Net Assessment: Is Realism Realistic?

Is the Trump administration pursuing a realist foreign policy? In a recent speech, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicates that it is, while Brett McGurk, in his article in Foreign Affairs, disagrees. Listen in to hear what Melanie, Chris, and Bryan think, as well as to hear Chris’ views on Canadian sportsmanship.

Links

• Brett McGurk, “American Foreign Policy Adrift: Pompeo Is Calling for Realism-Trump Isn’t Delivering,” Foreign Affairs, June 05, 2019
• Khadrice Rollins, “Cheering for Injuries Didn’t Start in Toronto, But That’s Where It Should End,” Sports Illustrated, June 11, 2019
• William Smith, “Mike Pompeo: American Jacobin,” American, May 28, 2019
• Heather Hurlburt, “More Diplomacy, Less Intervention, but for What? Making Sense of the Grand Strategy Debate,” Lawfare, June 07, 2019
• Rick Atkinson, The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777, (Henry Holt and Co, 2019)
• George Will, The Conservative Sensibility, (Hachette Books, 2019)
• Jennifer McDermott and Michelle R. Smith, “Naval War College Heads Reassigned Pending Investigation,” Navy Times, June 11, 2019
• Austin Ramzy “Hong Kong Leader, Carrie Lam, Says She Won’t Back Down on Extradition Bill,” New York Times, June 10, 2019
• Michael R. Pompeo, “Remarks at the Claremont Institute 40^th Anniversary Gala: A Foreign Policy From the Founding,” S. Department of State, May 11, 2019
• Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman, “Trump Undercuts Bolton on North Korea and Iran,” New York Times, May 27, 2019
• David A. Graham, “Trump Sides with North Korea against the CIA,” Atlantic, June 10, 2019
• Eliana Johnson, “Pompeo and Bolton Tensions Escalate as Iran Debate Intensifies,” Politico, May 17, 2019
• Robert Costa, “‘I Think You Mean That, Too: Trump’s Aides Struggle to Defend, Explain His Foreign Policy Statements,” Washington Post, March 6, 2019
• Chris Dougherty, “Why America Needs a New Way of War,” Center for a New American Century, June 12, 2019
• Mike Benitez, “F-15X: The Strategic Blind Spot in the Air Force’s Fighter Debate,” War on the Rocks, June 3, 2019,
• Alexander Hamilton, “Federalist No. 70“