Foreign Policy ProvCast

In the midst of ongoing debate regarding the military service record of Democratic party vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Providence's Marc LiVecche spoke with Marine Corps veterans Mac Owens and Keith Pavlischek to clarify the real issues. Focusing on the charge that Walz placed his own interests over his duty to his men by retiring rather than deploying to Iraq, this conversation attempts to avoid partisan bickering in order to discuss the effect of Walz's decision on unit morale, cohesion, mission effectiveness, loyalty, and, ultimately, honor. Notes: "Tim Walz's Military Service Controversy" Mackubin Ownes, GOLOCALProv.com Mackubin Owens is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He previously served as editor of Orbis: FPRI's Journal of World Affairs (2008-2020). From 2015 until March of 2018, he was Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor at the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. From 1987 until 2014, he was Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is also a Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, where as an infantry platoon and company commander in 1968-1969, he was wounded twice and awarded the Silver Star medal. He is also a contributor to Providence Magazine. Keith Pavlischek, contributing editor, is a military affairs expert with a focus on just war theory and the ethics of war. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007 after thirty years of active and reserve service having served in Desert Storm, Bosnia, Iraq, with the U.S. Central Command, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He is the author of John Courtney Murray and the Dilemma of Religious Toleration (1994) and numerous articles, including a chapter on the ethics of asymmetric warfare in the Ashgate Research Companion to Military Ethics (2015). He is also a contributor to Providence Magazine.

Marc LiVecche hosts COL Keith Pavlischek, USMC (RET), long-time Providence contributor for a long-form discussion about the Israel-Hamas War. Points of focus include getting the meaning of proportionality right, the criticality of making basic distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, causal and moral responsibility, and much else. Among the highlights is their imagined scenario in which they are talking with an honest college student who wants to know how the goal of eliminating Hamas–and the known if undesired cost in innocent lives that will go along with that–is compatible with Christian moral commitments guiding the moral prosecution of war. PROGRAM NOTES: * Photo: LiVecche and Pavlischek at the Israeli Knesset, Jerusalem, in 2017 celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Six Day War. With colleagues from the Philos Project, they had a private audience with Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States and then Deputy Minister within the Prime Minister's office. Check out an LiVecche's discussion with him on Israeli history, focusing on the 6 Day War: “One-Hundred-Thirty-Two Hours and Fifty Years“ Michael Brendan Dougherty, “On Proportionality in War” National Review, October 10, 2023 Keith Pavlischek, “Proportionality in Warfare,” from The New Atlantis, No. 27 (Spring 2010), pp. 21-34 Marc LiVecche, “Just War 101,” from providencemag.com Mattias Küntzel, Jihad and Jew-Hatred: Islamism, Nazism, and the Roots of 9/11 Bob Dylan, “Man of Peace” and “Neighborhood Bully”

Rebecca Munson—department chair for government and public policy at Liberty University's Helms School of Government—talks with Mark Melton about how the United States has combatted human trafficking globally. She explains how big of a problem human trafficking is and assesses America's role in combatting this crime while comparing it to the European approach. Munson then compares and contrasts the crisis in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Mexico and discusses how foreign governments often choose to combat human trafficking only after the US threatens sanctions. Traditionally, this issue as received bipartisan support, and Munson looks at how the Trump and Biden administrations have addressed the problem. For Further Reading: “The World Confronts Modern Slavery, Offering Hope,” by Rebecca Munson: https://providencemag.com/2021/12/world-confronts-modern-slavery-offering-hope/ “Hope for Human Rights despite China's Threats,” by Rebecca Munson: https://providencemag.com/2021/12/hope-human-rights-despite-china-threats/ “Biden Should Follow Trump's Example on Combating Human Trafficking,” by Rebecca Munson: https://providencemag.com/2020/12/joe-biden-donald-trump-combating-human-trafficking/ “Cold War with China Hits Fashion Industry during H&M Boycott,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2021/04/geopolitical-conflict-china-hits-fashion-industry-xinjiang-cotton-hm-boycott-uighurs-forced-labor/

Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation speaks with Mark Melton about how the Chinese government has been snuffing out liberty in Hong Kong. She discusses the recent arrests of Cardinal Zen and pro-democracy advocates and explains what they mean for religious liberty in the city-state. She also analyzes the Vatican's deal with the Chinese Communist Party and warns the Catholic Church against improving relations with the Beijing regime. Enos wrote an article for Providence making the case that the United States government should give Hong Kong refugees “Priority-2 Status,” so she explains what this means, why it is necessary, and how the Biden administration could make this change immediately. After traveling to Europe, Enos noticed how European governments were not taking the China threat seriously as both Republicans and Democrats in America do. So she discussed the dangers of Europe being too lax on the CCP and does not take the US warnings seriously. Even though there is bipartisan consensus that China is a threat to US foreign policy interests, she explains how the Biden administration's approach to Beijing has been mixed. Uighurs still face unprecedented persecution in China, and last fall Congress passed the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act—which Christine McDaniel and Weifeng Zhong discussed on the Foreign Policy ProvCast in February. As part of the process to implement that Act, Congress has been listening to public comments, including from Enos. She explains where this Act stands today and other developments with the Uighur genocide. Here are some of the mentioned articles, reports, and podcasts: “The Latest Arrests of Pro-Democracy Leaders in Hong Kong Lend Urgency to Extending Refugee Status to Persecuted Hong Kongers,” by Olivia Enos in Providence: https://providencemag.com/2022/05/latest-arrests-pro-democracy-leaders-hong-kong-lend-urgency-extending-refugee-status-to-persecuted-hong-kongers-cardinal-joseph-zen/ “Will Europe Ignore U.S. Warnings About China Like They Ignored Warnings of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine?” by Olivia Enos in Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/windriver/2022/05/06/the-art-of-defense-mitigating-cyber-exposure-with-threat-modeling/?sh=48be56cc4b15 Foreign Policy ProvCast, Ep. 74 | America's New Law on Forced Labor in Xinjiang, featuring Christine McDaniel and Weifeng Zhong in Providence: https://providencemag.com/podcast/foreign-policy-provcast-ep-74-americas-new-law-on-forced-labor-in-xinjiang/ “The Battle for China's Spirit,” by Sarah Cook in FreedomHouse: https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/FH_ChinasSprit2016_FULL_FINAL_140pages.pdf “Uyghur County in China Has Highest Prison Rate in World,” by Huizhong Wu and Dake Kang in Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/china-prisons-uyghurs-religion-0dd1a31f9be29d32c584543af4698955

In this episode, Mark Melton speaks with Paul Miller about what may happen in Ukraine now that the Battle of Kyiv appears to be over and the war is moving into a new, probably longer phase. In addition to discussing the current situation in the country, Miller covers what Russia's relations with the United States may look like in the medium to long term, what the war should teach us about US-China relations, the possibility that Russia may recover and rearm from this war, how a new cold war is forming, and lessons from the old Cold War for today.

In this episode, Mark Melton speaks with Lieutenant Colonel Tyson K. Wetzel (US Air Force) about how the United States can help Ukraine fight Russia effectively without NATO and Russia getting into a war. Wetzel helped conduct a survey and write a report for the Atlantic Council that created a “strategic risk calculator.” The survey asked foreign policy experts to consider various ways NATO allies could help Ukraine and ranked both how effective that assistance would be and how much it risked escalation. Wetzel covers the findings of that survey and lists some of the different weapons the US could still give. He also talks about how previous US aid helped Ukraine fight the war to its current stalemate, why Russia used a hypersonic missile in the war, how China could help keep Russia in the fight, and the probability of a wider war. This podcast was recorded on March 21, 2022. Lieutenant Colonel Tyson K. Wetzel is the 2021-22 senior US Air Force fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. His comments are his own views and do not reflect the official position of the US Air Force or the Department of Defense. To read the Atlantic Council survey and report, click here: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/the-big-story/what-are-the-risks-and-benefits-of-us-nato-military-options-in-ukraine-our-strategic-risk-calculator-has-answers/

In this wide-ranging and impassioned conversation about the war in Ukraine, Providence editors Marc LiVecche and Rebeccah Heinrichs, also of the Hudson Institute, discuss the latest developments, the intersection of just war reasoning and the facts on the ground, future options against Putin, how best to assist President Zelensky and his brave compatriots, and the delicate but critical question of regaining escalatory dominance against the Russian regime.

In this episode, Mariam Wahba and Adela Cojab talk about their new show "American-ish: Daughters of Diaspora", which covers the topics of faith, culture, religion, and more. Wahba is a Coptic Christian who was born in Menya, Egypt, and Cojab is a Syrian-Lebanese Jew born in Mexico City. They both now live in New York City. While talking with Mark Melton, Cojab and Wahba explain how the show started, how their families came to America, and how they adjusted to living here. They also address the meaning of cultural heritage, their views of national identity, interactions with different parts of America, and how their backgrounds affect their views on foreign policy. Adela Cojab is a law student and activist, and Mariam Wahba is the associate director of advocacy with the Philos Project. To watch their show, click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFYNTY_noT1tUL3EchHUy2w They are also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanishshow/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanishshow

Weifeng Zhong and Christine McDaniel of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University talk with Mark Melton about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. They cover how forced labor in China works and how the world knows this is happening. Zhong and McDaniel also discuss potential difficulties with how the law might be implemented and the dilemmas the US government and various businesses will face. For example, there may be potential issues with the evidentiary process and interim products. Finally, Zhong describes how people in China view the problem of forced labor in their country.

Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute speaks with Mark Melton about the Russian threat to Ukraine. She gives an update of the latest situation in Ukraine at the time of recording (the morning of February 7) and explains why Americans should be concerned about a Russian invasion of the country. Heinrichs details how the United States has responded to the situation—including what the government has done right—and what America might do if Russia invades. She talks about Germany's problematic response and why it is the weakest link in the NATO alliance. They also discuss how a Russian takeover of Ukraine would affect the US-China rivalry, as well as how Beijing and Moscow are becoming stronger partners in a “de facto alliance.” Reports have indicated that the Biden administration offered concessions to Vladimir Putin about placing certain missiles in Europe and allowing inspections of missile defense sites in NATO countries. Heinrichs explains the problems with these concessions, as well as problems with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty to which Moscow was not adhering, and why concessions from the US have not stopped the Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border. Some have suggested that the US should promise that Ukraine would never be allowed to join NATO, and even though she does not support expanding the alliance for now, Heinrichs rejects promising to close the door on NATO expansion forever. She concludes by covering how the Russian military may test nuclear-capable systems that could reach the United States while invading Ukraine. Before the podcast ends, she says, Russia “is for undermining the US-led order in Europe and in cooperating with China to make sure that China gets what it wants in the Pacific and beyond… The stakes are so incredibly high, and we just need strong leadership, smart statecraft.”

In this special Dark Ops episode of the podcast, Mark Melton and Marc LiVecche discuss the 1946 movie It's a Wonderful Life and the short story that inspired it, “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern. The film premiered in New York City 75 years ago on December 20, 1946. During the episode, Melton and LiVecche cover how the movie depicts the morality of banking and business, the importance of individuals, the value of a person's work that may seem insignificant, Italian and Catholic immigrants when they were outsiders, hope, and more. They also explain why people should watch the movie at Christmas.

In this episode Mark Melton speaks with Igor Sabino about the political situation in Brazil and that country's role in global affairs. They focus on the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, and Sabino explains the reasons why Brazilian evangelicals supported him. While courting the evangelical vote, Bolsonaro promised to improve relations with Israel, so Sabino recaps what the president has been able to achieve while balancing its relations with Arab countries. Brazilian politicians have a history of corruption, so Melton and Sabino discuss how Bolsonaro was able to present himself as a clean candidate while running for office as others were caught in the “Operation Car Wash” scandal. But Sabino addresses how Brazilians feel about the president now after some recent revelations about the corruption trials and the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Donald Trump had a good relationship with Bolsonaro, but some have warned that aligning too closely with him could put Americans, especially Republicans, in a bind in Brazil if the political tide turned. With this in mind, Sabino reviews how Brazilians view the US now. As the US and China move toward a rivalry that looks like a cold war, Brazil can get caught in the middle. Sabino reviews Brazil's place in this new global conflict. Finally, Brazilians will vote in October 2022, and Sabino reviews what may happen and which actors Americans should watch for. Note about audio: We had some technical difficulty while recording the podcast remotely so apologize for the quality. But we still wanted listeners to hear this report on Brazil. Igor Sabino is a PhD candidate in political science at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. He holds a BA and an MA in international relations from the State University of Paraíba in Brazil and is an alumnus of the Philos Project Leadership Institue. His current research is focused on US foreign policy and religion. You can follow him on Twitter here: @igorhsabino.

Just a few years ago, Ethiopia was a darling of foreign policy observers, with some comparing it to Taiwan and South Korea in decades past. Meanwhile, its prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. But now civil war has changed the country's trajectory. In this episode, Joshua Meservey discusses the ongoing war between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian government. He explains how and why the war started, what Tigrayan forces want, and why the war is such a tragedy. Meservey also reviews the human rights violations that have occurred during the fighting. He analyzes what will likely happen next in the country as well as its role in the region. Finally, he describes how the United States should respond to the tragedy and calls on policymakers to develop new, creative solutions for unique situations, instead of using the same tools for these types of crises. Joshua Meservey is the Senior Policy Analyst for Africa and the Middle East at the Heritage Foundation. This podcast was recorded on October 4, 2021.

Paul D. Miller speaks with Mark Melton about the current situation in Afghanistan as well as what might happen in the country next. In particular, they cover the perils that religious minorities and other vulnerable groups face, the possibility of civil war, the collapse of the Afghan economy, and the possibility of the US giving food aid to the country. They also discuss what Christians and churches can do to help the Afghan refugees who came to the United States. Miller explains why the current Taliban is not a better “Taliban 2.0” and recounts reports about atrocities the Taliban is currently committing. Miller and Melton talk about the Biden administration's plans to conduct counterterrorism operations “over the horizon,” the possibility of al-Qaeda and ISIS resuming operations from the country, and the need for having “eyes and ears” to monitor terrorist threats. He notes, “It may be that we're not even halfway through the War on Terror yet.” Miller also analyzes how the Afghanistan withdrawal plays into America's great power competition with Russia and China and how it changes the culture of world order. Finally, he counters the notion that Afghanistan is the “Graveyard of Empires.” This podcast was recorded on September 30, 2021. For further reading and listening, see: “Afghanistan: What Happened and What's Next?” featuring Paul D. Miller & Jon Askonas: https://providencemag.com/video/afghanistan-what-happened-whats-next-paul-miller-jon-askonas/ “Ep. 66 | The Fall of Afghanistan and Joe Biden's Withdrawal,” featuring Rebeccah Heinrichs and Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/podcast/foreign-policy-provcast-ep-66-fall-afghanistan-joe-biden-withdrawal-taliban/ “Don't Assume Russia and China Will Fumble Afghanistan Crisis,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2021/09/dont-assume-russia-china-fumble-afghanistan-crisis/ “The Battle for the History of the Afghan War,” by Paul D. Miller: https://providencemag.com/2020/03/battle-afghan-war-history/ Photo caption: A child's lost stuffed animal after the departure of Afghan evacuees at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on August 30, 2021. US Air Force courtesy photo by Tech. Sgt. Amber Flanagan.

In this episode, Joel Rosenberg talks about his latest book, "Enemies and Allies: An Unforgettable Journey inside the Fast-Moving & Immensely Turbulent Modern Middle East." He reviews why he considers certain countries enemies and allies in the region, and points to troubling and positive trends. Rosenberg then discusses what he learned from his multiple interviews and meetings with Middle Eastern leaders, including Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), as well as with Donald Trump and various American officials. He responds to questions about what America can do to salvage its relationship with Turkey and what leaders in the US and the region have done right and wrong. Rosenberg also explains why the Abraham Accords are so important. Listeners can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Enemies-Allies-Unforgettable-Fast-Moving-Immensely/dp/1496453816 Joel Rosenberg is the founder and editor-in-chief of ALL ISRAEL NEWS and ALL ARAB NEWS and the author of numerous books.

In this episode, Mark Melton speaks with Tugba Tanyeri-Erdemir and Aykan Erdemir about religious freedom issues in Turkey. In particular, they cover what reports from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) say about Turkey and how the Turkish government's restrictions on the Kurdish language affect religious minorities there. The Erdemirs also discuss the status of holy sites for religious minorities in Turkey, how they are sometimes restored, and the role they play in the community. Both also explain how Turkey uses “spectacles of tolerance” to demonstrate its acceptance of religious freedom, but these few benevolent acts cannot solve all of Turkey's religious freedom problems. Instead, they argue that the country needs to institutionalize equality and pluralism. Finally, Aykan analyzes how the situation in Afghanistan affects Turkey and its minorities.

In this episode, Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute talks with Mark Melton about the fall of Afghanistan. She describes what went wrong in Afghanistan, the problems of nation-building, whether the “forever war” is over, and how the United States military had been conducting counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan. They also discuss why Joe Biden's withdrawal was a debacle and problems with the “over the horizon” strategy to stop terrorism now that the US military is gone. Heinrichs also makes the case that the US should not have abandoned Bagram Air Base near Kabul and explains why this has led to tragedy. She analyzes how the US withdrawal from Afghanistan affects America's geopolitical strategy, particularly its competition with China. Finally, she offers some lessons Americans should learn from Afghanistan.

For the July 4th weekend, Eric Patterson and Mark Melton discuss what C.S. Lewis teaches Christians about patriotism and “love of home,” particularly in The Four Loves. They review how Lewis served his country in both the First World War and the Second World War, which demonstrates that he writes from experience when he writes about patriotism and sacrifice. And while Lewis argues that the “love of home” is the best type of patriotism, he warns against someone loving his or her country because of its history, as this can lead to a puffed-up vision that is easily debunked unless the study of history is done carefully and seriously. So Patterson and Melton discuss how Christians should understand history by recognizing mankind's sinfulness and God's common grace. Melton also argues that, if Christians' love of home or country is rooted in neighborly love, they should love their neighbors both near and far. This requires understanding local issues and participating in local politics. Patterson adds that this focus on the local community can include volunteering in various organizations. Suggested Readings: “For God and Country, Part 1: Christian Patriotism,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2019/01/for-god-country-part-1-christian-patriotism/ “For God and Country, Part 2: Not Necessarily the Nation-State,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2019/01/for-god-country-part-2-not-necessarily-nation-state/ “Immortal Memory: What Scotland's Robert Burns Can Teach Us about Nationalism,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2019/01/immortal-memory-scotland-robert-burns-nationalism/ “From the Trenches to the Shire and Narnia: Review of Loconte's A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War,” by Mark Melton: https://providencemag.com/2019/04/trenches-shire-narnia-book-review-joseph-loconte-a-hobbit-a-wardrobe-and-a-great-war-c-s-lewis-j-r-r-tolkien/ “Flawed Historical Narratives about American Figures Color Our Pursuit of Justice,” by Grayson Logue: https://providencemag.com/2020/09/flawed-historical-narratives-american-figures-pursuit-justice-1776-commission-1619-project/ A transcript is forthcoming.

Samuel Goldman (PhD, Harvard) talks about his latest book, After Nationalism: Being American in an Age of Division, with Mark Melton, who recently reviewed it in National Review. Even though some on the right have argued that the United States needs to return to a strong common national identity to survive, Goldman argues that America has normally not had this type of cohesion for most of its history. Instead, the Second World War and Cold War created a brief period when creedal nationalism became the dominant vision, but after a couple of decades this vision began to fracture. During the conversation, Goldman explains the history of America's national identities by focusing on three that are present today—covenantal, crucible, and creedal—and why all three failed. He and Melton also cover how times of war allowed the government to coerce Americans into adopting a single cohesive identity. For instance, despite being an American born in Missouri, Reinhold Niebuhr's formal education was fully in German until he began his Master's degree at Yale Divinity School. But after the First World War this type of culture could not endure. (Niebuhr's undergraduate college in Illinois did not print a catalog in English until 1917.) Goldman responds to critics of the book who say America must revive an Anglo-American or Anglo-Protestant vision (a type of covenantal nationalism) to have a future. Others who want to revive a common national identity also say identity politics is one of the greatest threats to America, which Goldman addresses. Many have also argued that the United States needs to teach history better to prevent disunity, including six former education secretaries who signed a Wall Street Journal op-ed in March 2021. Goldman explains why this type of program will fail just as other similar attempts have failed. According to him, understanding history can only tell Americans who they were, not who they are. Instead of promoting a common national identity, Goldman supports increased localism and federalism, which he describes further. Goldman is an associate professor of political science at George Washington University, and Mark Melton is managing editor of Providence. A rough transcript is forthcoming, which will be available here: https://providencemag.com/podcast/foreign-policy-provcast-ep-64-america-after-nationalism-samuel-goldman-podcast/ To purchase After Nationalism, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Nationalism-Radical-Conservatisms-Samuel-Goldman/dp/0812251644 To read Melton's review in National Review, click here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/06/book-review-after-nationalism-sympathy-for-nationalists-but-little-hope/ Featured Image: A flag over the Vicksburg Bridge (carrying I-20) and the Old Vicksburg Bridge, which cross the Mississippi River in Mark Melton's hometown. Source: Unsplash.

Mark Melton speaks with Paul D. Miller about his recent book "Just War and Ordered Liberty" (Cambridge University Press, January 2021, available here: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Ordered-Liberty-Paul-Miller-ebook/dp/B08QD19SB8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr). Miller explains how just war thinking has shifted over the centuries—from Augustinian, Westphalian, and now Liberal traditions. They also cover how Miller’s view of just war would allow for the defense of ordered liberty to serve as a just cause for war, whereas proponents of a Westphalian view of sovereignty would say such a war is wrong. Miller also explains how Liberal ideas about sovereignty compare to the notion of responsibility to protect (R2P), which has its roots in the Augustinian just war tradition. In the book, Miller writes at length about "jus post bellum," or justice after war, so in the podcast he and Melton cover this topic and why this category is helpful, even though some proponents of the just war tradition do not use it. Finally, Miller talks about foreign policy implications of his ideas—particularly on whether Americans would be willing to do what is necessary to secure ordered liberty in another country after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, what countries must consider if war with North Korea becomes necessary, the problems drones can present for ethicists considering the “Forever War,” and what the just war tradition might say about cyberattacks. For further reading be sure to see Miller’s articles about Augustinian Liberalism—“Augustinian Liberalism: A Symposium” and “Augustine of Hippo, Christian Democrat” (available here: https://providencemag.com/2019/09/augustinian-liberalism-symposium/ and https://providencemag.com/2019/09/augustine-of-hippo-christian-democrat/). Also, be sure to buy and read his book, which also responds to critics who say this liberal view would lead to imperialism. Listeners can purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Ordered-Liberty-Paul-Miller-ebook/dp/B08QD19SB8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr Paul D. Miller is a professor in the practice of international affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a contributing editor of Providence, a research fellow with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council.

Steven Howard, advocacy director at In Defense of Christians (IDC), speaks with Mark Melton about the 2021 annual report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). In particular, they cover what the IDC thinks USCIRF got right and how they missed the mark. Howard also analyzes the religious freedom situation in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. To read the report, click here: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/2021%20Annual%20Report_0.pdf In Defense of Christians also hosted an event to discuss this report in more detail, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4NLiY8pJok For the podcast episode with Nadine Maenza, commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, click here: https://providencemag.com/podcast/ep-55-religious-freedom-middle-east-genocide-yazidis/

Providence executive editor Marc LiVecche spoke with contributing editor and Georgetown professor Paul Miller about President Joe Biden's plans to withdraw all remaining US military personnel from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. While opposed to the withdrawal itself, Paul has no illusions about the mistakes made in Afghanistan. At the same time, he is cognizant of the goods that were achieved and laments the risks that a US pullout poses to the ability of those goods to endure. He reflects on the human costs of the war, its impact on US foreign policy, and offers a nuanced vision for how American Christians should think about it. This podcast originated as a Zoom conversation and has not been edited. Listeners can watch the video and read the transcript here: https://providencemag.com/video/americas-withdrawal-afghanistan-joe-biden/ Here are some of the resources mentioned in the discussion: "A Christian Declaration on American Foreign Policy" by Paul Miller: https://providencemag.com/2016/09/christian-declaration-american-foreign-policy/​ "Fight to Win: A Lesson from the Great War" Marc LiVecche: https://providencemag.com/2020/11/fight-win-lesson-great-war/

On March 5, 1946—75 years ago—Winston Churchill delivered the “Sinews of Peace” at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. The terms “special relationship” to describe US-UK relations and “Iron Curtain” both become household terms after the speech, and some, particularly Russian historians, point to this moment as the official start to the Cold War. At the time, Churchill was serving as leader of the opposition in Parliament after losing the UK general election in 1945. The world was recovering from the Second World War and ready for peace. Many in the United States and elsewhere were optimistic about future relations with the Soviet Union, an American and British ally just a few months before, and the possible peace that might come from the United Nations, whose Security Council started its first session in London in January 1946. Yet the former and future prime minister delivered a startling message to Americans who were largely unprepared to countenance the prospect of a looming, decades-long conflict against communism after winning the war against fascism. Though the American public was not ready for Churchill’s message, at least some in the US government were. “The Sources of Soviet Conduct” (or “The Long Telegram”) by George F. Kennan, the deputy chief of mission of the United States to the Soviet Union, arrived secretly to the State Department in Washington, DC, in February 1946. In July 1947 under the pseudonym “Mr. X,” Foreign Affairs published this memo describing the need to contain the USSR. Many Americans disliked and criticized the speech. For instance, Christianity and Crisis editor and founder Reinhold Niebuhr called it “ill-timed and ill-advised” in the only reference his journal made to it in 1946. He and others in the publication were discussing the possibility of US-USSR cooperation or alliance, and how the new United Nations might benefit global order with “world government.” Niebuhr blamed Churchill for unwisely heightening tensions and undermining a “creative solution” to the “atomic bomb problem.” Yet Churchill better understood what the Soviets had already done in Eastern Europe. The problem was not the speech, but the Soviet actions the speech exposed. While many Americans dreamed of an alliance with Moscow and “Uncle Joe” (the friendly image of Joseph Stalin in Western media), they forgot that the Soviet Union had a vote on whether they wanted to be an ally or adversary. In this episode of the Foreign Policy ProvCast, Joseph Loconte and Mark Melton discuss the “Sinews of Peace,” the post-World War II situation in Eastern Europe, why the American public and media disliked Churchill’s message, what President Harry Truman knew about the speech beforehand, whether or not the future special relationship between the US and UK was obvious in March 1946, and the speech’s legacy. Loconte also co-wrote an article with Nile Gardiner about the “Sinews of Peace” for National Review, which can be read here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/03/churchills-prophetic-warning-an-iron-curtain-has-descended/

In this Advent Special of the Foreign Policy ProvCast, Mark Melton speaks with Walter Russell Mead about his annual Yule Blog series, which begins on Christmas Eve and runs through Epiphany on January 6. Mead explains that he originally created the Yule Blog several years ago because Americans have forgotten so much about the holiday’s religious grounding and message. While the series covers a range of topics over 14 days, Melton and Mead focus on two: first, Mead analyzes the role of Mary in the New Testament and the early church; then he talks about what Jesus’ Jewish identity and love of his people means for Christians’ love of their country and home, and what it means that Jesus was able to reach out to people from other nations while still loving his own. They conclude by offering a message of what Christmas means in a year that the COVID-19 pandemic has scarred. Particularly, Mead explains that this year, when many are celebrating the holiday away from family, the separation should remind us that the heart of the Christmas holiday isn’t about those gatherings or events, but about the birth of Jesus Christ. “So what we’re going to live through this year, is Christmas stripped down to the basics, and that may be a way to get in touch as never before with this eruption of meaning into a dark history.” To read the Yule Blog over the Twelve Days of Christmas, be sure to visit the website here: https://providencemag.com/category/the-yule-blog/ Walter Russell Mead is a professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities at Bard College, the Distinguished Scholar in American Strategy and Statesmanship for the Hudson Institute. Global view columnist at the Wall Street Journal. Mark Melton is the managing editor of Providence.

In this episode of the Foreign Policy ProvCast, Mark Melton and Marc LiVecche bring back the “Dark Ops,” Providence’s podcast movie reviews. They discuss the Netflix series The Liberator, which came out on Veterans Day last month. It’s an animated series with four episodes and is based on a book by Alex Kershaw. The miniseries tells the story of Felix Sparks and the 157th Infantry Regiment as they campaign in Italy before landing in Provence, France, and then into Germany. In total, Sparks served 511 days in combat, and after World War II became a brigadier general and the ground commander for the Colorado Army Guard. He also served on the Colorado Supreme Court. Amongst other topics, Melton and LiVecche cover whether the animation helps or hurts the storytelling, how the miniseries covers racism, the history behind the Battle of Aschaffenburg and the Dachau massacre, and what courage looks like. They conclude by explaining why movies and shows about the Second World War are still important.

Starting on September 27, the war between Azerbaijan and Republic of Artsakh resumed. Also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, Artsakh is a region within Azerbaijan that is predominately Armenian, and since 1994 has been controlled by Armenians. The war ended on November 10 with the Armenians of Artsakh losing most of the territory it had controlled. In this episode, Robert Nicholson of the Philos Project talks with Mark Melton about why this war happened, how Turkey was involved, what the Armenians are losing, what the US government should do next, why the world didn’t help Artsakh, and what may happen to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan now. Melton and Nicholson also cover how this conflict fits into region’s geopolitics and how this all affects the United States. Finally, they discuss what Recep Tayyip Erdoğan may do next, particularly in Cyprus, and what the Biden administration should do more broadly in the Middle East, especially with the Arab–Israeli peace movement.

In this episode of the ProvCast recorded on September 10, executive editor Marc LiVecche speaks with senior editor Keith Pavlischek about a variety of themes that emerge from an initial discussion of the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings in Kenosha. Topics include vigilantism versus just force, contextual factors—such as provocation—that complicate easy claims about self-defense, and the responsibilities of proper authorities to secure justice. Along the way, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," and American Western films in general, makes a germane segue—and preps the way for future episodes.

In this episode, Nadine Maenza talks about religious freedom issues in the Middle East, especially in Iraq and Syria where the Yazidis suffered genocide starting six years ago. First, she explains the role of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), of which she is vice-chairman, and how its operations differ from the US State Department. Then she reviews what the Islamic State (ISIS) did to the Yazidis during the genocide and how this group and other religious minorities, including Iraqi Christians, suffer. Maenza explains how the Iraqi central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil treat these religious minorities differently and how those groups feel about the authorities. She also discusses problems other religious minorities there face and how the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) causes problems. USCIRF recommended the US place Iraq on a special watch list, Maenza reviews what the US government and her organization can do. Then Nadine Maenza and Mark Melton talk about the situation in northeast Syria and some good news in that region for religious minorities. They close out their conversation by talking about other countries that have problems with religious liberty, but they also talk about success stories, specifically in Uzbekistan, whose government came to USCIRF and tried to improve their laws for religious groups. From this, Maenza and Melton conclude by talking about how some countries, like China, have nefarious motivations for why they persecute religious minorities, whereas other countries are either incompetent or don’t know how to use their laws to improve the situation for those groups. To continue learning about the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, please visit their website here: https://www.uscirf.gov/ Or follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/USCIRF Those who want to learn more about Iraq can read USCIRF’s annual report for the country here: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Iraq.pdf And can read about Syria here: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Syria.pdf Listeners can read Maenza’s op-ed about Yazidis in Iraq here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/agony-of-yazidis-extends-to-sixth-anniversary-of-their-genocide And can follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nadinemaenza

A couple months ago, Providence contributor Paul D. Miller complained on Twitter about people confused liberalism and progressivism. In this episode hosted by Mark Melton, he explains how the two concepts are different. He specifically makes the case that conservatives wrongly blame liberalism for the excesses of progressivism. He then explains what classical liberalism is, and how this idea can be the solution for the problems progressivism creates. Miller also reviews what he calls “Augustinian liberalism,” which uses the ideas of St. Augustine as a grounding for liberalism, instead of Enlightenment ideas. Miller and Melton then talk about how federalism and localism can help alleviate problems America faces—including the fear that, if “our” side loses a national or presidential election, the country’s over. In fact, he says allowing more federalism and letting subcultures flourish would increase national cohesion, whereas enforcing a common national identity, whether a left-wing or right-wing version, would increase national strife. Miller also reviews viewpoint neutrality, cancel culture, participation in local government, and more. To read Miller’s articles about Augustinian liberalism, see https://providencemag.com/2019/09/augustinian-liberalism-symposium/ and https://providencemag.com/2019/09/augustine-of-hippo-christian-democrat/ His other works for Providence are available here: https://providencemag.com/authors/paul-d-miller/ Other articles and podcasts by Mark Melton are available here: https://providencemag.com/authors/mark-melton/

In this episode of the Foreign Policy ProvCast, Joshua Walker speaks with Mark Melton about Japan’s global role, especially as the rivalry between the United States and China intensifies. The last time Walker spoke for Providence, he was in the process of leaving the Eurasia Group to become the president of the Japan Society, so he talks about his new organization’s projects and mission. Then he describes the role Japan has played in East Asia since the end of the Second World War and the role the country can play now as the world moves from a transatlantic century to a transpacific century. News came out last week that lawmakers in Japan are pushing for the country to have the right to strike missile-launch sites in North Korea and China, but Walker explains why these headlines are misleading. He also discusses Japan’s Self Defense Forces and the prospects of the country changing its constitution so that it can have a more normalized military force and presence. Then Melton and Walker talk about how America’s alliance with both South Korea and Japan has traditionally provided stability for the region and the current status of those relationships. The two also cover how Japan is caught in the crossfire of the US-China rivalry, along with how the people of Japan view both countries. Walker finishes with analysis about what might happen with US-Japan relations if Joe Biden becomes president, how Shinzo Abe has been able to manage relations well with Donald Trump, and the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the 2020 Olympics in Japan to happen in 2021 instead.

Providence has recently published a few articles about race and racism after the murder of George Floyd, and in this episode of the ProvCast Trillia Newbell speaks about a Christian perspective on racism, the imago Dei, practical ways Christians can respond to racism, and hope for the future. Newbell is the director of community outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention, an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers, and the author of multiple books—including "Sacred Endurance: Finding Grace and Strength for a Lasting Faith," "United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity," and "If God Is For Us: The Everlasting Truth of Our Great Salvation." CNN recently interviewed her for an article about racism and the church, which can be found here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/10/us/white-black-christians-racism-burke/index.html

Michael Sobolik, a fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC, speaks with Mark Melton about recent developments in China. In particular, Sobolik explains new revelations that the Chinese Communist Party is forcing Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang to have sterilizations and abortions, which he wrote about in Newsweek. They also talk about the United Kingdom banning Huawei from building Britain’s 5G network. Sobolik lays out why the United States opposes Huawei on this and what other countries may ban the company from their networks. He wrote about this issue in a report for the American Foreign Policy Council. The two also discuss the importance of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and how this affects geopolitics and US foreign policy. Sobolik also describes what China did to cover up the COVID-19 pandemic and the Chinese Communist Party’s misinformation campaign, which he also covered in The Diplomat and The Hill. Sobolik and Melton also talk about developments in Hong Kong, including the possibility the US and UK will accept refugees from there, and why the US declared this week that it does not recognize China’s claims to offshore resources in the South China Sea. Sobolik’s articles on these topics can be found here: https://www.afpc.org/uploads/documents/Defense_Technology_Briefing_-_Issue_19.pdf https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/to-hold-china-accountable-for-delayed-covid-19-action-target-the-great-firewall/ https://www.newsweek.com/what-china-hong-kong-opinion-1511063 https://thehill.com/opinion/international/502875-pompeo-bet-against-china-and-covid-19-may-prove-him-right

This week the Chinese Communist Party approved a decision to “establish and enhance the legal framework and enforcement mechanisms for national security” in Hong Kong. In response, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certified that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China so no longer warrants special treatment from the US. Olivia Enos, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center, spoke with Mark Melton about what this development means for Hong Kong’s democracy. She also analyzes how this will affect US-China relations, what Hong Kongers will likely do next, what this means for Taiwan, how the US should respond, and more. She also explains why she and others have called this predicament Hong Kong’s “worst case scenario.”

Tobias Cremer, a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge, speaks with Mark Melton about the role religion plays in populist movements in Germany, France, and the United States. They discuss how populists on the streets of Dresden carried oversized crosses, but when asked the vast majority of protestors self-identified as agnostic or atheist. Instead of believing in the basic Christian tenets as American evangelicals would understand them, most European populists cling to a cultural Christian identity without believing the theology. According to Cremer’s research based on numerous interviews, the populists claim they and their society are Christian because they have a church in their town instead of a mosque, not because they attend church; they are Christian because they are not Muslim. In contrast, he found most Christians in Germany and France who practice the faith regularly shun the populist parties, and attending church was a strong indicator against supporting parties like the Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany, or AFD) or Rassemblement national (National Rally, formally known as the National Front). Cremer and Melton further discuss how evangelicals’ support for Donald Trump is different, how the two-party system in the United States creates a different outcome when religion and populism mix, what happens to believing Christians in European populist movements, why and how those European movements support Israel and left-wing causes, how the movements react to Islam, and why American and European churches are different.

Earlier this year David Curry, CEO and president of Open Doors USA, spoke about persecution against Christians globally and his organization's annual report, the World Watch List. For more information about the report, visit https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/ And for more information about Providence, please visit https://providencemag.com/

Assistant Editor Grayson Logue interviews Rich Lowry, Editor in Chief of National Review and author of "The Case for Nationalism." They discuss the history of nationalism and its resurgence in the modern-day as well as President Trump's strike against Iran.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin interviews Travis Wussow (VP of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission) from the front lines of the democracy protests in Hong Kong. They discuss the stand-off at Polytechnic University and role of Christians amidst the political chaos in China.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin interviews Emily de La Bruyere and Nate Picarsic, Founders of Radar Lock Research, as they discuss their recent article on the growing threat of Chinese power and the strategy behind China’s economic and political drive for cultural influence.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin interviews Faysal Itani of the Atlantic Council on the US withdrawal from Syria, the identity of the Kurds, the prospects for ISIS and the religious minorities in the region.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin sits down with Prof. Paul Miller to discuss the lack of civility in American politics, the rise of nationalism, and his recently published report on Faith and Healthy Democracy.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin sits down with David French of the National Review to discuss his debate with Sohrab Ahmari, the future of American conservatism, and America’s proposed withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Managing editor Drew Griffin sits down with Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation to discuss the ongoing crisis in Hong Kong, human rights, and the plight of Christians and Communist China.

Managing Editor Drew Griffin sits down with GWU Professor Samuel Goldman to discuss his piece in Modern Age on Finis Germania, Rolf Peter Seiferle, and the particular difficulty that the Holocaust poses for modern German Identity.

Deputy Editor Mark Melton speaks with Niall Walsh, the Western Europe analyst at Oxford Analytica. They cover how and whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson will deliver Brexit by October 31, rising populism and nationalism in the UK, the possibility of Scotland becoming an independent country, problems with the UK Royal Navy, what a US-UK free trade deal might entail, how the UK is responding to the Iran crisis, and more. Since recording this podcast, the UK announced it would join US-led naval security mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo credit: Flickr/Boris Johnson Twitter

Faysal Itani of the Atlantic Council talks with Providence Managing Editor Drew Griffin about the continuing crisis in Syria, and its ramifications throughout the broader middle east.

Author Shadi Hamid sits down with Managing Editor Drew Griffin to discuss the rise of Islam in the West and the role of religion in Foreign Policy.

Managing editor Drew Griffin sits down with Eric Farnsworth, VP of the Council of the Americas, to discuss the growing influence and threat of Chinese involvement in Latin America.

Writer and author Lela Gilbert joins Drew Griffin to discuss the latest reports of global anti-Semitism.

Professor and contributing editor Paul Coyer joins Providence managing editor Drew Griffin for a discussion about the ongoing tragedy in Venezuela.

In this episode, Managing Editor Drew Griffin sits down with US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback to discuss the changing face of religious persecution and new global threats to international religious liberty.

In this episode of the Foreign Policy ProvCast, Eric Patterson speaks about his book Just American Wars: Ethical Dilemmas in US Military History. Specifically, he addresses whether the colonies were right to fight the British Empire in the American War for Independence, national honor and ego were good reasons for US presidents to continue the Vietnam War, and more.