Why It Matters

Experts argue that Mexico affects daily life in the United States more than any other country. For years, U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to tackle immigration, trade, and security challenges, and their success has depended on cooperation. With so much at stake, Why It Matters investigates the complex relationship and the factors that threaten it.   Featured Guests:  Shannon K. O’Neil (Vice President, Deputy Director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies, Council on Foreign Relations)  Mariana Campero (Senior Associate, Non-resident, Americas Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/mexico

Female service members are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow service member than shot by an enemy combatant at war. As the reports increase, the controversial military justice system remains intact. The current policy gives commanders authority over the prosecution, often allowing perpetrators to evade accountability. The consequences are dire for survivors and the armed services at large, as the status quo undermines military readiness.    Featured Guests:  Don Christenson (Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Ret., President, Protect Our Defenders)  Meghann Myers (Pentagon Bureau Chief, Military Times)  Heather Sexton (Captain, Missouri Army National Guard, Ret.)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/sexual-assault-in-the-us-military

Why It Matters is pleased to present an episode from its sister podcast, The President’s Inbox. Today, U.S. national security is dependent on international nuclear agreements. How does the world regulate nuclear weapons as countries continue to advance their arsenals?   Featured Guests:  James M. Lindsey (Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair, Council on Foreign Relations)   Rose Gottemoeller (Frank E. and Arthur W. Payne Distinguished Lecturer, Stanford University Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Center for International Security and Cooperation)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/podcast-takeover-nuclear-security-presidents-inbox

The glamour and thrill of espionage, brought to life on screen by characters such as James Bond, have long captivated imaginations. But this profession is deeply misunderstood, and it is always changing. Today, spycraft hangs in the balance as new technologies emerge and societies change.    Featured Guests:  Edward Lucas (Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis)  Emily Harding (Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/spying-101

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country, has prompted a moment of national debate about the war’s cost and legacy. Many are asking what went wrong and what the conflict accomplished.  For insight, Why It Matters turned to CFR President Richard N. Haass, who has spent four decades studying and advising on Afghanistan. As head of policy planning for the State Department under U.S. President George W. Bush, and later as U.S. coordinator for the future of Afghanistan, Haass was in the room when many of the earliest and most important decisions about the war were shaped. In this episode, he offers his critique of how the war unfolded and raises potential lessons the United States should consider as it turns its eyes to future challenges.   Featured Guest:  Richard N. Haass (CFR President) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/perspective-afghanistan-richard-n-haass

Hosting the Olympics is a monumental undertaking that often leaves behind rusted stadiums and financial losses. So why do nations compete to do it? This episode examines the political history of the games, and the soft power that countries hope to gain by hosting them.   Featured Guests:  Jules Boykoff (Professor of Political Science, Pacific University)  Katharine Moon (Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/hey-remember-olympics

The United States’ alliance with Japan is the centerpiece of U.S. security in Asia, but new demographic challenges from within Japan raise concerns about the future of the region.   Featured Guests:  Zach Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI)  Motoko Rich, Tokyo Bureau Chief, New York Times  Sheila A. Smith, John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Studies   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/japans-population-problem

Fresh water is more than just a resource, it is the source of all life. But in many arid regions of the world, water supplies are under pressure from climate change, and outdated rules and infrastructure are making the problem worse. What does the world need to know about water consumption, and how can societies build better systems for a dryer future?   Featured Guests:  Mark Giordano (Professor of Geography and Cinco Hermanos Chair in Environment and International Affairs, Georgetown University)  Sandra Postel (Founder and Director, Global Water Policy Project)   For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/water-scarcity

Silicon chips are in almost all electronics, and access to them can make or break a country’s economic future. Their production relies on complex supply chains, and during the pandemic, the world learned just how fragile these supply chains are. Many countries, including the United States and China, are investing billions of dollars to develop the capacity to produce chips domestically, and some analysts see chip-related conflict on the horizon.   Featured Guests:  Don Clark (Freelance Contributor, New York Times) Rebecca Heilweil (Reporter, Vox) Ajit Manocha (President and CEO, SEMI) David Sacks (Research Fellow)   For a transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/when-microchips-are-down

Will the world have enough water to survive in the era of climate change? Could a shortage of silicon chips eventually lead to war? Do human spies matter in the era of cyber espionage? Why It Matters is back for its fourth season, unpacking new problems and speaking with a host of new guests.   For more about Why It Matters, visit us at cfr.org/podcasts/why-it-matters