Des Moines National Security Forum explores international politics

The CGSC Foundation and its Simons Center hosted a gathering of the Des Moines National Security Forum (DMNSF) at the Des Moines Embassy Club West in West Des Moines, Iowa on May 22, 2025. The featured speaker was U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Vicars, Ph.D., an assistant professor with the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Vicars provided a presentation entitled “Balancing Ideals and Interests in International Politics.”

Simons Center Director John Nelson opened the event with welcome remarks and recognition of the sponsors. Following lunch, he introduced Vicars.

(Top photo and above) U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Vicars, Ph.D., assistant professor with the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, delivers a presentation entitled “Balancing Ideals and Interests in International Politics” during the Des Moines National Security Forum at the Des Moines Embassy Club West in West Des Moines, Iowa on May 22, 2025.

In his presentation, Vicars outlined a framework for evaluating the ethical implications of war. Drawing on the ideas of German military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, he emphasized that war is an extension of politics. Vicars argued that, as in politics, there must be a balance between the ideal—where nations honor their promises indefinitely—and the reality that shifting global circumstances sometimes require prioritizing national interests.

He then explained the distinction between the concepts of Jus ad Bellum (the justice of going to war) and Jus in Bello (the justice of conduct within war), and how these principles inform ethical decision-making in the political sphere. Vicars noted that, although these terms were not always explicitly mentioned, documents from the Obama administration reflected the use of these concepts when considering engagement in conflict. Throughout his talk, Vicars demonstrated the relevance of these principles to current and potential conflicts around the world, including those involving Iran, Ukraine, Taiwan, and the use of drones in warfare.

After the presentation, Vicars led a lively Q&A session with attendees and provided additional examples of the framework’s application.

Col. R. Paul Vicars, Ph.D., is an entrepreneur and assistant professor at the Air War College (AWC) with duties supporting the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

After earning a doctorate in political science at Baylor University, Vicars served as chair of the Department of International Security Studies at the AWC. Previously he served as the project lead for the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command’s Pilot Training Next initiative at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, where he was responsible for exploring the potential of current and emerging technologies in the context of U.S. Air Force flight training.

Vicars was commissioned in 1999 at Air Force ROTC Detachment 157, Embry-Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Florida. He has flown the F-16 in South Korea, as a Forward Air Controller (Airborne) in Alaska, as well as in support of Operation Noble Eagle in Guam. He has also served in the Combined Forces Command joint operations center in Kabul, Afghanistan. He served on the U.S. Pacific Command joint staff, as well as in joint education at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Vicars’ research interests include military ethics and strategy.

The CGSC Foundation’s Simons Center designed the Des Moines National Security Forum in the mold of its Arter-Rowland National Security Forum in Kansas City, wherein members of the forum meet periodically at guest speaker events to learn about issues related to national security. To help facilitate the new program in Des Moines, Brownells in Grinnell, Iowa, is the Simons Center’s local partner. Brownells Chairman Pete Brownell is also the Vice Chair for the Central Region of the U.S. for the CGSC Foundation’s board of trustees.

~ Thank you to our 2025 DMNSF Sponsors ~