Shows / Net Assessment
Net Assessment
Hosts Melanie Marlowe, Christopher Preble, and Zack Cooper, debate their way through some of the toughest and most contentious topics related to strategy, international relations, and the use of force. This podcast is brought to you by the Stimson Center and produced by University FM.
Episodes
- Net Assessment
Second to None? Evaluating a Second Island Chain Strategy
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate the merits of Jennifer Kavanagh's proposed Second Island Chain strategy for Asia. They discuss U.S. objectives in the region…
- Net Assessment
Debating the Meaning of Military Victory
On this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the question of military victory. Is there such a thing? Is military victory achievable for either Russia or…
- Net Assessment
Will AI Tank Think Tanks?
As the artificial intelligence revolution advances and the Trump administration questions the value of outside experts, think tanks are facing a worsening…
- Net Assessment
Unpacking the IG Report on the Iran War
With Zack out collecting frequent flyer miles, Tom Karako joins Chris and Melanie to discuss the Lead Inspector General Report on Operation Epic Fury. When the…
- Net Assessment
Lessons Learned (and Unlearned) from the GWOT
In this show, the Net Assessment crew ponders the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Twenty-five years after 9/11 and five years after the disastrous withdrawal from…
- Net Assessment
Science: A New Golden Age?
The team sits down to talk about the new OSTP report, Science: A New Golden Age. What role should the government have in the scientific enterprise? What should…
- Net Assessment
The Beginning of the End in the Middle East?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate Michael Fuchs's recent article arguing for a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East. They also discuss the impact of the Iran War…
- Net Assessment
A Strategy of Denial?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss public attitudes toward the United States and China, and the Trump administration's response -- which mostly seems to deny…
- Net Assessment
Net Assessment Assesses the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a look at the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment. Does the document get the threats, and their prioritiztion, right? How does Trump…
- Net Assessment
Apocalypse Soon? The US and NATO at a Crossroads
With Chris galavanting across Europe, Stimson's Emma Ashford joins Melanie and Zack to debate whether the United States is undermining deterrence in Europe…
- Net Assessment
Might the United States Lose Access to Foreign Bases?
In this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the benefits and costs for U.S. allies and partners who host U.S. bases on their territory. As traditional…
- Net Assessment
Mexico's Fight against the Cartels
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a chat about how Mexico is handling the drug cartels, which continue to perpetrate terrible violence and facilitate massive…
- Net Assessment
A Strategy of Consolidation: Playing for Time?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate Wess Mitchell's proposed U.S. strategy of consolidation. They discuss whether this strategy would finally realign America's…
- Net Assessment
Is the US a Predatory Hegemon?
Do we live in a world governed only by force, one in which the United States' military and economic power alone will advance U.S. interests? Or are the Trump…
- Net Assessment
Can the UN Be Reformed?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about whether the United Nations can and should continue in its current form. Has it outlived its original purposes?…
- Net Assessment
Implementing a Hellscape Strategy for Taiwan
On this show, Melanie, Chris, and Zack consider whether the porcupine strategy that Taiwan is currently implementing is the best plan to deter or defend…
- Net Assessment
Is There an End in Sight for the US War in Iran?
What are the goals in the US war in Iran? Is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz manageable, or is the Iranian threat to shipping a challenge that must be…
- Net Assessment
Will U.S. Allies Hedge? Should They?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a discussion about how America's allies and partners, after decades of relying on the US for security, are derisking from what…
- Net Assessment
A Broadside Against Battleships
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate the wisdom of President Trump's proposal for a Golden Fleet of new American "battleships." They question the strategic logic…
- Net Assessment
Is Resolute Global Leadership the Right Grand Strategy for the United States?
In this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack, discuss a recent Council on Foreign Relations special report which explores varies grand strategies, and proposes an…
- Net Assessment
New Denial Strategy? Assessing the 2026 NDS
Zack, Melanie, and special guest Kelly Grieco take a look at the Department of War's 2026 National Defense Strategy. What does a "decent peace" with China look…
- Net Assessment
Crude Awakening: Maduro's Seizure and Venezuela's Future
Fresh off the shock of the U.S. operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, the Net Assessment team debates the merits of the operation and what it means for…
- Net Assessment
Farewell 2025, Hello 2026
In this special bonus episode, the Net Assessment crew – Chris, Melanie, and Zack - looks back on the highs (and lows) of 2025, and makes a few predictions for…
- Net Assessment
What Does the United States Want From China and Why Can't We Get It?
In this episode, Chris, Melanie, and Zack look at U.S. policy toward China. What does the United States, that is Donald Trump, want from China? What should the…
- Net Assessment
'Safer, Richer, Freer, Greater'? Trump's New Strategy for American Power
Chris, Zack, and Melanie take a look at the Trump administration's newly-released US National Security Strategy. Is it a coherent strategy? How will diplomacy…
- Net Assessment
Reciprocity: The Once and Future Strategy?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Oren Cass's recent article articulating a "Grand Strategy of Reciprocity." Cass argues that the United States should build a…
- Net Assessment
Whither Venezuela?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack, convene for a wide-ranging discussion of U.S. current and prospective military operations against the country of Venezuela, and the…
- Net Assessment
Are Rising Powers Over?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie get together to talk about Michael Beckley's new article, "The Stagnant Order and the End of Rising Powers." What consequences might…
- Net Assessment
Can Foreign Aid Be Reformed? Should It Be?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack review Adam Tooze's recent article on the failure of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and Western-directed aid efforts…
- Net Assessment
Prediction is Hard, Especially about Confidence Levels
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the confidence problem among national security experts. As Jeffrey Friedman shows in a recent Texas National Security Review…
- Net Assessment
Is a Fight with Russia Worth the Risks?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie take some time to talk about how the United States, Europe, and Russia are dealing with the Ukraine conflict. Would a Russian win in a…
- Net Assessment
How Will the U.S. Deal With a Weaponized World Economy?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman's new article "The Weaponized World Economy." Is the United States, which has been accused of…
- Net Assessment
A Strategy of Prioritization?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Jennifer Lind and Daryl Press's recent article on strategies of prioritization. They examine the challenges of executing such…
- Net Assessment
What's the Plan for AI?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie sit down to chat about the recently-released White House AI Action Plan. Should American AI policy be in pursuit of unchallenged…
- Net Assessment
Combating Mexican drug cartels: Is there a military solution?
In this show, Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider the different military options being considered to combat Mexican drug cartels. Are the cartels that…
- Net Assessment
A New Nuclear Age: The Sum of All Fears?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the "nuclear hurricane" sweeping the world. They begin by returning to the question of whether President Trump made the right…
- Net Assessment
Trump Hammers Iran. What Comes Next?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie get together to discuss the very rapidly moving events in the Middle East following the execution of Operation Midnight Hammer. Why…
- Net Assessment
Understanding the Four-Day War between India and Pakistan
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the recent short war between India and Pakistan. Christopher Clary's first cut of history provides a careful reconstruction of…
- Net Assessment
Great Power Competition or Collusion?
Is President Trump's approach to foreign policy best described as a spheres of influence approach in which the major players are the United States, China, and…
- Net Assessment
The Paradoxical Power?
An immense and growing national debt, entrenched political polarization, and falling levels of patriotism might lead some to conclude that the position of the…
- Net Assessment
Is Arms Control Dead?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack consider Rose Gottemoeller's claim that arms control is not yet dead, but essential. Are there realistic prospects for a new arms…
- Net Assessment
Why the Trump Administration Will Struggle to Make National Security Policy
Chris, Melanie, and Zack launch their first Stimson-hosted Net Assessment show with a look at policymaking in the Trump administration. What are the major…
- Net Assessment
One Last Trip Around the World?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack are joined by a special guest for a big announcement. They also lament the demise of the Office of Net Assessment, debate the merits…
- Net Assessment
Will Israel Strike Iran?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate whether Israel will strike Iranian nuclear facilities and whether the United States would discourage, encourage, or participate…
- Net Assessment
The End of the World, Again?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie have a rather somber discussion about the Trump administration's efforts to get a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Why is Trump…
- Net Assessment
Is The People's Liberation Army Ready For a Fight Over Taiwan?
In this show, Melanie, Chris, and Zack discuss Timothy Heath's recent paper on China's military capabilities. Heath argues that the People's Liberation Army…
- Net Assessment
Risky Business: Assessing Risk to U.S. Strategy
The Net Assessment team discusses Frank Hoffman's recent Joint Force Quarterly article about risk. They share concerns about the challenges that U.S…
- Net Assessment
Will Trump Focus on the Western Hemisphere?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie got together to talk about the second Trump administration's agenda in the Western Hemisphere. What interests does the United States…
- Net Assessment
Exploring the Implications of Precise Mass
Back from their holiday break, Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Michael Horowitz and Joshua Schwartz's recent War on the Rocks' article, which considers…
- Net Assessment
What's Next in Syria?
The fall of Bashar al-Assad is transforming not just Syria but also dynamics in the broader Middle East. What implications does this have for U.S. policy in…
- Net Assessment
Where Do We Go From Here?
The team sat down to talk about the very bleak situation in Ukraine. Is it impossible for Ukraine to overcome its many challenges? Will Trump's team be able to…
- Net Assessment
A New National Security Strategy for the Trump Administration
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss how and if the new Trump national security team can help America reset its strategic mindset. What would a successful…
- Net Assessment
Can the Next President Change U.S. Foreign Policy?
The United States has a growing disconnect between its foreign policy objectives and the resources it devotes to national security, but inertia has hampered…
- Net Assessment
American Renewal?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie sit down for a retrospective episode about the Biden administration's foreign and defense policy. Using U.S. Secretary of State Antony…
- Net Assessment
What Is the U.S. Military Doing in Europe?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss the American military footprint in Europe. Why does the United States maintain such a large presence there? Are there other…
- Net Assessment
Is American Deterrence Failing?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack discuss Carter Malkasian's recent article on "America's crisis of deterrence." They debate whether recent policy failures are a…
- Net Assessment
A New Nuclear Age?
Chris, Zack, and Melanie sit down to talk about America's nuclear policy. Are we in a new "nuclear age," as some Biden administration officials and experts…
- Net Assessment
Is Everything a Matter of National Security?
Chris, Melanie, and Zack debate whether national security has been defined too loosely. If too many things fall under the category of national security, do we…
- Net Assessment
Watching the Watchers: Assessing the Defense Strategy Commission
Melanie, Chris, and Zack debate the findings of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy. They agree that there is a mismatch between U.S. defense…
- Net Assessment
Attitude Adjustment: Can the US do better in Africa?
As Africa is seeing a dramatic rise in violent conflict and elected governments there are falling to coups, Chris, Zack, and Melanie sat down to discuss US…