General James Cartwright: National Security in the 21st Century

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes General James Cartwright for a discussion of military leadership and strategic thinking. Tracing his military career and his intellectual journey, Cartwright discusses the challenges he faced in reorganizing the Strategic Air Command and then describes the role of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He analyzes how a military strategist thinks about reducing the size of the nuclear force, how the rise of China might affect U.S. grand strategy, and the unique challenges posed by threats emerging from the cyber domain. Using the case of drones, he explains how the integration of this technology changes warfare. Finally, he reflects on the opportunities for transformation of the military in an environment of austerity.