Episodes
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Pete and Laura look back on their favorite episodes of the past year, covering cybercrime, space diplomacy and gangsterism among others. And what's to come in the new administration? Borders north and south, changes in the Middle East, and Ukraine. We expect challenges with adversaries, but more importantly, how will the new administration engage our friends?
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Ambassador Luis Arreaga, Senior Advisor at the Partnership for Central America, brings companies such as Meta, Mastercard, Microsoft, together with the World Bank, NGOs and civil society organizations to address one of the root causes of immigration: lack of economic opportunity. The result speak for themselves: 90,000 jobs.
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Missing episodes?
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Ambassador Deborah McCarthy unpacks the benefits to the global community, particularly the American public, of the recently concluded UN Convention on Cybercrime. The mission: to better protect our children from predators and our data from thieves.
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Got a leak? Call a plumber. Want security and prosperity for you and the family, call a diplomat. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma and Ambassador Mike Polt (Arizona State University) speak to gearing up the career Foreign Service to meet intensifying global challenges and explain why talent, experience and expertise matter more than ever. Listen and learn, also, what Little League has to do with diplomacy.
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“I feel wonderful!” Hosay Erfani, who appeared on our show as the Taliban took over (They Will Cut Our Heads, Of course, And What of Our Friend Toobah), had a harrowing escape from the deadly regime. Now in the US for two years, she is an unbelievable young woman, turning adversity into opportunity, opportunity into success. Here is her tale. Bravo, Hosay! And happy Thanksgiving, all. Cheers!
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Nadya Bliss, the executive director of ASU’s Global Security Initiative, helps us understand disinformation from the ground up. What is the algorithmification of information and what are the technological incentives for its distribution? When is AI just fine, when is it a problem, how do we detect it and what should we do? What is the power of diplomats working together with technologists to keep us safe?
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We all recognize the intractability and tragedy of the Arab/Israeli conflict but what are the dynamics of Iran’s proxy forces, separately fighting Israel, working together? What is each of their relationship with Iran? And what will be the Trump impact? Ambassadors Jeffrey Feltman and Jake Walles, who spent decades in the Middle East, share stories.
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Campaign promises - repatriating the undocumented, Mexico’s role in securing the border, tariff quid pro quos and NATO’s role in a Russian/Ukraine peace - will require expert diplomacy. Will the new administration be up to it? Secretary Tom Shannon, who led State in the first Trump administration, is here to tell us what Trump’s early days will look like.
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Oh, the stress of the election! We're feeling the strain! So we thought we could all use a little break. Here's one of our earliest, most fun episodes. Larry Dinger regales us with tales of tires on fire, pollution, trekking, and one of the most bizarre episodes in monarchy in the world. Now Laura wants to join the Foreign Service and all of us want to go to Kathmandu.
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David Scheffer, our country's foremost diplomat on war crimes, reveals the unstoppable forces seeking justice. The bad get badder and the good get better.
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An inspirational story of personal redlines and resilience that has stuck with us: Ambassador John Feeley left a beloved job as US Ambassador to Panama, at the pinnacle of his career. Why? He could in good conscience act as the personal representative of a particular US President. John Feeley shares candidly the painful but surmountable experience of depression and recovery upon departure from the Foreign Service. May we all share as generously as our friend John. There is always hope.
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Soviet occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania ended 30 years ago but to many, it could have been yesterday. How secure are these states, and what will happen to them if Ukraine falls? Is there any change in security policy, in case of a Trump victory in the US?
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Out with the old, in with the new? Will Claudia Sheinbaum, new (and first female) President of Mexico, allow the departing leader AMLO to control her presidency, as designated successors of autocrats often do, or will she govern on her own terms? What will happen with all of those door-to-door check giveaways? Sheinbaum does not tip her hand. Amb. (Ret.) John Feeley guides us through Mexico’s new frontier. We watch with interest.
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And what does Behghazi have to do with our withdrawal from Afghanistan, and why are people investigating our exit from that country on the third anniversary of the withdrawal, not, say, on the first or second anniversary? Ambassador Dennis Jett has a thing or two to say about this.
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Prominent Brazilian journalist Cecilia Tornaghi shares the major struggle between Elon Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, after the judge shut down X. The episode begs the question: Since these platforms have become a public service, do they bear responsibility for who uses them? Who decides what is truth, disinformation, or that which is likely to incite?
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Janessa Goldbeck, ex-Marine, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation and producer of the new film War Game, explains what a war game is and how it became the basis for this unusual and highly effective film. What will happen if we experience another insurrection at the coming inauguration? Why are vets and servicemembers special targets of foreign disinformation campaigns? Join us and learn in depth what the Insurrection Act is, why it exists, and how powerful and potentially dangerous it is. Now in theaters, streaming on September 27. Go to https://wargamefilm.com for more info.
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FSO Chad Houghton takes us back to 2020 when John Kerry, the first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, brought the US back into the Paris agreement. Quiz: Which is worse, methane or CO2? Also, what argument won people over diplomatically (hint – not the moral or scientific angle)? And how do we work with adversaries like China to cool things down? And why would a petrostate like the UAE host a global climate conference? Join us, and see also this month’s Foreign Service Journal for more.
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David Thomas, Executive Director of ASU’s Milo Space Science Institute, describes the global stability benefits of providing countries of the world access to space through education (what’s it like to mine ice water on the shadow region of the moon?) and ridesharing (yes, ridesharing) to space. Prada is making space suits and Hilton is designing crew quarters. Milo fosters global opportunity to join the space economy and in so doing, fosters the creation of values-based laws and policies. Prepare to be inspired.
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Steve Herman, author of Behind the White House Curtain, is back to tell the tale of the time the Trump administration tried to seize editorial control of the Voice of America and turn it into a propaganda agency. Why is it in our interests as Americans for VOA to remain an independent, credible source worldwide, even covering negative events in the US? What are the risks to those, like Steve, who resisted the takeover? See also a review of his book in June's Foreign Service Journal.
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The Maduro regime told breathtaking lies about voting tallies, but the opposition has proof. What are diplomats doing to promote a democratic outcome? Keith Mines, Vice President of the Latin America Program at the US Institute for Peace, explores the options and shares first-hand tales of similar instances in the region. Over seven million Venezuelans have fled poverty and mass misery already. What will happen if no one can help?
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