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Midrats
by Midrats
Navy Milbloggers Sal from "CDR Salamander" and EagleOne from "EagleSpeak" discuss leading issues and developments for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and related national security issues.
Episodes
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Episode 770 - Admiral Yamamoto with Ron Drabkin
When Americans think about admirals in the Pacific in WWII, names like Nimitz, Spruance, and Halsey spring to mind. You cannot fully understand the war in the Pacific if you don’t also look at the leaders on the Japanese side—men like Yamamoto, Kurita, and Nagumo. On this week’s Midrats Podcast,...
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Episode 769: September Melee
After a two-week availability period, the Midrats Podcast is back! Summary In this episode, we explore current geopolitical tensions, military readiness, and strategic challenges facing the US and its allies, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and international cooperation. Show Links...
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Episode 768: China, Setting the Conditions: Guest Dean Cheng on Midrats
At some point in the next decade, a historian is going to look at the first quarter of the 21st century from the perspective of the national security establishment and the blessings it had as it rose to global power status, and will publish the foundational reference book for those trying to...
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Episode 767: Battle Damage Repair for Arleigh Burke–Class Destroyers--with Brad Martin
For me, it is funny but serious that the phrase I started saying in 2019 that we were going to keep building Arleigh Burke DDGs “until the crack of doom” has turned into prophecy. With the anticipated death of DDG(X) and FFG-62, the Burkes are about the only game in town. That fact naturally…
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Episode 766: Mid-August Maritime Melee
What a great weekend for a good old fashioned Midrats Podcast Maritime Melee!Petty domestic political posturing has decided to broach a whole series of our favorite subjects for the last 17 years: carrier shortages, neglect of our auxiliaries in our Combat Logistics Force, leadership at sea…
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Episode 765: Sea Power and The Hill, with Brent Sadler - on Midrats
Panels, seminars, conferences, reports, speeches, and emotion do not build a navy. Even shipyards do not build a navy. In the American system of government, if you want a navy you have to go up to Capitol Hill and get Congress to fund it.Without money, everything else is just a PDF.What is the...
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Episode 764: Shipbuilding, Merchant Shipping, Commerce, and the American Project - with Sal Mercogliano
I can think of few 18-month periods where shipbuilding, the merchant marine, and the importance of a strong maritime sector in the U.S. has been a more active topic. Near the center of this conversation—or at least a few paragraphs in—is a long-time friend of the show, Dr. Sal…
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Episode 763: NATO Summit Debrief with Jorge Benitez
With increased defense spending becoming the new normal and growing uncertainty on the alliance’s eastern front as the Russo-Ukrainian War enters its fifth summer, the Ankara NATO summit was more than just a photo-op.Returning to the Midrats Podcast to discuss the major takeaways will be Jorge...
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Episode 762: Midrats Mid-July Melee!!!
Episode overview This episode covers a wide-ranging national security discussion, starting with a tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham and moving through major geopolitical flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and modern drone warfare. Show link Sal Mergogliano's video on Sea of Azov...
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Episode 761: Battle of Jutland at 110, with Simon Harley
For almost two years, the war on the Continent had been raging. The Battle of Verdun has already happened, but the real bloodshed had not even started yet, with the Battle of the Somme only a month away.While the European land armies have been fighting on a scale not seen since Napoleon a century...
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Episode 760: Rethinking Force Design on the Midrats Podcast with General Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.)
It has been a bit more than six years since then Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David Berger, USMC, initiated what became known as Force Design 2030 (now just known as Force Design). What followed was a controversial change to the structure of the United States Marine Corps intended to...
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Episode 759: Maritime Service Revival, with Brent Sadler
In creating a maritime renaissance in the U.S., there is a lot of work, discussion, and money going toward not just buying more ships, but also expanding the industrial base and training skilled tradespeople to make that expansion possible. A cornerstone of this should be training more dedicated...
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Episode 758: Mid Month Free for All
Blockades, 11-month deployments, the Vietnam War, shipbuilding plans, and some love for our friends from The Philippines…a full plate for a Midrats Free for All. Summary This episode covers the recent return of the USS Gerald Ford after a 326-day deployment, the significance of naval operations,...
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Episode 757: May Maritime Melee
Summary This episode explores the strategic maritime operations off the Straits of Hormuz, the impact of economic sanctions on Iran, and the future of naval amphibious forces. Experts discuss the nuances of naval blockade effectiveness, the importance of leadership in amphibious ships, and the...
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Episode 756: Latin American Policy, with Dr. Colin Dueck
Summary This episode features Dr. Colin Dueck, with Mark and Sal, discussing the historical and strategic importance of U.S. policy towards Latin America, the evolution of the Monroe Doctrine, and current challenges and opportunities in the hemisphere. Discussion is centered on how U.S. foreign...
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Episode 755: Mid-April Free for All
Summary This episode features a lively free-for-all discussion covering recent naval operations, geopolitical tensions, naval maintenance issues, and international defense collaborations. The hosts share insights on maritime security, shipbuilding, and the strategic importance of alliances in the...
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Episode 754: European Navies' Lessons, with Alessio Patalano
The last four years’ conflicts from the Strait of Hormuz through the Red Sea to the Black Sea have presented a raft of lessons to the navies of Europe. How are they positioned to address the lessons, and what moves are already taking place? Returning to the Midrats Podcast to discuss this and...
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Episode 753: The Case for Pacific Optimism, with Blake Herzinger
Having trouble keeping up with the world around you? Head swirling with too much? You’re not alone. Good news…we’ll get you all caught up and set right. Returning to the Midrats Podcast is Blake Herzinger. Blake Herzinger is Microsoft’s Defense and National Security Policy Lead for Asia....
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Episode 752: March NATSEC Free-for-All
After a series of great guests, the Midrats Podcast returns this week with the ever popular, “Free-for-All” format!It’s just Mark and me for the full hour as we discuss the latest developments from the Iranian conflict and elsewhere. Summary Sal and Mark discuss the meticulous planning behind...
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Episode 751: Dmitry Gorenberg on Russia in year five of the war
Here we find ourselves approaching the fifth spring of the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022.As the rest of the world’s geopolitical landscape changes dramatically, Russia’s “friend group” shrinks, and Ukraine’s friends grow weary and distracted, where is the war moving and where could we expect Russia...
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Episode 750: Springtime for the PRC with Dean Cheng
The first quarter of 2026 still has three weeks to go, but the assumptions and friend group of the People’s Republic of China has changed dramatically. Recent changes in the assumptions concerning Venezuela, Iran, Japan, and other nations will impact the national security concerns of the West’s...
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Episode 749: Operation Epic Fury Free for All
Hard to think of a better time to have a Midrats Podcast Free-for-All.2026 continues to produce more content than we know what to do with, but we’ll give it our best. Show Links CENTCOM’s Epic Fury Day-1 Summary LUCAS attack drone Intifada Podcast: Hamas in the U.S. UK gives a nod for base use…
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Episode 748: The 21st Century Battleship, with Robert Farley
So, is this the time to make battleships great again?I would be hard-pressed to think of a better guest to help us explore that question than returning guest, Rob Farley. A starting point for our conversation will be his article from December, The Trump-Class Battleship Summed Up In 1 Word. Show...
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Episode 747: Mid-February Free for All
Need a moment to recover from Valentine’s Day? Of course you do! Showlinks Truxtun-Supply Collision Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference Maritime Action Plan Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark discuss various topics related to national security, starting...
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Episode 746: Budgets, Ships, and the CBO, with Eric Labs - on Midrats
Show Links The Congress, the Golden Fleet, and the Shipbuilding Industrial Base in 2026 Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark engage with Eric Labs, a senior analyst at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to discuss the complexities of shipbuilding costs, the role of the CBO in...
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Episode 745: Mid-Winter Melee...National Defense Strategy et al
No need to force yourself to head outside in this horrible weather—unless you are in the Free State of Florida where the high is expected to hit 80F or so. From the Friday National Defense Strategy dump to whatever comes over the transom, we’ve got you covered. Show Links 2026 National Defense...
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Episode 744: Greenland: Belle of the Ball, with Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan
Is four months too short a turnaround for a guest on Midrats? Not if the topic at hand keeps running to the top of your read board. From the unending diplomacy responding to the Trump Administration’s unending drive to get Greenland’s geography—and the resulting security—more firmly under…
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Episode 743: Palantir's Mike Gallagher and Matt Babin on AI & Shipbuilding Integration
Summary In this conversation, the hosts and Palantir’s Head of Defense Mike Gallagher and Head of Shipbuilding and Naval Programs Matt Babin discuss the integration of AI and advanced manufacturing techniques in shipbuilding, particularly focusing on the role of Palantir’s ShipOS in transforming...
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Episode 742: The Venezuelan Raid
With a few days now behind us, most of the general facts are in on our raid into Caracas, Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro and, it appears, his wife as well. Now that Maduro is a guest of the Southern District of New York, it is time to not just look at some of the details of the buildup and...
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Episode 741: The Lessons of Pearl Harbor at 84, with John Keuhn
History isn’t just about the past; it’s a guide for today! On this episode, we unravel the myths surrounding Pearl Harbor and what they teach us about current global tensions with returning guest, John Keuhn. Dr. John T. Kuehn is Professor of Military History at the Army Command and General Staff...
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Episode 740: The Better Part of a Decade and a Half with the Navy & Midrats, with Bryan McGrath
One of our guests on Episode 3 of Midrats was Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.). Over the years he’s returned often, and has even graced us with the pleasure of a few guest posts here.As he’s let people know for years, he was going to retire for good at 60. True to his word, he hung it up a few…
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Episode 739: Pre-Thanksgiving Free for All
Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark discuss various aspects of national security, including military deployments, the influence of drug cartels, and the geopolitical dynamics in South America. They delve into the implications of China’s growing presence in the Western Hemisphere and...
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Episode 738: Is the Navy Missing its Moment, with Chris Servello
For a decade and a half, since President Obama’s Pacific Pivot speech, there has been a rising tide in the conversation about the need to fix the US Navy’s shortfall to meet the challenge of the People’s Republic of China.Faced with systemic and cascading failures in everything from surface ship...
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Episode 737: Maritime Statecraft and its Future, with Hunter Stires
How are naval shipbuilding, commercial shipbuilding, and commercial shipping linked together to create a healthy and effective national seapower ecosystem? What did the 1990s “Last Supper” get wrong, and what can be done to correct the error?Our guest this week is Hunter Stires, founder and CEO…
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Episode 736: Anduril and the Promise of Autonomous Systems - with Chris Brose
Summary In this conversation, Chris Brose, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Anduril, joins Sal and Mark to discuss the company’s mission to revolutionize defense technology by integrating commercial innovations into military applications. He emphasizes the need for mass-producible military...
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Episode 735: October NATSEC Melee
Summary In this episode of Midrats, the hosts discuss a range of topics related to national security, military strategy, and current events. They reflect on the 25th anniversary of the USS Cole attack, analyze the ongoing dynamics in the Middle East, and explore the implications of military...
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Episode 734: Parades, Carriers, and China's Military Signaling, with Dean Cheng
For decades, while the rest of the world’s powers have distracted and tangled themselves with wars of choice and blunder, the People’s Republic of China has been watching, learning, and building. To what end? Returning to Midrats to discuss this and more will be Dean Cheng. Dean is a Senior...
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Episode 733: AUKUS, Australia, Alliances & the Pacific, with Gray Connolly
Yes, September is Australian Appreciation Month on the Midrats Podcast. Building on our discussion earlier this month with Liz Buchanan, we are returning to the perspective from the Antipodes with returning guest Gray Connolly. From Afghanistan, to the Antarctic, to the approaches to the Arctic...
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Episode 732: Greenland, AUKUS, and the Arctic, with Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan
Waves of different groups seeking new homes from east and west have arrived and disappeared on Greenland’s hostile shores for thousands of years. In the modern era of nation states, it is Greenland’s unique location and potential resources that are drawing attention once again as her strategic...
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Episode 731: Russia's Fourth Summer of War, with Dr. Dmirty Gorenburg
This summer, the fourth summer of the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in the winter of 2022, we find the first serious and determined effort towards a genuine negotiation to end this grinding war in Eastern Europe. The experiences and lessons of this war aren’t only changing how nations…
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Episode 730: Mid-August Melee
There is no better way to stay out of the summer heat than to take an hour to join us for a Midrats Podcast melee! Summary In this episode of Midrats, hosts discuss a range of topics related to maritime and national security, including the importance of civil discourse in political discussions,...
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Episode 729: High Summer Free For All, from the CNO, to unmanned systems, to ... Austria?
Show Links Navy’s Plan for Unmanned Systems Department of Crazy Ideas: How about a cheap inshore fleet? Mark Tempest, 2009. Buy Fords, Not Ferraris, Jerry Hendrix, 2008 Droning on About Drones, CDR Salamander, 2013 Building the Navy’s Hybrid Fleet, Lieutenant Commander Jack Rowley, Proceedings,...
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Episode 728: Non-State Special Operations, with Craig Whiteside and Ian Rice
On today’s Midrats, we have returning guest Craig Whiteside and his co-author Ian C. Rice joining us to discuss one of the nightmares we all have in the new book coming out this month. He co-authored it with Ian Rice, Non-state Special Operations: Capabilities and Effects. From the abstract:...
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Episode 727: The Power & Spirit of Camp David, with Charles Ferguson
Take a break from the heat today to discuss some of the hidden history, and importance, of the Presidential retreat at Camp David with the author of the book, Presidential Seclusion: The Power of Camp David, Charles Ferguson. After graduating from Georgia Tech and earning his commission, Charles...
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Episode 726: Pre-July 4th Free For All
Show Link InfantryDort’s comment mentioned at start of the show Summary The conversation explores the themes of cultural assimilation, national identity, freedom of speech, and the challenges of civil discourse in contemporary society. The hosts discuss the implications of cultural integration on...
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Episode 725: Hammer Time
What can the world’s most capable maritime and aerospace power do? The world was reminded this weekend.There is no other place this week’s Midrats could start but the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Summary The conversation delves into the recent Operation Midnight Hammer, discussing its...
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Episode 724: The Fictional Officer Corps: From Hornblower to Stark - with Claude Berube
Today we’re going to take a friend’s Substack post and turn it into one of the best podcast hours you’ll have this summer…and maybe give you some ideas about books you need to take with you for the July 4th weekend. From Claude’s May 23rd Substack: From the gun decks of HMS Indefatigable to the...
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Episode 723: June Free For All - With Lots of UKR Drones
Mark and I are back from most of May taking care of business!Time for a MIDRATS! Show Links Pentagon chief tells Asian allies: Raise defence spending to 5% of GDP like Europe Tom Shugart post on PRC ship in Norfolk, from APR 2024 1980s Strategic Homeporting Initiative Claude Berube on OSS...
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Episode 722: China's Overseas Bases & the Transition to War, with T.X. Hammes
The People’s Republic of China continues to expand its already well-established contestation of ownership, access, and control of ports throughout the world. They have done this in parallel with building the world’s largest navy and a diverse set of military capabilities clearly designed with one...
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Episode 721: Reforming the Pentagon, with Gary Anderson
With each new administration, there is opportunity for change and reform. In the new Trump Administration, reform isn’t seen as a secondary effect of a leadership change but as a requirement.What reform options should the new Pentagon leadership explore under the Trump Administration? Joining us…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Navy Milbloggers Sal from "CDR Salamander" and EagleOne from "EagleSpeak" discuss leading issues and developments for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and related national security issues.
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Midrats
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How many episodes does Midrats have?
Midrats currently has 603 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Midrats about?
Navy Milbloggers Sal from "CDR Salamander" and EagleOne from "EagleSpeak" discuss leading issues and developments for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and related national security issues.
How often does Midrats release new episodes?
Midrats releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 603 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
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