The Sound of Democracy

The negotiations to free the hostages seized by Hamas on October 7, 2023, were among the most complex and consequential diplomatic efforts in recent history. Few Americans had a better vantage point than Brett McGurk, who served as President Biden's top Middle East adviser and played a central role in the negotiations. He is currently a CNN global affairs analyst and distinguished fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center an Atlantic Council. In a conversation about his new book, Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages, McGurk takes us behind the scenes of the often-frustrating negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, and Arab mediators. He describes the tensions between the Biden administration, which favored a phased ceasefire agreement to secure the hostages' release, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insisted that military pressure on Hamas was essential to achieving that goal while pursuing its destruction. McGurk also recounts the unusual cooperation between the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Trump's negotiating team. With Israelis heading to the polls on October 27, McGurk offers his assessment of Netanyahu's political future, the significance of the election for U.S.-Israeli relations, and whether a new Israeli government might open the door to renewed negotiations with the Palestinians.

Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, what has America accomplished in its war on terror? And what lessons have we learned from more than two decades of costly military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere? In a conversation about his latest book, All the Presidents' Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror, author and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen offers an unvarnished assessment of the blunders and miscalculations made by presidents of both parties. Bergen details the missed opportunities and strategic miscalculations that prolonged America's wars, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the continuing threats posed by al-Qaeda and ISIS. With the United States now engaged in another war in the Middle East, Bergen expresses deep concern that America may find itself entrapped in yet another forever war. The conversation concludes with Bergen outlining a checklist of questions presidents should consider before committing the nation to military conflict. Perhaps most importantly: What happens the day after?

Beginning more than a decade ago, thousands of Uyghurs fled repression in Xinjiang, the region of western China many consider their homeland and call East Turkestan. Many eventually made their way to Syria, where they became fighters in the civil war and helped the rebel forces that overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. It is a remarkable story, and one that remains surprisingly little known. NPR White House Correspondent Emily Feng joins Jim Falk to discuss her new book, Our Hearts Burned for Home: Uyghur Militants in Syria’s Civil War. Drawing on extensive reporting in China and Syria and conversations with Uyghur fighters and their families, Feng explains why they left China, how some became affiliated with Islamist militant groups, and what motivated them to fight in a war thousands of miles from their ancestral home. The conversation also looks at the families now building lives in Syria are trying to preserve their Uyghur identity for themselves and their children. Host: Jim Falk Guest: Emily Feng, NPR White House Correspondent & Author, Our Hearts Burned for Home: Uyghur Militants in Syria’s Civil War.

When it comes to ethics, transparency, and accountability in state government, New Mexico lags much of the country. A recent survey found that only 19% of New Mexicans trust their state government. With a new governor taking office in January, Think New Mexico is calling for sweeping legislative reforms. Its latest report, The Next Step for a Modernizing Legislature, outlines 10 recommendations, including requiring legislators to recuse themselves when they have financial conflicts of interest, stronger disclosure requirements for so-called dark money, and a mandatory cooling-off period before former legislators can lobby their former colleagues. On this week's The Forum, Think New Mexico Executive Director Fred Nathan discusses these proposals, along with Amendment 4 on November's ballot, which would allow New Mexico legislators to receive a salary for the first time. A link to the report is included in the show notes. Host: Jim Falk Co-Host: Daniel James Guests: Fred Nathan, Founder & Executive Director, Think New Mexico Read the report The Next Step for a Modernizing Legislature

This week's Forum features Heather Lamboy, Director of the Santa Fe Land Use Department and Daniel Strongwater, a developer and member of the Board of Friends of Architecture, discussing Santa Fe Forward and the city's current project to update and improve our General Plan and Land Use Code.