PODCAST · education
On Peace
by U.S. Institute of Peace
U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world in this brief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM‘s POTUS Channel 124. In about 10 minutes, each episode of On Peace distills the most important aspects of a pressing peace and conflict challenge and highlights how the U.S. and international community might respond.
Episodes
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Mary Speck on China’s Search for Inroads into Central America
China has ramped up its engagement in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador so that it can “operate in the United States’ backyard,” says USIP’s Mary Speck. However, China “likes to give showy gifts, but hasn’t really invested” in what the region needs to address governance issues, economic...
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Jason Tower on How China-Backed Scam Groups Threaten U.S. Interests
Transnational scams based out of Southeast Asia are increasingly targeting American citizens in a trend that is being “increasingly compared to fentanyl in terms of the impacts on the U.S.,” says USIP’s Jason Tower, adding that since the crime syndicates have close ties with China, we should be...
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Dean Cheng on China’s Bid for Dominance in Space
As China works to establish “a space Silk Road” through space partnerships in Africa, “There is real reason to question whether Chinese behavior in space is going to be similar” to Beijing’s current disregard for international laws around issues such as maritime territorial claims and…
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Daniel Markey on U.S.-India Ties in the Year Ahead
U.S.-India relations under the new Trump administration “got off to a decent start” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, D.C., last week, says USIP’s Daniel Markey, who added that while there is some friction over looming tariffs, the U.S. approach to trade and defense...
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Joseph Sany on the Rwanda-DRC Conflict and the Risk of Regional War
After decades of poor governance, ethnic tensions and illegal resource exploitation in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwandan-backed rebels’ capture of Goma “has the potential to bring … seven countries into [the] conflict” and ignite a wider regional war, says USIP’s...
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Andrew Scobell on China’s Approach to Conflict
As the U.S. prepares for “continued stormy weather” in its relations with China, it’s important to remember that while Beijing’s escalatory actions remain below the threshold of outright conflict, Chinese leaders “think about war and peace as being on a continuum,” says USIP’s Andrew Scobell.
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April Longley Alley on the Houthis’ Reaction to the Gaza Cease-fire
With the cease-fire in Gaza, Yemen’s Houthis have halted their “near daily” attacks on Israel. However, the Houthis have made clear that “this is a very tenuous pause,” says USIP’s April Longley Alley, adding: “They view [Gaza] as part of a larger struggle … this is going to be a medium- and...
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Robert Barron on the Next Phase of the Israel-Hamas Cease-fire
With phase one of the cease-fire underway, the next major question to be answered is: “What would fill [the] governance void in Gaza going forward,” says USIP’s Robert Barron, adding that the Trump administration might consider “a new version of the Abraham Accords that has a Gaza component.”
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Looming Security Challenges for the Trump Administration
A presidential transition can be “a moment of vulnerability for the United States,” says USIP Board Chair John Sullivan. But good communication and critical developments in the global landscape “have opened up avenues where real progress can be made” in places like the Middle East, says former...
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Dean Cheng on China’s Geopolitical Vision and Implications for the U.S.
As U.S.-China tensions ratchet up along economic, political and technological fronts, effectively countering Beijing means “understanding [their] mindset,” says USIP’s Dean Cheng. “When we talk about the Chinese having a long-term plan, we’re not talking one year or two years, we’re talking...
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Michael Bruhn on How Peaceful Transitions Help Ensure U.S. National Security
Amid rising conflict, strategic rivalry and other alarming global trends, “instability has become somewhat of the new norm,” says USIP’s Michael Bruhn. But USIP’s Passing the Baton event offers a chance for incoming and outgoing national security officials to show that the U.S. “doesn’t skip a...
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Ambassador John Sullivan on U.S. Security in an Era of Strategic Competition
As the incoming administration prepares for “the enormity of the tasks that they [will be] confronting,” USIP’s Passing the Baton event offers a chance for national security leaders from across the political spectrum to discuss critical foreign policy challenges, says USIP Board Chair Ambassador...
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Keith Mines on Venezuela’s Ongoing Post-Election Turmoil
Baring a “tipping point” sparked by mass demonstrations against President Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration this week, “a grand bargain between the opposition, the regime and the United States … is what many people think is the only thing that can work” to bring stability back to Venezuela, says…
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Donald Jensen on the War in Ukraine’s Trajectory
As Ukraine considers the “political loaded” question of whether to lower the age of military mobilization, Putin increasingly sees the war “not just as a land grab, but as a civilizational battle between Russia and the West,” says USIP’s Donald Jensen, adding: “We should not think that the war is...
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Mona Yacoubian on the Regional Reverberations of Assad’s Fall
The fall of Assad is “nothing short of a tectonic shift in power” across the Middle East, with Iran emerging as “the biggest loser” and Turkey “positioned to be a big winner,” says USIP’s Mona Yacoubian. But “the situation is going to bear very close watching … the stakes in Syria aren’t just...
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Mona Yacoubian on the Challenges Awaiting a Post-Assad Syria
After the “stunning” collapse of the Assad regime, “the geostrategic stakes [in] Syria couldn’t be higher,” says USIP’s Mona Yacoubian. The question now on everyone’s mind is “Who rebuilds Syria? … The process [should] be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned.”
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Thomas Sheehy on the Geopolitical Impact of Biden’s Trip to Angola
President Biden’s recent trip to Angola sought to offer African countries a U.S.-led alternative to China’s dominance in the critical mineral sector, says USIP’s Thomas Sheehy: “The hope is that we can operate in the same environment [as China] and raise the standards and ultimately have Africans...
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Brittany Croll on Balancing Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Security
When it comes to meeting the world’s growing energy demands without furthering carbon emissions, there is room for a “both-and” approach that safely expands nuclear power while still advancing nonproliferation, says USIP’s Brittany Croll: “There really is an interest and need for robust...
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Andrew Cheatham on the Global South’s Impact at the G20 Summit
While the outcomes of the recent G20 summit in Brazil can be seen “as a glass half full or a glass half empty,” perhaps the most noteworthy takeaway from this year’s proceedings was “the Global South having a bigger and bigger voice in global issues,” says USIP’s Andrew Cheatham.
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Georges Fauriol on the Ouster of Haiti’s Interim Prime Minister
In firing the country’s interim prime minister, Haiti’s transition presidential council “generated a fair amount of concern” over whether the country could stabilize governance to meet the timeline for elections in early 2026, says USIP’s Georges Fauriol, adding: “The outlook doesn’t look all…
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Thomas Sheehy on Mozambique’s Post-election Upheaval
While the “very volatile situation” in Mozambique is nominally in response to October’s presidential election, “it’s been several years in the making,” says USIP’s Thomas Sheehy, adding “what we’re seeing [there] is what we’re seeing elsewhere in Africa … a dissatisfaction with the ruling party.”
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Dean Cheng on What China’s Pressure on Taiwan Means for the Region
As Beijing ratchets up military pressure along the Strait, Taiwan remains “the one area where we are most likely to see … a direct confrontation between the United States and China” because a conflict “would affect a lot of our allies [like] Japan, South Korea and the Philippines,” says USIP’s…
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Mona Yacoubian on the Middle East’s Dangerous Escalation Dynamic
Amid the latest exchange of strikes between Israel and Iran, the Middle East is “a region that really is on fire,” says USIP’s Mona Yacoubian. “There are no guardrails anymore … all of these different players are testing and probing each other to see what they can get away with. And that’s where...
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Steve Hege on Restorative Justice and Colombia’s Search for Missing Persons
More than 100,000 Colombians have been forcibly disappeared over the last six decades. Finding their remains is “tremendously healing” and can “repair the social fabric” by giving closure to the victims’ loved ones and allowing former armed actors “to regain their own dignity” by contributing to...
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Andrew Wells-Dang on Youth’s Role in the Future of U.S.-Vietnam Reconciliation
The legacies of the Vietnam War were once an obstacle to U.S.-Vietnam relations. But today, addressing those legacies has become “key foundation” for bilateral cooperation, says USIP’s Andrew Wells-Dang. And as ties continue to grow, youth from both countries “have a new vision for how our...
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Osama Gharizi on ISIS’s Lingering Presence in the Middle East and Beyond
The Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS recently recommitted itself to fighting the remnants of the Islamic State “not just as a group and an entity,” says USIP’s Osama Gharizi, “but also dealing with the factors that gave rise [to it]” and the legacies it left behind — like the process of…
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Ambassador William Taylor on Ukraine’s Refusal to Cede Territory to Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly made clear that Ukraine will not give up claims to territory. “Even if they don’t get [the land] all back right away, they will eventually get it back,” says USIP’s Ambassador William Taylor, which will leave Putin with...
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Andrew Cheatham on the U.N.’s ‘Pact for the Future’
After dealing with “growing cynicism and lack of participation” in recent years, the U.N. General Assembly opened this week by adopting the Pact for the Future, which represents commitments from 193 countries to “really reform global governance as we know it,” says USIP’s Andrew Cheatham.
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Gordon Peake on the Pope in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
During his 10-day trip to the region, the pope used “straight, plain-spoken language” while discussing pressing issues — such as climate change in Indonesia and violence against women in Papua New Guinea — in the hopes of spurring change, said USIP’s Gordon Peake: “No pun intended, he has a bit…
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Keith Mines on Haiti’s Recent Progress and U.S. Support for Its Transition
With a Kenyan-led security mission and a new interim government in place in Haiti, Secretary Blinken’s visit to the country shows that “the United States has been trying hard … to take advantage of the momentum,” says USIP’s Keith Mines, adding that while there’s a long way to go, “for now…
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Dean Cheng on Jake Sullivan’s Trip to Beijing
Details from U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan’s recent meetings in Beijing with senior Chinese officials have been scarce. But amid simmering tensions, the fact the meeting occurred at all is notable, says USIP’s Dean Cheng: “The point here, I suspect, is simply to have communications.”
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Tamanna Salikuddin on What’s Next for Bangladesh's Democracy
After protests forced longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign earlier this month, Bangladesh’s new interim government is “seeking, at this moment, to grasp that democratic spark” and “set forward the reforms that are going lead to a new political culture” in the country, says USIP’s…
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Donald Jensen on Ukraine’s Surprise Incursion into Russia
The Ukrainian military seized a chunk of territory in the Kursk region of Russia as part of a surprise incursion that has left the Russian military in “a panic,” says USIP’s Donald Jensen, adding that Putin’s strategy until now did not “take into account that Ukraine could strike back, and they...
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Ambassador William Taylor on the Russia Prisoner Exchange
The recent exchange of prisoners between Russia and Western countries was historic on multiple fronts. But the “coherence and solidarity” displayed by U.S. allies was what made the deal possible, says USIP’s Ambassador William Taylor: “The conversations among allies were as important as the...
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Keith Mines on the Fallout from Venezuela’s Elections
Last week’s election in Venezuela has created a political firestorm as disputed returns have led to demonstrations and street violence. “The international community, and especially the U.S., will need to stay focused in their support for democratic change in Venezuela” over the long term, says...
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Andrew Scobell on the China-Philippines Agreement in South China Sea
China and the Philippines recently struck a secretive deal to deescalate confrontations over the Second Thomas Shoal, “one of the tensest flashpoints in the western Pacific,” says USIP’s Andrew Scobell. “Nobody wants to see it escalate to war,” but the “the ambiguity [of the deal] … allows both...
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Susan Stigant on Sudan’s Civil War and Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
More than a year into Sudan’s civil war, the country is facing the “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” as international aid struggles to find its way to those in need, says USIP’s Susan Stigant: “At this point, unfortunately, all of the efforts collectively are not meeting the needs” of...
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Robin Wright on What to Expect from Iran’s New President
The election of reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s new president dealt a “stunning blow in many ways to the hardliners,” says USIP’s Robin Wright. However, “the hardliners still have control of the legislature and the judiciary, and they can create havoc for the new president” and…
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Dean Cheng on China’s Expanding Space Capabilities
China’s successful trip to the far side of the moon — the first nation to accomplish the feat — is not only “great advertising” for potential technology partnerships, it’s “part of the larger Chinese space effort” that seeks to expand China’s own dual-use capabilities in space, says USIP’s Dean...
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Mary Glantz on Russia and North Korea’s Deepening Cooperation
Putin’s trip to North Korea wasn’t just about securing more weapons for his war on Ukraine — Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defense pact, which could be “potentially very destabilizing for the Korean Peninsula” and “smacks a little of desperation” on Russia’s part, says USIP’s Mary Glantz.
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Keith Mines on the Latest from Haiti
While Haiti’s Transitional Council has appointed a prime minister to lead a temporary government and the Kenyan-led international security mission is expected to deploy soon, “[Haiti’s] gangs are still pretty strong,” says USIP’s Keith Mines. “There’s really going to be a fight for power … over…
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Joseph Sany on the U.S. Withdrawal from Niger
The U.S. reached an agreement with Niger’s military junta to close two military bases in the country in what amounts to a “tactical setback” for counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel. But the closure also “forces the U.S. to review its military posture in the region,” says USIP’s Joseph Sany,...
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Robin Wright on Raisi’s Death and What It Means for Iran
With the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian regime has reached “a critical turning point.” And with just two weeks until the vote to replace him, it’s important to pay attention to “not only who wins the new presidency, but how many Iranians actually participate in the process,” says...
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Asfandyar Mir on Balancing Counterterrorism and Strategic Competition
As terror threats emanating from Afghanistan and Pakistan rise, many may see counterterrorism as a distraction from other U.S. priorities, such as competition with China and Russia. But investment in counterterrorism can work “preventively, to shield the strategic competition agenda,” says USIP’s...
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Jason Tower on the Dangerous Proliferation of Scam Compounds in Southeast Asia
Chinese crime syndicates have set up sophisticated online scamming operations throughout Southeast Asia that rake in an estimated $64 billion a year. Relying on forced labor, the scam compounds “look almost like penal colonies,” says USIP’s Jason Tower, adding: “This is happening on an industrial...
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Dean Cheng on China’s New Military Force
China’s military structure is not prone to change. But in a shocking move, Chinese leader Xi Jinping recently established a new military entity focused on “information dominance” in future wars, with many observers “left wondering what this is going to mean and why they did it,” says USIP’s Dean...
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Ambassador William Taylor on the Latest U.S. Aid to Ukraine
The latest round of U.S. military aid to Ukraine will help halt Russia’s slow, grinding advance. But more long-term aid is needed to not only push back Russian forces, but to deter another future invasion, says USIP’s Ambassador William Taylor. “The only way that this war is going to end is for...
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Mirna Galic on NATO’s Long-standing Engagement in the Indo-Pacific
Contrary to China’s assertions, NATO has a long history of engagement with the Indo-Pacific. But the alliance’s deep partnerships in the region have taken on renewed importance in recent years amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and renewed strategic competition between the U.S. and China, says USIP’s...
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Binalakshmi Nepram on Elevating the Voices of Indigenous Peacebuilders
As part of the first-ever Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding, indigenous leaders have created a worldwide network to share knowledge and advocate for “indigenous people and indigenous processes … [to] be woven into the larger fabric” of the peacebuilding field, says USIP’s Binalakshmi Nepram.
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Vikram Singh on the U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral Summit
The United States, Japan and the Philippines are holding their first-ever trilateral summit this week. China’s “unprecedented” pressure and aggression over maritime claims will top the agenda. “There’s a fairly clear resolve … to not just let China bully its way to changing the status quo in the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world in this brief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM‘s POTUS Channel 124. In about 10 minutes, each episode of On Peace distills the most important aspects of a pressing peace and conflict challenge and highlights how the U.S. and international community might respond.
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U.S. Institute of Peace
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U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world in this brief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM‘s POTUS Channel 124. In about 10 minutes, each episode of On Peace distills the most important aspects of a pressing peace and conflict challenge and...
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