The island nation of Cyprus can be summed up in one word: divided. Since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1960, tensions between the ethnically Greek and Turkish sides of the island escalated to a Greek coup d’Etat attempt and invasion by Turkey in 1974. This conflict has resulted in the island being split, monitored, and guarded by the UN and a reunification debate that continues to this day. Read More
Special guest Jamie Franklin, Executive Director of Mines Advisory Group America, joins us for a discussion on the post-war effects of land mines and campaigns to eliminate them. Read More
One of the many stories that go untold in conflict zones is the fate of zoos and their animals. There are concerns for the animals’ safety as well as for humans if predatory animals escape. In this episode, we explore just a few examples of efforts to safeguard zoos during war. Read More
South Sudan has been plagued by a brutal civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions, with violence threatening to spill into neighboring countries, Meanwhile, the international community has failed to work with the competing factions to agree to a sustainable peace agreement, as there is little hope for any lasting peace in the near future. Read More
Michael McFaul, former Ambassador to Russia, joins us from Stanford for a conversation about his time serving during the Russian reset, what it’s like to be the target of a Russian disinformation campaign, and his new book, From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia.
McFaul served for five years in the Obama administration, first as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House and then as the 7th U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation. McFaul became the first non-career diplomat to be the U.S. ambassador to Russia.
He returned to academia and now is Professor of Political Science, Director and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is also an analyst for NBC News and a contributing columnist to The Washington Post.
As the ice in the Arctic continues to melt, countries are staking claims and preparing for economic and military development in the region. This “new frontier” has promise of prosperity, yet is rife with geopolitical risk as competition for its resources heats up between world powers like the US, Russia, and China. In this episode, we give a little background on recent developments in the Arctic and the political structure governing the region. We then look at the military, energy, and economic factors affecting the Arctic Read More
Al-Qaeda has pervaded international headlines for years, but how much do you really know about the Islamist militant group? In this episode, we explore how the group is organized, how it is decentralized across many countries, and how it is funded. Read More
As the world becomes more reliant on space-based capabilities for everyday use, leaders across the world have expressed concern about the vulnerability of space assets. In this episode, we detail weaponized threats to space systems, military threats emanating from space, and efforts to mitigate such threats. Read More
From acquisition of equipment to finances and personnel, peacekeeping missions are massive, complicated endeavors. To help us understand the logistics peacekeeping missions and the partnerships that make them work, we spoke with Dr. Paul Williams, an expert on security, conflict resolution, and peacekeeping. For a more in depth analysis and policy recommendations, we recommend Dr. Williams’ and Katharina Coleman’s recent report titled Logistics Partnerships in Peace Operations. Read More
The disputed region of Kashmir and Jammu has endured persistent conflict since Indian and Pakistani independence in 1947. Militancy and fears of nuclear escalation abound as both states and state-sponsored groups battle for control and influence in the area. Read More
Bobby is a second-year MA candidate in the Security Policy Studies program at the George Washington University’s Elliott School. He serves as the Show Notes Writer for Matters of State. Prior to attending GW, Bobby worked as a legal assistant for the government contracts practice of a DC law firm. He earned his BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Notre Dame. His academic and professional interests are cyber security and energy security policy.
John is a graduate student in International Affairs at The George Washington University and serves as the Director of Public Relations for Matters of State. Originally from Central Texas, John earned a B.A. in linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. He lived in South Korea for nearly three years, teaching English on Jeju Island before studying Korean in Seoul. John’s academic and professional interests are international security and East Asian affairs.
