The U.S. alliance system has been a frequent topic of debate over the years- who our allies should be, what they should bring to the table, and whether they are actually helping advance American security, economic, and ideological interests. But in recent years, the intensity of this debate has ratcheted up significantly, as has the consequences of what happens if we get it wrong. To help us analyze how we got here and where we should go, Vandenberg Advisory Board Member Colin Dueck, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a professor at George Mason University, joins us to discuss his new report, “Reassessing the U.S. Alliance System.”

1:07: The Inspiration Behind the Report

2:51: “The Three Waves of U.S. Liberal Internationalism”

6:37: Is the Pursuit of Stability the Right Approach?

12:40: The Contours of the Next Global Order

16:04: How President Trump’s Approach is Different

22:34: The Path Forward on Countering China

26:25: How to Work with Our Allies on China

32:07: Countries to Watch Over the Next 30 Years

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Before launching Operation Epic Fury against Iran, the focus of many within the national security world was whether President Trump would take action against the regime in Cuba. Months later, Cuba remains a dictatorship 90 miles from our shores that partners with our adversaries to harm Americans. John Suarez, Executive Director of the Center for a Free Cuba, joins Vandenberg Executive Director Carrie Filipetti to unpack the long-standing threat Cuba poses to Americans and policy options for confronting it.

(1:15) A Career Surrounding Cuba

(4:25) Cuba’s Recent Economic Reforms

(6:25) Ramiro Valdés Menéndez

(8:22) Other Notorious Regime Players

(12:10) No Meaningful Progress on Political Freedoms

(13:33) Conditions for Political Prisoners

(14:45) Humanitarian Conditions in Cuba

(18:12) How the Cuba Regime Amplifies Adversarial Influence

(27:06) Absolute Resolve’s Impact on Cuba

(28:46) Why Is Cuba Politicized in America?

(30:37) Why Does Cuban Freedom Matter for America?

(34:16) Assuaging American Skepticism

(38:34) Will the Regime Fall?

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While it is critical that the United States maintains our advantage over China in the development and deployment of critical technologies—including and especially artificial intelligence—there are fears that many in the national security establishment have not yet grappled with the risks and consequences of going full speed ahead. Hamza Chaudhry, AI and National Security Lead at the Future of Life Institute, joins Vandenberg Executive Director Carrie Filipetti to discuss balancing AI innovation with mitigating the risks involved.

(1:11) AI State of Play

(4:02) Stakeholders and Their AI Goals

(8:12) Four Layers of AI Defense Integration

(10:30) Obstacles for Integrating AI

(13:30) Benefits of Integration

(15:09) Mitigating Convergence Risks

(18:40) Export Controls on AI Models

(22:52) Are We Taking Risks Seriously Enough?

(26:00) Consequences for Human Flourishing

(28:32) Is China Having These Conversations?

(33:43) Safety Mechanisms

(39:08) Who Is Responsible for Establishing Guardrails?

(42:39) Should We Be Optimistic or Pessimistic About Guardrails?

You can watch this episode as a video on YouTube.