Quantcast
Channel: The American Interest
Viewing all 193 articles
Browse latest View live

Episode 60: A Crisis in Europe and a New Bank in Asia

0
0

Good evening, listeners! No, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke. This week we have three—count ’em, three!—excellent guests on the show to discuss everything from Europe in crisis to Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy to America’s role in NATO to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

First, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security Robert D. Kaplan joins us to discuss what he sees as Europe in crisis as policymakers face challenges from abroad and within. He notes that some are asking whether the continent’s post-war settlement is in meltdown, before noting that Europe is once again one of the major focuses for geopolitics. He argues that Russian aggression in 2014 was nothing new, but rather the latest instance in a pattern of behavior we’ve already been seeing in recent year, and says the real crisis in Europe is if anything moral and spiritual—that EU leaders think more about their own countries than of the strategic interests of the continent.Then, Andrew Michta, the M. W. Buckman Professor of International Studies at Rhodes College and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) returns to the show to discuss NATO’s role in Europe. He describes how establishing permanent bases along NATO’s flanks could serve the defensive and deterrent purposes, and pushes back against the notion that NATO enlargement has led to the current state of play with Russia, noting instead that enlargement has had a stabilizing effect on peripheral European states. He argues that Putin can’t reasonably feel threatened by NATO aggression, and instead puts down recent Russian aggressions to Vlad’s decision to change the direction of Russian foreign policy.Tom Switzer, research associate at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, joins us from Australia to reflect on the legacy of the late Lee Kuan Yew. He remarks that Lee will go down as one of the most influential figures of his time in the region for being able to completely transform Singapore into one of the world’s richest countries, crediting Lee’s tough stance against communism and his unashamed advocacy of free markets. He tempers that by looking at Lee’s propensity to crack down on political opponents and restrict civil liberties, but insists that these must be put in their regional and historical context, and talks of Lee’s role in Nixon’s famous visit to Beijing in 1972. Mr. Switzer also talks about Australia’s announcement that it plans to join the AIIB, noting that Australia is struggling to ride two horses as it balances its strong security alliance with the U.S. against its hugely important trade relationship with China.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Robert D. Kaplan @RobertDKaplan, and Andrew A. Michta @andrewmichta on Twitter.

Episode 61: Talkin’ Turkey and Tehran

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Reading the Lausanne Tea Leaves
Adam GarfinkleNo Way Out
Steven A. Cook

Good evening listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as we welcome Adam Garfinkle back to the show to discuss the Iran deal, and Steven A. Cook joins us to talk about the upcoming elections in Turkey.

First, TAI Editor Adam Garfinkle helps make sense of the recent nuclear deal with Iran. He says he was surprised by the level of detail in the agreement, though he cautions that the framework is still very tentative as it has not been written down in any final form, nor has anyone signed it. He argues that the sunset clause in the agreement is essentially a bet that in the next 10 to 15 years, the Iranian regime will undergo some kind of fundamental change, then tackles the intricacies of the politics surrounding this deal, and how those politics have changed (and could continue to change). He discusses how this deal could affect President Obama’s foreign policy legacy, and challenges the assumption that it was the product of a deliberate strategy on the Administration’s part.Then we’re joined by Steven A. Cook, the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, who explains why the looming elections in Turkey are so important. He describes how these parliamentary elections could allow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to rewrite the constitution without a referendum, a move that would—surprise, surprise—help him consolidate power. He examines the reasons behind the reported falling-out between the Turkish President and the Prime Minister, and looks at what might happen if the pro-Kurdish Democratic People’s Party gets over the 10-percent threshold needed to gain seats in Parliament. He also addresses how Turkey’s economic slowdown is affecting these elections, and how Erdogan has positioned himself to counter that potential threat to his popularity.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Steven A. Cook @stevenacook on Twitter.

Episode 62: Getting Totalitarianism and Grading NATO’s Strategy

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Could It Have Been Otherwise?
Stephen SestanovichMaximalist: America in the World from Truman to Obama
Stephen SestanovichWhy We Need Totalitarianism
Aviezer Tucker

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous talks with Stephen Sestanovich about the state of Russian-American relations, and asks Aviezer Tucker why we need a more refined understanding of totalitarianism.

We’re first joined by Stephen Sestanovich, professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, who examines the claim that the West provoked Russia through NATO enlargement. He says the West’s post-Cold War strategy was risky but not foolish, and notes that even as it expanded NATO the West attempted to mollify Moscow through other forms of cooperation, like arms-control agreements and trade expansion. He discusses the problems with the once-seductive idea of bringing Russia into NATO, and argues that enlargement has stabilized Europe in such a way that Putin’s recent aggression matters less. How ironic.Then we welcome to the show Aviezer Tucker, the author of The Legacies of Totalitarianism: A Theoretical Framework to be published later this year, and an associate of the Davis Center at Harvard University. He explains the distinction between authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, and tells us why that difference is so important—and so useful—to keep in mind when examining the world today. He outlines what kinds of questions one might ask to determine the differences between totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, and grounds the discussion by taking a look at the present-day governments of Greece and Russia.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Stephen Sestanovich @SSestanovich on Twitter.

Episode 63: America’s Got Relationship Issues

0
0

Good evening, podcast listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as our host Richard Aldous speaks with Mike Gonzalez about the recent decision to normalize relations with Cuba, before welcoming John Bew back to the show to discuss the “special relationship” between Britain and the U.S.

We’re first joined by Heritage Foundation senior fellow Mike Gonzalez, who criticizes Obama for recently shaking hands with Raul Castro. He juxtaposes that choice with the President’s decision not to meet with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Gonzalez questions the wisdom of normalizing relations with Cuba, and sees public sentiment ultimately swinging against it. He argues that beyond America’s interests in the country, this normalization will create a grim reality for Cuba itself. He also shares his unique insight on what it was like to grow up in Castro’s Cuba.Then, John Bew— a reader at the War Studies Department at King’s College London and former Henry A. Kissinger Chair at the Library of Congress— returns to the show to discuss U.S.-UK relations. He examines the degree to which foreign policy and Britain’s relationship with the U.S. is figuring into the country’s upcoming election.Bew notes a seeming dissatisfaction in America with British foreign policy, and discusses the lasting effect the Iraq war has had on the United Kingdom’s policy. He describes what he sees as a generational gap in influential strategists in the Anglo-American world. Finally, he argues that while the Western world order has encouraged both global trade and stability, it has also entailed plenty of hypocrisy, which we ignore at our own peril.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, John Bew @JohnBew, and Mike Gonzalez @Gundisalvus on Twitter.

Episode 64: Abe’s Speech and a History Lesson for Iran

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Nuclear Arms Control, Then and Now
Michael MandelbaumThe Road to Global Prosperity
Michael MandelbaumPivot to Japan
Jeffrey Gedmin

Good evening, listeners! We have a great episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous speaks with Michael Mandelbaum about the Iran nuclear deal before talking with Jeffrey Gedmin about Abe’s visit to Washington and Japan’s changing place in the world.

We welcome back to the show Michael Mandelbaum, TAI editorial board member and the Christian A. Herter Professor of American Foreign Policy at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, to discuss the recent framework deal with Iran. He points out that the agreement raises as many questions as it answers, highlighting inspections as a likely sticking point going forwards. He looks back to Cold War arms control to find lessons for today’s negotiations with Iran, and in so doing sees potentially insurmountable obstacles for the success of today’s talks. He explains why it may be harder for the United States to negotiate with Iran than it was with the Soviet Union, and looks for reasons why the U.S. has made so many concessions.Then, Jeffrey Gedmin, Chair of the Global Politics and Security Concentration at Georgetown’s M.S. in Foreign Service program, speaks with Richard about Shinzo Abe’s historic address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow. He describes Japan as a country looking to normalize its foreign policy and take a more active role on the world stage. He discusses how China’s rise is affecting the Abe Administration’s goals and ambitions and Japan’s role in the region. He speaks also on the contentious issue of Japanese historical revisionism before discussing the state of America’s interests in Asia, and how a stronger Japan with a normalized foreign policy could benefit the U.S.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

Episode 65: Riding Tigers and Exposing Corruption

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Why the U.S. Can’t Ride the Iranian Tiger
Aaron David MillerAiring Putin’s Dirty Laundry
John P. Walters

Good evening, podcast listeners! We have an excellent show for you this week as our host, Richard Aldous, welcomes back Aaron David Miller to discuss the problems America faces as it moves forward with the nuclear deal with Iran, before speaking with John P. Walters about Congress’s options for discrediting Putin’s regime.

First, Aaron David Miller, vice president at the Woodrow Wilson Center and a former Middle East analyst and negotiator, describes how Iran has taken advantage of a stalled Arab Spring, and discusses how a rising Iran presents some opportunities but many challenges and constraints. He characterizes the Iran deal as transactional, not transformational, before saying that American foreign policy in the Middle East seems to vacillate between being all-in and not-in-at-all, and that the Obama Administration has struggled to find the balance between those two untenable extremes. He also reflects on the seductive danger of negotiators falling in love with their own negotiations.Then, Richard welcomes to the show John P. Walters, the Hudson Institute’s chief operating officer and the former Director of Drug Control Policy for President George W. Bush. He reviews why Vladimir Putin represents such a serious threat to the global world order, and outlines a strategy that the U.S. Congress might employ to curb his kleptocratic regime. Walters suggests going after not only the money, but also after the reputations of corrupt officials by releasing reports detailing the shady dealings of Putin and the powerful people surrounding him. He suggests that by leveraging the true soft power of the U.S., we might put real pressure on an inherent weakness of the Putin regime. He also looks at how Putin might try to combat such a campaign, but notes that in today’s information age, it would be extraordinarily difficult for Putin to manage much of a counterattack.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Aaron David Miller @aarondmiller2, and John P. Walters @john_walters_ on Twitter.

Episode 66: Cameron’s Britain and America’s Underclass

0
0

Good evening, listeners! What a treat we have for you this week, as our host Richard Aldous welcomes Tim Bale to the show to discuss the surprising results in Britain’s recent elections, before speaking with Richard Thompson Ford about a better way of thinking about race in America.

First, Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, discusses the British elections, saying that the surprising victory for David Cameron and the Conservative party should have pollsters reviewing their methods. He explains that Labour’s dramatic failure can be put down to the fact that it failed to convince the public of its competency, and moreover failed to convince its core support that turning out could make a difference. He notes that, as in any election, voter turnout—especially amongst younger demographics—was crucial to the results, before discussing what me might expect from Cameron and his slim majority in the years to come. He reflects on the Scottish Nationalist Party’s success and says that this re-raises the possibility of a referendum on Scottish independence. He also looks at UKIP leader Nigel Farage’s resignation—and subsequent de-resignation—and what this might mean for that party’s longer term future.Then, Richard Thompson Ford, the George E. Osborne professor at Stanford law school, revisits his 2012 essay on changes in American race relations the importance of including class in these discussions. He points out that for many African Americans, fortunes have risen dramatically in recent years thanks to increasing job opportunities, rising incomes, and the lessening of severity of certain prejudices. But he tempers this outlook by remarking that a kind of underclass exists, for whom rising crime, endemic poverty, and chronic incarceration have devastated communities. He says that because of this division, class issues need to be addressed as a distinct problem when discussing race. He describes how America’s police force has effectively been given the job of quarantining this underclass, and that this necessarily antagonistic relationship has hurt all involved. Finally, he looks at the recent riots over Freddy Gray’s death in police hands in Baltimore and explains why this tragic situation requires a more nuanced discussion of race.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Tim Bale @ProfTimBale, and Richard Thompson Ford @Richard_T_Ford on Twitter.

Episode 67: Wolf Hall and Camp David Denouement

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Allies Raging Against the Dying Light
Hillel Fradkin and Lewis LibbyA Wolf Eat Wolf World
Nicholas M. Gallagher

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with Hillel Fradkin about the state of Obama’s strategies in the Middle East, before talking with Nicholas M. Gallagher about the Broadway play “Wolf Hall.”

Hillel Fradkin, director of the Center on Islam, Democracy and the Future of the Muslim World at the Hudson Institute, discusses last week’s meeting at Camp David between President Obama and representatives from six Persian Gulf nations about the President’s plan for an accord with Iran. He suggests that in both that meeting and in related press appearances, Obama doesn’t seem to have accomplished the goal of assuaging concerns over Tehran. He also examines the degree to which the Obama Administration has made this Iran deal the center of its strategy in the Middle East.Tune in to find out what the Iran negotiations have in common with George Bush’s so-called “surge” in 2007, and how Middle East policy might play in elections next year.Then, The American Interest staff writer Nicholas M. Gallagher discusses his review of the Hillary Mantel play “Wolf Hall.” He explains why the Tudors seem to have captivated popular culture these recent years, pointing to the appeal of the inherent drama of a small group of courtiers, and goes on to argue that the religious violence that features so prominently in the Tudor time period might be helping us come to terms with our own version of that mayhem (Islamic extremism, for example) today.He says that Hillary Mantel has helped revive Cromwell’s reputation by portraying him as a man from a humble background who helped to modernize the Tudor state, though he notes that while that outlook may make for good drama, it’s a bit of revisionist history. Moreover, he contends, Cromwell was in some ways the inventor of the security state in England.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Nicholas M. Gallagher @ngallagherAI on Twitter.

Episode 68: Praising Political Realism and a Riga Recap

0
0

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week, as our host Richard Aldous speaks with Jonathan Rauch about a new kind of political realism before welcoming Andrew A. Michta back to the show to discuss last week’s Eastern Partnership Summit and Polish elections.

First, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and senior writer for National Journal Jonathan Rauch joins us to discuss his recent report that pushes back against the idea that political machines, back-room dealings and big money are necessarily detrimental to American governance. He argues that the real crisis in Washington today is not one of leadership, but of follower-ship, making it difficult to pass even majority-supported legislation. To that end, he suggests that the problem we face today is not one of too much politics, but rather too little, and that the popular and even idealistic political reforms often championed today will only work to slow down the political process even further.Then, Andrew A. Michta, the M. W. Buckman Professor of International Studies at Rhodes College and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, returns to the show to review last week’s meeting of European leaders in Riga. He says that while leaders walked away from the meetings with brave faces firmly on, the agreements reached won’t have satisfied the hopes of the six former Soviet republics involved. He discusses how those involved danced around the 800-pound gorilla—Putin’s Russia—and points to economic stagnation and electoral unrest as forces working against potential European enlargement. Then, he provides insight into the mood in Warsaw following what was in many ways a surprising election for Poland, and says the outcome encapsulated a trend common across the region—young people with little memory of Communism swaying results.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Jonathan Rauch @jon_rauch, and Andrew A. Michta @andrewmichta on Twitter.

Episode 69: Exposing FIFA and Weaponizing Humor

0
0

Good afternoon, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week, as host Richard Aldous welcomes Brett Forrest back to the show to discuss Sepp Blatter’s sudden resignation from scandal-ridden FIFA, before speaking with Michael Rubin about deploying satire as a weapon in the fight against ISIS.

First, Brett Forrest, author and senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, reacts to the dramatic and still developing story of the exposure of FIFA’s corruption, discussing the surprising resignation of Sepp Blatter just days after his reelection. He explains why the United States was the one to ultimately call FIFA leadership to the carpet, and points to the structure of FIFA’s organization as being particularly conducive to corruption, bribery, and kickbacks. He says that now that Blatter is gone, anything is possible with regards to changing the location of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (currently slated to be hosted in Russia and Qatar, respectively). Finally, he looks at the massive task lying ahead for FIFA: reforming its processes and ridding itself of an endemic culture of corruption.Then, Michael Rubin, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Richard to advocate for the usage of satire to combat ISIS. He suggests that sophisticated satire can puncture the image radical Islamists project to recruit new members, and in effect show that the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes. He points out how humor can counter the theatricality ISIS employs when engaging with the rest of the world, and while acknowledging the difficulties of carrying out this idea without being insensitive to the religion of Islam, he tells us why it’s important to tackle this threat on this front, however delicate that operation may be.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Brett Forrest @brett_forrest, and Michael Rubin @mrubin1971 on Twitter.

Episode 70: A Burmese Spring and Insidious Technovelty

0
0

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week as host Richard Aldous speaks with Rena Pederson about the Burma Spring before discussing what ubiquitous technology is doing to our brains with Richard E. Cytowic.

First, Richard welcomes Rena Pederson, former adviser on strategic communications at the U.S. Department of State and the author of The Burma Spring: Aung San Suu Kyi and the New Struggle for the Soul of a Nation, to the show to discuss dichotomous Burma. She describes Burma as a beautiful, beguiling country rich in resources but faced with widespread poverty, with an estimated two-thirds to three-quarters of its citizens lacking access to electricity. She points to a distressing increase in political prisoners and new draconian anti-Muslim laws as worrying signs for the country, even as it enjoys economic growth and a rapid increase in foreign investment. Then she touches on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s upcoming visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, and what that means for Burmese elections and more broadly for Burma’s relationship with China.Then, author and professor of neurology at George Washington University Richard E. Cytowic examines the seldom-discussed tradeoffs that come with technological advances, focusing on what increased “screen time”—whether on phones, tablets, computers, or television—is doing to our brains, and especially to the still-developing brains of children and teens. He discusses his own as well as others’ research on the topic, explaining the loss of the connection between the brain and the hand that comes with typing, and the loss of motor skills that this new way of writing brings. He discusses the benefits of reading on paper as opposed to on screens and the dangers of blithely adopting each new technology as it comes along.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Rena Pederson @PedersonR1, and Richard E. Cytowic @Cytowic on Twitter.

Episode 71: Erdogan Falls Short and Russian Propaganda Wins Big

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Turkey Comes Undone
Steven A. CookHumiliation as a Tool of Blackmail
Lilia ShevtsovaSwimming With Sharks
Lilia Shevtsova

Good evening podcast fans. Tonight, our host Richard Aldous welcomes onto the show Steven A. Cook, the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations to discuss his essay on the recent elections in Turkey. Cook argues that though Turkey’s electoral institutions were able to deliver a rebuke to President Erdogan’s ambitions for expanding his powers, neither is the rebuke complete, nor is stability anything close to guaranteed.

Next, Richard talks to a longstanding friend of the podcast Lilia Shevtsova, who discusses her two recent pieces for TAI. Why is it that so many Western experts have bought into the “Weimar Syndrome” explanation for Russia’s recent behavior? And what is it, anyway?Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Steven Cook @stevenacook on Twitter.

Episode 72: Election Rejection in Hong Kong and Turkey

0
0

Relevant Reading:

China’s Hong Kong Problem Is Not Going Away
Yevgen SautinErdogan Isn’t Finished
Claire Berlinski

Good evening, listeners! We’ve got a treat for you today as our host Richard Aldous speaks with two expert guests about China’s Hong Kong problem and the shake-out from Turkey’s recent elections.

First we’re joined by Yevgen Sautin, a strategic risk analyst at U.S. Bank and former Boren Fellow at the National Taiwan University, to discuss Hong Kong lawmakers’ rejection of an election blueprint for Hong Kong’s chief executive. He talks us through what happened, explaining the somewhat convoluted elections procedure currently in place in Hong Kong, and looks at how Beijing might react. He reflects on how China is studying Gorbachev’s Soviet Union to help it craft its Hong Kong policy, and discusses what this means for America’s strategic interests in the region.Richard then welcomes to the show Claire Berlinski, senior fellow for Turkey at the American Foreign Policy Council and Manhattan Institute scholar, to discuss what’s next for Turkey and President Erdogan after the country’s recent inconclusive elections. She focuses on what lies ahead for the so-called Kurdish peace process, now that a party with roots in the Kurdish national movement has entered parliament for the first time. She also situates the uncertainty of Turkey’s political future in a regional and global context, explaining how outside events are putting the country in a pressure cooker.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Yevgen Sautin @YSautin, and Claire Berlinski @ClaireBerlinski on Twitter.

Episode 73: An Iranian Retrospective

0
0

Happy Thursday, listeners! Apologies for the publishing delay this week, but perhaps it’s appropriate that the show missed its usual release date as its topic—the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran—have also run past their deadline.

This week we bring you a retrospective, as we look back to some stellar guests from past episodes to help provide context for what is being discussed in those talks today. First we hear from Aaron David Miller, vice president at the Woodrow Wilson Center, about his own experience as a Middle East negotiator. Then Michael Mandelbaum, TAI editorial board member and the Christian A. Herter Professor of American Foreign Policy at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, helps place these talks in a regional context.Adam Garfinkle, Editor of The American Interest, tells us why we ought to be skeptical of monitoring provisions. And finally we hear from Gary Samore, President Obama’s White House Coordinator for Weapons of Mass Destruction Arms Control and Counterterrorism from 2009 to 2013 and executive director for research at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Aaron David Miller @aarondmiller2 on Twitter.

Episode 74: What Greece Means for Europe

0
0

Relevant Reading:

Grexit May Be Europe’s Teaching Moment
Andrew A. Michta

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent episode for you this week. Our host, Richard Aldous, welcomes Andrew A. Michta back to the program to discuss the unraveling situation in Greece.

Andrew A. Michta, the M. W. Buckman Professor of International Studies at Rhodes College, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the incoming professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, returns to the show to reflect on the looming Grexit and what it will mean for Europe. Michta sees the present crisis as a wake-up call for the leading countries of Europe, especially Germany and France, as well as a sign that the bill for Europe’s growing democracy deficit is at long last beginning to come due.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Andrew A. Michta @andrewmichta on Twitter.

Episode 75: Your Greece Bailout Explainer and the Coming Healthcare Revolution

0
0

Relevant Reading:

A Doctor in the House
Philip Auerswald

Good evening, podcast listeners! We’ve got a great episode for you this week as Richard Aldous speaks with his Bard colleague Pavlina Tcherneva about the recently announced deal with Greece before discussing the promise of disruptive new healthcare technologies with Philip Auerswald.

First we welcome Pavlina Tcherneva, Associate Professor of Economics at Bard College and a research scholar at the Levy Economics Institute, to the show to help explain what happened with the latest bailout of Greece to allow it to stay in the eurozone, and what this means for the future of Europe. She describes a deal that seems to contain more austerity than was initially proposed, and calls some of its economic incentives perverse. She discusses why the economic situation in Greece today is in some ways worse than was America’s Great Depression, and compares the decision to bail out Greece to Ireland’s austerity experience.We’re then joined by Philip Auerswald, Associate Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University and the cofounder and co-editor of Innovations, a quarterly journal from MIT Press about entrepreneurial solutions to global challenges, to discuss how we might reduce spiraling costs of healthcare. He describes how innovative new technologies might help us cut costs in the system, pointing to mobile platforms as critical new tools for boosting efficiency and curtailing waste. He also discusses the challenges inherent to the implementation of these disruptive new approaches to healthcare, including the protection of data and the government’s role in regulating these new methods.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous, Pavlina Tcherneva @ptcherneva, and Philip Auerswald @auerswald on Twitter.

Episode 76: Iranian Implications and a Civil War Reflection

0
0

Good afternoon, listeners! We have a great show for you this week as host Richard Aldous welcomes Paul Bracken to the show to discuss the strategic implications of the Iran deal, before speaking with Jim Remsen about the story of a former slave who fought for the Union in the Civil War.

First, Richard speaks with Paul Bracken, professor of management and political science at Yale University, about the recent Iran deal, who says this agreement will be looked back upon as the abandonment of the strategy of preventing a second nuclear age, and the adoption instead of a policy of management in a new nuclear epoch. He explains why he’s optimistic about the future of arms control despite his pessimism about Iran specifically, and addresses what these negotiations with Tehran will mean for nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. He explains how advances in cybersecurity technology are in many ways a destabilizing development because of the manner in which the technology can be used to combat nuclear deterrents.Then, Richard welcomes retired Philadelphia Inquirer editor and author of the historical novel Visions of Teaoga Jim Remsen to the show to discuss his essay on a civil war veteran that survived his return to the South with the Union army after escaping north along the Underground Railroad. He explains how he came upon the story and how it relates to his hometown of Waverly, Pennsylvania, and tells the history of George Keys, one of the first fugitives to arrive in Waverly. He describes the magnitude of the decision for Keys and others like him to join the Union army and return to the South to fight in the civil war, and looks at why these former slaves made the decision to put themselves back in the fray.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Jim Remsen @JimRemsen on Twitter.

Episode 77: Succeeding Putin and Beating His Propaganda

0
0

Relevant Reading:

What Comes Next in Russia
Andrew WoodSpies, Lies and the Power of Truth
Jeffrey Gedmin

Good evening, podcast listeners.

On today’s show, host Richard Aldous first talks to Sir Andrew Wood about his most recent essay speculating on the succession struggles awaiting Russia after Vladimir Putin leaves office (one way or another). He also discusses the new Chatham House report on Russia, which argues that the West has not fully come to terms with the challenges that Vladimir Putin’s regime presents to a stable world order.Next, Richard welcomes back Jeffrey Gedmin to talk about the legacy of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and how we might consider fighting back against the torrents of propaganda being belched forth by the media masterminds of Moscow.

Episode 78: ISIS’s Sex Slaves and the Iran Deal in Context

0
0

Good evening, listeners! We have an excellent show for you this week, as our host Richard Aldous invites Nina Shea to the show to discuss ISIS and sex slavery, and speaks with Paul Carrese about Obama’s Iran strategy in a historical context.

First, senior fellow and director of Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom Nina Shea comes on to the show to tell the horrifying story of ISIS’s policy of selling women and young girls into sexual slavery, especially to the young jihadis that make up the core of the caliphate.Then, professor of Political Science at the U.S. Air Force Academy Paul Carrese joins Richard to ground the Iran deal in its appropriate historical context, arguing that President Obama more closely resembles Wilson than he does Nixon in his pursuit of the agreement. He reminds us that the views expressed are his own, and not those of any U.S. government agency.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous on Twitter.

Episode 79: Talkin’ Turkey and EUber

0
0

Good evening, listeners! This week host Richard Aldous invites two excellent guests to the show. First, Gordon Dee Smith speaks with Richard about car-hailing app Uber’s travails in Europe, and then we welcome Dov Friedman to discuss the recent deal to bring Turkey into the anti-ISIS coalition.

First, Gordon Dee Smith, founder and CEO of the private intelligence agency Strategic Insight Group (SIG) and the current President of the Board of the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations (DCFR), points out that the debate over Uber has taken on larger dimensions in Europe. He says that while we might be specifically talking about an on-demand taxi service, more broadly the discussion is about the long-term struggle between disruptive innovators and those comfortable with the status quo. He looks at Uber’s recent efforts to reshape its image and seek more solid political ground, and at how the matter of regulating new tech startups is straining the relationship between member states and the central EU bureaucracy.Then, Dov Friedman, an independent analyst specializing in Turkey and Kurdistan, joins us to discuss the recent dispatch of six F-16 fighters to Turkey as part of a deal with Ankara to increase strikes on ISIS. He takes us through the broad outlines of that deal and what both the U.S. and Turkey are hoping to gain from it, and explains how recent Turkish elections earlier this year affected the negotiation of this agreement. Finally, he takes a look at the broader consequences of the arrangement for the region and for the fight against ISIS.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Dov Friedman @DovSFriedman on Twitter.
Viewing all 193 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images