Foreign Policy ProvCast

In this wide-ranging and impassioned conversation about the war in Ukraine, Providence editors Marc LiVecche and Rebeccah Heinrichs, also of the Hudson Institute, discuss the latest developments, the intersection of just war reasoning and the facts on the ground, future options against Putin, how best to assist President Zelensky and his brave compatriots, and the delicate but critical question of regaining escalatory dominance against the Russian regime.

In this episode, Mariam Wahba and Adela Cojab talk about their new show "American-ish: Daughters of Diaspora", which covers the topics of faith, culture, religion, and more. Wahba is a Coptic Christian who was born in Menya, Egypt, and Cojab is a Syrian-Lebanese Jew born in Mexico City. They both now live in New York City. While talking with Mark Melton, Cojab and Wahba explain how the show started, how their families came to America, and how they adjusted to living here. They also address the meaning of cultural heritage, their views of national identity, interactions with different parts of America, and how their backgrounds affect their views on foreign policy. Adela Cojab is a law student and activist, and Mariam Wahba is the associate director of advocacy with the Philos Project. To watch their show, click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFYNTY_noT1tUL3EchHUy2w They are also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanishshow/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanishshow

Weifeng Zhong and Christine McDaniel of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University talk with Mark Melton about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. They cover how forced labor in China works and how the world knows this is happening. Zhong and McDaniel also discuss potential difficulties with how the law might be implemented and the dilemmas the US government and various businesses will face. For example, there may be potential issues with the evidentiary process and interim products. Finally, Zhong describes how people in China view the problem of forced labor in their country.

Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute speaks with Mark Melton about the Russian threat to Ukraine. She gives an update of the latest situation in Ukraine at the time of recording (the morning of February 7) and explains why Americans should be concerned about a Russian invasion of the country. Heinrichs details how the United States has responded to the situation—including what the government has done right—and what America might do if Russia invades. She talks about Germany's problematic response and why it is the weakest link in the NATO alliance. They also discuss how a Russian takeover of Ukraine would affect the US-China rivalry, as well as how Beijing and Moscow are becoming stronger partners in a "de facto alliance." Reports have indicated that the Biden administration offered concessions to Vladimir Putin about placing certain missiles in Europe and allowing inspections of missile defense sites in NATO countries. Heinrichs explains the problems with these concessions, as well as problems with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty to which Moscow was not adhering, and why concessions from the US have not stopped the Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border. Some have suggested that the US should promise that Ukraine would never be allowed to join NATO, and even though she does not support expanding the alliance for now, Heinrichs rejects promising to close the door on NATO expansion forever. She concludes by covering how the Russian military may test nuclear-capable systems that could reach the United States while invading Ukraine. Before the podcast ends, she says, Russia "is for undermining the US-led order in Europe and in cooperating with China to make sure that China gets what it wants in the Pacific and beyond… The stakes are so incredibly high, and we just need strong leadership, smart statecraft."

In this special Dark Ops episode of the podcast, Mark Melton and Marc LiVecche discuss the 1946 movie It's a Wonderful Life and the short story that inspired it, "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern. The film premiered in New York City 75 years ago on December 20, 1946. During the episode, Melton and LiVecche cover how the movie depicts the morality of banking and business, the importance of individuals, the value of a person's work that may seem insignificant, Italian and Catholic immigrants when they were outsiders, hope, and more. They also explain why people should watch the movie at Christmas.

In this episode Mark Melton speaks with Igor Sabino about the political situation in Brazil and that country's role in global affairs. They focus on the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, and Sabino explains the reasons why Brazilian evangelicals supported him. While courting the evangelical vote, Bolsonaro promised to improve relations with Israel, so Sabino recaps what the president has been able to achieve while balancing its relations with Arab countries. Brazilian politicians have a history of corruption, so Melton and Sabino discuss how Bolsonaro was able to present himself as a clean candidate while running for office as others were caught in the "Operation Car Wash" scandal. But Sabino addresses how Brazilians feel about the president now after some recent revelations about the corruption trials and the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Donald Trump had a good relationship with Bolsonaro, but some have warned that aligning too closely with him could put Americans, especially Republicans, in a bind in Brazil if the political tide turned. With this in mind, Sabino reviews how Brazilians view the US now. As the US and China move toward a rivalry that looks like a cold war, Brazil can get caught in the middle. Sabino reviews Brazil's place in this new global conflict. Finally, Brazilians will vote in October 2022, and Sabino reviews what may happen and which actors Americans should watch for. Note about audio: We had some technical difficulty while recording the podcast remotely so apologize for the quality. But we still wanted listeners to hear this report on Brazil. Igor Sabino is a PhD candidate in political science at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. He holds a BA and an MA in international relations from the State University of Paraíba in Brazil and is an alumnus of the Philos Project Leadership Institue. His current research is focused on US foreign policy and religion. You can follow him on Twitter here: @igorhsabino.

Just a few years ago, Ethiopia was a darling of foreign policy observers, with some comparing it to Taiwan and South Korea in decades past. Meanwhile, its prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. But now civil war has changed the country's trajectory. In this episode, Joshua Meservey discusses the ongoing war between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian government. He explains how and why the war started, what Tigrayan forces want, and why the war is such a tragedy. Meservey also reviews the human rights violations that have occurred during the fighting. He analyzes what will likely happen next in the country as well as its role in the region. Finally, he describes how the United States should respond to the tragedy and calls on policymakers to develop new, creative solutions for unique situations, instead of using the same tools for these types of crises. Joshua Meservey is the Senior Policy Analyst for Africa and the Middle East at the Heritage Foundation. This podcast was recorded on October 4, 2021.

Paul D. Miller speaks with Mark Melton about the current situation in Afghanistan as well as what might happen in the country next. In particular, they cover the perils that religious minorities and other vulnerable groups face, the possibility of civil war, the collapse of the Afghan economy, and the possibility of the US giving food aid to the country. They also discuss what Christians and churches can do to help the Afghan refugees who came to the United States. Miller explains why the current Taliban is not a better "Taliban 2.0" and recounts reports about atrocities the Taliban is currently committing. Miller and Melton talk about the Biden administration's plans to conduct counterterrorism operations "over the horizon," the possibility of al-Qaeda and ISIS resuming operations from the country, and the need for having "eyes and ears" to monitor terrorist threats. He notes, "It may be that we're not even halfway through the War on Terror yet." Miller also analyzes how the Afghanistan withdrawal plays into America's great power competition with Russia and China and how it changes the culture of world order. Finally, he counters the notion that Afghanistan is the "Graveyard of Empires." This podcast was recorded on September 30, 2021. For further reading and listening, see: "Afghanistan: What Happened and What's Next?" featuring Paul D. Miller & Jon Askonas: https://providencemag.com/video/afghanistan-what-happened-whats-next-paul-miller-jon-askonas/ "Ep. 66 | The Fall of Afghanistan and Joe Biden's Withdrawal," featuring Rebeccah Heinrichs and Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/podcast/foreign-policy-provcast-ep-66-fall-afghanistan-joe-biden-withdrawal-taliban/ "Don't Assume Russia and China Will Fumble Afghanistan Crisis," by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2021/09/dont-assume-russia-china-fumble-afghanistan-crisis/ "The Battle for the History of the Afghan War," by Paul D. Miller: https://providencemag.com/2020/03/battle-afghan-war-history/ Photo caption: A child's lost stuffed animal after the departure of Afghan evacuees at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on August 30, 2021. US Air Force courtesy photo by Tech. Sgt. Amber Flanagan.

In this episode, Joel Rosenberg talks about his latest book, "Enemies and Allies: An Unforgettable Journey inside the Fast-Moving & Immensely Turbulent Modern Middle East." He reviews why he considers certain countries enemies and allies in the region, and points to troubling and positive trends. Rosenberg then discusses what he learned from his multiple interviews and meetings with Middle Eastern leaders, including Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), as well as with Donald Trump and various American officials. He responds to questions about what America can do to salvage its relationship with Turkey and what leaders in the US and the region have done right and wrong. Rosenberg also explains why the Abraham Accords are so important. Listeners can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Enemies-Allies-Unforgettable-Fast-Moving-Immensely/dp/1496453816 Joel Rosenberg is the founder and editor-in-chief of ALL ISRAEL NEWS and ALL ARAB NEWS and the author of numerous books.

In this episode, Mark Melton speaks with Tugba Tanyeri-Erdemir and Aykan Erdemir about religious freedom issues in Turkey. In particular, they cover what reports from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) say about Turkey and how the Turkish government's restrictions on the Kurdish language affect religious minorities there. The Erdemirs also discuss the status of holy sites for religious minorities in Turkey, how they are sometimes restored, and the role they play in the community. Both also explain how Turkey uses "spectacles of tolerance" to demonstrate its acceptance of religious freedom, but these few benevolent acts cannot solve all of Turkey's religious freedom problems. Instead, they argue that the country needs to institutionalize equality and pluralism. Finally, Aykan analyzes how the situation in Afghanistan affects Turkey and its minorities.