David & Goliath: Debating War, Peace, and the Fragility of Global Order

The war in Ukraine and renewed escalation in the Middle East have shaken the international order, raising urgent questions about power, security, and peace. These conflicts expose the fragility of global cooperation and highlight deep fault lines: power politics versus international law, military force versus diplomacy, regional interests versus global responsibility. They also prompt reflection on Europe’s security, the role of NATO, and the possibility of peaceful coexistence in a world where rival powers are asserting themselves with growing force.

With the format „David & Goliath“, Ben Hodges and Dr. David Ranan, explore today’s geopolitical conflicts and their consequences for global order. Contrasting perspectives meet: military analysis and a civilian lens, strategy and diplomacy, realism and cultural understanding. Ben Hodges, former Commanding General of the U.S. Army in Europe, brings decades of military and strategic experience. Dr. David Ranan, political scientist and author, adds a cultural and societal perspective that questions and enriches this view.