Extraordinary Threats and Opportunities: A Conversation with LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster and The Hon. Elaine Luria

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China is sprinting to field military might that can defeat U.S. forces and conquer Taiwan. Putin continues to wage his brutal war against Ukraine – the largest invasion Europe has witnessed since World War II. The regime in Tehran continues to oppress the Iranian people, export terrorism, and inch toward a nuclear weapon capability, while building closer relationships with Moscow and Beijing. Nuclear-armed North Korea is strengthening its missile arsenal to threaten the United States, South Korea, and Japan. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has rolled back many gains of Afghan women and girls and has deepened its partnership with al-Qaeda.

While this list of threats and challenges is extraordinary, the United States enjoys unparalleled advantages, including a resilient democratic system, a large and innovative economy, a powerful military, and a strong network of allies and partners. So, what is the security situation in East Asia, Europe, and the wider Middle East? What is the Biden administration doing to address threats in these vital regions? And how can the US and its allies better secure national security interests while deterring aggression?

FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) hosts a conversation with CMPP Chairman LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, 34-year-veteran of the U.S. Army and former U.S. National Security Advisor, and The Hon. Elaine Luria, 20-year-veteran of the U.S. Navy and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and its Committee on Armed Services. The panel is moderated by CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman.

LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster

LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster serves as the Chairman of the Board of Advisors at the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. McMaster was the 26th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. He served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018. From 2014 to 2017, McMaster designed the future army as the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and the deputy commanding general of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). His extensive experience leading soldiers and organizations in wartime includes commander of the Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force — Shafafiyat in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012; commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq from 2005 to 2006; and Commander of Eagle Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Operation Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991.

The Hon. Elaine Luria

The Hon. Elaine Luria is the immediate former representative of Virginia’s Second Congressional District. While in Congress, Luria served as the Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee and as a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. In Congress, Luria championed a strong military; her work consistently resulted in increased defense budgets, emphasizing shipbuilding and improving key capabilities in the Pacific. Luria was instrumental in the passage of the PACT Act, and stood as a consistent voice on advanced nuclear technology, passing bipartisan legislation to field advanced reactor demonstration projects. Prior to serving as a member of Congress, Luria served two decades in the United States Navy. Retiring at the rank of Commander, serving at sea on six ships as a nuclear-trained Surface Warfare Officer, with six deployments to the Middle East and Western Pacific, she culminated her Navy career by commanding a combat-ready unit of 400 sailors.

Bradley Bowman

Bradley Bowman serves as senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he focuses on U.S. defense strategy and policy. He has served as a national security advisor to members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, as well as an active duty U.S. Army officer, Black Hawk pilot, and assistant professor at West Point. Bradley spent nearly nine years in the U.S. Senate, including six years as the top defense advisor to Senator Kelly Ayotte, then-senior Republican on the Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee. Bradley also served as national security advisor to Senator Todd Young and worked as a Council on Foreign Relations international affairs fellow on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bradley served more than 15 years on active duty as a U.S. Army officer, including time as a company commander, pilot, congressional affairs officer on the Army staff in the Pentagon, and staff officer in Afghanistan.