The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation
The central idea behind The General and the Ambassador is to reveal that our top military leaders and top diplomats combine their efforts and partner in many tough areas of the world, a story that is rarely told. Hosted by Ambassador (ret.) Deborah McCarthy, this podcast is a series of conversations discussing strategic and operational teamwork, and their results in key theaters and during major international humanitarian crises.
Each installment of The General and the Ambassador features a wealth of knowledge and experience— including appearances by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on the surge in Iraq, General Philip Breedlove and Ambassador Victoria Nuland on Russia and NATO, General Kip Ward and Ambassador Mary Carlin Yates on AFRICOM, Admiral James Stavridis and Ambassador William Brownfield on Colombia and the drug war, and General Kurt Sonntag and Ambassador Thomas Kelly on the Horn of Africa.
The program is a project of the American Academy of Diplomacy in partnership with UNC Global at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“The General and the Ambassador clearly shows that America needs both the negotiating ability of its diplomats and the might of its military to keep America safe.” – Ambassador Deborah McCarthy
All episodes of The General and the Ambassador can be accessed via The General and the Ambassador website and on iTunes.
Episodes
About the Show

“The Academy of Diplomacy is proud to present a new podcast series called ‘The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation’. Each will be a conversation between a highly ranked former military officer and a former senior Ambassador centered on how they partnered to protect America and advance the strategic interests of the United States. In many key areas around the world, our top military and our top diplomats work hand in glove, but the story is rarely told.
Our aim is to have Americans see how important it is that the United States be present on the global stage. We hope the series encourages people to join public service to represent our great nation abroad in whatever capacity they choose. The careers of the Generals and the Ambassadors in these conversations will give us a glimpse into this exciting world. We hope you enjoy them.” – Ambassador Ronald Neumann, President of the American Academy of Diplomacy