Counterpoint

The Bosnian War in the early 1990s was at the time the bloodiest conflict on European soil since World War II. Some 100,000 people were killed and more than 2 million displaced amid widespread ethnic cleansing and massacres. In 1995, the warring parties struck a power-sharing deal in negotiations just outside Dayton, Ohio, in what came to be known as the Dayton Accords. But the deal didn’t really resolve the underlying problems. Bosnia continues to be plagued by ethnic division, and the country’s political structure is widely seen as ineffective and unstable. Welcome to Counterpoint. On each episode, we look at one pressing question facing world leaders—from two opposing points of view.  In our season finale, we’re tackling the question: Did the Dayton Accords set Bosnia up for failure? Arguing that the agreement put Bosnia on a path to perpetual crisis is Jasmin Mujanović, a senior nonresident fellow at New Lines Institute. He is the author of two books, Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans and  The Bosniaks: Nationhood After Genocide. And making the case that the Dayton Accords were essential to bringing peace and maintaining stability is Chris Hill. A career diplomat, Hill was part of the U.S. delegation that brokered the agreement. Most recently, he served as the⁠ U.S. ambassador to Serbia⁠ under President Joe Biden. Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. The show is hosted by Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Scissors, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and chief economist at the China Beige Book, argues for a hardline U.S. stance against China. In contrast, Lizzi C. Lee, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, emphasizes that full decoupling isn't feasible. They discuss the complex implications of U.S.-China relations, the strategic challenges of decoupling, and its potential economic fallout. Both explore the balance between engagement and resistance amid rising nationalism in China and its impact on global dynamics.

Ken Opalo, an associate professor at Georgetown University, argues that Western aid has created more problems for Africa than it has solved. On the other side, Ndidi Nwuneli, president of The ONE Campaign, emphasizes the critical role of aid in fostering economic opportunities and healthier lives. They debate the consequences of recent U.S. aid cuts, explore the need for African nations to gain self-reliance, and discuss the shift from aid dependency to more equitable partnerships. The conversation dives deep into how these changes could reshape Africa's future.

South Korea has long relied on the United States for deterrence against its nuclear-armed neighbor, North Korea. But since his reelection, U.S. President Donald Trump has raised questions about Washington’s core commitments around the world. He and members of his cabinet have suggested Washington might withdraw from the Korean Peninsula altogether, or make Seoul pay billions for the defense the U.S. provides, including a nuclear umbrella against Pyongyang. As a result, a majority of Koreans now want the country to develop its own nuclear arsenal. This week on Counterpoint, we tackle the question: Should South Korea develop nuclear weapons? Arguing in favor is ⁠Jennifer Lind⁠, an associate professor of government at Dartmouth College and the author of the forthcoming book, Autocracy 2.0: How China’s Rise Reinvented Tyranny.  Making the case against Seoul developing its own nuclear weapons is Lami Kim, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu and the former director of the Asian studies program at the U.S. Army War College.  Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. The show is hosted by Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late last year, Syrian opposition forces captured Damascus and put an end to the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian dictator, whose family had ruled the country for more than 50 years, fled to Moscow. Across the country, Syrians celebrated.Assad’s fall exposed the brutality of his regime, including gruesome discoveries in government prisons, tens of thousands of disappeared people, and mass displacement. But the group that replaced it also has a record of violence—and a former affiliation with al Qaeda and the Islamic State.Welcome to Counterpoint. Each week, we look at one pressing question facing world leaders—from two opposing points of view. Today, we’re tackling the question: Is Syria on a path to realizing the hopes of the revolution?With us to make the case for viewing Syria’s new government with skepticism is David Adesnik, the vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.Arguing that Syrians are capable of securing a democratic future for themselves is Alia Malek, a journalist, former civil rights lawyer, and the author of The Home That Was Our Country: A Memoir of Syria.Counterpoint is hosted by Sasha Polakow-Suransky, a deputy editor at Foreign Policy. The show is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have roiled markets around the world and triggered a full-blown trade war with China. Even after he suspended his so-called reciprocal tariffs, the measures he kept in place are still more dramatic than anything the world has seen in decades. Most economists believe free trade­—not tariffs—is the best way to increase global prosperity. But Trump says other countries are taking advantage of the United States.On this episode of Counterpoint, we’ll hear from two leading economists who feel very differently about tariffs. Oren Cass, the founder of American Compass, generally supports them, while Kimberly Clausing, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes the Trump tariff policy is a disaster for the United States. Their debate was moderated by Foreign Policy’s editor-in-chief, Ravi Agrawal, and originally aired on FP Live.Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. It is hosted by FP deputy editor Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declared a cease-fire last month in its war with Turkey, opening the door to a possible peace agreement between the two sides. Some 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which has gone on for decades.A deal would be a major win for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—but it’s not at all clear he can pull it off. In fact, he seems to have undermined his own chances by imprisoning the leader of Turkey’s political opposition, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, triggering widespread protests.On this episode of Counterpoint, we’re posing the question: Can the Turkish-Kurdish peace process succeed?Making the case that it can succeed is Galip Dalay, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House and researcher at the University of Oxford’s St. Antony’s College.Taking a more pessimistic view is Arzu Yilmaz, an associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Kurdistan Hewler in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. It is hosted by FP deputy editor Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration has upended the U.S. approach to the war in Ukraine, largely siding with Russia as it tries to broker an end to the fighting. With Washington no longer interested in acting as Ukraine’s chief protector, the burden is shifting to Europe. But can it bear the load?To launch Season 2 of Counterpoint, we put that question to Nathalie Tocci and Stephen M. Walt.Tocci is the director of Italy’s Istituto Affari Internazionali and has worked as an advisor to the government of Italy and to EU officials. She argues that Europe can fully replace the United States in supporting Ukraine.Walt, a professor of international affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and longtime columnist at Foreign Policy, argues the other side of the case.Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. It is hosted by FP deputy editor Sasha Polakow-Suransky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world has changed dramatically since we released the first season of Counterpoint just a few months ago. Old alliances are collapsing and core assumptions are being questioned. On this second season of the show, FP deputy editor Sasha Polakow-Suransky is back with eight new debates that help capture the complexities of the moment. Listen in as an international cast of diplomats, journalists, academics, and activists from around the globe argue over the world's most contentious issues. Counterpoint is a production of Foreign Policy, in partnership with the Doha Forum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past few weeks, Taiwan’s military has been on high alert after China deployed warships and fighter jets around the island to conduct unannounced maritime drills. And some are now questioning whether China could be gearing up for a military attack. Foreign Policy Deputy Editor Sasha Polakow-Suransky is joined by Jessica Chen Weiss, a professor of China studies at Johns Hopkins University and a former senior advisor at the U.S. State Department, and Markus Garlauskas, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council and the former U.S. National Intelligence Officer for North Korea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices