CFR.org Podcasts

Providing HIV Treatment in an Uncertain Financial Climate

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:52:02 -0400

CFR Fellow Peter Navario discusses the leveling off of South Africa's AIDS epidemic and its ability to step up HIV/AIDS treatments in light of "flatlined" global health funding.

Sanctioning North Korea

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:46:46 -0400

CFR Fellow Kara C. McDonald says the new UN Security Council Resolution against North Korea is one of the strongest set of sanctions adopted thus far by the body, though success in bringing North Korea back to the negotiation table is dependent on enforcement.

China's Difficult Choices

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:41:16 -0400

CFR's Brad Setser examines U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's statements about the need to rebalance China economic relations with the United States and says China shouldn't be overly concerned about the risks of U.S. inflation.

The Devil in the Details on Closing Guantanamo

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:59:09 -0400

CFR's Marisa L. Porges says the mounting political debate over the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees underscores the steep challenges President Barack Obama faces in closing the camp within a one-year timeline.

New Hopes for Stability in South Asia

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:00:50 -0400

South Asia expert Teresita Schaffer says a decisive victory for Congress Party in Indian elections and a possible end to the civil war in Sri Lanka could bolster a region buffeted by conflict.

Can the Internet Bring Democracy to China?

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:09:23 -0400

Xiao Qiang, an expert on China, says a digital revolution alone will not bring leadership change in Beijing but it could, in the long run, lead to a less repressive government in the country.

Assessing the New Command in Afghanistan

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:32:07 -0400

The replacement of the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan with a counterinsurgency expert could shift momentum, but CFR's Stephen Biddle says it might also anger Afghans who oppose U.S. special operations tactics.

India's Role in Democracy Promotion

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:05:17 -0400

As the world's largest democracy holds its parliamentary elections, the head of the UN Democracy Fund and an Indian foreign policy expert discuss the frictions between India's national interests and democratic values.

China's Health Care Reform

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:57:55 -0400

Drew Thompson, director of China studies at the Nixon Center, examines Beijing's proposed overhaul of its health care system--and the political and economic consequences if it fails.

Understanding Change at the Fed

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:49:57 -0400

Greg Ip, U.S. economics editor at the Economist, examines what he calls the "more creative and more aggressive" policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve and says policymakers may seek oversight of how the Fed provides loans.

Flynn: U.S. Remains Unprepared for Major Epidemic

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:33:51 -0400

Stephen Flynn, a leading homeland security expert, says while the initial U.S. response to the swine flu outbreak has gone reasonably well, the country remains ill prepared for a severe epidemic.

Drugs Displace Immigration as Top U.S. Concern in U.S.-Mexico Relations

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:43:41 -0400

Joe Contreras, former Latin America bureau chief for Newsweek, says while Mexico and the United States step up engagement on battling drug traffickers, another priority--immigration reform--is unlikely to get top U.S. attention.

The United States Should Avoid "Grand Schemes" in Somalia

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:34:28 -0400

CFR's Bronwyn Bruton says the United States should avoid grand schemes in its attempts to fight piracy in Somalia.

Making Aid Work

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:16:47 -0400

A senior USAID official and CFR's Isobel Coleman discuss aid priorities in Pakistan and how development programs can be made more effective.

The SCO Role in Afghanistan

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:24:29 -0400

CFR Central Asia expert Evan Feigenbaum says the United States has a rare opportunity to explore whether the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can become a serious partner in stabilizing Afghanistan.

Politics in Nigeria Have 'Ground to a Halt'

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:16:30 -0400

Nigeria expert Jean Hershkovits says that Nigeria's political processes "have more or less ground to a halt," leading to desperation and disillusionment.

Misreading Iraq

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:52:40 -0400

Charles Duelfer, a former UN weapons inspector in Iraq, says the biggest failure in the run-up to the war was misreading Iraqis' intentions, a lesson to consider when dealing with other hard-to-gauge countries, like Iran.

How to Leverage U.S. Global Health Dollars More Effectively

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:18:35 -0400

Lee Wells of the Touch Foundation discusses his work on training health workers in Tanzania and how the United States can most efficiently use its global-health aid dollars.

The Problem with the UN Resolution on Defamation of Religions

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:20:16 -0400

L. Bennett Graham of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty expresses concern about a recent UN resolution on defamation of religions, saying it may provide cover to states that attempt to censor peaceful religious speech.

Foreign Affairs Preview: March/April 2009

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:23:35 -0500

An inside look at the March/April 2009 of Foreign Affairs.

Smart Power in Pakistan

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:13:44 -0500

Suzanne Nossel, a human rights advocate, and Jonah Blank, chief South Asia adviser on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discuss how Pakistan may be a crucial test for the Obama administration as it pursues a "smart power" approach to foreign policy.

A Commander’s View of Stability in Afghanistan

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:17:54 -0500

Pessimism runs deep as the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan presses on, but one U.S. Army colonel sees reason for optimism in the local leaders he helped train.

A 'Historic Time' for Tackling Reform of U.S. Foreign Aid System

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:56:29 -0500

CFR health expert Laurie Garrett says the start of a new U.S. administration amid a global economic crisis offers an opportunity to reform the system for delivering foreign aid.

Obama Must Focus on Conflict Resolution and Development in Africa

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:19:42 -0500

Two Africa experts urge the incoming Obama administration to focus on resolving Africa's disastrous conflicts, and finding a way to sustain development on the continent.

U.S.-Cuba Policy 'Caught Between Conflicting Impulses'

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:07:34 -0500

Daniel Erikson, director of Caribbean programs at the Inter-American Dialogue, says that expectations of change in U.S.-Cuba policy under Barack Obama's administration might be overly optimistic.

Iraq's Troubled Criminal Justice System

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:06:58 -0500

On paper Iraq's justice system appears sound, but Michael Wahid Hanna of The Century Foundation says "major systemic and structural problems" plague Iraq's legal framework.

Foreign Affairs Preview: January/February 2009

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:20:41 -0500

An inside look at the January/February 2009 issue of Foreign Affairs.

Proceed with Caution on Afghan Tribal Strategy

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:17:59 -0500

A tribal reconciliation strategy could help counter Taliban influence in Afghanistan in the short term, a U.S. expert says. But if the process is not handled carefully, he says, it could seed deeper unrest down the road.

Assessing the Way Forward in Eastern Congo

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:49:24 -0400

Anthony Gambino, an expert on the Democratic Republic of Congo, discusses the recent escalation in conflict in eastern Congo and the necessity of training a professional Congolese army.

Foreign Affairs Preview: November/December 2008

newsteam@cfr.org (Council on Foreign Relations) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:35:32 -0400

An inside look at the November/December 2008 issue of Foreign Affairs.