Securing NATO's Baltic Flank

Securing NATO's Baltic Flank

Author: Modern War Institute at West Point August 10, 2023 Duration: 32:43
Modern War Institute
NewsGovernment
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, the world has seen firsthand evidence of the threat posed by the revanchist state. Among those who perceive this threat most acutely are the three Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The fundamental facts of these states’ existence—their comparatively small size, proximity to Russia, and position on the northeastern flank of the NATO alliance—combine to make the threat both direct and real. But what can NATO do to deter Russian military aggression against the three countries in the future—and defend against that aggression should it occur? This episode tackles that question and features a discussion with Mark Cancian. A senior adviser with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he is the author of a recently published report, “Repel, Don’t Expel: Strengthening NATO’s Defense and Deterrence in the Baltic States.” He joins the podcast to share some of the insights and conclusions featured in the report.

Hosted by the Modern War Institute at West Point, this series offers a direct, thoughtful examination of the ideas and strategies shaping contemporary and future battlefields. Each episode brings together the institute’s deep analytical resources with voices from the field, creating conversations that are both academic and grounded in real-world experience. You’ll hear from senior military leaders, policy experts, historians, and scholars who dissect complex topics-from emerging technologies and hybrid warfare to geopolitical shifts and the enduring human elements of conflict. Supported by the West Point Class of 1974, the podcast serves as a primary forum for the institute’s work, moving beyond headlines to explore the underlying mechanics and ethical considerations of modern defense. The discussions are detailed and nuanced, designed for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of national security challenges without the jargon and oversimplification. Tune in for a rigorous, accessible education on the art of war in the twenty-first century, where every conversation aims to inform and provoke thoughtful consideration.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
Modern War Institute
Podcast Episodes
Bunker Busters and B-2s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:02
When the United States conducted Operation Midnight Hammer, a series of strikes against Iranian nuclear targets, it did so with two key pieces of exquisite hardware: the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator and the B-2 Spi…
The US Defense Industrial Base, from Steel to Software [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:38
The defense industrial base is a critical component of US military readiness. But how should we conceptualize it in the information age, when it isn't just physical materiel like weapons, vehicles, and ammunition that ar…
A Survey of Europe's Defense and Security Landscape [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:43
When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it galvanized both NATO and the European Union, doing more to unify much of Europe than any event in recent history. But how has political and strategic unity transla…
The Future Battlefield, from Europe to the Indo-Pacific [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:41
For more than three years, journalists, researchers, and military professionals have sought to describe the key dynamics of the war in Ukraine and determine what they tell us about the future of warfare. One of the sharp…
The Collapse of the Continuum of Conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
National security professionals often conceptualize a continuum of conflict as a framework to understand the wide variety of ways in which conflict can manifest itself. It extends from relative peace on one end, terroris…
DeepSeek and the US-China AI Race [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:44
When the Chinese company DeepSeek recently released an artificial intelligence model called R1, its surprisingly advanced capability and the efficiency with which DeepSeek claimed to have trained the model sparked a wave…
Why Security Force Assistance Only Sometimes Works [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:09
After twenty years of America’s post-9/11 wars and the US military’s struggle to build capable and effective security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is an important discussion taking place about what role security…
How the Assad Regime Fell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:19
For well over a decade, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad managed to hold onto power during a complicated civil war involving a number of anti-regime rebel groups. And then, rebels launched a lightning offensive that saw a s…
Inside the Battle of Azovstal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:24
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, one of its first targets was the city of Mariupol. Despite being outnumbered by—and less well equipped than—their adversaries, Ukrainian defenders held out for three months.…
Amateurs Talk, Professionals Write [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:57
Writing is often treated as a peripheral activity in the military, but it is a defining characteristic of any profession—including the profession of arms. Professional military writing is the way we share information, ne…

«123456...10»