Joe Biden listens as his choice for Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, addresses reporters, Wilmington, Delaware, December 9, 2020 (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

In the second Deep Dive Politics VideoCast from CESRAN and EA WorldView, I join Ali Onur Özçelik to consider the significance of President-elect Joe Biden’s appointment of retired Gen. Lloyd Austin as Defense Secretary.

0:11: Why Biden Chose Austin

I don’t think Austin’s appointment means that much for US foreign policy. He is there more as an implementer, taking what is given to him and working with the military to put it into practice.

3.48: The Potential Effect on US Policy on the Middle East and Turkey

Austin didn’t generate the shift in US policy in Syria in 2015. He implemented it, but it came from the politicians.

Now he’s there as a planner. What matters is what Joe Biden does, and what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan does.

8.43: Where Now for US-Turkey relationship?

12.44: Will Congress Confirm Austin?

See also Deep Dive Politics VideoCast: US-Iran Relations and the Middle East
VideoCast: Looking Ahead — The US Election, “Trumpism”, and the Biden Administration