:: Global Currents ::

The Foreign Policy Association and Sarwar Kashmeri, FPA Fellow and author of America and Europe after 9/11 and Iraq: The Great Divide are pleased to announce the launch of a special series of interviews celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which laid the foundations of the European Union. This unprecedented series kicks off with a discussion between Kashmeri and European Commission Vice President Margot Wallström. Wallström speaks of the evolution of the European Union, what it means to young Europeans today and the challenges presented by its complexities to U.S. policymakers. Click here to learn more about Celebrate Europe and the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.

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This week, Global Currents speaks with Former U.S. Foreign Service Officer, David Grimland. Grimland has retired from a distinguished Foreign Service career in the Middle East and has been speaking to the people of Montana on Muslim culture. He was struck by the intense level of interest in the topic across a wide spectrum of people. Grimland believes the U.S. media’s portrayal of Muslims has been largely inaccurate and has in effect led to misunderstandings. He would advise the U.S. to concentrate on exchange based programs, believing that people, once having had actual experiences with one another are less inclined to fall back on stereotypes.

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This week, Global Currents speaks with Former E.U. Ambassador to the U.S., Hugo Paemen. Paemen, a highly experienced trade negotiator, discusses this year’s annual U.S. E.U. meeting to boost economic ties and examines why we need another trade relationship with the E.U.. The elimination of specific bilateral barriers to trade are also discussed along with the impact of bilateral trade agreements on the Doha round.

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Global Currents host Sarwar Kashmeri speaks with the North American CEO of the world’s largest business software company, SAP. Bill McDermott discusses the impact the global economy has had on the software industry, and the new demands it has placed on companies not just to “act global” but to “think global.”

 Think Global, Act Global: A conversation with SAP's Bill McDermott: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week Global Currents speaks with Karen Rohan, Editor in Chief of the Foreign Policy Association. Great Decisions is the greatest contribution the Foreign Policy Association makes to improve general understanding of Foreign Affairs and the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. Karen Rohan discusses the role of Great Decisions and the lengthily process of picking topics. The discussion also sheds light on the National Opinion Ballots, and the National Opinion Ballot report which is compiled and delivered to decision makers in Washington each year.

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Sarwar Kashmeri speaks with Wall Street Journal Online Managing Editor Bill Grueskin. Grueskin outlines the strengths and weaknesses of online news, offers insight into new trends in blogging and search engines and discusses the thinking behind the recent redesign of www.WSJ.com

 The Future of Online News: A conversation Bill Grueskin: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Global Currents speaks with Major General David Huntoon, US Army, Commandant of the US Army War College. Major General Huntoon suggests new leaders need to be comfortable in a world of discomfort and have the capacity to bring critical thinking skills to a world described as volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Huntoon also discusses how the Army war college is training its leaders for globalization and emerging transnational threats by focusing on critical thinking training required in the diplomatic, informational, and economic elaments of a military campaign, often the deciding factors in modern warfare.

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Global Currents speaks with Marc Chandler, Global Head of Currency Strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman and professor at New York University. Prof. Chandler suggests the U.S. Treasury should issue dollar denominated Islamic Bonds to tap into the 450 Billion dollar surplus of oil exporting nations which is growing at a rate of 33% per-year. This concept is discussed along with it’s potential ramifications.

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Global Currents speaks with Joseph Stiglitz, Professor, Columbia University & Author “Making Globalization Work.” Prof. Stiglitz suggests that unless we make globalization fairer for poor Americans and the less developed countries there will continue to be a growing backlash against it. Prof. Stiglitz stipulates that the rules of the game need adjustment, to take advantage of Globalization countries currently need both education and resources, countries such as Africa have neither in sufficient supply, as a result the gap between rich and poor continues to grow.

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 Making Globalization Work: A conversation with Joseph Stiglitz: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Global Currents speaks with Andy Hall, President and CEO of Phibro, Inc., the commodity trading arm of Citigroup. Hall suggests there is no magic bullet that will reduce current American dependence on oil, but that a combination of innovation and exploration for new sources of energy is needed as the market shifts from a “buyers market” to one that now favors sellers. Hall also notes that as oil production in developed countries continues to decline, there will be greater reliance — and competition — for resources from undemocratic and sometimes unstable regimes.

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 Energy and the Economy: A conversation with Andy Hall: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download