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- The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of Chemical Weapons
08/07/2018
"Chemical weapons have been used in almost every decade since their advent just over a century ago. They are not a specter, like nuclear weapons. We know their effects, and how numerous states have employed them, and how they might do so in the future. In fact, after a few decades of relative non-use, chemical-weapons attacks have again exploded onto the scene--as a weapon of war, terror, and as a tool of state assassination."
08/07/18 - In Defense of the Trump-Kim Summit
06/14/2018
"As a long-time Asia watcher, I feel it's important to defend the value of the Singapore summit. The meeting has served to establish rapport between the U.S. and North Korean leaders and a more positive tone, reduce the chance of war, launch a framework for technical arms negotiations, and set the broad goal of peace on the Korean Peninsula. All unthinkable a few months ago."
06/14/18 - Roadmap to Hell: Sex, Drugs and Guns on the Mafia Coast, with Barbie Latza Nadeau
05/24/2018
Rome-based journalist Barbie Latza Nadeau tells the horrifying story of the thousands of Nigerian women and girls duped into being trafficked to Italy, where they are forced to become sex slaves, drug mules, or weapons smugglers. How can this be stopped? The Nigerian government turns a blind eye, Libya, the transit point, is a failed state, and Italy is overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of migrants--plus prostitution is legal there.
05/24/18 - Crime and Global Justice: The Dynamics of International Punishment, with Daniele Archibugi
05/07/2018
Are we witnessing a new era of cosmopolitan justice or are the old principles of victors' justice still in play? Economic and political theorist Daniele Archibugi discusses his new book, "Crime and Global Justice," which examines the history of global criminal justice and presents five case studies: Augusto Pinochet, Slobodan Milošević, Radovan Karadžić, Saddam Hussein, and Omar al-Basheer.
05/07/18 - Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, with Amy Chua
03/07/2018
"The United States today is starting to display destructive political dynamics much more typically associated with developing countries: ethno-nationalist movements, the erosion of trust in our institutions and electoral outcomes, and above all, the transformation of democracy into an engine of zero-sum political tribalism."
03/07/18 - "Modern Slavery" with Siddharth Kara
01/30/2018
In his third book on slavery, which took 16 years of research, Siddharth Kara calculates that there are roughly 31 million slaves worldwide, at least half of them in South Asia. We need to apply much more resources and compassion to end "this horrible indignity."
01/30/18 - Tunisia: An Arab Anomaly with Safwan M. Masri
12/14/2017
Did you know that Tunisia started championing women's rights in the eighth century, and is still far ahead of most Arab and Muslim-majority countries? Indeed Tunisia's trajectory on many fronts has been radically more progressive than that of other Arab nations. So while it it may serve as an inspiration, its unique history probably makes its success impossible to duplicate, says Safwan Masri.
12/14/17 - False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East, with Steven A. Cook
10/30/2017
Half a decade after Arabs across the Middle East poured into the streets to demand change, hopes for democracy have disappeared in a maelstrom of violence and renewed state repression. How did things go so wrong so quickly across a wide range of regimes? What role can and should the United States play? Don't miss this conversation with Steven Cook, an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy.
10/30/17 - James Traub on Immigrants and Refugees
06/08/2017
What happens when Sweden, one of the most welcoming countries on Earth for migrants, simply runs out of beds? What are the unpleasant (and politically incorrect) truths about the difficulties of assimilation in Europe? How can we have honest policy discussions about this? Author James Traub has been spending time in Sweden, France, and Germany and has given these sensitive issues much thought. Don't miss his unflinching analysis.
06/08/17 - The Lockerbie Bombing: The Search for Justice
03/24/2017
In 1988, a bomb detonated on Pan Am 103, killing all on board and devastating the Scottish town of Lockerbie. A Libyan was convicted of the crime. His subsequent release from prison and deportation to Libya caused an international controversy. Kenny MacAskill explains his decision to release him and the complex intrigues involved in this case.
03/24/17 - No Place for Eritreans
03/22/2017
Eritreans are fleeing their repressive homeland at the rate of 5,000 a month. Yet once they manage to leave, new dangers await these hapless refugees, from extortion to violence and death. How can the world turn its back?
03/22/17 - A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order
03/03/2017
Concerned about where the world is heading? Don't miss this measured and comprehensive overview from Richard Haas, in which he lays out the global situation facing President Trump and what may lie ahead. Topics include the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Russia, NATO, the UN, and the main factor behind job losses.
03/03/17 - Donald Trump. . . . . Commander-in-Chief
11/28/2016
Donald Trump is now president-elect. Despite the bitter opposition that occurred throughout the campaign, all Americans should want him to be successful. This is particularly true for his most important role as commander-in-chief, as he must deal with a variety of significant threats.
11/28/16 - Major Security Challenges for the Next President
10/06/2016
Afghanistan, terrorism, U.S.-Russia relations: Col. McCausland gives an expert analysis of all these security challenges and more. Yet he concludes on a hopeful note: "We need to remember that we are a great country. There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic. We endured in the past and by golly, we're going to endure in the future."
10/06/16 - Free Speech: Ten Principles for a Connected World
09/30/2016
In today's connected world--a "cosmopolis" dominated by the "four superpowers" Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon--what we need is to have more but also better free speech, declares Garton Ash. The West, particularly the U.S., should strive to promote global free speech, and we must foster a "robust civility" despite our differences.
09/30/16 - The Progressive's Paradox
06/15/2016
Can left-wing ideologies ever co-exist comfortably with military intervention? U.S. foreign policy over the past two decades has failed to align squarely with the two major domestic political parties—is the liberal/conservative distinction here a myth?
06/15/16 - What Went Wrong in the Arab Spring?
02/15/2016
In the early days of the Arab Spring, non-violent civil resistance helped topple authoritarian governments in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen. Yet these apparent triumphs were followed by disasters. What went wrong? Was the problem rooted in the popular movements themselves, or in their societies? And what's the best way forward now?
02/15/16 - The Unprecedented Jihadi Threat in Europe
01/25/2016
"At this very moment, ISIS is recruiting probably 100 people a week from all over the world, including this very country. So it is not a European problem, it is not an Arab issue; it is a global threat and global challenge. That is why I insist on the fact that the threat has to be dealt with at the source, which is basically Syria."
01/25/16 - Bearing Witness to War and Injustice: Ron Haviv, Photojournalist
12/21/2015
From the Balkan Wars to both invasions of Iraq to the current refugee crisis, photojournalist Ron Haviv has been at the center of many of the world's most dangerous conflicts over the last three decades. In this fascinating talk, Haviv walks us through some of his most striking photographs and discusses the complicated ethics of being a journalist in a war zone.
12/21/15 - Perspectives from Inside a Tumultuous Middle East: Syria-Iraq-ISIS-Russia and Iran
11/23/2015
The majority of the Arab World seeks justice, accountability, and democracy, says Beirut-based Rami Khouri. What we are dealing with now is bad governance in the region combined with the terrible consequences of continuous foreign military intervention: American, Russian, European, Iranian, Israeli, and inter-Arab.
11/23/15