We Win, They Lose, with Matthew Kroenig | GoodFellows

Is a regional war across the Middle East about to erupt? And what to make of a Venezuelan regime that doesn’t honor election results? Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and coauthor of the book We Win They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War, joins Hoover senior fellows John Cochrane and H.R. McMaster to discuss lessons from deterrence (or a lack thereof) past, present, and future. Next, John explains how a market meltdown underscores a fragile world economy, followed by a discussion of two historical milestones: 50 years since Richard Nixon’s resignation (with public trust in government today significantly lower than in Watergate’s heyday); and Herbert Hoover’s 150th birthday (as to his humanitarian pursuits, where would our fellows be without Hoover’s namesake institution?).

We Win They Lose: Republican Foreign Policy and the New Cold War

ABOUT THE SERIES

GoodFellows, a Hoover Institution broadcast, features senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H.R. McMaster discussing the social, economic, and geostrategic ramifications of this changed world. They can’t banter over lunch these days, but they continue their spirited conversation online about what comes next, as we look forward to an end to the crisis.

The opinions expressed on this channel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.

© 2024 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.

[hailey]

After hearing the media swooning about the Harris/Walz ticket (wine aunt meets America’s dad), I so appreciate the sober adult conversation about real world issues and the need to strengthen our institutions provided by the GFs.

[TheGreatWhiteScout]

Our foreign policy, both economic and diplomatic should be this: A best friend to our allies, an implacable opponent to our enemies, and a welcoming offer of future friend to those in between.

Trouble with Venuezala? Help every other neighbor to them with both investments, security and diplomatic favor.

To those who favor Madura? Treat them the same way AS Venuezala.

Prosperity and friendship with America is a valuable reward. Let's leverage THAT instead of a broad universal tariff. All carrots or all sticks never works. Balance each to guide behavior and we'll go a lot further with our diplomacy.

[tomcullen]

Great recommendation Matt! What is missing is Presidential leadership. Educate the American public to the threats we face and what sacrifices are needed to preserve our freedom! Go back and watch President Kennedy's report to the American people in 1961 on the Berlin crisis. That is what is needed!

[nickgood]

Love these guys, dont agree with all, but I trust the integrity. This is rare these days.

[dustin]

We have just as authoritarian mainstream leaders in politics and business in the west. 3000 people in a year arrested in the UK for mean tweets. Having dinner parties and going out while enforcing martial law, time square for the mayor and his family on New Year’s Eve. Lindsey Gram.

[brooklyn]

❤️ Reagan. He is desperately missed in America today.

[allencameron]

I never cease to be amazed at how warlike people who won’t be sent to fight can be

[kevinjenner]

August 19 is the anniversary of Eisenhower’s 1953 CIA Coup in Iran.

[tb]

These endless wars and shrill demands for regime change are not good for America. We need a serious change in foreign policy.

[JT-qstv]

A forced choice to fight or surrender is needed in the scheme of things.

[magejubes]

What made me sad was to here, “if Trump wins” as if the world could deal with a Harris presidency. If it is bad now, it will only be much worse. Wars will happen everywhere…even the US.

[eugene_dudnyk]

8:12 “the answer is (Iran) regime change” - you’ve got to change regimes in Iran, China, DPRK, and russian federation in order for that to be the answer

[Nik-ikmv]

Currently it's we lose, they lose. Both US and China are on glide path to stagnation and decline. It's question who first reaches there.

[vpoconz]

Guys, love the series and have been listening quite regularly. One of my favorites was counterfactuals with Stephen Kotkin. So informative and a great way to understand how looking at past events could be helpful in making future decisions. That one really unpacked it and gave such a better perspective, I loved it. Hope you would consider doing it regularly. It would help others to get better perspectives, as it came from such a different angle. I did think your comments on increasing defense $ was great and needed but you might have included the most important aspect, how we've made gains by increasing our chip production and capacity right here on US soil and included this important and essential aspect in your comments. Under the current administration these investments in chip production will be the driver in increasing our defense capabilities and hopefully manufacturing and double what our investment returns are over time. Thank you for doing the series you are all great thinkers!

[justintindall]

Guys your brains blow me away! Girls and good times was my default.. lol

[HanzKetchup]

Can you imagine a football team only playing their defensive squad? The other team can use both, so you defend, wait a few plays for your 4th down, punt, and repeat. You will lose that game period.

[johnbull]

Why should America and Americans have to be the world’s policeman? Why is Europe not shouldering its fair share of the military.

If I was a working class family from Nebraska I would want to know why my sons have to go fight on behalf of other countries while others sit idle.

America cannot and should not do this alone.

I’m British. The once great British military is a joke! It barely functions. Utter disgrace.

Germany even worse.

It’s about time some very tough serious conversations were had……

[rosamariagarcia]

How aboutt doing a program about Venezuela and a real strategy for tha Latin America Axe.

[glennmitchell]

Would it help to reinforce a sense of service in government workers if they wore uniforms unique to their government function? Government workers are often faceless. How do you know someone is a government worker or not when walking down the street or sitting down in a restaurant? A uniform would instill some missing pride and hopefully some accountability. They could wear shoulder patches, including a U.S. flag, lapel pins, baseball hats with departmental logos, all sorts of stuff. Let them march in formation in parades.

[NigelMiller-lfnr]

I would have liked to have heard HR and JC push back on Matthew Kroenig's talking point of a 'forever war' in Ukraine, when it is the Ukrainian troops doing the fighting and dying in Ukraine - not American troops (other than US volunteers).
Plus, the USA has the moral obligation to defend Ukraine's 1991 UN recognized borders - as the leader of the USA signed the 05 Dec 1994 Budapest Memorandum