#219 Dr. Josh Segal on Are We Losing the War? Lethality, Deterrence, and Information

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association.

During this episode, Dr. Josh “Bugsy” Segal asks the provocative question: Are We Losing the War? Josh discusses the importance of understanding the impact of the nation's investments in soft power assets and programs, emphasizing the need for a strategic approach and a broader national security context. He expresses concerns about the challenges in reaching the desired audience for information operations and the need for the US to adapt and innovate in the face of increasing influence from China and Russia. Lastly, the discussion touches on the current administration's agenda of cutting costs, the threat posed by adversaries, and the importance of nurturing relationships–particularly in the context of disinformation and subversive narratives.

Recording Date: 19 Feb 2025

Resources:

• Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
  • #213 Sviatoslav Hnizdovskyi on Countering Authoritarian Influence
  • #192 Josh "Bugsy" Segal on the American Maginot Line
  • #124 Dean Cheng on China, Space, and Information Operations
  • #24 John Davis on Modern Warfare, Teamwork, and Commercial Cognitive Security
• Deft9 Solutions
• Russia’s GRU Unit 29155
• The DOGE website

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Joshua “Bugsy” Segal is the Co-Founder & Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at Deft9 Solutions. A veteran of over 30 years in national security policy, strategy and operations, and intelligence, both military and civilian, Dr. Segal is an internationally recognized expert in arms control, countering foreign malign influence, and counter-WMD. Dr. Segal spent over a decade as a member of U.S. multilateral arms control delegations in Geneva, Vienna, and The Hague, including the negotiations to finalize the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention and establish the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. After leaving the federal government and then retiring from the military, Dr. Segal serves as an advisor to senior DoD leaders on operations in the information environment and teaches OSINT tradecraft.

About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.

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