national security and foreign affairs

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With this conversation, we are joined by former United States Diplomat, Business Executive and Marine Corps Colonel Mr. Grant Newsham. A Senior fellow with the Center for Security Policy and the Yorktown Institute, Mr. Newsham discusses the legacy of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and future of the Indo Pacific Region.

Abe’s long serving foreign policy adviser and speechwriter, Mr. Tomohiko Taniguchi, said Abe “understood Japan needed to enhance its economy, reinvested in the alliance with the United States, and expand its diplomatic ties by reaching out to Australia, and India.” How successful was he with each of these objectives?

As the longest serving Prime Minister in Japanese history, Mr. Newsham spotlights Abe as a Statesman. 

Shinzo Abe realized that without the American Alliance and U.S. presence, Japan’s prospects would be far less. Commensurate with his realization and work for change, Mr. Newsham discusses specific changes to the Japanese Constitution advocated by Abe. 

He moves on to discuss Abe's effort to transform Japanese Maritime Defense Force (MDSF) from one of defense to that of power projection. 

Abe is said to have coined the phrase, “A Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.  What did he mean by this phrase? 

In September of 1954, the United States, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, or SEATO, to prevent communism from spreading in the region. With the increasing threat of Communist China, Newsham talks about the Quad transforming into a modern day SEATO. 

In 2007, Shinzo Abe initiated the Quad, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. What is the Quad?

In closing, Mr. Newsham spotlights the future of the Indo-Pacific Region. 

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With this conversation, we are joined by Lieutenant General  Bob Wood, USA (Ret), Chief Executive Officer for American Veterans Vote, a Veteran based advocacy group focused on encouraging Veterans to understand and use their collective political voice. LTG Wood retired in 2009 with 36 years of service in the United States Army, commanding at all levels in the Army through Division. He served in senior operations and strategy staff positions at the Army, Joint, and Coalition levels, also as a White House fellow during the Reagan Administration. 

The American Veterans Vote mission is, “To promote the political voice of Veterans and mission partners in support of Veterans and their families, the defense of the Constitution and a strong national security.”  Bob Wood expands on the mission of American Veterans Vote, to include spotlight on the bottom up versus top down approach philosophy behind America Veterans Vote.   

On the front page of the American Veterans Vote Homepage, it is stated, “Our nation struggles to keep our constitutional republic intact, to heal and unite communities, and restore love and respect for our great nation and people.” Bob Wood spotlights how American Veterans Vote is working to address this statement.  

He discusses how American Veterans Vote seeks to understand and engage with the otherwise sizable population of Veterans in both Virginia and around America, who feel left behind by the American Voting system, with national, states and local elections.  

How can one both join and volunteer for American Veterans Vote? What are some of the events and activities of American Veterans Vote? 

Bob Wood also speaks to the greatest challenges in the founding of American Veterans Vote. 

In closing, Bob Wood provides his overarching thoughts regarding increasing the the political voice of both our Nations Veterans and their families. 

Ambassador Roman Popadiuk  was the first U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. A retired member of the career Senior Foreign Service, he served on the National Security Councils of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush.  

With this conversation, Ambassador Popadiuk discusses the Ukrainian invasion.  Starting with offering why Mr. Putin invaded the Ukraine, Ambassador Popadiuk spotlights some aspects and unintended consequences of the invasion, for which Putin may not have anticipated.    

He discusses how changing the overall global security map may well be one of Mr. Putin’s desires.   

Amidst a long history of oppression, starvation and war, the Ukrainian people also have a history of resilience and survival. With the current invasion, Ambassador Popaduik further discusses Ukrainian resilience and survival.   

He moves on to spotlight what he believes the view of the Russian people of Ukraine today to be in 2022 and how they are reacting to the current invasion.   

Could the Russian Ukrainian Invasion could escalate into a conflict, even war, between NATO, perhaps the United States and Russia, or not? With a potential threat of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Mr. Putin, might the Ukrainian Invasion be considered a novel situation, perhaps not?   

Ambassador Popadiuk also  highlights his thoughts on whether the Ukrainian Invasion can be solved diplomatically, or not.      

With the invasion of Ukraine, is China's President Xi a cohort of Mr. Putin?   In the months ahead, will the Russian invasion of Ukraine become too much for Putin to Control?  

In closing, with Russia having ancestral roots common to Ukraine, Ambassador Popadiuk discusses whether Mr. Putin and his actions are a reflection of both his and the traditional Russian view of Ukraine.