Stories from the Backchannel is a new podcast  that examines the stories behind some of America's most important national security moments.

Stories from The Backchannel: Unavoidable Russia

America Abroad is an award-winning documentary radio program distributed by The World from PRX (PRI) and broadcast on public radio stations nationwide. Each month, we take an in-depth look at one critical issue in international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.

News & Politics

The United States Institute of Peace brought 27 global youth leaders to Dharamsala, India, this fall so they could attend leadership workshops, network together, and receive mentorship from the 14th Dalai Lama.

Outer strife, inner peace: Lessons from the Dalai Lama

Ambassador Wendy Sherman discusses her unlikely career, which began as an advocate for women's issues before going into politics and eventually landing at the State Department as the lead negotiator for the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Stories From The Backchannel: Negotiating with US adversaries Iran and North Korea

Since 1984 there have been five Terminator movies. Another is slated to come out next year. Over that time, what was once pure science fiction has become more and more plausible.

Stories From The Backchannel: How should the world prepare for a future with autonomous weapons?

When Bill Clinton took over as president in 1992, his then-Middle East adviser Martin Indyk told him he had a chance to partner with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to secure peace treaties with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinians.

Stories From The Backchannel: When Middle East peace almost happened

It's been 17 years since 9/11, and 14 years since the 9/11 Commission released its recommendations on how to prevent future attacks. While much of the focus has been on military solutions, the commission also made recommendations on how to use diplomacy and soft power to prevent the growth of extremist ideology abroad. In this episode, we take a look at those recommendations, and how each administration has worked to implement them.

Stories from The Backchannel: Unavoidable Russia

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