Colin Kahl
Colin Kahl on Conflict over Taiwan
Colin Kahl
Keynote Speaker
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Professor of Political Science, Stanford University; Steven C. Házy Senior Fellow
A globally respected national security expert with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, Colin Kahl helps audiences understand the implications of accelerating geopolitical, military, and technological competition among the United States, China, Russia, and other world powers.
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Colin Kahl'S SPEAKING FEE Under $25,000
Colin Kahl served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the number three civilian position in the Pentagon, from April 2021 to July 2023. As the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense for all matters related to national security and defense policy, he had a front-row seat for some of the biggest events shaping our world. He oversaw the writing of the 2022 National Defense Strategy, which reoriented the Pentagon’s efforts to focus on the “pacing challenge” posed by the People’s Republic of China, and he led the Department’s response to Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and numerous other international crises. He brought years of experience to the job, having previously served at the White House as then-Vice President Biden’s national security adviser and, before that, as the Middle East policy chief at the Pentagon during the Obama administration.
Currently a professor and senior fellow at Stanford University, he helps audiences understand the underlying geopolitical, military, and technological trends shaping our ever more turbulent world.
He is also the author (along with Thomas Wright) of Aftershocks: Pandemic Politics and the End of the Old International Order, which the Financial Times listed as one of the best books of 2021.
Featured Videos
Colin Kahl
Colin Kahl on United States Supporting Ukraine
Colin Kahl
Colin Kahl on What China Could Learn From Ukraine
Colin Kahl
Colin Kahl on Conflict over Taiwan
Colin Kahl’s Speech Topics
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America’s Response to the War in Ukraine
Kahl takes the audience behind the scenes to understand the Biden administration’s response to the most consequential geopolitical event of our lifetime. In doing so, he details President Biden’s delicate balancing act to support Ukraine “for as long it takes” while “avoiding World War III.” The lessons learned from America’s historic efforts to rally the world to Ukraine’s cause will reverberate far into the future, with huge implications for Taiwan and other potential crises in the years ahead.
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U.S. Defense Strategy in an Era of Geopolitical Competition
Leveraging his unmatched insights into contemporary U.S. defense policy, Kahl describes the dangers and trends shaping today’s international security landscape. He walks audiences through the difficult, but achievable, steps America must take to remain safe, secure, and prosperous in the face of growing challenges from China, Russia, and other competitors.
Works by Colin Kahl
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