Defense Department (formerly)
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, he also served in Afghanistan on the National Security Council staff
PROFILE
David Sedney
Guest
FROM David Sedney
To the Point
Leaving Afghanistan: For Better or Worse? The search for Osama bin Laden turned into America's longest war and a vastly expensive exercise in trying to build one of the world's poorest nations. But critics say much of the country has been left out, while US dollars have fueled corruption that's even now raising the cost of American withdrawal. Meantime, the Taliban reportedly are divided, as one faction talks peace while the other waits to wage more war when Afghan forces are on their own. After twelve years of US involvement, what does Afghanistan look like now? What's in store for the future?
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.