Course Details

The Biden administration faces a host of national security challenges during the summer and fall of 2024. First is the administration's continued military support for Ukraine's war with Russia after this winter's protracted debate by the Republicans in the House of Representatives. With the provision of increased military support from the United States and Europe, Ukraine has the chance of turning the tide against a battered Russian army on the field of battle. Substantial military success by Ukraine is not without risk, since the Putin regime always has the option to operationally use nuclear weapons on the battlefield to stave off defeat while risking a wider war with the Atlantic Alliance. Second is the ongoing regional crisis in the Greater Middle East prompted by Hamas' successful attack out of Gaza into southern Israel last October 7th. This very murderous opening move has led to a punitive campaign by Israel to destroy Hamas even at the expense of mass Palestinian civilian casualties and infrastructure. This war has widened this spring with a series of blows and counterblows between Israel and Iran. Now there is the immediate prospect of a wider war that may drastically disrupt the global hydrocarbon supply and demand system. Third, there remains the protracted geostrategic conflict between the United States with its Asian allies and China. That conflict may rapidly flare up if China attempts to resolve its differences with Taiwan by military means. Finally, these major and overlapping conflicts in Eurasia have drastically accelerated the transformation of war. Noteworthy has been the increased robotization of all elements of combined arms warfare. The Biden administration must address all of these international challenges while managing its political campaign to re-elect Joe Biden in the face of the unique political challenge from the former president, Donald Trump. This study group has a high class size capacity.