Why It Matters

The glamour and thrill of espionage, brought to life on screen by characters such as James Bond, have long captivated imaginations. But this profession is deeply misunderstood, and it is always changing. Today, spycraft hangs in the balance as new technologies emerge and societies change. 

Featured Guests: 

Edward Lucas (Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis) 

Emily Harding (Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/spying-101

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country, has prompted a moment of national debate about the war’s cost and legacy. Many are asking what went wrong and what the conflict accomplished. 

For insight, Why It Matters turned to CFR President Richard N. Haass, who has spent four decades studying and advising on Afghanistan. As head of policy planning for the State Department under U.S. President George W. Bush, and later as U.S. coordinator for the future of Afghanistan, Haass was in the room when many of the earliest and most important decisions about the war were shaped. In this episode, he offers his critique of how the war unfolded and raises potential lessons the United States should consider as it turns its eyes to future challenges.

Featured Guest: 

Richard N. Haass (CFR President)

Hosting the Olympics is a monumental undertaking that often leaves behind rusted stadiums and financial losses. So why do nations compete to do it? This episode examines the political history of the games, and the soft power that countries hope to gain by hosting them.

Featured Guests: 

Jules Boykoff (Professor of Political Science, Pacific University) 

Katharine Moon (Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/hey-remember-olympics

The United States’ alliance with Japan is the centerpiece of U.S. security in Asia, but new demographic challenges from within Japan raise concerns about the future of the region.

Featured Guests: 

Zach Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) 

Motoko Rich, Tokyo Bureau Chief, New York Times 

Sheila A. Smith, John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Studies

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/japans-population-problem

Fresh water is more than just a resource, it is the source of all life. But in many arid regions of the world, water supplies are under pressure from climate change, and outdated rules and infrastructure are making the problem worse. What does the world need to know about water consumption, and how can societies build better systems for a dryer future?

Featured Guests: 

Mark Giordano (Professor of Geography and Cinco Hermanos Chair in Environment and International Affairs, Georgetown University) 

Sandra Postel (Founder and Director, Global Water Policy Project)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/water-scarcity

Silicon chips are in almost all electronics, and access to them can make or break a country’s economic future. Their production relies on complex supply chains, and during the pandemic, the world learned just how fragile these supply chains are. Many countries, including the United States and China, are investing billions of dollars to develop the capacity to produce chips domestically, and some analysts see chip-related conflict on the horizon.

Featured Guests: 

Don Clark (Freelance Contributor, New York Times)

Rebecca Heilweil (Reporter, Vox)

Ajit Manocha (President and CEO, SEMI)

David Sacks (Research Fellow)

For a transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/when-microchips-are-down

Will the world have enough water to survive in the era of climate change? Could a shortage of silicon chips eventually lead to war? Do human spies matter in the era of cyber espionage? Why It Matters is back for its fourth season, unpacking new problems and speaking with a host of new guests.

For more about Why It Matters, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/why-it-matters

Industrial overfishing and other man-made factors have pushed one-third of the world’s fish stocks to be threatened with extinction, and many other species are not far behind. The problem represents a serious risk to ocean biodiversity, and to large human populations that rely on fish for day-to-day survival. What can be done?

Featured Guests: 

Manuel Barange (Director, Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division, Food and Agriculture Organization) 

Michele Kuruc (Vice President, Ocean Policy, World Wildlife Fund) 

Stewart M. Patrick (James H. Binger Senior Fellow in Global Governance and Director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/gone-fishing

Successful vaccine rollouts in the United States and other wealthy nations have made many people hopeful that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight. But the majority of the world’s population does not yet have access to these vaccines. Without a strong global effort to immunize everyone, new variants could tighten the pandemic’s grip on rich and poor countries alike.

Featured Guests: 

Anthony S. Fauci (Director, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) 

Richard N. Haass (President, Council on Foreign Relations) 

Tidjane Thiam (Special Envoy for COVID-19 Response, African Union)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/global-shot-arm-dr-fauci

The dollar is the world’s primary reserve currency, accounting for $6.7 trillion in foreign reserves. This has given the United States what some have called “an exorbitant privilege,” allowing it to borrow easily and to levy painful sanctions. But could it lose this status?

Featured Guests: 

Roger Ferguson (President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA) 

Sebastian Mallaby (Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/dollar-privilege