US National Security Depends on Domestic Progress: Jane Harman Explains

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

GZERO Media

International Relations, Government, Foreign Policy, Gzero World, News Commentary, Trump, News, Global Economy, Geopolitics, Politics, Ian Bremmer

4.6 • 684 Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jane Harman, a nine-term member of Congress (D-CA) who served for decades on the major security committees in the House of Representatives, discusses the shortcomings of the US national security strategy for the last few decades, and assesses the Biden administration's plans to strengthen it. In an interview with Ian Bremmer, she discusses the priorities for addressing critical issues at home and abroad, from the COVID pandemic to the climate crisis and terrorism. But without a unified and functional Congress, Harman warns, the US is ineffective on matters of security. "Where is Congress? Congress can't get things done because of toxic partisanship, but the other reason it can't get anything done is members don't want to own the consequences. And that is chicken." Harman, author of the new book, "Insanity Defense: Why Our Failure to Confront Hard National Security Problems Make Us Less Safe," discusses Joe Biden's presidency so far and gives him high marks on assembling an "A-team" for foreign policy. She adds, 'I'm just hopeful that because he has long term relationships and really a good compass for how to talk to members of Congress, he will be able to get somewhere."

Transcript

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0:00.0	We have not had national security strategy since the Cold War ended.
0:04.7	That would be four presidents ago.
0:06.8	And two Democrats and two Republicans, we've just had tactical incursions, excursions with various countries.
0:14.0	And that has not made us more safe.
0:15.8	Plus, we've had an incredible disappearing Congress.
0:20.5	Hello and welcome to the G-Zero World podcast. I'm Ian Bremmer, and with Biden's first
0:25.9	trip abroad in the books, I'm sitting down with one of our favorite foreign policy and
0:30.4	national security minds. That's Jane Harmon. She's a former nine-term U.S. Congresswoman
0:35.4	from California, where she served as the ranking Democrat
0:38.8	on the House Intelligence Committee. She's also President Emerita of the Wilson Center, Bipartisan
0:44.7	Institute down in Washington, D.C., and author of the new book, Insanity Defense,
0:49.0	why our failure to confront hard national security problems makes us less safe.
0:56.3	Quite the title. Let's get to it.
1:07.0	The G0 World Podcast is brought to you by our founding sponsor, First Republic.
1:12.5	First Republic, a private bank and wealth management company, understands the value of service, safety, and stability in today's uncertain world. Visit FirstRepublic.com to learn more.
1:26.6	Jane Harmon, former U.S. Congresswoman from the state of California and author of the new book, Insanity Defense,
1:32.9	why our failure to confront hard national security problems, and they all are, make us less safe.
1:38.3	Jane, great to be with you.
1:40.0	And you too, Ian.
1:41.1	So congratulations on the book.
1:43.6	Start with something simple, which is, you know, the old saying goes, the definition of insanity
1:49.0	is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
	...

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