Council on Foreign Relations
Senior fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink; career foreign service officer, serving twice in Nigeria as a political counselor and as Ambassador (2004-2007)
Boko Haram's Use of Child Suicide Bombers UNICEF reports that children are now objects of fear in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, because of a ten-fold increase in their use as bombers by the extremist group Boko Haram. After one young woman was freed, she told her mother she'd been trained as a suicide bomber, the mother was so afraid she turned her daughter into the military. John Campbell is a former US Ambassador to Nigeria. He's now senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink .
Obama Talks Boko Haram, Corruption with Nigerian President Nigeria has Africa’s largest population and its biggest economy, but relations with the US have been strained. Newly elected President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Washington today at the invitation of President Obama. The President told reporters , "We very much look forward to talking about security issues, how we can cooperate on counterterrorism. We are looking forward to discussing how we can be helpful in addressing some of the corruption issues that have held Nigeria back and unleashing the incredible talent of the Nigerian people." John Campbell has served in Nigeria as political counselor and Ambassador. He’s currently senior fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations .
French Air Strikes in Mali Complicate Indigenous Solutions Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the US will provide assistance to France against rebels in the vast, African-desert country of Mali. There’s been concern about creating another conflict between Western nations and Muslim extremists, but Panetta says the role of Al-Qaeda has forced America to get involved.
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.
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
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.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.