Strategic Simplicity Podcast

Pranay Vaddi

Arms Control

Russia

China

Nuclear Deterrence

Nuclear Strategy

Extended Deterrence

Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

Ukraine War

Nuclear Policy

Euro Deterrent

Biden Administration

Artificial Intelligence

NATO

Australia

U.S. Nuclear Posture

Defense Industrial Base

Strategic Defence Review

United States

Nuclear Disarmament

Operation Midnight Hammer

Trying to explain new and old, arcane and obscure international security issues in a conversational format. strategicsimplicity.substack.com

9 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	32	Founded	9 months ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	GovernmentPoliticsNews

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Latest Episodes

Part I on New START Expiration with Rose Gottemoeller

Rose and I covered the landscape related to New START and more:

* Her experience as chief negotiator - managing Russian interlocutors, an interagency delegation in Geneva as well as the one back home,

* the role of the President and other very se... more

19 Jan 2026 • 57 min

Shibboleths or Not? Introducing Matthew Sharp to the Pod

Before the holiday break, Vipin contributed a new post to the Strategic Stability Substack (I know, two in one year, how can he keep up this lightning pace) titled “Four Shibboleths of Nuclear Strategy.” In the post, Vipin asks whether we should take... more

10 Jan 2026 • 1 hr 6 min

Retrench, Defend, Compete - Charlie Glaser's new book on U.S.-China relations and each country's interests in Taiwan

Charlie Glaser joins the podcast to discuss his new book, “Retrench, Defend, Compete: Securing America’s Future Against a Rising China.” We talked about his recommendations for U.S.-China policy, including his case for ending U.S. security commitment... more

23 Dec 2025 • 1 hr 8 min

Introducing the 2025 Project Atom Report with Heather Williams

Heather and I discussed the 2025 CSIS PONI Project Atom Report, entitled “Escalation Management in Acute and Protracted Conflicts in the Indo-Pacific.“ Project Atom brings several authors together to propose alternative strategies for managing escala... more

12 Dec 2025 • 1 hr 6 min

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Recent Guests

Heather Williams

Director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at CSIS

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Episode: Introducing the 2025 Project Atom Report with Heather Williams

Tong Zhao

Senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Episode: Tong Zhao helps unpack China's new arms control white paper

Charlie Glaser

A knowledgeable figure in nuclear strategy and policy discussions.

Episode: Debating Damage Limitation

Francesca Giovanni

Executive Director at the Belfour Initiative on Managing the Atom at Harvard University.

Harvard University

Episode: "Preventing an Era of Nuclear Anarchy: Nuclear Proliferation and American Security"

Eric Brewer

Deputy Vice President for NTI's Nuclear Material Security Program.

NTI

Episode: "Preventing an Era of Nuclear Anarchy: Nuclear Proliferation and American Security"

Toby Dalton

Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment.

Carnegie Endowment

Episode: "Preventing an Era of Nuclear Anarchy: Nuclear Proliferation and American Security"

Taylor Fravel

Professor of Political Science, Director of the Security Studies Program at MIT

MIT

Episode: Part I of a (more) definitive conversation about China

Caitlin Talmadge

Associate Professor of Political Science at MIT, Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Brookings

MIT, Brookings

Episode: Part I of a (more) definitive conversation about China

Alexandra Bell

President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Episode: A Conversation with Alexandra Bell

Hosts

Pranay

Host of discussions focusing on international security issues and nuclear strategy, often providing insights into complex geopolitical dynamics.

Prane

Co-host engaged in conversational analysis of international security strategies, sharing expertise on military and nuclear issues.

Austin Vippen

Co-host who discusses various international security topics alongside expert guests, and responds to listener questions.

Vipin Narang

Co-host involved in discussions about nuclear policy and security strategies, contributing analytical perspectives to enhance listener understanding.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts	#145	France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts	#169	Netherlands/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Debating Damage Limitation, Again (Pt. II in a series)

Q: How important is damage limitation compared to other long-standing objectives in US nuclear strategy?

Damage limitation can be seen as a means to enhance extended deterrence, but other objectives may be equally important depending on the scenario, including ensuring the survival of the political entity of the nation.

Debating Damage Limitation, Again (Pt. II in a series)

Q: How comprehensive does damage limitation need to be to be considered meaningful?

Damage limitation capability needs to offset the bargaining advantage an adversary has due to stakes, requiring a higher effectiveness to be meaningful as the stakes difference increases.

Debating Damage Limitation, Again (Pt. II in a series)

Q: How important is it to have retention of damage limitation as an objective in our nuclear strategy for US extended nuclear deterrence?

While damage limitation capability is not necessary for an adequate extended deterrent, there are exceptions where having a damage limitation capability may be required.

Nuclear testing and emptying our mailbag

Q: Can China's quantitative buildup and Russia's development of these kind of new novel systems be seen as direct responses to US efforts to maintain or enhance its damage limitation capabilities?

I don't think that China's strategic breakout or Russia's novel systems are purely about US damage limitation, though I think they are largely.

Nuclear testing and emptying our mailbag

Q: What do you think the chances are of a limited nuclear conflict or even just the use of just one tactical weapon, for example, in Ukraine or a Taiwan related scenario?

Chances in a conflict are pretty good in either of those scenarios if you've gotten to a conventional war that's efficient, that one of the sides believes it has to use nuclear weapons.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Strategic Simplicity Podcast

What is Strategic Simplicity Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on international security, the content engages listeners with discussions that break down complex geopolitical issues and nuclear strategy into relatable dialogue. Typical topics include U.S.-China relations, nuclear proliferation, arms control, and the evolving military strategies of both superpowers. With notable emphasis on nuclear deterrence and the implications of military strategies on global stability, the discussions feature insights from a range of experts and scholars, making it a valuable resource for those interested in understanding pressing global security threats. The accessible conversation style makes intricate topics digestible for listeners who might not have a specialized background in international relations.

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Which podcasts are similar to Strategic Simplicity Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Strategic Simplicity Podcast:

1. War on the Rocks
2. Net Assessment
3. The Foreign Affairs Interview
4. School of War
5. In Moscow's Shadows

How many episodes of Strategic Simplicity Podcast are there?

Strategic Simplicity Podcast launched 9 months ago and published 32 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Strategic Simplicity Podcast?

Recent guests on Strategic Simplicity Podcast include:

1. Heather Williams
2. Tong Zhao
3. Charlie Glaser
4. Francesca Giovanni
5. Eric Brewer
6. Toby Dalton
7. Taylor Fravel
8. Caitlin Talmadge

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