A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
This is the podcast of WAR ROOM, the official online journal of the U.S. Army War College. Join us for provocative discussions about U.S. national security and defense, featuring prominent national security and military professionals.
Episodes
September 9, 2025 • 35 mins
During the administration of President Bill Clinton, Strobe Talbott, a close friend and confidante, served as Deputy Secretary of State. Historian Stephan Kieninger joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss his new book, "Securing Peace in Europe: Strobe Talbott, NATO and Russia after the Cold War". Kieninger explains that Talbott consistently pursued both NATO enlargement and engagement with a reformed Russia, believing these t...
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September 3, 2025 • 28 mins
One of the many diverse educational opportunities at the U.S. Army War College are specialized seminars that deep-dive into specific areas of interest. Kurt McDowell and Mike Smith participated in the AY25 Futures Seminar, and they're in the studio with host Darrell Driver to discuss their findings. Sponsored by the J-7, Lieutenant General Anderson, the seminar was tasked with exploring innovation for maneuver warfare in 2040. , Mc...
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August 26, 2025 • 46 mins
The Battle of Mogadishu, known by many as "Black Hawk Down," lasted roughly 18 hours and cost the lives of 18 Americans and one Malaysian, along with many more allied troops wounded. Somali casualties were far higher, with some estimates nearing 700 dead or injured. Jonathan Carroll, author of Beyond Black Hawk Down, points out that this was just one day in a nearly two-and-a-half-year operation. He joins host and Editor-in-Chief J...
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August 19, 2025 • 35 mins
U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platform called Vantage to provide leaders...
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August 12, 2025 • 29 mins
Every August, a fresh new cohort of students arrives on Carlisle Barracks to attend the resident course at the U.S. Army War College. The goal is to educate and develop these senior military and civilian leaders to serve at the strategic level, enhancing national and global security. Maria Gregory shares her hard-won tips for success with host Liz Woodworth. Maria began the 2024-2025 academic year feeling apprehensive but by the en...
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August 5, 2025 • 34 mins
Sapriya McLendon, a 2024 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss her command of the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater) (MIB-T). The 513th MIB-T plays a critical role in providing the ground intelligence picture for CENTCOM, a task they've honed over two decades of continuous engagement in the Middle East. Their conversation delves into the unique aspects of the 513th M...
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July 29, 2025 • 36 mins
Frank Sobchak, a retired Special Forces colonel and author of "Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan," joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the complexities of security force assistance (SFA). Their conversation delves into the challenges of measuring success in advisory missions and avoiding deeper U.S. combat commitments. Frank's research, based on five case studies ...
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July 22, 2025 • 36 mins
It's the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Christiana Crawford, Jody Daigle, and Amanda Raney as they examine the complex relationship between the United States and China. They joined podcast editor Ron Granieri to share their different yet complementary perspectives. Christiana emphasized the military's...
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July 15, 2025 • 33 mins
It’s the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Erik Sarson and Anna Scott as they examine the strength and importance of allies and partners. Erik is an Army Special Forces officer in the West Virginia National Guard, and he shared insights from his experience with the State Partnership Program. Anna is a Br...
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June 24, 2025 • 31 mins
How do cyber vulnerabilities impact modern warfare and statecraft? Craig Booth argues that the effectiveness of coercion, which relies on both the power to impose costs and the credibility of the threat, is weakened by vulnerabilities in digital and networked weapon systems. He joins host Darrell Driver to discuss how if an adversary believes they can hack, jam, or hijack U.S. capabilities, the ability to project power and influenc...
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June 17, 2025 • 31 mins
In the second half of their two-part episode, host Tom Spahr and Sean Shields discuss the Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. Shields details his experience leading the 20th Engineer Brigade and the critical importance of collaborating with other organizations like FEMA, the National Guard, and local officials. He notes this was a real-world application of his Army War College studies on defense support to ci...
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June 10, 2025 • 27 mins
In response to the Western Front-like stalemate seen in the Ukraine war, the U.S. Army is getting innovative. Sean Shields, commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade, joins host Tom Spahr to discuss his unit's "Sand Hills Project," an initiative born from observing the mobility challenges faced by Ukrainian forces. The project’s goal is to figure out how to breach modern, complex obstacle belts and restore maneuver to the battlefield,...
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June 3, 2025 • 32 mins
From late 2024 to early 2025, numerous unidentified drones were reported over U.S. cities and military bases. While some of these "mystery craft" were later attributed to FAA-authorized research and other purposes, their presence highlighted the potential threat and vulnerability of defense and infrastructure facilities. Paul Lushenko, chief strategist for the U.S. military's Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JC...
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May 27, 2025 • 32 mins
In May 2025, the U.S. Army War College hosted its fourth annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. The event featured General Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, as the keynote speaker. In a discussion with host Tom Spahr, General Brunson shared insights into his demanding role and the critical strategic importance of the Korean Peninsula. He underscored the neces...
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May 20, 2025 • 37 mins
Despite the fact that so many of them make it look easy, the daily lives of senior U.S. military leaders can be incredibly demanding. Laura Weimer examined how senior leaders manage their well-being (or, at times, struggle to do so) amidst these demanding careers, and she’s in the studio with host JP Clark to share her discoveries. Drawing from her research, Weimer highlighted the unique pressures of senior roles, including frequen...
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May 13, 2025 • 36 mins
In a previous episode, we highlighted the Annual Army War College Strategy Competition. This week, host Tom Galvin speaks with a team from the Carlisle Scholars Program that used the competition as the opportunity to experiment with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for strategy formulation. Josh Aldred, Claudio Blardone, Robby Haugh, and Adam Schultz share their expectations and what actually happened and take-aways. Ultimat...
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May 6, 2025 • 41 mins
One of the interesting things is there's no agreement domestically among civilians and military or internationally about what strategy is.
Each year, while the military senior service schools compete upon the fields of friendly strife in the event known as Jim Thorpe Sports Days, the U.S. Army War College hosts a different kind of contest: The Annual Army War College Strategy Competition. This contest pits teams from various U....
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April 22, 2025 • 36 mins
It's time to talk about the Harding Project once again. The project is the Chief of Staff of the Army's (CSA) effort to renew professional publications, strengthen the profession, and ultimately enhance the warfighting capability of the U.S. Army. Jake Larkowich, Deputy Commandant of the U.S. Army War College and associate editor for War Room, stepped into the studio to share a senior leader perspective. He joins Editor-in-Chief, J...
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April 22, 2025 • 41 mins
Whether putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, writing clarifies and improves ideas while also allowing those thoughts to be shared with others. But the idea of publishing one's thoughts can be intimidating. Why does it seem so hard to get thoughts down on paper? And how do you approach an editor? How do you even get started? Zach Griffiths and Theo Lipsky are in the studio to explain why you absolutely should share your ...
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April 15, 2025 • 36 mins
The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) recently hosted its 2025 Homeland Defense Symposium, gathering experts to tackle the complex issues of defending the homeland. A key focus was clarifying the difference between Homeland Security (law enforcement and emergency response) and Homeland Defense (military protection against external threats). Bert Tussing, Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the USAWC’s Center f...
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