A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

• INTEL IMPERATIVES: SECURING THE HOMELAND

  Retired Rear Admiral Paul Becker joins host Darrell Driver in the studio to discuss the role of intelligence in U.S. Homeland Security. Intelligence is discovering what an adversary seeks to conceal, a concept relevant to both warfare and homeland defense. Becker emphasizes the unique challenges of applying intelligence domestically, including legal and ethical considerations and the increasing convergence of foreign and domestic threats. The discussion highlights the critical importance of interagency coordination, information sharing, open-source intelligence, and public trust. Becker also touches on the threat from China, particularly the potential for cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure.

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  31:09
• TECH ADOPTION AT PACE: CULTURE, INTEGRATION, AND LEADERSHIP

  The successful adoption of new technology in the military depends on the organization's culture, the technology's applicability and ease of incorporation into existing systems and processes, and, perhaps most importantly, the leadership guiding the transformation. Dan Gregorio and Andy Knight join host Tom Spahr to discuss the I Corps’s adoption of the Maven Smart System to enhance mission command. Gregorio and Knight discuss the practical technical and leadership actions necessary to introduce a major new capability to the headquarters in just six weeks. Maven Smart System provides a unified interface for data sharing and enables commanders to visualize, act, and direct operations in real-time. Overall, the case is a good example of transformation in contact to significantly enhance lethality.

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  29:35
• FROM COMPETITION TO CONFLICT: CHARTING THE COURSE OF THE SFABS

  In 2017, the U.S. Army established Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs) to organize, train, equip, and advise foreign security forces. Tom Spahr spoke with two former SFAB commanders, Dustin Blair and Jon Post, to discuss the development of these brigades, their role in great power competition, and their potential use in future large-scale combat operations. Blair and Post emphasized the importance of SFABs in building relationships with partner nations and enhancing interoperability. They also stressed the need for continued investment to ensure the SFABs' long-term success.

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  42:37
• BONUS EPISODE -- THE MELTING POINT: GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE, USMC, RETIRED

  On 3 February 2025, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) hosted the former commander of U.S. Central Command, General Frank McKenzie, USMC, Retired, to discuss his book "The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century." Joined by Tom Spahr on stage they discussed his experience as a combatant commander and the challenges of leadership in wartime. Their conversation emphasized the importance of history and its influence on senior leader decision-making. The presentation examined the drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian Quds Force commander, the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the challenges faced during the evacuation from Kabul.

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  1:03:10
• WAR, WORDS, AND THE FOURTH ESTATE

  The complex and evolving relationship between the military and the media has spanned various periods in U.S. history. In a discussion with War Room editor-in-chief JP Clark, Thomas Crosbie, author of The Political Army: How the U.S. Military Learned to Manage the Media and Public Opinion, explores how the military has grappled with integrating media considerations into its operations. Crosbie examines how figures like George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, and Matthew Ridgway navigated media relations, highlighting the challenges of balancing transparency and control. Their conversation delves into the impact of the Vietnam War on military-media relations, when attempts to manage the media often backfired.

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  40:28

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