National War College: A Deep Look 
At  National Security & Defense Issues 

It was a feast for the curious, for those who like to dig deep into complexity, and for policy wonks! A collection of experts in U.S. national security policy and defense strategies laid out an assessment of the relative position of the U.S. and countries with which we have troubled relations.

Russia may not be as strong as it seems behind its bluster and desperate invasion of Ukraine. China is the adversary to watch and to better understand; Xi Jinping is positioning his country to become the world's leader. North Korea is the wild card, with missiles that probably can reach into Southwest Florida. It's not certain where Iran will end up, but it is still moving toward building nuclear arms and certainly not into the embrace of the U.S.

All who attended came away with a deeper understanding of what may hang in the balance, as well as an awareness that nothing in today's world is simple -- but also with some comfort that there are some very smart people who understand a lot more than most of us.

Those who wish to learn more may Click Here to read the 2023 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (unclassified) prepared for our government leaders and offered by NCWA member Karen Maguire, a retired U.S. Army colonel and National War College graduate.