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The New Rules of War Feb 13, 2019

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Warfare today is a mixture of ancient principles and modern realities. Military planners must consider a bewildering range of conventional and emerging threats—everything from the actions of rival nations, to terror networks, cyber-attacks, eroding international treaties, and even climate change. In this complex and fraught security environment, the United States faces no shortage of potential flashpoints as it seeks to defend its global interests. How, then, can the nation avoid war? And if it is drawn into armed conflict, what weapons, tactics, and strategic principles will help the US win?

Ransom: Payment Versus Principle Feb 07, 2019

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In late 2012, ISIS began kidnapping Western journalists and aid workers in Syria. While several European governments paid millions of dollars in ransom, and their hostages were freed, the United Kingdom and United States refused, arguing that any ransom would fuel terrorism and encourage further kidnappings. As a result, many American and British hostages faced a terrible fate. What overlapping moral, political, and legal considerations must governments confront when their citizens are taken hostage? Should governments—or citizens and corporations—ever pay ransom to terrorists?

America First Meets Mexico First? Jan 29, 2019

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On December 1, Andrés Manuel López Obrador was sworn in as Mexico’s president, beginning a new era in relations between the United States and its southern neighbor. The two nations share a complex set of overlapping interests on trade, security, and immigration, which have drawn them closer together in recent decades. But presidents Trump and López Obrador were elected on vows to put their nations first: to win deals against the forces of globalization and the political establishment, and to wrest better terms from NAFTA, while the US is taking an ever harder line on immigration and border security. As right wing and left wing populist leaders face each other across the Rio Grande, what are the prospects for future cooperation?

The Power of Place: Addressing Urban Inequity Through Innovation and Design Jan 24, 2019

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Over the past few decades, changing economic and demographic trends have led to a new demand for innovative downtown spaces. However, as people and wealth are increasingly concentrated in city centers, resources have been invested into projects that often exclude low-income communities. Transformative placemaking frames urban regeneration as an equity issue and calls upon city leaders and innovators to address equal access to public spaces and invest in communities with less social and economic capital. How can innovative development expand work and educational opportunities for all - rather than expand the urban equity gap? How can city governments and the private development sector re-define the parameters of urban development?

Exclusive Member Call: Brexit's Final Act? Jan 23, 2019

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Prime Minister May's Brexit deal was been overwhelmingly rejected by the House of Commons on January 15, and no one seems sure what will happen next. Is the United Kingdom headed for a "no deal" or "Norway option" Brexit, a general election, another referendum, or perhaps months of further division and disruption? For the Council's second exclusive members-only Brexit update conference call, anlysts and commentators from Brussels and London will join Council president Ivo Daalder to discuss and consider the many possibilities.

The Situation Room: Global Policy-Making in the White House Jan 22, 2019

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Located in the basement of the White House, the Situation Room has been the scene of some of modern history’s most fraught moments. For years it has served as a secure communications center with global reach, where policymakers analyze highly classified intelligence while debating and guiding America’s national and foreign strategy. In the early 1990s, the “Sit Room” housed opposing views among diplomats, military and intelligence officers, and White House staff on how to end the Bosnian War, the deadliest conflict in Europe since WWII. Join the Council for a behind-the-scenes account into the complexities and challenges of global policy-making in the White House’s most guarded decision-making space.

Pandemic Panic: Protecting an Interconnected World Jan 17, 2019

Show notes

Despite extensive health advancements following the Spanish Flu, HIV, and SARS pandemics, the world is still highly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases. In fact, the number of outbreaks has more than tripled in the last forty years. Without coordinated public health action, experts predict that the next pandemic—one with the potential to take millions of lives and cost the global economy billions of dollars—is not a matter of “if, but when”. How can we strengthen our health systems, prepare our global cities, and educate our communities to best prevent it?

Blurred Lines: Humanitarian Action and Rule of Law Dec 17, 2018

Show notes

International humanitarian disasters have become a grim reality that frequents our newsfeeds. To address the numerous challenges and extensive needs for post-disaster recovery, major donor countries have spent decades developing and perfecting the legal framework around assistance delivery. Despite those efforts, regulatory barriers remain under significant stress as the nature and evolution of humanitarian disasters grow more complex. How can international organizations and individual governments ensure that policy challenges do not limit their ability to assist populations in need? What are effective ways to engage relevant stakeholders in crafting comprehensive, effective, and clear legislature that enables adequate humanitarian action and sensible human rights protections while respecting boundaries proscribed by law?

Millennials, Money, & Mobility: Cash Rules Everything Around Me Dec 14, 2018

Show notes

Millennials are becoming the most influential consumers in America and the world. They are taking over the US workforce and some are soon to be the recipients of the largest wealth transfer ever. Their financial behaviors—how they spend, save, and invest money, manage student debt, prepare for retirement, and secure sustainable wealth—are crucial indicators of global economic trends. And their embrace of digital banking, cryptocurrency, and even robo-advisors are disrupting the entire financial sector. In what ways are financial institutions today changing their business models to satisfy millennial preferences? How has the long shadow of the financial crash shaped millennial attitudes toward money, and should we be bracing ourselves for another crash?

North Korea: Can Cooperation Prevail Over Conflict? Nov 27, 2018

Show notes

Since the June summit between American President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, progress on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been sporadic. Both leaders have made cautious moves aimed at trust building, while North and South Korea have concurrently taken even bolder steps toward conciliation. Still, the fundamental points of contention remain: North Korea has nuclear weapons, sanctions on Pyongyang persist, and a peace treaty to end the Korean War—which began in 1950—has yet to be signed. As the US and North Korea make plans for a second Trump-Kim summit, will expectations for a lasting peace be met, or will recent progress prove only an illusion? How much trilateral cooperation is occurring behind the scenes? Are we at the brink of an ultimate deal, or an inevitable disappointment?

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