It has been quite awhile since we recorded and published an episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast, and, truth be told, it shows in this episode.  Of course we suggest that you tune in anyway, and listen to Bob Hein and Phil Walter (whose microphone was too close to his mouth) knock of their rusty […]

On this episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter interrogated former CIA Officer Alex Finley on her new book, “Victor in the Jungle,” which follows her first book, “Victor in the Rubble.”  Key Intelligence Questions posed to Alex during this interrogation include: – Who has the worst travel claim processing in D.C., the […]

On this episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast Bob Hein, Steve Leonard, and Phil Walter discussed Hollywood, the U.S. Military, and Civil-Military Relations. Issues touched on and quotes from this episode include: – Hollywood, the strategic communications branch of civil-military relations. – World War 2 gave us movies of epic battles, now we get damaged Veterans and […]

On this episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter discussed U.S.-China relations with Ali Wyne a Political Scientist at RAND Corporation and the co-author of “Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master’s Insights on China, the United States, and the World.” Issues touched on and quotes from this episode include: – From Presidents Nixon […]

On this episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter discussed the Goldwater-Nichols Act. Issues touched on and quotes from this episode include: – Does Goldwater-Nichols inhibit the military’s ability to plan against global threats? – Does Goldwater-Nichols inadvertently make consensus the goal, vice best military advice? – Are we ready for Four Star […]

Today on The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter sat down with Loren DeJonge Schulman of the Center for a New American Security to discuss the draft. Issues touched on and quotes from this episode include: – As the world returns to great power competition, is it time to bring back the draft? – […]

Today on The Smell of Victory Podcast, Bob Hein and Phil Walter sat down with Tamara Cofman Wittes of The Brookings Institution and the Divergent Options Strategic Advisory Board to discuss human rights and national security. This hour-long discussion touched on: – Cold War human rights policies of Nixon and Kissinger – Jeane Kirkpatrick’s article “Dictators […]

This episode of The Smell of Victory Podcast focuses on great books.  More specifically, what Bob Hein, Steve Leonard, and Phil Walter think are great books.  The Divergent Options trio determined what their favorite books were in the categories of Policy, Strategy, Tactical, Most Gifted, and Most Personal and decided to share them with our […]

In 1988 General Paul X. Kelly, a retired United States Marine Corps General, made it known that he endorsed candidate George Bush for President of the United States.  That simple endorsement broke open the dam, emboldening future generations of retired Generals and Admirals to make their views known during each election cycle.  What are the impacts, […]

What is mission creep?  What are some examples of mission creep?  What are some effects of mission creep?  Why does the military seem to bat clean up for the rest of the Executive Branch when national security problems rear their ugly heads?  Bob Hein and Steve Leonard discuss these issues and more on this episode of The […]