A Conversation with Former Chairman, Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.
Gen. (ret.) CQ Brown, Jr. may have been removed from his post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but he isn't finished serving. He joined Ryan at War on the Rocks HQ to talk about how America can realize the true promise of its faltering defense industrial enterprise (the focus of a recent article he authored). Brown argues the playbook already exists. What is missing is concerted action. He also opens up about his abrupt dismissal and how he sees his duty to the nation in the years ahead. Â You can read his article here:Â https://warontherocks.com/2025/11/racing-against-time-realizing-a-true-defense-industrial-enterprise/
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28:29
Congressman Himes on Venezuela, Latin America & a Disordered World
As ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut has deep insights into national security. And he is concerned. He joined Ryan to share his thoughts on strikes on drug boats, the Trump administration's foreign policy in Latin America, the way the administration fails to work with Congress on matters of national security, and strategy in other parts of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia.Â
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43:53
How the Army Wants to Counter Drones
Army Chief Technology Officer Alex Miller joined Ryan at a live event to talk about what countering improvised explosive devices taught him about defeating drones, what the Army is learning from the southern border about emerging threats, and what he wants to see from industry. He makes the case for deeper collaboration between companies, sharper focus, and the courage to shut down what no longer works.Â
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Holding Ground: Ukraine, Russia, and the Politics of Persistence
Michael Kofman and Dara Massicot join Ryan to discuss the state of the front, how Ukraine and Russia are staying in the fight, the possible provision of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, contingencies expected and unexpected, the failures of Russian diplomacy, and what the most important developments of the year so far have been.Â
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Is Europe Stepping Up on Defense?
Well, is it? From defense innovation, to scaling capabilities, to budgets, the answers aren't easy. Ryan was joined by General Sir Richard Barrons of the United Kingdom and Peter Michael Nielsen of Denmark to sort through these issues. Barrons had a storied military career and most recently co-led his country's Strategic Defence Review. Nielsen is Denmark's deputy national armaments director, a role that has unique weight now as Denmark holds the E.U. presidency.  This episode was recorded live at a reception in London hosted by our friends at Helsing (https://helsing.ai).
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