Dr. Tom Mahnken: Going Nuclear - Submarines, AUKUS and Great Power Competition

09/28/21 • 58 min

Dr. Thomas Mahnken is President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. He currently serves as a member of the Congressionally-mandated National Defense Strategy Commission and as a member of the Board of Visitors of Marine Corps University.

His career in defence is extensive and includes service as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning. He is the author of numerous books, including The Gathering Pacific Storm: Emerging U.S.-China Strategic Competition in Defense Technological and Industrial Development.

MIsha Zelinsky caught up with Tom to discuss all things nuclear subs, including why this is was the right call for Australia, the significance of the AUKUS agreement, restoring diplomatic relations with the French, how Australia can get subs before 2038 to avoid capability gaps, the lessons from historic great power competition and what total technological competition with the Chinese Communist Party looks like.

Please keep rating and reviewing the show! We ranked 7th in our category this month, so thank you for your ongoing support.

If you have a question you'd like Misha to answer, send it through to us on any of our social media channels or directly to Misha.

Show notes:

CSBA reports can be found here: www.csbaonline.org

Follow on CSBA on Twitter: @CSBA_

Follow Misha and the Show here: @mishazelinsky @diplomates.show

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Please keep rating and reviewing the show! We ranked 7th in our category this month, so thank you for your ongoing support.

If you have a question you'd like Misha to answer, send it through to us on any of our social media channels or directly to Misha.

Show notes:

CSBA reports can be found here: www.csbaonline.org

Follow on CSBA on Twitter: @CSBA_

Follow Misha and the Show here: @mishazelinsky @diplomates.show

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

Ben Rhodes: After The Fall - Democracy, Authoritarianism and America

Ben Rhodes was the Deputy National Security Advisor for President Barack Obama.

A foreign policy expert, he is the host of ‘Pod Save The World’ and appears on MSNBC. His latest book ‘After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made’ is a study of the rising tide of global authoritarianism, exploring why democracy did not prevail as expected after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Misha Zelinsky caught up with Ben for a chinwag about his new book, including how the failure to punish bankers responsible for the GFC helped fuel the global rise of authoritarianism, why democracy needs to materially deliver in order for people to believe in it, how an obsession with profits is undermining the fight against the Chinese Communist Party, how democracy itself is becoming a partisan issue in the US, why social media must be regulated, how Joe Biden was right about Afghanistan all along, what Obama is like a person, and how fighting for democracy in America should give confidence to global democratic activists fighting for their own.

Be sure to tune in for his 'BBQ' answer which is a lot of fun. Ben also reveals his favourite Australian Prime Minister!

If this is your first time tuning in, please make sure to rate and review the show. it really helps spread the word.

Other show notes:

After the Fall: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609428/after-the-fall-by-ben-rhodes/

Pod Save the World: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-world/

Ben Rhodes: @brhodes

Misha Zelinsky socials: @mishazelinsky

Diplomates socials: @diplomatesshow

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

Dr. Clare Wardle: The Info Wars - Lies, Damned Lies and Social Media

Dr. Claire Wardle is a leading expert on social media, user generated content, and verification. Her research sits at the intersection of technology, communications theory, and mass and social media. Dr. Wardle is the co-founder and leader of First Draft the world’s foremost nonprofit focused on research and practice to address misinformation and disinformation. First Draft is housed at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Misha Zelinsky caught up with Claire for a chinwag about the scourge of misinformation, why truth and fact matter in democracies, how we can inoculate people against falsehoods, how journalism can be reinvigorated at the local and national levels, regulating big tech and dealing with autocrats.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Keep an eye out for a regular new format of Diplomate episodes. These episodes will be co-hosted where we will discuss events of the day/week/month and how they’re playing out around the world. Don't worry, we will still have our usual Diplomates interview episodes, but these are additional for our fans!

Show Notes:

Follow Claire: @cward1e

Follow First Draft: @firstdraftnews

Follow Misha: @mishazelinsky @diplomates.show

Follow Diplomates: @diplomates.show

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.