In this episode of Roots, Rights & Reason, Lee Smith welcomes C. L. Max Nikias for a compelling conversation on leadership, resilience, and the enduring wisdom of the classical world. Drawing from the works of Homer and Xenophon, Dr. Nikias explains how the traits of great leaders, vision, discipline, courage, and self-restraint have been understood for centuries and remain essential today.

From his personal journey as an immigrant to his leadership at one of America’s top universities, Dr. Nikias reflects on the principles that shape strong leadership in times of uncertainty. This episode explores how classical education informed the Founding Fathers, why resilience is the defining test of leadership, and what it will take to cultivate the next generation of leaders in a rapidly changing world.

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In this episode of Roots, Rights & Reason, Lee Smith welcomes historian Victor Davis Hanson for a clear and grounded look at what defines the “Western way of war” and how it is shaping modern conflict. Hanson explains that, at its core, this approach relies on overwhelming technological superiority, precision targeting, and strategic infrastructure disruption; seeking decisive outcomes without prolonged ground engagements. Drawing on current tensions in the Middle East, he contrasts this doctrine with insurgent-style warfare, arguing that restraint from entering drawn-out, on-the-ground conflicts is not weakness, but strategic discipline.

The conversation expands into a broader geopolitical lens, exploring how economic pressure, supply chain disruption, and coalition dynamics function as extensions of military force. Hanson outlines how blockades and targeted strikes can weaken regimes not only militarily but internally, accelerating political fracture and forcing high-stakes decisions from leadership. With historical parallels ranging from World War II to the Cold War, this episode offers a clear-eyed assessment of how modern power is exercised, and what victory may look like in an era where dominance is measured as much by strategic patience and leverage as by force.

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New episodes drop every Wednesday at 3 PM ET.

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In this episode of Roots, Rights & Reason, Lee Smith welcomes returning guest J. Michael Waller for a timely discussion on the concept of multipolarity and its growing influence in global affairs.

Smith and Waller examine competing visions of global order, from alliance-based systems rooted in shared interests to spheres of influence dominated by adversarial regimes. The conversation explores the role of NATO, the rise of China, shifting dynamics in the Middle East, and the future of American leadership on the world stage. At a moment of rapid geopolitical change, this episode offers a clear-eyed assessment of what is at stake in the debate over the balance of global power.

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New episodes drop every Wednesday at 3 PM ET.

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