NatSecPod: Kelly Magsamen on US National Security Policy

Is there more to the US/China trade war and Huawei ban than meets the eye? Has Donald Trump started a fire in Iran that can’t be put out? And does the US National Security and Defence Strategies paper indicate where America stands in the world today? 

In this episode of the National Security Podcast we talk to Kelly Magsamen about American national security policy – what is driving it, where it is going, and if we’re headed into a cul-de-sac of policy failure. We also find out if the Obama administration moved too slowly to counter China’s militarisation of the South China Sea or whether it was a mistake by Beijing to even build bases amongst its Southeast Asian neighbours. And we ask considering the global rules-based order, why should we care anymore and did it ever even matter? Listen here: https://aca.st/5a8eb1

Kelly Magsamen is the vice president for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress. Prior to joining American Progress, she served in various national security positions. Magsamen was the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs and performed the duties of assistant secretary of defense. In these positions, she was a lead adviser to the secretary of defense for US defense policy and strategy across the Indo-Asia-Pacific, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Prior to her tenure at the Pentagon, Magsamen served on the National Security Council (NSC) staff for two presidents and four national security advisers.

Chris Farnham is the presenter of the National Security Podcast. He joined the National Security College in June 2015 and is currently Senior Outreach and Policy Officer. His career focus has been on geopolitics with experience working in and out of China for a number of years as well as operating in Australia and Southeast Asia.

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