With Dakota Wood

DAKOTA WOOD, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs, The Heritage Foundation, Editor, annual "Index of U.S. Military Strength," retired Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps: 

Part I: 

• Do all US allies live up to their expectations when threatened with conflict? 
• Why are operating conditions more favorable in Europe than other parts of the world? 

Part II: 

• Why is China characterized as an "aggressive" but not a "hostile" threat? 
• Over the past year, the People's Liberation Army, Air Force and Navy have been upgrading and enlarging their power projection techniques
• Dakota Wood: The index's recommendation that the US Army consist of 50 brigades is seriously lacking

Part III: 

• Average age of a US fighter jet is 30 years old
• Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Defense increased flight hours in order to ramp up force readiness
• Overtime, the number of US Marine brigades have shrunk as the branch embraces a "one war force" mentality

Part IV: 

• The index categorizes most of the US nuclear force as strong. Why?
• Wood: Many of the same politicians who are staunch opponents of the 2nd Amendment and advocate for increased public safety are now questioning the loyalty of National Guard troops