Compass Points from PBS News
Leading experts analyze prominent international affairs topics and their impact on America today. The podcast is supported by PBS News and hosted on Acast.
Episodes
Inside the U.S. negotiations to free the Oct. 7 hostages
Before the Oct. 7 attacks, the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia were on the brink of a historic agreement. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses how close they were to normalization, the rush to release hostages and the U.S. response to the war in Gaza with Brett McGurk. He served across four administrations and is the author of "Brink.": Inside the Race to Free the October 7 Hostages." PB
Inside the U.S.-China battle to lead the AI revolution
President Trump wants artificial intelligence companies to police themselves, all in the name of winning the race with China. Are the U.S. and China on a path of unstoppable AI competition? Or should the world's AI leaders collaborate? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Dmitri Alperovitch, Chris McGuire, Samm Sacks and Melanie Sisson. PBS News is supported by - https://www.
Russia tests NATO with increasingly aggressive tactics in Europe
Key European leaders are sounding the alarm over Russian aggression, warning that Vladimir Putin is planning attacks aimed at testing NATO's security alliance. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses those concerns with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and two former U.S. ambassadors to NATO, Julianne Smith and Kurt Volker. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/fu
Inside Iran: A reporter's account of living through war and economic strangulation
In Iran, prices are soaring, gas lines are growing and leaders are becoming harder-line. Reza Sayah is the PBS News Hour's special correspondent in Tehran and sat down with Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin to discuss what it has been like to live through months of war and economic strangulation. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast
National security officials recall responding to 9/11 as it unfolded
September 11, 2001 was a day of extraordinary heartbreak. It was also one of chaos, fear and confusion. The national security professionals traveling with President Bush and working inside the White House Situation Room were at the center of it all. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that day with Deborah Loewer and Rob Hargis. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/
How the U.S. and Canada fell into a feud – and how it could end
It's supposed to be the world's longest peaceful border, but you wouldn't know it listening to the country's leaders. What's next now that America and Canada, whose economies are intertwined, are on the verge of unwinding? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses how we got here and where this once rock-solid alliance goes next with Shuvaloy Majumdar, Christopher Sands and Robert Zoellick.
Why Trump wants a meeting with Kim Jong Un – and what North Korea wants in return
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has emerged in the last few years more influential, richer, better armed and with more accurate weapons. Yet once again, President Trump is appealing to an authoritarian to restart summit diplomacy. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses why Trump sees a meeting with Kim as a win with Bruce Klingner, Rachel Minyoung Lee and Anthony Ruggiero. PBS News is
America's depleted arsenal and military readiness concerns
America's military uses the world's most advanced and sought-after weapons. But months of war with Iran have diminished the stockpile, limiting options and the ability to defend allies. Could America's adversaries exploit this moment? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses what the military's new limitations mean for readiness with Bill LaPlante, Randy Schriver and Celeste Wallander. PBS
The widening Iran war and what it means for the region and the world
This week, the war in Iran that President Trump predicted would last four to five weeks entered its sixth month. Now, there are new fronts in the war. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses what the widening conflict means for the Middle East and the U.S. with Mohammed Al-Basha, Kirsten Fontenrose, Dana Stroul and Alex Vatanka. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/abou
The state of Venezuela after Maduro's capture and devastating earthquakes
It was a shocking military operation that removed Venezuela's president from power, followed by a surprising declaration by President Trump that the U.S. was going to run the country. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the remote U.S. leadership and how an earthquake has exposed its flaws with William Brownfield, Rick de la Torre, Laura Cristina Dib and Andrés Martínez-Fernández. PBS
How the Mariupol theater strike exposed Russia's brutality in Ukraine
It was perhaps the single worst act of civilian killing in Russia's war on Ukraine. The bombing of a theater in Mariupol came to symbolize Ukrainian sacrifice, and revealed Putin's true intentions. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses one of Russia's most notorious war crimes with James Verini, author of "The Theater: Courage and Survival in the Defining Atrocity of the Ukraine War." P
European officials on the challenges of navigating Trump's foreign policy
At a key summit, President Trump airs grievances against NATO allies, makes clear he's still eyeing Greenland and weighs the U.S. military presence in Europe. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the challenges of navigating an unpredictable American president with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken and Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat. PBS
America's global legacy at 250
As the United States grew from a series of small colonies into a global superpower, it took bold, transformative steps on the world stage, but it has also stumbled. On this 250th anniversary, guest moderator William Brangham, Esther Brimmer, Michael Mandelbaum and Robert Zoellick examine America's global legacy and what history will teach us about President Trump's foreign policy. PBS News is supp
How the Iran war and peace talks are straining the U.S.-Israel alliance
Four months ago, the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war with a level of military and political integration rarely seen in history. But the U.S. is now unilaterally negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Iran. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance with former Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog, Danielle Pletka and Aaron David Miller. PBS Ne
Why some Russians are breaking with Putin as Ukraine war drags on
Russian President Vladimir Putin's iron grip on power is being challenged by the war in Ukraine and his government's authoritarian crackdowns. He finds himself in unfamiliar political territory, questioned by some of the country's elite and embarrassed by Ukraine's strikes into Russian cities. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the state of Russian politics with Arkady Ostrovsky. PBS
How Iran's 'Stolen Revolution' failed to live up to its promise
Many supporters of Iran's revolution believed some form of democracy should govern the country. But over the decades, the Islamic Republic's radical religious rulers have launched brutal crackdowns on social justice and political freedom. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses how the 1979 revolution failed to live up to its promise with Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin. PBS New
Is it time for the U.S. to reassess its Iran strategy?
With talks stalled and Iran maintaining its chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump is weighing whether to restart the war. Strikes failed to eliminate Iran's regime or destroy its military and nuclear capabilities, so is it time for the U.S. to reassess its strategy? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses this with Sina Azodi, Justin Logan, Firas Maksad and Danielle Pletka.
How Moscow's turbulent past shapes Putin's vision for Russia
Moscow started as a fort on a hill and has survived invasion, revolution, civil war and Soviet collapse to transform into a formidable world power. But with the limits of Russia's power tested in Ukraine, is history doomed to repeat itself? Nick Schifrin discusses how Moscow's complex past helps us understand the present with Simon Morrison, author of "A Kingdom and a Village." PBS News is support
Inside the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden 15 years ago
It's been 15 years since the U.S. found and killed the world's most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Laden. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin continues last week's conversation with Mark Kelton, the CIA's station chief in Pakistan at the time, for more on the raid and its fallout. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Retired CIA officer reflects on the intelligence that led to Osama bin Laden's killing
It has been 15 years since the historic Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden in retribution for the deadliest attack on U.S. soil. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin gets an inside look at the dangerous operation — and the intelligence that led up to it — from the man who at the time led the CIA in Pakistan, where bin Laden met his demise. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/n
Will Congress push back as Trump tests presidential power?
President Trump is not the first to push the boundaries of his power as commander in chief. The law on war powers gives presidents 60 days to conduct military operations without congressional approval. That timeframe for Iran is about to end. Will Congress assert power and push back? Guest moderator Lisa Desjardins discusses that with former Sen. Ben Cardin and former Rep. Connie Mack IV. PBS News
Vance faces first global test as U.S. negotiator with Iran
Vice President JD Vance makes his first major foray onto the world stage as America's top negotiator with Iran. He's the most prominent isolationist in the Trump administration and his assignment puts him front and center on an issue with enormous consequences. Compass Points guest moderator Lisa Desjardins discusses more with Heather Conley, Matthew Kroenig, Curt Mills and Jeffrey Rathke. PBS Ne
Can the U.S. and Iran turn the temporary ceasefire into long-term peace?
President Trump finds an off-ramp to the five-week war in Iran, but at what cost? He began the week threatening Iran's "whole civilization." But when Pakistan presented a plan to temporarily halt hostilities, Trump embraced it. Can the U.S. and Iran make a long-term deal? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Danielle Pletka, Dana Stroul, Ray Takeyh and Alex Vatanka. PBS News
Pope Leo's political voice and how much influence he holds
Pope Leo XIV is the first American to lead the Catholic Church, and after nearly a year of advocating for the poor and cautiously opposing controversial U.S. policies, Leo is offering a more public contrast with Trump. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the pope's first year and what his recent criticism says with Joseph Capizzi, Father Thomas Reese, Annie Selak and Stephen White. PB
Inside the U.S.–Israel alliance and how it led to war with Iran
The war against Iran is a fight that Israel has wanted for decades. How did Netanyahu convince President Trump to act? Can a war launched together be ended together? And is there a limit to the U.S.-Israeli partnership? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses these questions with Ronen Bergman of The New York Times, one of the premier investigative journalists in the Middle East. PBS News
What's next for Iran war as energy disruptions escalate and regime digs in
The day after the U.S. and Israel began the war with Iran, President Trump said the strikes would last four to five weeks. Now, as the war begins its fourth week, Iran's regime is severely weakened, but is still retaliating. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses where the war goes from here with Michael Doran, Miad Maleki, Vali Nasr and Dana Stroul. PBS News is supported by - https://ww
What war in Iran has revealed and what remains unknown
The Iran war has spiked oil prices, triggered retaliatory strikes against Gulf neighbors and elevated a younger supreme leader. But will the regime survive? How will the war end? And were there military mistakes in the rush to launch the first strike? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the knowns and unknowns with Suzanne Maloney, Reuel Marc Gerecht, Ray Takeyh and Alex Vatanka. PBS
How long the U.S. and Arab allies can afford to sustain the war on Iran
The U.S. and Israel unleashed the region's largest conflict in more than two decades. As the Iran war expands, there are questions about how long the U.S. can sustain the war and what Trump's endgame could be. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses what's at stake with Firas Maksad, Danielle Pletka, Wendy Sherman and Ray Takeyh. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/abo
Keith Kellogg breaks down Trump's Ukraine strategy and Putin's negotiating style
President Trump famously said that he would end Russia's war against Ukraine on "day one" of his return to the White House. Today, he is 13 months into his second term and the war is starting its fifth year. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the administration's strategy for ending the war and what's ahead with retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, the president's recent envoy to Ukraine.
What's next for the U.S. and China in a new era of confrontation
The U.S.-China relationship affects national security and our pocketbooks. They are the world's most advanced militaries and largest economies. Now, China's increasingly authoritarian leadership is purging officials while portraying itself as more reliable than the U.S. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Kurt Campbell, Randall Schriver, Yun Sun and Mchael Swaine. PBS News
In Munich, NATO leaders assess America's reliability as an ally
The Munich Security Conference is one of the world's key diplomatic gatherings. This year, a serious and almost shocking question hangs over the event: Is the United States still a reliable ally? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin is in Munich and spoke with three leaders: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. PBS News i
With a deadlocked front line, the state of Ukraine peace talks and what Putin wants
American-led diplomacy restarts as the war in Ukraine rages on and unprecedented attacks plunge Kyiv into cold and darkness. How long can Ukraine hold out? How long can Russia wage war? And why has Trump failed to find a path to peace? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Michael Kofman, Justin Logan, Angela Stent and Bill Taylor. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.or
After massive protests and a deadly crackdown, how vulnerable is Iran's regime?
Iran is on notice as one of the U.S. military's largest aircraft carriers arrives in the Middle East after thousands of protesters were killed in a brutal crackdown. How vulnerable is the regime? And what are President Trump's options if he chooses to enforce his red line? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Firas Maksad, Vali Nasr, Behnam Ben Taleblu and Robin Wright. PBS N
Trump backs down from Greenland, but how much damage has been done?
A framework for a deal, or an off-ramp? President Trump backs down after his aggressive efforts to acquire Greenland enraged and insulted allies. What's in the agreement, and how much damage to America's most important relationships has already been done? Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses that with Carla Sands, Sherri Goodman, Eric Edelman and Matthias Matthijs. PBS News is supporte
Trump's worldview and a rapidly changing global order
Donald Trump, the disruptor. The president's first year back in office has been a year of breaking norms, snatching and bombing adversaries, pushing peace and threatening allies. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses Trump's worldview and the rapidly changing global order with Victoria Coates, Kori Schake and Jennifer Kavanagh.
PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/ab
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