Today, Condoleezza Rice shares leadership lessons from her time in government as well as her perspective on Russia, China, and the future of the international system; defense entrepreneur Palmer Luckey joins Peter Robinson on Uncommon Knowledge to discuss transformations underway in US military procurement; and John Cochrane lays out some of the policy challenges and opportunities Kevin Warsh will encounter when he’s sworn in to lead the Federal Reserve.
Politics, Institutions, and International Affairs
Hoover Institution Director Condoleezza Rice joined the Icons and Ideas podcast for a wide-ranging discussion of her childhood experiences, career development, service in national leadership, and outlook on geopolitical developments today. Speaking with host Peter Mallouk, Rice shares stories from her time as a young Soviet analyst as well as reflections on some of the most consequential decisions she helped to make during her time as national security advisor and secretary of state. Rice and Mallouk also discuss the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine and the economic and political conditions that have fueled populist movements around the world. Throughout, Rice offers practical insights into leadership and diplomacy during periods of crisis and global transformation. Watch here.
Defense Innovation and National Security
In the face of growing military threats from China, can the US technology sector help rebuild US military power? How will artificial intelligence transform warfare? On the latest episode of Uncommon Knowledge, Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey joins Peter Robinson to argue that America must rethink everything from defense procurement to manufacturing, innovation, and national identity itself. Luckey explains why he founded Anduril after selling Oculus to Facebook; why he believes the US has become dangerously dependent on China; and how autonomous weapons, AI fighter jets, and drone warfare are reshaping the future battlefield. Luckey also takes aim at Pentagon bureaucracy and America’s hollowed-out industrial base, as well as what he calls the “national divorce” between Silicon Valley and national security. Tune in for a provocative discussion of patriotism, innovation, deterrence, and whether the United States still has what it takes to defend itself in a rapidly changing world. Watch or listen here.
Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
Writing at The Washington Post opinion page, Senior Fellow John H. Cochrane analyzes the complex economic and institutional situation that incoming Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will face once he takes the helm at the US central bank. Cochrane explains why he wants to see a humbler Fed, cognizant of “the fog in which it is trying to steer the ship.” Cochrane also says Congress and Fed leaders need to think about the mounting pressures on US monetary policymakers to acquiesce to persistent large federal deficits and a growing national debt, before the next crisis demanding emergency spending comes along. As the economist notes, on the current trajectory, “bond investors will be skittish, having suffered a substantial loss due to inflation last time they lent to the US, and with still no plan for the government to start repaying debts.” Read more here.
Revitalizing History
“What happened to the Declaration of Independence remains the last great mystery of the Civil War,” Distinguished Research Fellow Michael Auslin writes at Hoover’s Military History in the News column. For two decades prior to the outbreak of that conflict, America’s founding document had been displayed in the National Museum within what was then the Patent Office. But with the war came an immediate threat to Washington, DC, and to the Declaration from nearby Confederate forces. “Had the Confederates captured the Declaration and brought it to their capital in Richmond, it would have been a massive blow to Northern morale,” Auslin writes. “It only made sense for Lincoln and his Secretary of State William Seward to order the Declaration moved to the one place that seemed the safest, but to do so secretly, leaving no official record.” Read more here.
International Economics
In this timely episode of Economics, Applied, Senior Fellow Steven J. Davis speaks with two noted experts on trade policy about the sources and consequences of vulnerability in global supply chains. Cross-border supply chains bring great efficiencies but also present soft spots that adversaries can exploit. How should we think about these vulnerabilities and their implications for economic and national security? How can we identify, assess, and respond to these vulnerabilities? Guests Chad Bown and Soumaya Keynes, both active analysts of international trade, discuss issues including the challenge of tracing inputs to complex supply chains, and how private actors are offering solutions to fill such data gaps. Watch or listen here.
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