American University
Senior Adjunct Professorial Lecturer in US Foreign Policy at American University and author of Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran; former staffer at the National Security Council (2001-2003) and State Department official (1990-1991)
At the Economic Summit, Syria Takes Center Stage Presidents Obama and Putin shook hands as Obama arrived in Russia for the G20 summit today, but that's apparently as close as they're going to get. Russia's grant of asylum to Edward Snowden, the leaker of American secrets, has dramatized the increasing gulf between the two countries. Obama says he's decided on military action in Syria, while Putin's opposed , while neither side has gone public with the evidence needed to make its case. Whatever happened to Obama's "reset" of relations with Russia? Are the differences between the two countries irreconcilable? Will Obama gain the backing of other nations while he's in Russia? Should he have stayed home to persuade Congress and the American people?
Legal or illegal? Is the appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general?
California catastrophe The fires rage on in our own backyard, and in Northern California, encompassing tens of thousands of acres each. In L-A and Ventura Counties, the Woolsey Fire has scorched everything in its path. To the north, in Butte County, the Camp Fire has charred and destroyed even more acreage, of trees, brush and everything else, north of Sacramento, and the town of Paradise is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak.
The Voting is Over, but the Campaign Continues Women had a major impact on the midterm elections. So did $5 billion in campaign spending. Meantime, Democrats now lead the House while Republicans dominate the Senate, and the politics of division continues on Capitol Hill. We’ll hear how former House Speaker Newt Gingrich helped start an era of gridlock and perpetual campaigning.
Tiny Desk Talks NPR Music is proud to introduce their newest series, “Tiny Desk Talks” fueled by Lagunitas Brewing Company. Featuring one of their talks in collaboration with KCRW for an intimate conversation on music in film with composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Atlanta, Creed) and music supervisor and KCRW DJ Liza Richardson (Barry, Narcos), moderated by KCRW’s Jason Bentley. Watch the conversation below.