Ep 208. General Ben Hodges: 25 years after 9/11 — can the West relearn strategy?

Twenty-five years after 9/11, did America respond to an attack on the Western Order by inadvertently helping to disorder that Order itself?Jason is joined by Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, to look back at 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan and the collapse of NATO allies trust in the USA—and forward to how Ukraine can win and the defence of Europe. Hodges argues that military power is only useful when attached to a clear strategic objective and Congressional and popular buy-in: a lesson America repeatedly forgot after 9/11. They then turn to Ukraine: drones, long-range strikes, manpower, democratic legitimacy and Europe's continuing failure to develop sufficient air and missile defence. In the Ordering the Disorder section, General Hodges argues that Europe should stop thinking about merely improving Ukraine's negotiating position and instead help it defeat Russia—while rebuilding the alliances and institutions that once magnified American power. Join the Mega Orderers Club at disordershow.com/club to get Jason's response to the interview, including his own reflections on 9/11 and whether power without clear objectives, functioning alliances and an idea of the Order it is seeking to create can itself become an engine of Disorder.SHOWNOTES LINKSDemocrats v Dictators with Ben Hodges on his personal background:https://youtu.be/9eOKx6iVTx8?is=PJsO4AA9lfIk_5ru Ben Hodges — Association of the United States Army:https://www.ausa.org/people/ben-hodgesNATO — Collective Defence and Article 5:https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/collective-defence-and-article-5Disorder — NATO: A Model for Ordering the Disorder? with Jamie Shea, Kori Schake, Timothy Garton Ash and Charles Kupchan:https://podfollow.com/disorder/episode/484e21562b7dcd1a1a1f570a09343fd68bf6e732/viewJoin the Mega Orderers Club:https://disordershow.com/club Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy