other senior leader brings with him or her to office in inevitably a simplified view of how the world works. Is it critical that national leaders have an open mind? Or is it sometimes necessary? In this third episode in the WAR ROOM series on Intelligence, special guest Paul Pillar, a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency discusses the inconsistent role that intelligence often plays in strategic decision making. Preconceived notions and personal choices may lead to intelligence being joined at the hip of strategic decisionmakers or shut out of the room. What does that mean for the quality of the decisions and likely outcomes? The answers may surprise you. U.S. Army War College resident student Ms. Dawn Hicks moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.     Paul Pillar is a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency and a senior fellow at Georgetown University. Dawn Hicks is a Department of Defense civilian and a student in the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2018. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: Photo from U.S. National Archives (public domain). Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGE

If they come out with an after-action review or lessons learned from Iraq and all it talks about is how officers executed the war, then you know the Army missed an opportunity. WAR ROOM welcomes Command Sergeant Major Christopher Martinez who retired from the U.S. Army after culminating his career as Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army War College. In this interview with WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Andrew A. Hill, CSM Martinez reflects on his thirty years of military service. How have the responsibilities of senior enlisted leaders has changed over time, and how can they uniquely contribute to strategic decision making?   Christopher Martinez is a retired command sergeant major from the U.S. Army whose most recent assignment was Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army War College. Andrew A. Hill is Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Image: Collage depicts current or retired command sergeants major from the U.S. Army as of May 2018. Top row from left -- CSM Paul E. Biggs (CSM, Military District of Washington), CSM Christopher Martinez (U.S. Army War College until May 2018), CSM Rakimm Broadnax-Rogers (CSM, Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Leonard Wood), CSM John W. Troxell (Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff). Bottom row from left -- CSM Steven L. Payton (CSM, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea), Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey, CSM Charles Tobin (Senior Enlisted Advisor, Defense Logistics Agency until July 2017), and CSM Mulholland (Command Sergeant Major, 86th Training Division until February 2016) Image Credit: Tom Galvin Releases from the Leader Perspectives series: A TRANSATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE ON NATO (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)ALLIES ARE MORE THAN FRIENDS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING SPACE SECURE (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)TENSIONS AND PARADOXES FACING SENIOR LEADERS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEADING AND WINNING IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE CLASSICS (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)WHAT IT TAKES FOR COLONELS TO BE SUCCESSFUL (LEADER PERSPECTIVES)BALANCING BETWEEN CIVILIAN LIFE AND SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD“WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET YOU THERE” ̵...

"Policy Success vs. Intel Failure?" is the second episode in the WAR ROOM series on Intelligence. Special guest Dr. Rose McDermott of Brown University discusses the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that intelligence professionals need (or must avoid), along with a political culture where success is often miscredited to policy while intelligence is blame for any perceived failure. U.S. Army War College resident student Mr. Paul Mekkelson moderates, and the Intelligence series editor Genevieve Lester provides the introduction.

In "Do Ethics Matter in Warfare Today?" WAR ROOM welcome special guest Dr. Pauline Shanks-Kaurin, professor of military ethics at Pacific Lutheran University to discuss the relevance of military ethics. Is there an absolute moral and ethical framework that guides forces in war, or is it no more than the rules chosen by the powerful to justify their actions? What is the benefit of such frameworks in a world where adversaries appear free to act immorally? U.S. Army War College Chair of Strategic Leadership Andrew A. Hill moderates.

For national security officials who are wading through floods of information, how do they find that nugget, ... that piece of information that fits with all the other pieces? What is the role of intelligence in a world where information is everywhere and the global security environment moves and evolves at breakneck speed? Answering this question is the purpose behind this exciting six-part podcast series on Intelligence. Dr. Genevieve Lester, the DeSerio Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College, is the host for the series and she leads off the series with a discussion of the purpose and present-day challenges facing the intelligence field. With her for this discussion is Jacqueline E. Whitt, Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM podcast editor.     Genevieve Lester is the De Serio Chair of Strategic Intelligence at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the WAR ROOM Podcast Editor. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense. Image Credit: Photo from the National Guard Command Center during response to Hurricane Irene (Department of Defense photo). Composite by Tom Galvin. Posts in the "Intelligence" series: THE ROLE OF INTELLIGENCE TODAYPOLICY SUCCESS VS. INTEL FAILURE?IMPACT (OR NOT) OF INTEL ON STRATEGIC DECISION MAKINGSTRATEGIC ATTACKS AND THEIR FALLOUTNEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS: ANALYZING TODAY’S FLOOD OF INFORMATIONWHERE DOES INTELLIGENCE GO FROM HERE? AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERTHE DOD-CIA RELATIONSHIP: ARE WE MILITARIZING STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPERAFGHANISTAN: WHERE WAS THE INTEL?TRUE SPIES: STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING MODERN ESPIONAGE