The Tension Between Political Will and Political Power
From Syria to Germany, from the U.S. election to the plot line of Homeland, this week’s panel debates whether even the best political intentions can produce real change.
In this latest episode of The E.R., David Rothkopf, David Sanger, Kori Schake, and Yochi Dreazen serve up a potluck podcast, tackling a wide range of issues — from the latest developments regarding Syria to the ups and downs of the U.S. elections, and the many issues confronting the European Union.
In this latest episode of The E.R., David Rothkopf, David Sanger, Kori Schake, and Yochi Dreazen serve up a potluck podcast, tackling a wide range of issues — from the latest developments regarding Syria to the ups and downs of the U.S. elections, and the many issues confronting the European Union.
They also raise a host of troubling questions: Is it remotely possible that there will be a resolution for Syria by the end of 2016? Does Secretary of State John Kerry—who may have the political will— also have the power (and support) necessary to really implement a better course in Syria? (Does HBO’s Homeland actually offer prescient insight into what’s happening in Syria now?) Casting a glance at the brewing trouble in the EU, questions over German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s handling of the migrant crisis are raising doubts about whether it will lead to her downfall. And will trouble in Germany eventually lead to a larger crisis for Europe? And finally, now that 2016 candidates are dropping from the election race, the panel discusses whether the presidential debates are finally getting interesting.
Yochi Dreazen is the managing editor for news at FP and author of The Invisible Front. Follow him on Twitter: @YochiDreazen.
David Sanger is the chief Washington correspondent for the New York Times and is an expert on cybersecurity. Follow him on Twitter: @SangerNYT.
Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, where she focuses on military history. She is also a former foreign-policy advisor to Sen. John McCain. Follow her on Twitter: @KoriSchake.
David Rothkopf is the CEO and editor of the FP Group. Follow him on Twitter: @djrothkopf.
Subscribe to The E.R. podcast and other FP podcasts on iTunes here.
More from Foreign Policy

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?
The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World
It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

It’s a New Great Game. Again.
Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing
The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.