She was the first woman ever to be confirmed as assistant secretary of Defense, the civilian equivalent of a four-star military post. The Hon. Mary Beth Long speaks with host Carol Castiel about a range of national security issues facing the United States and the world – from a revanchist Russia to the rise of an authoritarian China. Long chronicles the evolution of America’s perceived role in the world from her days at the Pentagon when Iraq and Afghanistan dominated the headlines – to the challenges presented by Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.