Press | National Security

The Clements Center for National Security, the LBJ Presidential Library and the UT-Austin History Department hosted Talmage Boston, historian and partner at the Dallas law firm Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, for a book talk on How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons From Our Top Presidents.

The Clements-Strauss Intelligence Studies Project of The University of Texas at Austin announces the 10th annual competition recognizing outstanding student research and writing on topics related to intelligence and national security. The winner of the “Inman Award” will receive a cash prize of $5,000, with two semifinalists each receiving a cash prize of $2,500. This competition is open to unpublished…

“While a hypothetical future cyber force would surely assume this responsibility, the current health of the military cyber workforce remains a clear and present issue for the services to manage,” writes Romanow.

On Tuesday, March 26, the Clements Center for National Security, the Army ROTC and the UT-Austin History Department hosted Kelly Eads and Dan Morgan for a book talk on their recent release Black Hearts and Painted Guns: A Battalion’s Journey into Iraq’s Triangle of Death.

Dr. Pomar Joined Cold War Radios’ “Waging Peace: Lunch & Learn Series” to lead a discussion of President Eisenhower’s critical role in setting a freedom agenda in the early years of the Cold War. Following WWII, the United States sought to combat communism through a radio broadcast campaign across Europe. These broadcasts confronted the communist…

In a new article for the National Review, former Postdoctoral Fellow Kyle Balzer explains why America’s nuclear rhetoric is insufficient for a new era of great-power competition. He references rhetoric used by Trump and Biden, as well as within American public discourse.

Marshall Kosloff, the Clements Center National Security media and journalism fellow, moderated a discussion with Jeff Decker, the managing director of Tech Transfer for Defense at Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability, and Noah Sheinbaum, the founder of Frontdoor Defense, about their recent article, “Shining a Light on the Defense Department’s Industrial Base Problems.”

Dr. Meg Reiss, the founder and CEO of SolidIntel Inc., sat down with Marshall Kosloff, the national security media and journalism fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, to discuss supply chain risks and how these risks could be mitigated with investments in new technology. The conversation explored the upstream challenges, how to manage…

Paul Edgar, the associate director of the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security, moderated a discussion with Amb. Kurt Volker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO from 2008-2009, and Gen. Tod Wolters, the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, about the state of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the future of European security, and the impact of…

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Clements Center joined forces with the Center for European Studies and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law to welcome the Atlantic Council, NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the Consulate General of Canada to the United States…

Austin, TX – The Clements Center for National Security is pleased to announce renowned Navy SEAL and former Acting Director of National Intelligence, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Joe Maguire as our new Executive Director. As a Professor of Practice, Maguire will also hold the Sid Richardson Visiting Chair at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, where…

Former Military Fellows Michael Knickerbocker joined CIMSEC’s Sea Control podcast to speak about his recent War on the Rocks article, “Written in Black and Red: Asymmetric Threats and Affordable Unmanned Vessels.” He discussed the threat of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), what the U.S. Navy should do about them, and how the U.S. Navy should direct…

Take a look back at the last semester in our Winter 2023 Newsletter!

In his article, “Written in Black and Red: Asymmetric Threats and Affordable Unmanned Surface Vessels”, Knickerbocker compares the use of unmanned systems in the Red and Black Seas, analyzes the cost and benefit of these systems, and offers projections for the future.

Dr. Will Inboden sat down with Sen. John Cornyn to discuss the issues of declassification and transparency, along with the ongoing debate about the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The two also discussed the role of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Congressional oversight, and how Section 702’s renewal is important for…

Adam Klein moderated a panel with Jared Abrams, a research associate at Applied Research Laboratories; Ivan Lee, the founder & CEO of Datasaur.ai; Alex Joel, a senior project director and adjunct professor at Washington College of Law, American University; and Ezra Cohen, the former chair of Public Interest Declassification Board and Undersecretary of Defense for…

Aaron O’Connell, the director of research at the Clements Center for National Security, moderated a panel with Jim Goldgeier, a visiting scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation; Deborah Pearlstein, co-director of the Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy; Jeremi Suri, the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at UT Austin;…

In “An Old Idea Ready to Resurface: The U.S. Needs A Logistics Element To Its Submarine Force”, Clements Alum Michael Knickerbocker examines the current state of and future possibilities for the U.S. submarine force.

Christy Abizaid, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, spoke about the duties of the center, terrorist threats to the United States and the role of counter-terrorism during an era of strategic competition. She also participated in a moderated question and answer session with Paul Pope, discussing U.S. foreign policy, the counter-terrorism mission, and what…

Dr. Mark Pomar, a senior national security fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, moderated a discussion with Alexander Podrabinek, a Soviet and Russian human rights activist, journalist, and writer. The conversation explored the drivers of the return of totalitarian rule in Russia. The two also discussed the role of propaganda in shaping domestic…

Sean Mirski, a lawyer and U.S. foreign policy scholar, discussed his recent book, We May Dominate the World, which explores the rise of American hegemony in the Western Hemisphere. Mirski discusses how the United States pushed European powers out of the hemisphere while simultaneously expanding its power abroad. The conversation then pivoted to the anxiety great…

The Clements Center honors Henry Kissinger for his contributions to national security, diplomacy, and U.S. history. He served as a devoted public servant, leading scholar and practitioner of foreign affairs, and a helpful confidant to administrations of both parties. Over the course of a long career, he shaped and participated in a variety of momentous…

Sheena Greitens moderated a panel discussion about the Russo-Ukrainian war and broader challenges to European security. The conversation featured Gen. Vince Brooks, U.S. Army ( Ret.), former Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea; Susan Colbourn, associate director of the Program in American Grand Strategy, Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University;…

Amb. Clint Williamson, Lead Coordinator of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) for Ukraine, spoke about the Russian military’s war crimes in Ukraine and the efforts to investigate and prosecute Russian war criminals. The conversation began with an overview of the war and then shifted to the way in which investigators can collect evidence for…

David A. Merkel, managing director of Summit International Advisors, LLC, spoke about the Sino-Soviet split during the Cold War, the two sides’ conflicting interests, and what that means for great power competition. The conversation also explored U.S. policy options in Central Asia and options for further engagement in the region.

Dr. Paul Edgar, the executive director of the William P. Clements, Jr. Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin, sat down with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson to discuss energy and national security. The conversation focused on energy security, its relevance for U.S. national security, and how a more effective energy policy would allow…

In his article “The U.S.-Japanese-Philippine Trilateral is Off-Balance”, Ashley provides commentary on the state of the security trilateral, including concerns, progress, and opportunities for more cooperation. The article includes references to field research supported by Clements Center grant funding.

“These holdups would disrupt any government agency, but they are especially pernicious at the Pentagon. A growing reliance on acting officials erodes civilian control of the military, and delays in the confirmation process put the futures of uniformed officers at the mercy of partisan agendas” writes Milonopoulos.

Applications are now open for the 2024 Summer Seminar in History and Statecraft! Policymakers frequently attempt to draw on historical knowledge to gain perspective on contemporary national security issues. Meanwhile, historians and other scholars frequently comment on present-day decision-making problems and sometimes aspire to influence policy debates. Yet policymakers and scholars generally occupy separate intellectual…

Last week, the Clements Center for National Security, the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, the Intelligence Studies Project and the America in the World Consortium brought together Stephen Slick, Paul Edgar, Simone Ledeen and Adam Klein for a conversation on the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, the likely Israeli response, and the broader…

“It contests democracy… not by arguing that this focus is misplaced, but that American conceptions of democracy are ‘fake.’ It’s a fascinating choice for a ruling party that is only about seven percent of China’s population, but one that may get traction in places that have clashed with the United States or other Western powers…

On this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Professor Stephen Slick, Dr. Paul Edgar, and Ms. Simone Ledeen spoke about Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7th in Israel. The conversation began with a discussion about terrorism, human cruelty and Hamas’ wanton killing of civilians in the attack. The three panelists then discussed different facets of the…