Why subscribe?

Subscribe to get “Arming for the War We’re In” sent to your inbox or available Substack app or site. It’s free, and you’ll get full access to the archives.

What is Arming for the War We’re In? It is an extension of my blogging at mountainrunner.us (launched in 2004), my articles and book chapters, and lectures on the overlapping subjects of US public diplomacy and defending against foreign political warfare. The title comes from discussions, organizations, and proposed legislation in the early cold war, before détente led to the capitalized proper noun, to prepare for the non-military conflict that was primarily waged by Russia and, to a lesser extent, China. In effect, we were not arming for the cold war we were in, in fact we marginalized and degraded those capabilities, while arming for the hot war we hoped would never come. The issues at hand were reflected in two of my favorite quotes on the subject:

“Someday this nation will recognize that global non-military conflict must be pursued with the same intensity and preparation as global military conflicts.” – the Orlando Group to Congress, 1963

“So long as we remain amateurs in the critical field of political warfare, the billions of dollars we annually spend on defense and foreign aid will provide us with a diminishing measure of protection.” – Senator Thomas Dodd, 1961

Who am I?

I’ve been working, writing, lecturing, and pontificating in and around public diplomacy, strategic communication, and political warfare since 2004. From 2013-2017, I served as a Governor on the formerly named Broadcasting Board of Governors, since renamed the US Agency for Global Media. I was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to this office after Senators approached me following my tenure as the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy executive director. I also served on the board of the Public Diplomacy Council, now named the Public Diplomacy Council of America. I taught graduate courses in public diplomacy at the USC Annenberg School as an adjunct lecturer and was an adjunct lecturer with the Joint Special Operations University. I have also been a guest lecturer at the National War College, the National Intelligence University, the Army War College, the NATO School at Oberammergau, and several universities across Europe.

In addition to testifying several times before different House committees, since about 2005, I have worked extensively with Members and staff in the Senate and House on public diplomacy, strategic communication, and political warfare topics, including helping to launch a House caucus centered on this topic and helping to write and provide support for related bills, including the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act. I worked extensively with the Defense Department, including with the “graybeard” title, long before I had any gray. I sit on the advisory board for the Information Professionals Association. I am also honored to have been inducted into the Psychological Operations Regiment at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School as an Honorary Member.

Russia sanctioned me in May 2022, so perhaps I’m doing something right.1

I am pursuing a Ph.D. at King’s College London, looking at how the US responded to Russian political warfare in the early cold war before détente. I am also revising my book on the history and evolution of the Smith-Mundt Act, a topic I have spent way more time studying over the past dozen years than is probably wise or healthy. However, that history is relevant today since we sadly know little about – and learn less – from our past. (Calls to bring back the US Information Agency is a poster child for such ignorance.)

I earned a B.A. in International Relations and a Master of Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California. I also studied European security and the Middle East at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

The personal details

Now in Boston, I lived in Switzerland (near Zürich) from August 2016 through July 2023 after nearly three years of living in the United Kingdom (west side of London) with my wife and two kids. We have a cat from the UK, another from Latvia, and our dog is a rescue from Romania. He’s not, however, the dog in my profile picture. We adopted her from the Carson, CA, animal shelter; she is the real “MountainRunner.” That story is available here. I’ve done Ironman triathlons (8), a dozen or so ultramarathons (the longest was 70 miles, the median is around 40 miles), a couple of dozen marathons, perhaps three 5k’s and maybe two 10k’s. I enjoyed plenty of 3-mile ocean swim races in Southern California. I also guided a blind triathlete for two seasons. Nearer to the turn of the millennium than the present, I coached triathletes, masters swimming, and fund-raising marathoners (Team in Training) and held coaching certificates from USA Cycling (Level 2), USA Triathlon, USA Track & Field, and for US Masters Swimming.

A partial list of my publications, podcast appearances, video presentations, video chats, and the times I testified before Congress can be found here.