Great Decisions in Foreign Policy

For the first time in decades, the U.S. is tightening its belt on defense spending. While traditional threats like nuclear and great power conflicts do remain, the post-9/11 challenges of terrorism and counterinsurgency have led to a paradigm shift in the way we think about our national security. Emerging threats like cybersecurity and biowarfare also require new thinking. Do 21st century challenges now pose a greater threat to U.S. national security than traditional threats like nuclear war, naval supremacy and ability to fight ground wars?Featured guests: David Ignatius, Columnist, The Washington Post General James Jones, Former National Security Advisor, Donald Rumsfeld, Former Secretary of Defense, Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. Senator.

The U.S. has enjoyed 30 years of relatively stable relations with both Israel and Egypt, thanks in large part to the peace plan outlined by the historic Camp David Accords. The harmony between the two rivals has provided a key element of stability in an otherwise turbulent Middle East. But Egypt's bumpy transition from the autocratic rule of President Hosni Mubarak to its post-Arab Spring reality has put many on edge. What challenges does the new Egypt pose for American policymakers and U.S. allies in the region? Featured guests: Jimmy Carter, Former U.S. President, Jonathan Tepperman, Assistant Editor, Foreign Affairs, Bruce Rutherford, Author, Egypt After Mubarak, Thanassis Cambanis, The Atlantic, Michael Wahid Hanna, The Century Foundation.

African economies are booming like never before, thanks in large part to China. The global giant is investing in infrastructure projects to help it tap into the continent’s resources – oil, minerals, and its huge agricultural potential. Critics charge China with cozying up to dictators and ignoring issues of human rights and transparency. Others fear that the U.S. is being left behind, and its influence in Africa waning. China in Africa. Featured guests: Governor Jon Huntsman, Former U.S. Ambassador to China, Dambisa Moyo, Author, Winner Take All, Rosa Whitaker, President and CEO, The Whitaker Group, Ian Bremmer, President and Founder, Eurasia Group, John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations.

After World War Two, the leaders of Europe established greater economic ties to help prevent future continental conflict. Now, more than half a century later, the EU faces the biggest financial crisis in its history, and the future of the Eurozone itself is under question. What’s preventing the world’s second largest economy -- and America’s largest trading partner -- from pulling itself out of recession? Featured guests: Nouriel Roubini, New York University, Matthew Bishop, New York Bureau Chief, The Economist, Zvolt Darvis, Bruegel, Matina Stevis, The Wall Street Journal, Brussels, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on European Affairs.

For nearly a decade, Iran’s quest for nuclear capabilities has topped global security concerns in Washington, Brussels and Tel Aviv. Why is a nuclear armed Iran considered so dangerous to U.S. and Israeli interests, and what’s prevented Iran from reaching a deal year after year? Featured Guests: Yukiya Amano, Director General, IAEA, Trita Parsi, Founder and President, National Iranian American Council, Cliff Kupchan, Eurasia Foundation, Irshad Manji, New York University, Robin Wright, Author, Rock the Casbah.

The U.S., for better or worse, is often seen as the world’s policeman. But the question of when to intervene in other nations' affairs with military force has long stymied American policymakers, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya and Syria. Why do we intervene in some conflicts and stand on the sidelines in others? Featured Guests: Anne Marie Slaughter, Dean, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, General James Jones, Former National Security Advisor, Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard, Max Boot, Council on Foreign Relations, General Richard Meyers, Former Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff.