Joining Michael Kao and me for episode three of Kaos Theory is Scott Smitson, Geopolitical Risk Consultant and former Strategy Branch Chief of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). Scott served twenty-one years on active duty in both combat arms and as an Army Strategist, reporting to the highest levels of the US military. He also spent three years as an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy.

Scott’s extensive experience makes him the perfect guest with whom to discuss the evolving alliance structures in the Indo-Pacific region, how the great powers are positioning assets ahead of any possible future conflict, the critical role of India, tensions over Taiwan and the growing unease among the BRICS countries.

With so many pieces in motion on the geopolitical chessboard right now, this conversation is filled with hard-won insight and critical evaluation, making it an excellent addition to our two previous conversations.

Joining Mike Kao and me for the second episode of Kaos Theory is Richard Lacquement, a man whose distinguished military and academic careers make him the perfect person to help us continue our exploration of the nexus between geopolitics, finance and the strategic military decision makers who are becoming more and more important when trying to assess how our future may unfold.

In this gripping conversation, we explore the DIME framework (Diplomatic, Informational, Military and Economic) to gain a better understanding of how military planners are adapting to the ever-shifting geopolitical landscape, ponder the two very different frameworks for warfare espoused by Clausewitz and Sun Tzu and dissect the differing approaches of the US and China to escalating conflict.

This is the first in a new limited series of conversations about an increasingly chaotic world as seen through the lens of Michael Kao – The Urban Kaoboy – in an attempt to bring order to a disorderly world.

America has tremendous natural advantages in terms of geography, natural resources, a USD-based global reserve currency, and a democratic system of governance and rule of law that has encouraged unprecedented innovation, freedom, and opportunity. However, America’s Unipolar moment in the sun is being threatened like never before – economically, militarily, and technologically.

Whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic about America’s future, what is unequivocal is that the Post Cold-War Globalization nirvana is over as we know it. As a result, the world is becoming more fractious and disorderly. Economic decisions can no longer be made without considering geopolitical repercussions; similarly, geopolitical decisions and motivations can dominate economic outcomes.

The purpose of this this podcast is to explore the intersection of Macroeconomics and Geopolitics – two areas that can no longer be analyzed in their respective vacuums. Join us as we bring on guests from multidisciplinary fields as we explore this crucial topic. Our aim is not just to educate and entertain but to also encourage cross-fertilization of ideas amongst our leaders and policymakers to help all of us navigate uncharted waters.