Trump Had the Firepower. Iran Had the Strategy. (w/ Hal Brands) | Shield of the Republic

Eric welcomes back friend of the show Professor Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. The two discuss Hal's recent work, beginning with his column in Bloomberg dissecting the key strategic errors that Trump has made in the ongoing war with Iran. Hal then breaks down his recent essay with Michael Beckley in Foreign Affairs, which examines global conflict through the lens of "heartland" and "rimland" coalitions. Finally, they turn to Hal's latest edited volume which brings together essays by a large group of scholars considering the many ways that AI may change the nature of international affairs, the conduct of war, and global order. Hal Brands' latest in Bloomberg: https://www.aei.org/op-eds/trumps-iran-blunder-shows-strategy-can-defeat-firepower/ Hal Brands & Michael Beckley's latest in Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/heartland-vs-rimland-beckley-brands The Geopolitics of AI: Power, Conflict, and the Future of Global Order: Free PDF via Johns Hopkins University Press Hard copy via Amazon Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:04 Hal Brands Joins: Iran War Strategy Failure 00:07:08 Why Trump Lost the Strategic War with Iran 00:14:39 Venezuela, Greenland & Trump's Foreign Policy Errors 00:18:21 Trump as an Anti-Strategic President 00:20:27 Heartland vs Rimland: New Cold War Geopolitics 00:27:02 Can the Rimland Coalition Stay United? 00:34:18 Trump's Damage to US Alliances 00:37:48 The Geopolitics of Artificial Intelligence 00:41:01 AI, First-Mover Advantage & US-China Rivalry