WTH Happened to U.S. Global Leadership? Senator Tom Cotton on his new book Only the Strong

What the Hell Is Going On

AEI Podcasts

News, History, Government, Politics

4.4 • 633 Ratings

🗓️ 23 November 2022

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. A lack of strategy to face China. Indifference in the face of Iranian protests. In-fighting over the correct policy to support Ukraine. Is it any wonder that the American people are wondering about the efficacy and longevity of America’s power? A hard look at American history suggests that the reasons behind American decline have more to do with choice than with circumstances. Decline, after all, is a choice for American presidents persuaded the nation is not a force for good in the world. Leaders in Washington who are willing to adopt strong and decicive military policy are few and far between, on both sides of the aisle. How do we fix decades of decaying interest in American power? How do we market American security in the global context to reluctant internationalists?

These questions and more with today’s guest, Senator Tom Cotton. Sen. Cotton is the U.S. Senator for Arkansas, and just released the book, Only the Strong: Reversing the Left’s Plot to Sabotage America. His senatorial committees include the Judiciary Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee. He previously served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, and served in Afghanistan with a Provincial Reconstruction team. He also served with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, and has received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Ranger Tab.

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0:00.0	This podcast is brought to you by the American Enterprise Institute.
0:03.0	If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, review, and share. Thanks for listening. Here's our show. What the hell's going on? What the hell is going on? What the hell is going on? I don't know what the hell he's talking about. You don't have to know what the hell is on it. What hell's the matter with these guys? We don't know what's going on. What hell's going on?
0:01.1	Who in God's name
0:21.7	knows what it's all about. Hi, even though I don't sound like it, my name really is Danielle Pletka.
0:39.5	And I'm Mark Dyson.
0:41.2	Welcome to our podcast.
0:42.8	What the hell is going on?
0:44.7	Mark, what the hell other than the vile disease that I've got is going on?
0:49.8	Well, that's, I've got one too.
0:51.6	I've got a cold.
0:52.3	You sound like Mark Simpson.
0:55.2	Marge Simpson's sister is what I said. Oh, that's, I've got one too. I've got a cold. You sound like Marge Simpson. Marge Simpson's sister is what I said. Oh, that's right. I think her name is Selma.
0:59.9	Marge is a lovely. We are both sick and we are both having trouble speaking. So we're going to
1:05.5	keep this introduction short because we've got a great guest. We've got Senator Tom Cotton joining
1:09.6	us to talk about his new book. But one of the things I'm excited about with this interview and also with Tom's
1:15.4	book is that, you know, not a lot of political leaders these days take the time to write a book
1:21.1	about foreign policy. It's always the redheaded stepchild of the American political debate.
1:26.7	And Tom has decided to write an important
1:29.7	book about our American leadership in the world, why it's essential and why so many on the left
1:35.8	decry American leadership and don't want America to be a leader on the international stage.
1:40.5	And we have a really fascinating conversation about China, about Ukraine, and the broader
1:45.9	challenges facing our country. So, you know, Marks heard me say this before, and I've probably said it
	...

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