Vital Interests Podcast

Hosted by Karen Greenberg. Brought to you by the Center on National Security, Vital Interests Podcast was designed to help you think about security in its many dimensions, from pandemic to climate change, from terrorism to population migration, from war to peace - all with an eye towards the rule of law, the protection of human rights and the respect for civil liberties. Twitter: @VI_PodcastCNS, @KarenGreenberg3.

Sheila Foster on the City as a Commons

In this episode of Vital Interest Podcast, Sheila Foster, a professor of urban law and policy at Georgetown University and the co-director of LabGov, reimagines traditional structures of governance in cities. She offers a new approach: the Co-City, which identifies urban space as a “commons.” Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

02-16
43:44

Matt Duss on the Insurrection at the Capitol and Rethinking American Foreign Policy

Matt Duss, Foreign Policy Advisor to Bernie Sanders, joins this episode of Vital Interests Podcast to discuss the Capitol Riots, Biden’s foreign policy challenges, and the legacy of 9/11.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

01-19
35:59

Annie Owens on Reforming the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel

The Justice Department’s legitimacy took a hit under the Trump administration. Can reforms within its Office of Legal Counsel—and a rule-of-law-abiding new Attorney General— help burnish its reputation? Annie Owens, a former Attorney Advisor in the OLC, joins this episode of the Vital Interests Podcast to discuss. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

01-06
34:52

Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin on the Problems of Counterterrorism in the Post-9/11 World

Nearly 20 years after 9/11, one might ask, where do we stand now in terms of counterterrorism policies? What have we accomplished? What remains to be done? Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin, UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism joins this episode of Vital Interests Podcast to share her views on the counterterrorism missteps from the past, today's challenges, and best strategies for the future.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

12-15
36:31

Peter Beinart on Biden’s Foreign Policy Challenges

Journalist Peter Beinart joins this episode of Vital Interests Podcast to discuss China, multilateralism, a One-State solution for Israel – and more. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

12-08
31:23

Steve Blank on Expecting the Unexpected: Silicon Valley and 21st Century Warfare

Tech entrepreneur and early leader of the Lean Startup movement Steve Blank joins this episode of the Vital Interests Podcast to discuss his Stanford University course, Hacking for Defense, and how the lessons learned from successful startups in Silicon Valley should be applied to 21st century warfare and weapons manufacturing. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

11-25
35:07

Edwin Frank on Literature, the Pandemic, and our World

Edwin Frank, the editorial director for the New York Review of Books, joins the podcast to discuss his long-running collection, the NYRB Classics Series. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

11-10
29:12

Senator Russell Feingold on the 25th Amendment, Court Packing, and the State of US Democracy

In this episode of Vital Interest Podcast, Former Democratic Senator Russell Feingold unpacks the historic challenges threatening America’s democratic system and offers four Constitutional amendments to fix “some of the glitches that exist. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

10-27
32:08

Richard Clarke on DHS, Governance, and the 2020 Presidential Election

The former National Security official joins this episode of Vital Interests Podcast to discuss his time in government, the need for reforms at the Department of Homeland Security, and what’s at stake in the upcoming US presidential election. Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

10-13
38:41

Jonathan Stevenson on US Foreign Policy, Civil Unrest at Home, and Racial Inequality

Jonathan Stevenson, senior fellow for US Defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, joins this episode of Vital Interests Podcast to discuss the future of the Iran Nuclear Deal, the state of the State Department under Secretary Mike Pompeo, and the Trump administration’s use of the military in responding to nation-wide protests on racial inequality and police brutality.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

09-29
26:26

Liam Collins on Ukraine, Syria, and the Future of Great Power Conflict

Liam Collins, the founding director of the Modern War Institute, joins this episode of the Vital Interests Podcast to discuss proxy wars, cyber security, and the future of global conflict.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law. Dangerous Myths: How the Crisis in Ukraine Explains Future Great Power Conflict

09-25
29:50

Robert Draper on Why We Went to War in Iraq

Listen to Robert Draper, writer for the New York Times Magazine & National Geographic, on his new book To Start a War, How the Bush Administration Took America into Iraq.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

09-15
28:46

U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes on a Comprehensive Approach to Legislating in the COVID Era

Rep. Jahana Hayes, National Teacher of the Year in 2016, joins this week’s episode of Vital Interests Podcast to discuss her continued hope in American democracy, and how the COVID-19 recovery is an opportunity for systemic and inclusive change.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

09-01
26:16

Counterterrorism From Al Qaeda and ISIS to White Supremacists, with the NYPD’s Rebecca Weiner, Assistant Commissioner for the Intelligence Bureau.

A conversation with Rebecca Ulam Weiner about the evolution of terrorism, and the current challenges facing law enforcement and society at large.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

08-25
42:57

Tom Parker on Terrorism, Human Rights and Tomorrow’s Challenges

Listen as Tom Parker discusses the value of understanding the conditions that give rise to terrorism and the need for a longer time frame for measuring counterterrorism strategies.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

08-18
47:41

Peter Bergen on National Security From Al Qaeda to COVID

Join us as Peter Bergen discusses terrorism, the Iran Deal, the Taliban, a Biden presidency and America’s ever-changing national security landscape.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

08-11
42:46

Jonathan Hafetz and the Politicization of Justice, American-style

Jonathan Hafetz talks about Adham Hassoun, Enemy Combatants and today’s Department of Justice.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

08-04
47:45

War Crimes, Accountability, and Healing with Michel Paradis

Michel Paradis discusses the legacy of 9/11, war crimes, military commissions, and his new book Last Mission to Tokyo.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

07-28
46:18

Governor Jerry Brown on COVID, Punishment, Inequality and America's Way Forward

Former California Governor Jerry Brown discusses what more states can do to respond to COVID, how we can honor the humanity in all of us, and ways to help parents in today's difficult times.  Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg is brought to you by the Center on National Security at Fordham Law.

07-21
39:44

Leadership and Hope: A view from California with Lt Gov Eleni Kounalakis

California's Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis discusses immigration, trade policy, women in politics and her hopes for the future with host Karen Greenberg. 

07-14
37:10

ncooty

I struggled to find the value in this interview. I don't have an issue with the thesis, but the guest seemed to confuse his wealth with competence. He misunderstood or misconstrued questions, he did not seem particularly well read on the topic (neither in terms of philosophy nor in empirical research), and he seemed quite comfortable opining based merely on his intuitions and ruminations. In short, this came across to me as another arrogant rich (though well-intentioned) guy presenting his hypotheses as conclusions. I think I broadly agree with him on this point, but what is he adding and what evidence does he have? Moreover, why does he think his rhetorical approach and format are the most effective ways to achieve his goals on this topic?

01-20 Reply

ncooty

Odd to hear a former National Teacher of the Year use poor grammar (e.g., "... my grandmother raising my brother and I") and have the odd NJ habit of dropping middle ts (e.g., "impor-ent"). I guess that's just the state of U.S. education.

11-05 Reply

ncooty

@19:12: This is an exceedingly dangerous and poorly reasoned argument from Sen. Feingold. He's arguing in favor of a system of governance that facilitates (if not ensures) a tyranny of the majority. What is the check on the legislative branch if not via judicial review? Does he imagine it would be the executive--more or less an individual? To whom could members of minority groups appeal if not to the courts? And given the abominable degree to which representation is tilted to favor Republicans (via structural over-representation in the Senate--which then cascades to Electoral College votes--as well as gerrymandering for the House), his proposed enervation of the judicial branch would likely only worsen the current situation, leading to a tyranny of the minority. After all, from where does he think the current judicial skew arises? From the over-representation by amoral Republicans in the legislative branch! Why empower them further?! No, this is a stupid line of argumentation,

10-30 Reply

ncooty

@7:26: Unfortunate to hear Sen. Feingold make such flippant, vague, disparaging comments about racist institutions. That sort of accusation needs to be precise. Likewise, I know of no evidence that George Floyd's killing was racially motivated. It seems to have been a straight-forward case of police brutality, and I worry about such casual imputations of racism, because they distract from actual causes and needlessly erode social capital.

10-30 Reply

ncooty

"Warning Signs" sounds like a book based on a misunderstanding of basic statistics. Clarke reviewed false negatives to draw conclusions about predictions, with seemingly no attention to false positives. This is survivorship bias in action. P(A|B) rarely equals P(B|A), as he seems to assume. WHY do we promote people like this and listen to their blather rather than hiring, promoting, and respecting actually competent people?!

09-11 Reply

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