Midrats

For almost two years, the war on the Continent had been raging. The Battle of Verdun has already happened, but the real bloodshed had not even started yet, with the Battle of the Somme only a month away. While the European land armies have been fighting on a scale not seen since Napoleon a century earlier, major conflicts at sea were rare in spite of the major belligerents having great and powerfu...

It has been a bit more than six years since then Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David Berger, USMC, initiated what became known as Force Design 2030 (now just known as Force Design ). What followed was a controversial change to the structure of the United States Marine Corps intended to address the challenge posed by the People's Republic of China in the western Pacific. Now more than hal...

In creating a maritime renaissance in the U.S., there is a lot of work, discussion, and money going toward not just buying more ships, but also expanding the industrial base and training skilled tradespeople to make that expansion possible. A cornerstone of this should be training more dedicated Merchant Mariners and employing their skills in a better way. Returning to Midrats is Brent D. Sadler t...

Blockades, 11-month deployments, the Vietnam War, shipbuilding plans, and some love for our friends from The Philippines…a full plate for a Midrats Free for All. Summary This episode covers the recent return of the USS Gerald Ford after a 326-day deployment, the significance of naval operations, shipbuilding plans, and geopolitical considerations in the Indo-Pacific region. The hosts analyze naval...

Summary This episode explores the strategic maritime operations off the Straits of Hormuz, the impact of economic sanctions on Iran, and the future of naval amphibious forces. Experts discuss the nuances of naval blockade effectiveness, the importance of leadership in amphibious ships, and the broader geopolitical implications. Show Links DVIDS Hub - Defense Visual Information Distribution Service...

Summary This episode features Dr. Colin Dueck, with Mark and Sal, discussing the historical and strategic importance of U.S. policy towards Latin America, the evolution of the Monroe Doctrine, and current challenges and opportunities in the hemisphere. Discussion is centered on how U.S. foreign policy can shape the future of the region amid great power competition. Show Links Why the Monroe Doctri...

Summary This episode features a lively free-for-all discussion covering recent naval operations, geopolitical tensions, naval maintenance issues, and international defense collaborations. The hosts share insights on maritime security, shipbuilding, and the strategic importance of alliances in the Indo-Pacific region. Key Topics Naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz US Navy maintenance and readi...

The last four years’ conflicts from the Strait of Hormuz through the Red Sea to the Black Sea have presented a raft of lessons to the navies of Europe. How are they positioned to address the lessons, and what moves are already taking place? Returning to the Midrats Podcast to discuss this and related topics is Alessio Patalano. Alessio is a Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia and senior fel...

Having trouble keeping up with the world around you? Head swirling with too much? You’re not alone. Good news…we’ll get you all caught up and set right. Returning to the Midrats Podcast is Blake Herzinger. Blake Herzinger is Microsoft’s Defense and National Security Policy Lead for Asia. Previously, he led policy strategy and advocacy at Citi across North and South Asia and Australia, advised seni...

After a series of great guests, the Midrats Podcast returns this week with the ever popular, “Free-for-All” format! It’s just Mark and me for the full hour as we discuss the latest developments from the Iranian conflict and elsewhere. Summary Sal and Mark discuss the meticulous planning behind military operations, the nuances of Iran’s strategic posture, and the broader implications for global sec...

Here we find ourselves approaching the fifth spring of the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022.As the rest of the world’s geopolitical landscape changes dramatically, Russia’s “friend group” shrinks, and Ukraine’s friends grow weary and distracted, where is the war moving and where could we expect Russia to adjust for another year of conflict? Returning to Midrats again to discuss this and related issues...

The first quarter of 2026 still has three weeks to go, but the assumptions and friend group of the People’s Republic of China has changed dramatically. Recent changes in the assumptions concerning Venezuela, Iran, Japan, and other nations will impact the national security concerns of the West’s greatest challenger on the world stage. Returning to the Midrats Podcast today from 5-6 PM Eastern to di...

Hard to think of a better time to have a Midrats Podcast Free-for-All.2026 continues to produce more content than we know what to do with, but we’ll give it our best. Show Links CENTCOM’s Epic Fury Day-1 Summary LUCAS attack drone Intifada Podcast: Hamas in the U.S. UK gives a nod for base use Sal Mercogliano on the Strait of Hormuz Israeli bomb shelter dating app Summary Join Sal and Mark as they...

So, is this the time to make battleships great again? I would be hard-pressed to think of a better guest to help us explore that question than returning guest, Rob Farley. A starting point for our conversation will be his article from December, The Trump-Class Battleship Summed Up In 1 Word . Show Links The Battleship Book , by Robert Farley’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commer...

Need a moment to recover from Valentine’s Day? Of course you do! Showlinks Truxtun-Supply Collision Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference Maritime Action Plan Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark discuss various topics related to national security, starting off with the Truxton-Supply collision. They also delve into Secretary Rubio’s speech regarding NATO rel...

Show Links The Congress, the Golden Fleet, and the Shipbuilding Industrial Base in 2026 Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark engage with Eric Labs, a senior analyst at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to discuss the complexities of shipbuilding costs, the role of the CBO in providing independent estimates, and the challenges faced by the U.S. Navy in maintaining and expanding its...

No need to force yourself to head outside in this horrible weather—unless you are in the Free State of Florida where the high is expected to hit 80F or so. From the Friday National Defense Strategy dump to whatever comes over the transom, we’ve got you covered. Show Links 2026 National Defense Strategy Heritage Foundation’s, Tidalwave Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil , Rear Adm. Worrall Reed, USN Fou...

Is four months too short a turnaround for a guest on Midrats? Not if the topic at hand keeps running to the top of your read board. From the unending diplomacy responding to the Trump Administration’s unending drive to get Greenland’s geography— and the resulting security —more firmly under American control, to the sitcom-worthy deployment of a couple of dozen “ Coalition of the Freezing ”—Greenla...

Summary In this conversation, the hosts and Palantir’s Head of Defense Mike Gallagher and Head of Shipbuilding and Naval Programs Matt Babin discuss the integration of AI and advanced manufacturing techniques in shipbuilding, particularly focusing on the role of Palantir’s ShipOS in transforming shipyard operations. They explore the generational gap in expertise within the industry, the importance...

With a few days now behind us, most of the general facts are in on our raid into Caracas, Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro and, it appears, his wife as well. Now that Maduro is a guest of the Southern District of New York, it is time to not just look at some of the details of the buildup and execution of this raid, but the initial lessons we can take from it, and what it means in the larger str...

History isn’t just about the past; it’s a guide for today!  On this episode, we unravel the myths surrounding Pearl Harbor and what they teach us about current global tensions with returning guest, John Keuhn. Dr. John T. Kuehn is Professor of Military History at the Army Command and General Staff College. He served in the US Navy as a naval flight officer flying in EP-3s and ES-3s, retiring in 20...

One of our guests on Episode 3 of Midrats was Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.). Over the years he’s returned often, and has even graced us with the pleasure of a few guest posts here. As he’s let people know for years, he was going to retire for good at 60. True to his word, he hung it up a few weeks ago . Earlier this year before he got too focused on his figs and vines, I asked Bryan to come on fo...

Summary In this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark discuss various aspects of national security, including military deployments, the influence of drug cartels, and the geopolitical dynamics in South America. They delve into the implications of China’s growing presence in the Western Hemisphere and the challenges posed by information warfare. The conversation also touches on the ethical consideration...

For a decade and a half, since President Obama’s Pacific Pivot speech, there has been a rising tide in the conversation about the need to fix the US Navy’s shortfall to meet the challenge of the People’s Republic of China. Faced with systemic and cascading failures in everything from surface ship design to maintenance, and distractions as frivolous as Great Green Fleets at sea and as serious as th...

How are naval shipbuilding, commercial shipbuilding, and commercial shipping linked together to create a healthy and effective national seapower ecosystem? What did the 1990s “Last Supper” get wrong, and what can be done to correct the error? Our guest this week is Hunter Stires, founder and CEO of The Maritime Strategy Group, returning to Midrats to discuss this and more. We will be using as a st...