Adversaries Abroad and Divisions at Home: Reflections on America’s Greatest Challenges

 In this closing reflection of Waitt, What? The Podcast, Samuel Waitt takes listeners on a sobering tour of the forces shaping America’s security and democracy, from foreign adversaries to domestic divisions that threaten unity at home.

“I would like to start by apologizing to all my listeners that I could not give you a happier topic than America's adversaries.”  — Sam Waitt

All season, we explored the challenges posed by America’s key adversaries — China, Russia, and Iran — each driven by expansionist ambitions that threaten global stability. We highlighted Iran’s nuclear aspirations and ideological extremism, China’s economic and technological dominance under the Chinese Communist Party’s expansionist agenda, and

Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine fueled by imperial ambitions. 

And yet, while these external threats are serious, America’s greatest danger may lie within its own divisions, as polarization and disputes over basic facts weaken the nation from inside. It's time to bridge divides, restore respectful dialogue, and help Americans confront their internal adversary: disunity.

Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

While the Islamic Republic of Iran may be the weakest, it is the only one of the three whose military has come into direct conflict with the United States. The challenge posed by Tehran is heightened by its pursuit of nuclear weapons. “The Iran problem is made especially acute by Iran's ambition to become a nuclear armed power, a longstanding, very hard red line for both the United States and Israel.”

For now, the United States and its allies must endure a nation whose mission is not to better the welfare of its people, but instead a radical in some would say, including myself, destructive ideology.

China’s Expanding Power

Turning to Beijing, first, we must distinguish between the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people: “That is the adversary most powerful economically, technologically, and militarily of all of America's and our allies, foreign adversaries.” But China is now the second most powerful nation in the world, due to the CCP’s “underhand, and possibly in fact, likely sinister activities” including COVID-19, which I believe is entirely the fault of the mismanagement of the Chinese Communist Party. 

With TikTok and other tools of influence, the warning is clear: “The CCP is fundamentally a revolutionary and expansionist organization and has been since its founding more than not 100 years ago.”

Russia’s Imperial Vision

Russia, too, remains a constant, seemingly eternal rival. “Russia is engaged in a horrific war against Ukraine with no end in sight, a war that has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of both Ukrainians and Russians.” 

Like China and Iran, Russia’s leaders share expansionist ambitions: “They believe in Russia's status as a great power, Ukraine as an inseparable part of the empire, and also show a fundamental disrespect for smaller nations on their borders.” This disrespect, this contempt is why NATO exists in the first place.

America’s Greatest Adversary

But perhaps the greatest danger comes from within. At the moment, America is a nation hopelessly divided, and this division is going in one direction further apart. It’s a crisis deeper than partisanship. 

“We are no longer in disagreement about ideas and policy prescriptions. We are instead in disagreement about basic facts. And when you have a disagreement about basic facts where the truth becomes ever more distant, you have a problem. A problem that our adversaries no doubt appreciate.”

Despite the grim picture, there is hope in efforts to bridge divides. 

“That is why we have organizations like the Alexis De Tocqueville Center and many others across the country dedicated to bridging our own divides.” There is power in respectful disagreement. And while we will disagree, we can at least disagree respectfully and agree on the facts. And that is what is most important in this country.

As the season closes, I'm a fervent believer that most of you are tired of the polarization, tired of the politics, invading every position in our lives. And that is why I believe there is one adversary that we can conquer, and that is our own divisions.

You can follow Samuel Waitt for additional insights on world politics by subscribing to his Substack: samuelwaitt.substack.com and read the book: Waitt, What?: Reflections on Global Politics – available on Amazon.