Afghanistan: A Strategic Failure with Ret. Col. Robert Hamilton

Dr. Robert Hamilton of the U.S. Army War College returns to the show to speak with hosts Lera and Zach about the future of Afghanistan and the fate of the region's security architecture. Currently on leave to serve as advisor to the Georgian Ministry of Defense, Dr. Hamilton discusses the role of the Georgian military in the Afghanistan War and what the U.S. withdrawal (and Taliban rule) means for Georgia's future as well. He poses three questions concerning the regional security architecture: (1) What's the role of the SCO (the Shanghai Cooperation Organization), (2) What is the relationship between Russia and China going forward, and (3) How will Russia and China step in to fill the vacuum created by the withdrawal of US presence from Afghanistan? Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy! ABOUT THE GUEST Colonel (Retired) Robert E. Hamilton, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Eurasian Studies at the U.S. Army War College and a Black Sea Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. In a 30-year career in the U.S. Army, spent primarily as a Eurasian Foreign Area Officer, he served overseas in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, Belarus, Qatar, Afghanistan, the Republic of Georgia, Pakistan and Kuwait. He is the author of numerous articles and monographs on conflict and security issues, focusing principally on the former Soviet Union and the Balkans. He is a graduate of the German Armed Forces Staff College and the U.S. Army War College and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy, a Master’s Degree in Contemporary Russian Studies and a Ph.D. in Political Science, both from the University of Virginia. Dr. Hamilton is currently on leave from the U.S. Army War College and serving as advisor to the Georgian Ministry of Defense in Tbilisi, Georgia. https://www.slavxradio.com/guests/hamilton Follow him on Twitter: @bobham88. NOTE: This episode was recorded on August 24, 2021 via Zoom. CREDITS Producer: Lera Toropin (Twitter: @earlportion) Producer: Cullan Bendig Assistant Producer: Zach Johnson Assistant Producer: Kathryn Yegorov-Crate Executive Production Assistant: Katherine Birch Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel, Charlie Harper Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) Main Theme by Charlie Harper www.charlieharpermusic.com Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. Special Guest: Robert E. Hamilton.