Trump’s Generals Must Be Willing to Sacrifice Their Careers (w/ Elliot Cohen) | Command Post
Summary
Dr. Elliot Cohen discusses his new book, *The Strategist*, defining strategy as the use of force to achieve national aims and arguing that it requires specific virtues like humility and honesty. He explains how to develop strategic judgment through immersive education and case studies, while addressing the current dysfunction in U.S. strategic leadership. The conversation also covers the difficulty of defining victory, the shifting nature of political objectives during war, and the duty of senior military officers to provide candid advice despite the risk of dismissal.
Topics discussed
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Welcome Dr. Cohen and book announcement
Hosts' background and connection to Dr. Cohen
Who makes strategy: civilians, military, and citizens
The citizen's role in holding leaders accountable
Why the book is short and who it is for
Strategist virtues: curiosity, humility, honesty, courage
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Strategy as knowledge vs. intuition and values
Maintaining humility and curiosity in leadership
Developing strategic judgment through education
Civil-military dialogue and professional military education
Distinguishing temporary setbacks from strategic failure
Case study: Afghanistan violence metrics and assumptions
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Current strategic dysfunction and the President's role
Advice for presidents: candid advice and risk communication
Duties of senior military officers and loyalty
How do you know when you've won? Defining victory
Gulf War objectives and the complexity of political goals
Recommended reading for learning strategy
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