Last week, President Vladimir Putin announced sweeping plans for a constitutional overhaul in Russia. Widely viewed as a means to extend his political power after his current presidential term ends in 2024, the changes are now rocketing toward passage in Russia’s parliament. In this week’s episode of #AskIvo, Council President Ivo Daalder looks at why this move should have caught no one by surprise.
Watch the Video
More Americans believe the killing of Soleimani makes the United States less safe (47%) compared to more safe (28%), a new survey from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, shows. When asked what country poses the greatest threat to US security, 34 percent of Americans cited Iran, an increase from 10 percent recorded in February 2019.
Read the ReportDemonstrators have taken to the streets from Hong Kong to Lebanon, with many calling for democratic reforms. Yet policymakers in the United States are split on whether or not to support pro-democracy movements abroad. Rochelle Terman and Paul Poast of the University of Chicago join Deep Dish to debate the two competing options, which they call “America first” and “Spider-Man.”
Listen to the Podcast
While the US-Iran relationship has been strained for the past 40 years, tensions sharply escalated after a US drone strike killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani earlier this month. The potential for further Iran retaliations, as well as the unresolved status of Iran’s nuclear program, could trigger significant economic and political effects with serious security implications for the United States and its allies. Join Kelly Magsamen, National Security Council director for Iran under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, to discuss America’s policy options for Iran going forward.
Watch
“Cities are rivalling nation-states — in terms of their economic clout, diplomatic influence and international connectivity,” nonresident senior fellow Robert Muggah writes on the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting this week in Davos. “Nation-states are not about to go away, but they are giving way to alternate networks and distributed forms of power.”
The Doomsday Clock is now 100 seconds to midnight, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced this morning. In this episode, Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the Bulletin, takes a minute to explain how the Doomsday Clock works, examine if nuclear weapons make the world safer, and recommend her favorite movie involving nuclear warfare.
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld joins the Council at 9:00 a.m. January 27 to give a keynote speech on American foreign policy as part of the America in 2020 series.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Doors open: 8:45 am
Event: 9:00 am
Chicago Council on Global Affairs Conference Center
McCormick Foundation Hall
130 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601
Washington is torn between two futures for US foreign policy: one of engagement and intervention, another of restraint and retrenchment. But where do Americans stand? Read findings from the 2019 Chicago Council Survey of American public opinion on US foreign policy to learn how Americans feel on important issues, including trade, China, and divides between Democrats.
The Council offers globally minded Chicagoans opportunities to go behind the headlines and learn about what is happening around the world without leaving Chicago. Membership contributions also support the important work the Council does to connect Chicago to the world. Join today.
Learn more about our areas of focus:
