In light of the recent Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel and subsequent Israeli military action in Gaza, The Burn Bag is re-releasing several episodes A'ndre and Ryan recorded during the 2021 Israeli-Palestinian crisis, aiming to assess the history of the broader Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts, highlighting a multitude of perspectives. We hope that you listen to all of these re-releases, in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of this conflict.

[Originally Released on 6/3/2021] In this special episode, A'ndre and Ryan speak with Nabil Fahmy,  Founding Dean of the American University in Cairo's School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and former Egyptian Foreign Minister. Dean Fahmy shares his perspective on the recent Gaza War and Egypt's historical role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Dean Fahmy digs into Egypt's relationship with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, while giving his prognosis on the path ahead in the more than seventy year conflict. He also discusses Egypt's unique geopolitical position as an African and Asian power, and how this informs its foreign policy and relationship with regional and international actors, such as the United States. The conversation concludes with a discussion on Egypt's future and how the younger generation can bring positive change.

NOTE: In A’ndre’s introduction, he mentioned that Professor Rashid Khalidi was a negotiator for the PLO. The correct statement is that he was an advisor to the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid and Washington Arab-Israeli peace negotiations from October 1991 until June 1993.

This week, A'ndre chats with Michael Kugelman, the Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, on the recent diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the assassination (on Canadian soil) of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader. We dive into Canada's allegations against India, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused the Indian Government of being involved in the assassination -- which the Indian Government has since denied. India has in turn accused Canada of harboring extremists supporting Khalistan separatist movement,  dedicated to the creation of a separate Sikh homeland in Punjab, which turned violent in the 1970s and 1980s before being quelled by the Indian Government. Michael and A'ndre take a deep dive on that separatist movement, and why Canada has been accused of being a "safe haven for terrorists" by India. We then take a step back to assess India-Canada relations under Narendra Modi and Justin Trudeau, in addition to evaluating whether the diplomatic row will hamper U.S.-India relations -- particularly in light of reports that the United States may have provided Canada with valuable intelligence on India's alleged involvement in the Nijjar assassination.

Professor Joseph S. Nye Jr., one of the most influential international relations thinkers of our time, sits down with A'ndre Gonawela and Andrew Wilson to discuss the applicability of his theories around neoliberalism in a Great Power competition framework, his assessments of executive foreign policy in past administrations, and where academia can inform the public as the international landscape continues to change. Professor Nye, who co-founded the neoliberalist school of thought, provides his take on what people get wrong about it. The hosts and Professor Nye discuss what 'soft power' is, in addition to recent concepts around 'smart power' and 'sharp power'. A'ndre and Andrew also question Professor Nye about his views on what constitutes a 'moral' foreign policy, as Nye provides his rankings on U.S. Presidents and their own moral foreign policies.

This week, A'ndre spoke with Courtney Weatherby, the Deputy Director of the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Program and a Research Analyst with the Energy, Water, & Sustainability program, on the intersection of water insecurity and conflict, with a particular focus on the Mekong River Dispute. Courtney discusses the connection between water and national security, and how water insecurity, while not often a direct driver of war, can be a tension point underlying a broader conflict. We briefly discuss how countries approach the sharing of water resources, and why energy security and food security are vitally linked to water security. We then focus on the Mekong River Dispute, talking about how China's actions in building dams on the river have affected countries downstream, leading to significant tensions.

This week, Christina interviews Anne Clawson, Principal and Head of Policy & Government Affairs Practice at Cascade Strategies. With an extensive portfolio in the manufacturing, natural resources, and clean energy space, Anne gives an extensive background on the state of critical minerals today. She discusses the race for critical minerals, rising tensions with adversaries and allies alike, and predicts what the future will look like for the United States in a setting where they are not the only dominating power. Anne gives insight into the complexities of critical minerals, from China's overwhelming refining capabilities, to developing nations' desire to capitalize on their raw resources.

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat and climate-related crises that are gripping the country and the world.

This week, A'ndre spoke with Rebecca Bill Chavez, the President and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue, on the migration crisis in Latin America -- discussing why democratic decay across the region has factored in, and how the effects of climate change intersect. Rebecca, who worked on Latin American issues at the Department of Defense during the Obama Administration, talks about the key drivers of migration in Latin America and the internal dynamics of countries that are both the sources and receivers of migrants. We discuss why anti-democratic political cultures have exacerbated migration, and touch on how governments (across the right and left) have leveraged militarized law enforcement arms. Rebecca then outlines how climate change has intensified these relevant challenges, but provides some examples of hope on international cooperation, particularly highlighting how local and municipal leaders (such as Mayors) across Latin America are aiming to collaborate via dialogue in engaging with climate change and climate-driven migration.

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat and climate-related crises that are gripping the country and the world.

This week, A'ndre spoke with Iván Duque, who served as President of Colombia from 2018 to 2022, on a range of topics related to climate change, the Latin American Migration Crisis, and the War on Drugs -- and how all three issues intersect with each other. President Duque outlines the key challenges he faced during his tenure and the specific actions his government took on environmental policy, energy consumption, and deforestation. The former President also provides his view on the environmental impacts of drug trafficking, highlighting the ecological cost of cocaine production, while also responding to claims that his government didn't do enough to stop the killings of land defenders and environmental activists. A'ndre and President Duque then open up a lengthy conversation on the Latin American Migration Crisis -- specifically discussing migration from Venezuela, and President Duque's actions to take in 2.5 million refugees from the country into Colombia. The President provides his view on whether the United States and Colombia should engage with Venezuelan President Maduro, and whether the world is doing their 'fair share' on engaging with the Latin American Migration Crisis. We close out the conversation with President Duque's takes on why migrants are traveling to the Southern Border of the United States via the Darien Gap, and his prognosis on the severity of climate-driven migration in the coming years and decades.

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat and climate-related crises that are gripping the country and the world.

This week, A'ndre chatted with Sharon Burke, President of Ecospherics and a former senior Defense official who specialized in energy security issues, on a range of topics relevant to ecosphere security -- and how it can impact climate migration and other security risks. Sharon shared her insights on how DoD viewed climate change, and what her role as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy entailed. We then outline what exactly ecosphere security is, and how factors like energy insecurity, water stress, biodiversity loss, and mineral exploitation can contribute to exacerbated food and human insecurity. We discussed her views on climate migration, highlighting the necessity to work towards solutions inside many of the countries who are the source of migrants fleeing climate-related crises. We close out the conversation by talking about how the U.S. Government can prioritize innovation around climate solutions.

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat and climate-related crises that are gripping the country and the world.

This week, A'ndre spoke with former PACFLT Commander Admiral Scott Swift, USN (Ret.) on how we can view climate change and climate-driven migration through an operational defense lens. Admiral Swift provides his takes on why climate change is a national security issue, but explains why he doesn't believe it's not simply a defense issue. We discuss the Admiral's experience as PACFLT Commander and how climate issues intersected with his own military service, and open up a conversation on whether climate change impacts force posture and defense readiness. Admiral Swift talks about how we can apply a war-footing mentality to the fight against climate change, and why some governments have not yet taken effective action. We talk about the importance of climate-driven migration and the Admiral shares why he thinks the displacement of populations can de-stabilize countries around the world, and why the Admiral fears a 'Pearl Harbor' moment may be what forces ultimate action on this issue.

The Burn Bag is collaborating with the Climate Migration Council to conduct several episodes on the security risks surrounding climate change, amidst severe heat that is gripping the country.

This week, A'ndre spoke with former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff on climate-driven migration and the national security threats spawned by climate change. The Secretary provides his perspectives on how marginalized communities are most at risk from the effects of climate change, and how climate change has driven recent migration crises around the world. The Secretary highlights how climate change has contributed to political turmoil in Latin America and Africa, and the conversation even touches on how extremism and public health risks can be driven by the impacts of climate change. A'ndre and Secretary Chertoff also discuss how we navigate the partisan nature of climate change conversations, and why U.S. action on the issue is imperative in the context of great power competition from adversarial nations such as China and Russia. Secretary Chertoff also highlights some of the work that the Climate Migration Council is doing, and why the private sector needs to engage with these challenges.