The Global Citizen

The Global Citizen

By Mel GurtovGovernment
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The Global Citizen episodes

  • 43 - The Coming of the Old New Order
    This 43d episode of “The Global Citizen” considers how different outcomes in Ukraine will affect Europe's security order. Three conclusions seem clear: Regardless of the ending, the security situation will be dangerous, costly, and divided much as Europe was during the Cold War. Central and East Asia are likely to face similarly difficult times.
    8 min
  • 42 - Crimes of War
    War crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are all too common in our time. Russia's forces in Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin personally, are being accused of all these crimes of war. Many obstacles stand in the way of prosecution and punishment, but international law does have value beyond naming and shaming.
    9 min
  • 41 - The War: A Bonanza for Big Oil
    I examine the push by the major oil companies for increased domestic production and a halt to Biden's clean energy plans. Big Oil is taking full advantage of the Ukraine war in profits and drilling. Biden is putting gas-war politics ahead of climate change security.
    6 min
  • 40 - When Will It End, and How?
    How will the war in Ukraine end? In this 40th Podserve episode, I explore what a Ukraine-Russia agreement might entail and the obstacles that stand in the way. But there is no certainty that the war will end in an agreement, since neither country may be willing to make the necessary concessions.
    7 min
  • 39 - An Engagement Moment with China on Ukraine
    Facing a catastrophic war in Ukraine and Russian pressure to provide military and economic aid, China continues to sit on the fence, at least publicly. Doing so has a cost: the undermining of China's claim to be a “responsible great power.” In this episode, I explore China's leadership failure.
    7 min
  • 38 - Thinking About the Unthinkable in the Ukraine Crisis
    I list seven possible disaster scenarios in Ukraine that will face the US and NATO with exceptionally difficult decisions about how, or whether, to respond. Russia's use of a weapon of mass destruction, obliteration of Kyiv, and show trials for Ukraine's leaders are among the possibilities. For the West, there are no easy answers.
    6 min
  • 37 - Putin's Nightmare
    In the midst of Russian aggression there are three silver linings: Ukraine's courageous resistance, NATO's unity, and awareness of Putin's true face. But let's not back him into a corner.
    7 min
  • 36 - Putin's War
    Vladimir Putin has put Russia at war with Europe, the United States, and the rest of the democratic world. His reckless adventurism seems designed to reimpose a Soviet-era sphere of influence. In this this 36th Podserve episode, I argue that resisting Russia must be bold but undertaken with great care because of the danger inherent in a confrontation with a nuclear-weapon state.
    6 min
  • 35 - Confidence Building Measures in the Ukraine Crisis
    The Ukraine crisis is at a critical juncture, with very little movement toward a diplomatic resolution. In this episode, I propose a shift from seeking a major NATO-Russia agreement on European security to using CBMs—confidence building measures—meaning small steps to ease tensions and prevent miscalculations. CBMs seem far more likely than a grand bargain to gain agreement from all sides.
    6 min
  • 34 - China-Russia Relations and the Ukraine Crisis
    With Vladimir Putin in Beijing right now, the Biden administration reportedly is worried that China's close ties with Russia will further impede prospects for a negotiated resolution of the crisis. But China's interests and Russia's don't always intersect. Theirs is a marriage of convenience, not an alliance.
    7 min

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