For this episode, MAJ Haz Yano interviews Javed Ali and Audrey Alexander to talk about the relevance of counterterrorism in the age of great power competition. What is the evolving security landscape in the 2022? Is counterterrorism outdated and irrelevant in today’s environment? Is the US adapting appropriately to meet the current emerging threats? What are some of the consequences of a US shift from Counterterrorism to great power competition? These questions, and more!

This episode was originally recorded in March of 2022, just a few weeks after the Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.

Referenced Article:

Mullins, Sam. 2020. “Great Power Competition Versus Counterterrorism: A False Dichotomy.” Just Security. https://www.justsecurity.org/72811/great-power-competition-versus-counterterrorism-a-false-dichotomy/  

Javed Ali an associate professor of practice at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He has worked for more than 20 years in a variety of national security positions through the Defense Intelligence Agency, The Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI. He has held joint and senior level positions at the National Intelligence Council, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the National Security Council under the Trump Administration. 

Audrey Alexander is a researcher and instructor from the Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point. She was a senior research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism prior to coming to West Point.

MAJ Hazumu Yano is an Instructor of American Politics in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences. His research interests focus on civil-military relations. He is the producer for the Sosh Podcast. 

The Sosh Podcast is recorded, edited, and produced by faculty members of the Department of Social Sciences at the US Military Academy, West Point. However, the views expressed on this podcast belong to those of the speakers, and should not be seen as reflective of the official positions of the US Military Academy, the United States Army, the Department of Defense, or any government entity. 

For this episode of the Sosh Podcast, MAJ Haz Yano interviews Professor Stephen Saideman from Carleton University to talk about the state of civil-military relations in Japan. They discuss Japan’s increasingly perilous security situation, whether Japan’s defense structure is well-suited to meet new emerging threats, and how the focus on Article 9 leads to a concerning lack of civilian oversight on the Self Defense Forces. 

Please send any comments, questions, and suggestions to SoshResearchLab@westpoint.edu. 

Prof. Stephen Saideman holds the Paterson Chair in International Affairs at Carleton University’s Normal Paterson School of International Affairs and is the Director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network. He has written numerous books and articles on civil-military relations, nationalism, ethnic conflict, civil war, and alliance dynamics. He is currently working on a research project that looks at the role of legislatures in civil-military relations in democracies around the world. You can follow him on Twitter @smsaideman. 

MAJ Hazumu Yano is an Instructor of American Politics in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences. He has prior experience working with the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force, having participated in joint exercises and served as an interpreter during engagements. His research interests focus on civil-military relations. He is also the producer for the Sosh Podcast. 

The Sosh Podcast is recorded, edited, and produced by faculty members of the Department of Social Sciences at the US Military Academy, West Point. However, the views expressed on this podcast belong to those of the speakers, and should not be seen as reflective of the official positions of the US Military Academy, the United States Army, the Department of Defense, or any government entity.

For this episode of the Sosh Podcast, MAJ Haz Yano and Dr. Scott Limbocker interview the Honorable John Tien, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. The hosts spoke with him about the history of the Department of Homeland Security, the challenges of managing a complex bureaucracy with a diverse mission set, and working in the interagency both as a member of the military, and now as a leader in the Department of Homeland Security. 

Please send any comments, questions, and suggestions to SoshResearchLab@westpoint.edu. 

The Honorable John Tien is the current Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, under the Biden Administration. He is a USMA grad from the Class of 1987 and the first Asian American to serve as First Captain. Deputy Secretary Tien completed a 24 year career in the Army, which included multiple combat tours, serving as a White House Fellow, instructing American Politics at West Point’s Department of Social Sciences, and being the US National Security Council Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan between 2009 and 2011. Upon retiring from the Army, Deputy Secretary Tien worked 10 years as a managing director for Citigroup before being appointed and confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of DHS in 2021. 

Dr. Scott Limbocker is an Assistant Professor of American Politics in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences. His research focuses on the American executive branch and how the heterogeneity of employees within the federal government shapes the policy outcomes produced by agencies. Dr. Limbocker holds a PhD in political science from Vanderbilt University as well as two Master’s in political science.

MAJ Hazumu Yano is an Instructor of American Politics in West Point’s Department of Social Sciences. His research interests focus on civil-military relations. He is the producer for the Sosh Podcast. 

The Sosh Podcast is recorded, edited, and produced by faculty members of the Department of Social Sciences at the US Military Academy, West Point. However, the views expressed on this podcast belong to those of the speakers, and should not be seen as reflective of the official positions of the US Military Academy, the United States Army, the Department of Defense, or any government entity.