Co-Chair, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
President of the International Crisis Group, based in Brussels, Belgium; Co-Chair of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect at the Ralph Bunche Institute at the City University of New York; former member of the United Nations high-level panel appointed by Kofi Annan to look at restructuring the UN Security Council; former Foreign Minister from Australia
Burma's Misery, Myanmar's Intransigence China has mobilized massive resources to deal with yesterday's earthquake. More than a week after the cyclone hit Myanmar it's a different story. The Burmese government now concedes that 60,000 have died since the Cyclone Nargis struck the Irrawaddy River Delta a week from last Saturday. Resources comparable to those that helped Indonesia recover from the tsunami four years ago are waiting off shore, but they're not getting in. As many as two million people are at risk for their lives, while the government distributes what aid there is to supporters and soldiers. Does that constitute a "crime against humanity?" Would an invasion for "humanitarian reasons" make things better or worse?
Korean Nominated as Secretary General as Defiant DPRK Conducts Nuclear Test North Korea says it has successfully conducted its first underground nuclear test, an action that has reportedly brought joy to the people and the army of that country, and condemnation and concern from the international community. President Bush has spoken to the leaders of South Korea, China, Japan and Russia, all of whom agreed that North Korea's actions "are unacceptable and deserve an immediate response." Meantime, the United Nations Security Council has nominated South Korea's Ban Ki-moon to replace Kofi Annan as the next Secretary General. The General Assembly will vote this week. If approved, Ban would become take over the leadership role on January 1 of 2007. Guest host Diana Nyad explores the role Ban will play in the UN's "responsibility to protect" and the fine line he'll walk over negotiations with North Korea.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
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.
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.