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Dr. Eliot Cohen, Professor Emeritus and former Dean at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and author of The Strategist: How to Think About War and Politics, joins Joe to explore a fundamental question: What is strategy, and why is it so difficult to get right?

Cohen explains why strategy is about more than military power, advanced technology, or battlefield success. 

Joe and Cohen discuss why leaders become fixated on technology and metrics instead of the problems they're trying to solve, how military and political leaders must work together, and why intelligence alone is not enough to make someone a good strategist. 

Joe and Cohen also discuss:

• Why we've allowed the definition of strategy to become so broad that it's losing its meaning
• The seven fundamental questions strategists must ask, including "Who are those guys?" and "What is our theory of victory?"
• Why political objectives change during wars and what that means for military leaders
• How the United States struggled to understand its adversaries in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan
• Why an obsession with metrics can create the illusion of progress without producing meaningful results
• Why good judgment and character matter more than raw intelligence when making strategic decisions
• The importance of making room for unconventional thinkers and leaders who challenge the status quo
• How deep reading, writing, and keeping a journal develop the ability to think strategically
• Why studying military history helps leaders prepare for surprise and uncertainty
• How competition with China, emerging technologies, and increasingly complex warfare will challenge future strategists.

Whether you're a junior officer preparing for greater responsibility, a senior leader making difficult decisions, or someone interested in understanding how strategy works, this conversation offers a deeper appreciation for the challenges of turning military power into political success. 

A special thanks to our sponsors

A special thanks to this week's sponsors!

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