Counterbalance Hudson Institute

What do classical authors have to teach us about the global brawl that is international affairs? Catholic University professor, Jakub Grygiel, joins hosts Mike Doran and Peter Rough to provide the historical context behind the show's new exploration into "real-realism."

After internal dialogues revealed that the team was feeling a bit "strategically rudderless," hosts Mike Doran and Peter Rough sit together to launch a new thesis for Counterbalance. Together they explain what's wrong with foreign policy "experts" today and why an interest-based foreign policy is needed over the dominant, but flawed, values-based outlook of today's elites. They're calling this new school of thought "real-realism."

Hudson Senior Fellow Jonathan Ward joins co-host Peter Rough to discuss his new book The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph Over China. In his book, and during the episode, Ward lays out how the US gave up many of its economic advantages while allowing China's rise. Thankfully, according to Ward, it's not too late to reverse course, but America has to start by winning one decade at a time.

Is Ukraine losing? Can it still win? Where does international support stand now, and where will it be going forward? Host Peter Rough addresses these questions and more having just returned from an overseas study trip to Moldova and Ukraine. Mike Doran joins him to discover what Peter saw, heard, and learned from his travels.

On this special edition of Counterbalance, co-hosts Mike and Peter are joined by Israeli intellectual Gadi Taub. Mike and Gadi recently started the Israel Update Podcast with Tablet magazine. This week on Counterbalance, the trio discuss the Biden administration’s attitude towards the war in Gaza, including the president calling Israel’s response in Gaza “over the top.” They also float the possibility of the Biden administration recognizing a Palestinian state as early as the summer.

This week, host Michael Doran is joined by co-host Peter Rough, senior fellow and director of the Center for Europe and Eurasia at Hudson Institute. Peter offers an overview of his recent visit to Taiwan and discusses with Mike his thoughts on Beijing's increasing economic and military pressure on Taipei. The duo also talks about the current state of Taiwanese domestic politics and how it affects U.S. foreign policy.