CFR.org Podcasts

EU Concerns over Mideast Migrants

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:06:50 -0400

Massive flight from Middle East and North African turmoil has highlighted immigration problems plaguing the European Union, says Jean-Phillipe Chauzy of the International Organization for Migration. He says the EU must address comprehensive reform and also invest in countries like Tunisia to stem the long-term flow of migration.

An Unlikely Breadwinner Under the Taliban

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:48:40 -0400

The story of a young woman's entrepreneurial success during the Taliban reign in Afghanistan is an argument for international investment in women, says CFR's Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

ROTC Returns to the Ivy League

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:46:11 -0400

The repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy in December 2010 has led some Ivy League universities to reconsider a campus homecoming for ROTC after four decades of exile.

Building Blocks of Successful Revolutions

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:29:15 -0400

Peter Ackerman, an expert on civil resistance movements, says nonviolent revolutions that have a shared vision of future governance are more likely to be successful than those that turn violent, such as Libya's.

U.S.-Pakistan Intel Ties in Trouble

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:01:41 -0500

Increasing distrust between the CIA and Pakistan's ISI over the Raymond Davis case could threaten efforts to fight militancy along the Afghan border. Experts Daniel Markey and Shuja Nawaz discuss policy options to restore the relationship.

Al Jazeera: The World Through Arab Eyes

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:07:09 -0500

Al-Jazeera has been instrumental in covering protests in the Arab world. The Washington bureau chief for al-Jazeera Arabic, Abderrahim Foukara, suggests Western perceptions of the channel are adapting to its pervasive influence in the Arab and Muslim world.

Wikipedia's Global Future

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:45:10 -0500

As Wikipedia celebrates its tenth anniversary, Joseph Reagle, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, sees an opportunity for significant growth in non-English-speaking parts of the world.

Will the Volcker Rule Work?

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:45:52 -0500

As federal regulators flesh out financial reform specifics, questions remain about how the Volcker Rule--aimed at preventing banks from taking overly risky bets--will work, and whether it will make the financial system safer.

Egypt's Copt Crisis

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:37:58 -0500

The recent bombing of a Coptic Church in Egypt underscores deep sectarian tensions and reflects the need for a more open and tolerant society, says CFR's Steven Cook, but Egypt's government would rather ignore underlying political causes.

Maintaining an American Lead in Technology

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:39:20 -0500

To keep its edge in technological innovation against India and China, the United States must focus on open immigration policies, strengthening political and social networks, and more, says CFR's Adam Segal.

A Peace Penalty for Afghan Women?

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:52:33 -0500

As the United States backs reconciliation talks with the Taliban, many Afghan women fear a rollback of their rights. The international community must ensure that discussions of Afghanistan's future include its women, says CFR's Gayle Lemmon.

Putting the Endgame before the War

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:25:23 -0500

Iraq and Afghanistan represent just two of the costly wars that the United States launched without a sustainable political endgame, says Gideon Rose, author of a new book examining U.S. military interventions since World War I.

Debating Chinese Protectionism

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:58:13 -0400

Do China's policies pose a threat to trading partners and the global economy or is that exaggerated? Morgan Stanley's Stephen Roach and the Peterson Institute's Gary Hufbauer discuss.

Obama's Midterm Economics

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:14:17 -0400

Obama's proposals to cut business taxes and boost infrastructure spending are worth a try, says CFR's Sebastian Mallaby, but more monetary stimulus by the Fed could "come back to bite."

The Downside of Discrete Military Operations

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:55:28 -0400

Washington has for decades relied on limited military force to achieve political objectives abroad. In a new book, CFR's Micah Zenko argues these tactics, while politically popular, rarely achieve their aims.

WikiLeaks' Fallout for U.S.-Pakistan Ties

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:55:02 -0400

South Asia experts Shuja Nawaz and Bruce Riedel say the WikiLeaks documents pose challenges to an already strained U.S.-Pakistan relationship. They say the Obama administration should expand military and civilian assistance to the country, along with a focus on greater trade.

Kosovo's 'Moment of Opportunity'

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:55:17 -0400

The International Court of Justice ruling on the legality of Kosovo's independence declaration creates a "moment of opportunity," says former British ambassador David Gowan, but CFR's John Bellinger cautions that it isn't likely to set a precedent for other secessionist groups.

Growing Economic Ties in the Strait

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:57:01 -0400

A new trade deal promises to bring Taiwan and China closer economically, but tensions on security issues remain, says Taiwanese Minister Johnny Chiang.

Managing Afghanistan's Mineral Hopes

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:58:27 -0400

A new spotlight on mineral wealth has spurred debate on the prospects for rescuing Afghanistan's feeble economy. The country's minister of mines and two World Bank experts discuss how to manage Afghan resources.

Kyrgyzstan and Military Base Politics

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:22:24 -0400

Amid Kyrgyzstan's domestic upheaval, the status of an important U.S. military base could become shakier, says expert Alexander Cooley of Columbia University.

The Pentagon's Butter and Guns Debate

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:50:52 -0400

While the secretary of defense targets the military services' hardware for future trims, Pentagon budget expert Todd Harrison says personnel costs should be the real target.

In Praise of Hedge Funds

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:17:25 -0400

Unlike "too big to fail" financial firms, hedge funds spot market bubbles and assume their own losses, says CFR's Sebastian Mallaby.

Facebook, Google, and Online Privacy

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:56:01 -0400

Facebook and Google have aroused concerns about encroachments on privacy online, but media expert Jeff Jarvis says policymakers need to be careful not to overreact and encroach on the Internet's value as a public sphere and lifeline in closed societies.

Mixed Outlook for Mideast Proximity Talks

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:36:50 -0400

The"proximity talks" being conducted between Israelis and Palestinians probably won't lead to a final status agreement, say CFR experts Elliot Abrams and Steven A. Cook, but they could lead to the framework for a Palestinian state on the West Bank.

Boosting U.S. Growth with Trade

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 18 May 2010 11:32:52 -0400

The Obama administration needs to do more to promote free trade and should get tough with intellectual property violators abroad, says the U.S. Council for International Business's Jonathan Huneke at World Trade Week.

Oil Spill's Ripple Effect

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:01:53 -0400

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is not just a problem to clean up, says CFR's Michael Levi, it has serious commercial implications for some oil firms and has dimmed the prospects of U.S. climate legislation.

Islamic Feminists Transforming the Muslim World

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:45:54 -0400

CFR's Senior Fellow Isobel Coleman discusses her new book about the rising empowerment of Muslim women in the Mideast and its potential to transform human rights in the region

Mideast Not Ripe for Obama Plan

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:25:04 -0400

While the time isn't ripe for an Obama administration peace plan, the White House should try to reignite proximity talks and possibly work to develop terms of reference and a structure for future final status talks, says CFR President Richard N. Haass.

Volcanic Ash Clouds EU Economy

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:46:04 -0400

Iceland's volcanic disruption poses long-term problems for European airlines, says European economist Jacob Kirkegaard, and it could also depress the EU's overall GDP this quarter because of curtailed business travel.

Kyrgyzstan Needs Return To Democratic Path

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:37:52 -0400

After a spasm of violent protests that caused Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to flee the capital, the international community must push the new transitional government to set the country back on a democratic path, says CFR Central Asia expert Evan Feigenbaum.