Eliot Cohen is a leading national-security scholar and an adviser to presidents, would-be presidents, and others. His latest book is The Big Stick: The Limits of Soft Power & the Necessity of Military Force. Jay asks him to take a tour around the world, and he does: beginning with Mexico, moving to Europe, moving to the Far East, and the Mideast, and elsewhere. They wind up talking about the Trump administration, which includes, in senior positions, longtime friends and comrades of Cohen’s. Spend some time with Professor Cohen, and you will have a heightened view of the world: its dangers and its promises.

Subscribe to Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger in Apple Podcasts (and leave a 5-star review, please!), or by RSS feed. For all our podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in Apple Podcasts or by RSS feed.

Now become a Ricochet member for only $5.00 a month! Join and see what you’ve been missing.

There are 3 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. JuliaBlaschke Lincoln
    JuliaBlaschke
    @JuliaBlaschke

    Excellent analysis. Really enjoyed the interview and will be buying the book. I agree that it is very possible that some of the great people in Trump’s cabinet may well find themselves in untenable positions.

    • #1
  2. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    About strategic bombing. I remember a quote from Goebels about being on the other end of the RAF offensive.  “The whole stated point was to get us to surrender, but when you have no one to surrender to you, just keep going.”

     

    That’s the gist of it.

     

    Ted Cruz and Nixon also both advocated such ways to solve the problem.

     

    Sadly I don’t think were really ready to have the proper conversation on how to solve Islamic jihadism. Till we do its going to go on.

    • #2
  3. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    I’m surprised Mr. Cohen and Jay would continue to advance the notion that Article 5 of the NATO Treaty requires mutual defense. It does not. All countries are permitted to opt out when a crisis hits under the terms of the treaty – in effect making it another one way sucker’s bet for the USA. I think our allies Germany and France showed the world the value of the NATO treaty during their Saturnalia of anti-American sentiment in 2003, when Germany’s Chancellor refused for weeks to say if he hoped America prevailed or lost in Iraq. France’s President enjoyed 85% approval of the French public in using every sinew of state power to make sure as many American soldiers died as possible during that effort.

    NATO, to the USA, is like the ne’er do well brother-in-law sleeping on your couch, refusing to look for a job, raiding your refrigerator while you’re at work. Whenever the exasperated taxpayer points out this inequity defenders like Mr. Cohen try to say how great it is to have them in the house even if it is a little one sided.

    • #3
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.