SSI Live Podcast

A year and a half ago, Javier Milei shocked Latin America by winning a landslide election in Argentina. His libertarian approach and dogmatic style worried many as he assumed the presidency starting in December 2023 – so how have things turned out so far? Dr. Evan Ellis, SSI’s Research Professor of Latin American Studies, joined SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss his recent trip to Argentina, during which Dr. Ellis had the o...

America’s European allies have played a critical role in providing military assistance to Ukraine. Can Europeans maintain that effort or even increase it if the United States reduces its role? What lessons can the United States learn from the role of its European allies in this war, which might be applicable to future rounds of strategic competition with Russia and China? The National Defense University’s Dr. Lisa Aronsson joined S...

Satellites and anti-satellite capabilities have come to play a major role in modern warfare and strategic competition. How are they being used today in the context of the Russia-Ukraine War? What role are government-owned systems and commercial systems playing, and how are Russia and Ukraine leveraging each? How has the war reinforced or created new norms regarding escalation? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni spoke with Dr. Ron Guran...

Reconceptualizing Homeland Defense in the Indo-Pacific – Homeland defense does not begin at the water’s edge, at least not on the east and west coasts of the United States. How do we think about, plan for, and operationalize defense of far-flung American territories? In their latest publication, Dr. Mike Lynch and Major Brennan Deveraux argue the definition of homeland defense must now extend well beyond North American shores. In t...

Paraguay as a Linchpin Both Literally and Figuratively – Paraguay sits at the crossroads of both illicit and licit activities in South America, with implications stretching from arms trafficking to the drug trade to Hezbollah’s fundraising to China-Taiwan issues. How is the relatively new government of President Santiago Peña dealing with Paraguay’s many challenges, including significant corruption? What are the promises and perils...

SSI Live 110 – Proxy War Ethics: The Norms of Partnering in Great Power Competition – Given the unfolding wars in Ukraine and Gaza – both of which have seen proxy activity or something that looks a lot like proxy activity – what kind of ethical concerns should policymakers focus on? Have proxy wars become more common over time, and are ethical challenges inherent in them? How can we strengthen the norms that govern proxy war activi...

SSI Live 109 – Putin’s Reelection, Russia’s Trajectory, and the War in Ukraine – Vladimir Putin was recently reelected to an unprecedented fifth term. He faced no serious challenges, thanks to a strict crackdown on opposition and free speech. Relatedly, last month marked two years since Russia began its second and far more brutal invasion of Ukraine. As that war enters its third year, and as Putin basks in his reelection, how do we...

SSI Live 108 – Latin America and Caribbean Outlook for 2024 – What is the outlook for security, defense, politics, and economics across Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024? How do far-away conflicts in Ukraine or Gaza impact the region? And what’s on the agenda(s) of extraterritorial actors like China, Russia, and Iran in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America? SSI Live host John R. Deni invited Evan Ellis to discuss...

SSI Live 107 – SSI Launches China Landpower Studies Center – The Strategic Studies Institute has just launched a new initiative, the China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC). SSI Live host John Deni invited its Research Director, Josh Arostegui, to discuss the new Center, its research priorities, and how China’s actions across the Indo-Pacific make this an ideal – even vital – time to launch this important effort. Listen here, downloa...

Clear, Hold, [and don’t] Build? The Study of Internal Conflict – Although strategic competition has placed China and Russia at the center of American security policy, internal conflicts in places like Iraq, Kosovo, Syria, and Yemen continue to demand the attention of policymakers. SSI’s Dr. Chris Mason has examined these and dozens of others through his multi-year Study of Internal Conflict. What do the many case studies he and his...

SSI Live 105 – The Dragon and the Bear in Africa – Much is made of the ‘axis of authoritarianism’ emerging between Moscow and Beijing, and it’s clear the PRC is playing an important if only implicit role in supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine. But how do these two strategic actors collaborate in other regions? SSI’s Dr. Bob Hamilton spoke to SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni to discuss his latest research on whether and how China and R...

SSI Live 104 – Implications of Milei’s Election in Argentina – Libertarian Javier Milei recently won a landslide victory in Argentina’s presidential election on a platform of radical reform designed to solve the country’s major economic challenges. How did Milei pull it off? What came out of his post-election trip to the United States? How likely is he to achieve his policy aims at home and abroad? And what are the implications for...

Terrestrial Responses to Space Aggression – Russia and China have both tested ground-based anti-satellite missiles as well as on-orbit anti-satellite weapons. The latter include projectiles launched from one satellite to another and satellites that can grapple and move other satellites. How should or can the United States respond to an attack on its own satellites? Why does attacking an adversary’s satellite in retaliation make for...

Implications of Elections in Argentina, Ecuador, and Venezuela – It’s election season in South America, and the outcomes in three key countries have somewhat surprised observers. The implications for Argentina’s flailing economy, the narcotics-fueled violence in Ecuador, and the flow of oil from Venezuela are numerous, but what do they mean for the United States and the Pentagon? Dr. Evan Ellis joined SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni...

What’s the Real State of the Russia-China Relationship? – The debate over the nature of the Russia-China relationship remains unsettled. One side believes the two are strategic partners, while the other believes their ties are merely an “axis of convenience”. Understanding the nature of their relationship is of vital importance to U.S. national security, so how can we gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of Russian-Chinese rel...

SSI Live 100 – Panama’s Evolving Relationship with China – Panama is a relatively small country but one of pivotal strategic importance in our hemisphere, especially given the role of the Panama canal and the related financial services industry. Dr. Evan Ellis had the opportunity to travel there recently to engage Panamanian officials and academics, to get a sense of what’s ahead as the country faces national elections next year, t...

AI in Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Military – What are the implications of the U.S. military incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into what it does during peacetime, in conflict, and everything in between? How does trust figure into the use of AI, both up and down the chain of command? To employ AI successfully, will we need all troops to be AI experts, and if so, what are the implications for DoD? SSI Live host Dr. John R. Deni ...

SSI Live 098 – One Year On: Russia’s War on Ukraine – With the Russian war in Ukraine having just reached its one-year mark, how can we assess outlook for Ukraine? Is there reason for Kyiv – or Moscow – to be optimistic, given the current trajectory? And what can we make of potential Chinese involvement? In this third (of three) SSI Live podcast marking one year of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Dr. Bob Hamilton, Dr. Craig Nation, a...

SSI Live 097 – One Year On: Russia’s War on Ukraine and the Role of the EU – With the Russian war in Ukraine having just reached its one-year mark, how can we assess the role of the European Union (EU)? Have its diplomatic, political, economic, and military responses to the war met expectations? What remains to be done and what impediments stand in the way? What can be expected of Europe in the event China becomes more clearly invo...