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Horns of a Dilemma: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Texas National Security Review
Brought to you by the Texas National Security Review, this podcast features lectures, interviews, and panel discussions at The University of Texas at Austin.
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- 6 days ago28 min
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Battle for Belarus
Recorded at the Aspen Security Forum, TNSR Executive Editor Dr. Ryan Vest and Kennan Institute Director Dr. Michael Kimmage sit down with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, President-elect of Belarus and head of the United Transitional Cabinet. Tsikhanouskaya details her transformation from a political outsider into the leader of the country's democratic forces following the contested 2020 presidential election. The conversation examines the distinction between the Lukashenko regime and the anti-war stance of the Belarusian public, the deepening political and military integration between Belarus and Russia, diplomatic tracks for releasing political prisoners, and why democratic transition in Belarus is critical to NATO's eastern flank and broader European security. Guest: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya | President-elect of Belarus, head of the United Transitional Cabinet, and leader of the country's democratic movement Hosts: Dr. Ryan Vest | Executive Editor of the Texas National Security Review (TNSR) Dr. Michael Kimmage | Director of the Kennan Institute and collaborator with TNSR
- 2 weeks ago40 min
China's Bid for Space Supremacy in the Middle East
We examine China's space diplomacy across the Middle East and North Africa with the authors of their recent Texas National Security Review article, "Choosing Orbits: China's Space Diplomacy in the Middle East." The discussion analyzes how regional states—specifically Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran—utilize space partnerships with Beijing to serve distinct domestic, economic, and security imperatives . Our guests challenge assumptions that smaller powers are passive subjects in great power rivalry and detail how Middle Eastern states exercise strategic agency through hybrid alignment strategies . Guests Lawrence Rubin | Professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, co-director of the GTDC Pathways to Policy program, and associate fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies . Lincoln Hines | Assistant Professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Fellow with the Carnegie China Fellowship at the University of Maryland . Dayana
- Aug 18, 202652 min
Virtuous Violence and the Psychology of Nuclear Escalation
In this episode, we speak with Paul Slovic, Rose McDermott, and Cmdr. Daniel R. Post about their recent TNSR article "When Our Minds Go Nuclear," arguing that nuclear strategy too often assumes rational, stable decision-making despite decades of psychological research on bounded rationality and bias. Drawing on survey experiments based on the Sagan and Valentino Iran war scenario, they discuss how mechanisms like psychic numbing, affect, hot/cold empathy gaps, social contagion, and comparative framing can increase support for nuclear strikes, including through "virtuous violence" and the "better bomb" (lesser-evil) effect. They warn that modernization and expanded use concepts make non-use a "dangerous illusion," and recommend safeguards such as multi-person authorization, training, protocols, structured dissent, and deliberation—especially as AI increases information pressure. Guests: Paul Slovic | Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon and Senior Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute Rose McDermott | David and Marianna Fisher University Professor of International Relations at Brown University Commander Daniel R. Post | Permanent Military Professor in the Strategy and Policy Department at the U.S. Naval War College Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
- Aug 3, 202643 min
How the Soviet Collapse Shaped North Korea
We are joined by Dr. Benjamin R. Young to discuss his TNSR article, "Saving Socialism: What North Korea Learned from the Collapse of the Soviet Union." Dr. Young argues that the fall of the USSR profoundly influenced Pyongyang's grand strategy. Rather than embracing reform, he explains that North Korea interpreted the Soviet collapse as a failure of ideological fervor and leadership. He contends that this historical turning point catalyzed North Korea's shift toward "military first" politics (Songun), stricter information blockades, and the accelerated development of its nuclear weapons program. Join us for a fascinating conversation on regime survival, Stalinism, and the historical drivers of North Korea's modern security posture. Guest: Dr. Benjamin R. Young (Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies at Fayetteville State University) Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens Ryan Vest, PhD Producer: Jordan Morning
- Jul 21, 202639 min
Deep Ocean Danger: Unveiling the Threats to Global Connectivity
This episode, we are joined by Charles Mok, author of the TNSR article "Toward Undersea Cable Resilience: The Case for Global Collaboration." He speaks on the rising pace of attacks on undersea cable infrastructure and why these vulnerabilities remain under-discussed despite carrying about 99% of intercontinental data. Mok explains how growing geopolitical tension, choke points, and greater dependence on internet connectivity (including for AI) increase incentives for disruption, and argues resilience requires attention to supply chains, repair capacity, and cable routing—not just cable defense. He discusses industry concentration, aging repair fleets, the shift of investment to US big tech, legal and attribution challenges in international waters, recent policy responses in Europe and Taiwan, and why Washington must pursue allied cooperation beyond a China-focused, shore-centric approach. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
- Jul 7, 202638 min
25 Years of the US-China Commission: Taiwan, Tech Competition, and Over-the-Horizon Risks
Twenty-five years after its founding, how has the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission shaped American strategic policy? In this episode, we feature a panel discussion examining the evolution of major power competition. Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens sits down with Randall Schriver (Chairman of the Board, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security) and Mike Kuiken (Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Hoover Institution and USCC Commissioner) to assess the shifting geopolitical landscape. The guests argue that the strategic environment has transitioned from early debates over human rights and market access to intense military coercion and sophisticated cyber operations, such as Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon. They analyze the critical 2027 Taiwan timeline, evaluating the island's central role in global semiconductor supply chains. Furthermore, Schriver and Kuiken explore how Beijing has successfully leveraged state resources to leapfrog Western innovation in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and quantum computing. They assert that sustaining deterrence requires policymakers to look beyond immediate crises and proactively address over-the-horizon technological risks. This event was co-sponsored by the Asia Policy Program, the Clements Center for National Security, and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. Related Links: Full author bios and event details: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission at 25: Still Crazy After All These Years Learn more about our research and analysis: Texas National Security Review (TNSR)
- Jun 23, 202641 min
Iran's Nuclear Tightrope: Between Power and Peril
As the United States and Iran negotiate an end to recent hostilities, the strategic implications of Tehran's nuclear latency are more urgent than ever. In this episode of our podcast, Eric Brewer unpacks the realities of Iran as a nuclear threshold state. He argues that maintaining a threshold capability forces Tehran to walk a dangerous tightrope, balancing the perceived deterrence of adversaries against the severe peril of military escalation. The conversation offers a rigorous assessment of how nuclear latency alters conflict dynamics, shapes modern statecraft, and complicates regional stability in the Middle East. Read his recent TNSR article on the topic "What Good Is a Nuclear Threshold Capability? Lessons from Iran's Nuclear Program and Recent Regional Conflict." Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest Producer: Jordan Morning
- Jun 10, 202637 min
New Tech, Old Traps: The Persistent Pitfalls in Military Innovation
National security scholar Herbert S. Lin joins us to discuss his latest TNSR article, "On Optimism About New Military Technologies." Lin argues that political incentives and cognitive traps like the "fallacy of the last move" often blind planners to the complex, systemic realities of new capabilities. He also maps out the crucial distinction between artifactual hardware and architectural technologies like AI. Hosts: Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Ryan Vest, PhD Producer: Jordan Morning
About Horns of a Dilemma
Brought to you by the Texas National Security Review, this podcast features lectures, interviews, and panel discussions at The University of Texas at Austin.
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