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The Fight For France

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Last week's podcast concluded just before the attacks in Paris began, so this week, we've assembled a couple of guests who can help us make sense of it all and divine what response the U.S. should make both the terrorists and the refugees soon to be arriving en masse.

Herb Meyer served during the Reagan Administration as Special Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIA’s National Intelligence Council. He's also the dad of Ricochet editor Tom Meyer. Walter Russell Mead is the Distinguished Scholar in American Strategy and Statesmanship at the Hudson Institute, the James Clarke Chace Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities at Bard College, and Editor-at-Large of The American Interest. He's also someone's dad. Finally, should tipping be discontinued? Tune in to find out.

Music from this week’s episode:

Save A Prayer by Eagles of Death Metal

The opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.

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Hosts:
Charles C. W. CookeJames LileksSteve Hayward

Discussion (20)

  • BuckeyeSam@BuckeyeSam
    The segment with Meyer was fascinating, and he certainly knows far more than I. But I'm not buying that Islam's problems are growing pains. If it is, I say it's all the more reason to turn Muslims back to the Middle East with the instruction to kill themselves and let us know when they're finished. In the meantime, Western countries and others (China and Russia) should go to extraordinary lengths to root out Islamic terrorists intent on exporting their terror. Single it out and exterminate it. Period.
  • Aaron Miller@AaronMiller

    I like Meyer's general point about allowing for the possibility that enemies will make pivotal errors and regret their strategic decisions.

    But is it likely that ISIS leaders were not impressed by President Bush's response to 9/11 and yet fear the repercussions of the Paris attacks?

    If they regret anything right now, it is inviting Russia into the mix. Western nations have more potential power, but Russia has the will to scorch the earth and fight dirty.

    Also, that's a great point about the unlikely conflux of Reagan, Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II.

    Still listening.

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