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Horns of a Dilemma

Horns of a Dilemma

Texas National Security Review 305 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

Brought to you by the Texas National Security Review, this podcast features lectures, interviews, and panel discussions at The University of Texas at Austin.

Episodes

Was George H. W. Bush Truly a Realist? Understanding His Approach to International Diplomacy
Was George H. W. Bush Truly a Realist? Understanding His Approach to International Diplomacy Oct 13, 2026 38:08 We welcome Dr. Samuel Helfont to examine the foreign policy legacy of President George H. W. Bush. Conventional wisdom often frames Bush 41 as the quintessential realist practitioner. However, in his recent TNSR article, "Liberal Internationalism Forgotten: Myth and Memory in the Legacy of George H. W. Bush," Dr. Helfont directly challenges this narrative. Drawing from archival records, National S
Taiwan and North Korea as Linked Flashpoints in US-China Relations
Taiwan and North Korea as Linked Flashpoints in US-China Relations Sep 29, 2026 36:58 As high-level meetings between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping keep regional security front and center, how do Taiwan and North Korea connect within China's broader strategic calculus? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shuxian Luo to examine the concept of "issue linkage" connecting two of East Asia's most sensitive security flashpoints. Drawing from primary Chinese-language sources, authoritati
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Battle for Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Battle for Belarus Sep 15, 2026 28:04 Recorded at the Aspen Security Forum, TNSR Executive Editor Dr. Ryan Vest and Kennan Institute Director Dr. Michael Kimmage sit down with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, President-elect of Belarus and head of the United Transitional Cabinet. Tsikhanouskaya details her transformation from a political outsider into the leader of the country's democratic forces following the contested 2020 presidential ele
China's Bid for Space Supremacy in the Middle East
China's Bid for Space Supremacy in the Middle East Sep 1, 2026 40:50 We examine China's space diplomacy across the Middle East and North Africa with the authors of their recent Texas National Security Review article, "Choosing Orbits: China's Space Diplomacy in the Middle East." The discussion analyzes how regional states—specifically Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran—utilize space partnerships with Beijing to serve distinct domestic, economic, and securit
Virtuous Violence and the Psychology of Nuclear Escalation
Virtuous Violence and the Psychology of Nuclear Escalation Aug 18, 2026 52:41 In this episode, we speak with Paul Slovic, Rose McDermott, and Cmdr. Daniel R. Post about their recent TNSR article "When Our Minds Go Nuclear," arguing that nuclear strategy too often assumes rational, stable decision-making despite decades of psychological research on bounded rationality and bias. Drawing on survey experiments based on the Sagan and Valentino Iran war scenario, they discuss how
How the Soviet Collapse Shaped North Korea
How the Soviet Collapse Shaped North Korea Aug 3, 2026 43:05 We are joined by Dr. Benjamin R. Young to discuss his TNSR article, "Saving Socialism: What North Korea Learned from the Collapse of the Soviet Union." Dr. Young argues that the fall of the USSR profoundly influenced Pyongyang's grand strategy. Rather than embracing reform, he explains that North Korea interpreted the Soviet collapse as a failure of ideological fervor and leadership. He contends t
Deep Ocean Danger: Unveiling the Threats to Global Connectivity
Deep Ocean Danger: Unveiling the Threats to Global Connectivity Jul 21, 2026 39:25 This episode, we are joined by Charles Mok, author of the TNSR article "Toward Undersea Cable Resilience: The Case for Global Collaboration." He speaks on the rising pace of attacks on undersea cable infrastructure and why these vulnerabilities remain under-discussed despite carrying about 99% of intercontinental data. Mok explains how growing geopolitical tension, choke points, and greater depend
25 Years of the  US-China Commission: Taiwan, Tech Competition, and Over-the-Horizon Risks
25 Years of the US-China Commission: Taiwan, Tech Competition, and Over-the-Horizon Risks Jul 7, 2026 38:56 Twenty-five years after its founding, how has the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission shaped American strategic policy? In this episode, we feature a panel discussion examining the evolution of major power competition. Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens sits down with Randall Schriver (Chairman of the Board, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security) and Mike Kuiken (Distinguished Visiting Fellow
Iran's Nuclear Tightrope: Between Power and Peril
Iran's Nuclear Tightrope: Between Power and Peril Jun 23, 2026 41:25 As the United States and Iran negotiate an end to recent hostilities, the strategic implications of Tehran's nuclear latency are more urgent than ever. In this episode of our podcast, Eric Brewer unpacks the realities of Iran as a nuclear threshold state. He argues that maintaining a threshold capability forces Tehran to walk a dangerous tightrope, balancing the perceived deterrence of adversaries
New Tech, Old Traps: The Persistent Pitfalls in Military Innovation
New Tech, Old Traps: The Persistent Pitfalls in Military Innovation Jun 10, 2026 37:45 National security scholar Herbert S. Lin joins us to discuss his latest TNSR article, "On Optimism About New Military Technologies." Lin argues that political incentives and cognitive traps like the "fallacy of the last move" often blind planners to the complex, systemic realities of new capabilities. He also maps out the crucial distinction between artifactual hardware and architectural technolo
The Balance of Control and Vulnerability: Cyber and Nuclear Risks
The Balance of Control and Vulnerability: Cyber and Nuclear Risks May 27, 2026 35:02 Dr. Jacquelyn Schneider joins us to discuss her article, "Cyber Operations and Nuclear Stability: Networked Instability." Moving beyond Hollywood analogies and pop-culture fears, Schneider argues that common understandings of how cyber operations impact nuclear stability are often misguided. Throughout the conversation, she unpacks three specific pathways to escalation—deliberate, inadvertent, and
Challenges and Opportunities for AI in Military Systems
Challenges and Opportunities for AI in Military Systems May 13, 2026 40:52 Michael Horowitz discusses his recent TNSR article, "Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Strategic Stability." We tackle misconceptions about AI, how militaries have long used algorithms, and why use cases and data matter—especially when nuclear applications rely on simulated data. He examines human-machine teaming, automation bias and algorithm aversion, and risks from faster, "machine-spee

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