Dr. Stephen Bryen

Episode 217: “Ukraine: It’s Time for Realism” with David Goldman and Stephen Bryen

“The global utopians, led by the likes of Tony Blinken and Jake Sullivan and Victoria Nuland, have plunged us into a war which could take us into a real catastrophe,” says David. Already, they’ve let take root a Russian coalition with China, Iran, North Korea, and perhaps Turkey and India. Whether or not Vladimir Putin made a costly mistake in invading Ukraine, the big battles right now are going badly for the Ukrainians and the Russians have solidified their gains. “The Ukrainians are out of ammunition,” says Stephen. “They’re out of air power. They’re out of air defenses. Their artillery is running low and it’s a grim situation for them.” By escalating and destroying major Russian infrastructure, you risk widening the war in Europe. And this is not a war, at least a conventional war, that the United States could win. “I don’t think the United States can fight in Ukraine at present without building up all the logistics, all the capabilities,” explains Stephen. “It would take years. It’s not going to happen.”  “American forces haven’t fought a peer in […]

Episode 213: “It’s High Time for a Ceasefire in Ukraine” with Stephen Bryen and David P. Goldman

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds on, it’s nearly impossible for the ordinary observer to figure out what’s really happening. One of the problems is that war news is generated primarily by Ukrainian propaganda, which is endlessly parroted in the Western media. Anytime there is contradictory information – for example, mention of Ukraine’s high casualties – Kiev pushes back so hard that Western leaders go silent. But what is clear is that looming on the horizon is the very real possibility of a nuclear war, as more and more European countries are drawn in to the conflict. The stakes could not be higher. To understand what’s happening as the Ukraine situation grows more dire, I’m joined on this episode by my frequent guest Dr. Stephen Bryen, a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy and by David P. Goldman – Spengler columnist and Deputy Editor for Asia Times and PJ Media. Stephen has over 50 years national security experience that includes serving as Senior Staff Director of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and several stints in the Pentagon […]

Episode 203: “This is not a Nintendo Game” with Dr Stephen Bryen

“There is more respect to be won in the opinion of this world by a resolute and courageous liquidation of unsound positions than by the most stubborn pursuit of extravagant or unpromising objectives.” George F. Kennan, 1966 Americans may admire the valiant resistance of the Ukrainians to the Russian invasion and be proud that we have been able to support their defense. Yet now we have to ask: how does this war end? Neither the leaders of Russia or Ukraine have espoused a goal that can restore peace in the area. Nor have any other suppliers of cash, military assistance and equipment – including the United States – articulated what an acceptable outcome might be. At what point are the players in the conflict in Ukraine willing to stop fighting and enter into genuine negotiations to bring peace in Ukraine? The primary concern of any American government must be the security interests of the American people. How is continuing to escalate the conflict in Ukraine serving American interests? To learn more about what’s increasingly looking like madness, I’m talking again […]

Episode 189: “Ukraine Explained, Taiwan Explained” with Dr Stephen Bryen

This episode takes a hard look at what’s really at stake for the United States with Russian’s war on Ukraine, and China’s aim to take over Taiwan. Joining me is one the wisest national security experts around, Dr Stephen Bryen. With 50 years of experience in foreign relations and national security, he’s seen it all. Called the Yoda of the arms trade, he was the Pentagon’s top cop, the man whose job it was to ensure that sensitive technology would be kept from enemies, potential enemies and questionable allies. Stephen is the driving force behind the Center for Security Policy’s just published Stopping a Taiwan Invasion. It’s proposals, if adopted, will discourage any attack from China and strengthen peace and security in the Pacific. I’ve a lot of questions, and Stephen provides answers. And some deep insights. Was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine inevitable, or did the we provoke it? Why is Russia’s invasion failing? If Putin’s ousted, what are the odds that someone much worse takes over? How concerned is the veteran intelligence community that we could lurch into a […]

Episode 151: “The Afghanistan Debacle: What it Means for Americans” with Dr Stephen Bryen and Kyle Shideler

The Afghanistan debacle.  An in-depth look at its implications with Dr Stephen Bryen, Senior Fellow at the American Center for Democracy and Kyle Shideler, Director and Senior Analyst for the Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, both with the Center for Security Policy.  So many questions. Why did we leave so precipitously? Who was behind it? Where do we go from here?  Why, when President Trump proposed withdrawing US troops, did the US military tell him that was a bad idea and that they wouldn’t do it.  But then, when Mr. Biden announced a complete pullout and retreat, there wasn’t a word from the Pentagon saying we shouldn’t do it.  In fact, they embraced it.  And now Biden has the audacity to blame Trump for something he never did. What does this means for future of the United States? What was in our national interest by cutting and running from Afghanistan?   The Taliban now have enough arms, including all the equipment that we left behind that it’s larger now than seven or eight European states and Ukraine.  Look at a map. China […]