Inside the Iran Nuke Talks

All eyes are on Vienna as delegations from the United States, Germany, France, the UK, Russia and China meet with Iranian officials in a final push to secure a comprehensive agreement over Iran’s nuclear program. They have until July 20 to come to terms.

The negotiations are complex and the issues vexing. But one thing is certain: if an agreement is struck it could change international relations in the entire Middle East and even the world. Here to take us inside the negotiations is veteran journalist Laura Rozen. She sets the scene for what to expect in Vienna in the coming days. I also speak with Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association who breaks down the wonky key points of negotiation in an easily digestible way.

I think you’ll enjoy this episode. This is a hugely significant moment for Obama’s foreign policy legacy, the Middle East, and the cause of non-proliferation. Have a listen.

What Boko Haram Wants

Boko Haram is in the news for all the wrong reasons. A series of audactious attacks, including the kidnapping of hundreds of school girls, has provoked international outrage. But why would Boko Haram launch such an attack? Who are these people, what do they want, and how can they be defeated?

Mark Leon Goldberg catches up with Jacob Zenn of the Jamestown Foundation who offers insight, context and an explanation for the Boko Haram insurgency. Have a listen.

Episode 14: Douglas Ollivant on Iraq’s Violent Death Spiral

Iraq is in the midst of an unrelenting descent into violence. Every day brings news of another bombing or attack that leaves scores of people dead. This has been the case for the past several months, and it only seems to be getting worse.

I speak with Douglas Ollivant of the New American Foundation who helps put this current wave of violence in context. Ollivant served as a military officer in Iraq, then served on the Iraq team at the National Security Council under both President Bush and Obama. Ollivant offers an indepth analysis of what is driving this violence, what can be done to stop it and the regional implications (read: Syria) of it all. Have a listen.

Episode 13: Gary Bass

The historian Gary Bass has penned a new book that is getting rave reviews. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide tells the story of the muted American response to a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe that befell Bangladesh in the wake of its separation from Pakistan in the early 1970s.

Gary and I talk about his story, what made this particular genocide “forgotten”, and how one goes about researching history like this.  Have a listen!

 

 

Episode 12: Mark Montgomery

Mark Leon Goldberg speaks with the demographer and economist Mark Montgomery about global population trends. It turns out that adolescent girls in the developing world hold a tremendous amount of demographic power.

Episode 11: Kenneth Roth

The longtime executive director of Human Rights Watch is on the line this week. Kenneth Roth discusses some of the world’s most ignored human rights crises; how his father’s experience fleeing Nazi Germany propelled him to a career in human rights; and how the human rights movement is evolving as global centers of power shift.

Episode 9: Mia Farrow

The acclaimed actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador talks to Mark about her work for children in conflict zones around the world. Mia Farrow traces her committment to humanitarian causes from an early age and dicusses the role of celebrity in bringing to light the suffering of vulnerable people in oft-ignored parts of the world. Oh, and she also tells a crazy story about the time she beat up a man beating a woman on the side of the road in Chad! It’s a great conversation.

 

Episode 8: Suzanne Nossel

Mark Leon Goldberg speaks with Suzanne Nossel, author of the influential Foreign Affairs article “Smart Power.” Nossel served as a deputy assistant secretary of state during president Obama’s first term, and has served in leadership roles in high profile human rights NGOs. Suzanne tells Mark about how familty connections to South Africa shaped her dedication to human rights; how a cold call to Richard Holbrooke lead to a career in public service; and what American leadership can accomplish at the United Nations.