Shows
The Precision-Guided PodcastEpisode 74: US-Mexico Relations in the Shadow of Fentanyl with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown Part 2Amid President-elect Donald Trump’s recent pledge to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican products, if Mexico does not curb the flow of fentanyl, this episode dives deep into the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations and the fight against organized crime. Join host Nelly Hernandez Valdez and policy expert Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown as they explore: Fentanyl and the Cartels: How Mexican criminal groups have become key players in the U.S. fentanyl epidemic and their strategies for controlling local economies and territories. China's Role: The connection between Chinese criminal groups and Mexico’s illegal economies and...2025-04-1334 min
The STIMPACK PodcastS3.E7 - Considering Haiti as a Crime State with guest Dr. Felbab-BrownHaiti is collapsing. Gangs now control most of Port-au-Prince, and the international response is failing. Can anything stop the takeover? In this gripping episode of The Stimpack Podcast, Jeff Frazier sits down with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a top expert in insurgency and organized crime from the Brookings Institution, to break down the current crisis in Haiti. Together, they explore how armed gangs like Viva Ensemble have outmaneuvered the Haitian government and the internationally funded MSSM force—and why so many conventional strategies, like high-value targeting, are likely to fail. They also discuss how Haiti’s elite once puppeteered the gang...2025-03-2845 min
The Mexican DreamBONUS - Interview whit Vanda Felbab BrownInterview whit Vanda Felbab Brown 2025-02-2818 min
The Mexican DreamRelación tóxicaLa crisis del consumo de fentanilo impacta profundamente tanto a México como a Estados Unidos. Esta epidemia de opioides no solo cobra miles de vidas, sino que también redefine las estrategias de seguridad y la diplomacia bilateral.En este episodio, analizamos cómo este problema ha transformado la cooperación entre los tres países de Norteamérica: Canadá, Estados Unidos y México. Lo que debería ser una responsabilidad compartida se ha convertido en un intercambio constante de reclamos y desconfianza.En este episodio nos acompaña Vanda Felbab Bro...2025-02-2732 min
Latin America in FocusThe Durability of Mano Dura in EcuadorEcuador, once among the safest countries in Latin America, now faces an insecurity crisis with the incursion of international criminal groups. President Daniel Noboa, now facing a reelection fight, is attempting to convince voters his hardline mano dura approach is one of the reasons to stay the course. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a security expert at Brookings Institution, explains what caused a perfect storm of insecurity in the country, what Noboa’s approach has been so far, and why the success of Nayib Bukele of El Salvador may be tough to replicate in Ecuador. Access other episodes of Latin Ame...2025-02-1328 min
Background Briefing with Ian MastersFebruary 9, 2025 - Kathleen Clark | Katherine Stewart | Vanda Felbab-BrownTechnocrats Are Purging Bureaucrats to Grab Data, Control Funds, Weaken Government, Cut Services and Install Loyalists to the Dear Leader | The One-Two Punch of Plutocracy and Theocracy Taking Over the Country | The Tinderbox in Eastern Congo Threatening a Regional War
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facebook.com/ianmastersmedia2025-02-091h 04Background Briefing with Ian MastersFebruary 9, 2025 - Kathleen Clark | Katherine Stewart | Vanda Felbab-BrownTechnocrats Are Purging Bureaucrats to Grab Data, Control Funds, Weaken Government, Cut Services and Install Loyalists to the Dear Leader | The One-Two Punch of Plutocracy and Theocracy Taking Over the Country | The Tinderbox in Eastern Congo Threatening a Regional War
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facebook.com/ianmastersmedia2025-02-091h 04
Headline UpdatesProject Stargate AI Mega-Deal, Cartels Labeled Terror Orgs, Birthright Citizen Legal Showdown, Hamas Back in Power, Hunter Laptop Strikes AgainProject Stargate AI MegaDeal, Cartels Labeled Terror Orgs, Birthright Citizen Legal Showdown, Hamas Back in Power, Hunter Laptop Strikes AgainKey Topics:We've got a power-packed show for you today, diving into some massive developments from the new Trump administration. We're talking about a groundbreaking $100 billion AI infrastructure project that's turning heads in Silicon Valley, plus a controversial move to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations that's already stirring up reactions from Mexico City. But that's not all - we're also covering the legal showdown over Trump's birthright citizenship executive or...2025-01-2212 min
UnIntelligenceEpisode 15, the TD Bank Scandal and Money Laundering 101Join us for our inaugural on-video podcast, Episode 15, as we review the TD Bank scandal of late 2024 and dive into the dark and bright sides of criminal money laundering, Anti Money Laundering (AML), and Know Your Customer (KYC) topics.
Dave Holder of Veritas Security and Investigative Services, LLC, and Matthew Hedger of Artemist Advisory, LLC, co-host this discussion.
Shouts!
Ryan Rambo, IXN, The CI Press Podcast
Red Vector, a company providing continuous monitoring software for insider risk management programs, with features based on original paradigms created by a team at Lockheed Martin
The MITRE...2025-01-021h 36
Change Agents with Andy StumpfHow Mexican Cartels and China Shape the U.S. Fentanyl EpidemicOn today's episode, Andy sits down with geopolitical expert and author, Vanda Felbab-Brown to discuss the on-going fight against the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.Vanda is an expert in international conflict and non-traditional security threats, with a focus on insurgency, organized crime, and illicit economies. She serves as a senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology within the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. She is also the director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors and co-director of the Africa Security Initiative, as well as the Brookings series on opioids...2024-12-111h 02
Mexico MattersTrump is Not The Enemy, Narcos IsIn this episode, Mariana speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. She is the director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors. She is also the co-director of the Brookings series on opioids: “The Opioid Crisis in America: Domestic and International Dimensions. They discuss the unprecedented epidemic caused by the synthetic drug revolution and the role that Mexican cartels have played in driving this crisis, bankrolled by Chinese money laundering organizations. They also discuss what concrete actions the Mexican government shou...2024-12-0935 min
C-SPAN BookshelfAW: T.J. English, "Los Muchachos,"Journalist T.J. English spoke about the rise and fall of "Los Muchachos," one of the most successful cocaine empires in U.S. history. He was interviewed by author and Brookings Institution senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-12-081h 04
After WordsT.J. English, "The Last Kilo"Journalist T.J. English spoke about the rise and fall of "Los Muchachos," one of the most successful cocaine empires in U.S. history. He was interviewed by author and Brookings Institution senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-12-081h 04The Precision-Guided PodcastEpisode 71: US-Mexico Relations in the Shadow of Fentanyl with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown Part 1Amid President-elect Donald Trump’s recent pledge to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican products, if Mexico does not curb the flow of fentanyl, this episode dives deep into the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations and the fight against organized crime. Join host Nelly Hernandez Valdez and policy expert Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown as they explore: Fentanyl and the Cartels: How Mexican criminal groups have become key players in the U.S. fentanyl epidemic and their strategies for controlling local economies and territories. China's Role: The connection between Chinese criminal groups and Mexico’s il...2024-12-0642 min
Borderland: Narcosis with Vincent 'Rocco' VargasIs China Using Fentanyl as a Weapon of Asymmetrical Warfare Against America?Producer's note: This episode was recorded prior to Presidential elections. On today's episode, Vince is joined by Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and expert on national security, organized crime, and illicit economies. She is the author of several books, including Narco Noir: Mexico’s Cartels, Cops, and Corruption and Shooting Up: Counterinsurgency and the War on Drugs.In their conversation, Vince and Vanda discuss China’s role in the production and export of fentanyl precursor chemicals, the complexities of its regulatory policies, and whether fentanyl could be used as a form of a...2024-11-181h 05
The Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldYouth, fentanyl, and the urgency of honest conversationsIn the final episode of The Killing Drugs, host Vanda Felbab-Brown speaks with Dr. Lisa Durette and Dr. Alexis Kennedy of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about the impact of the fentanyl and opioid epidemics on young people. They explore risk factors leading to substance use disorders among the young, including developmental vulnerabilities, the social environment, and trauma and abuse. They discuss the challenges in identifying opioid use in adolescents, how to have conversations with young people about drugs, and the importance of community and family involvement in prevention. Finally, they explore treatment and other drug support services...2024-10-3034 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldFrom cradle to grave: Responding to Nevada's fentanyl crisisIn this episode, Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses the fentanyl and opioid crisis in Nevada with Dr. Anne Weisman and Dr. Sara Hunt of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). They analyze the high rates of opioid misuse in the state and the resulting strain on health systems and behavioral health workers as well as coroners, a professional group essential in responding to drug use, but often neglected in policy focus. Their conversation explores the significant innovations that the state of Nevada adopted as a result of UNLV research and policy work and ways in which it can serve as...2024-10-2931 min
Addictions EditedLxAddictions24 live: Vanda Felbab-BrownElle talks to Vanda about her upcoming session at the Lisbon Addictions conference. Vanda Felbab-Brown is a Senior fellow in Foreign Policy at The Brookings Institution.Dr Elle Wadsworth is a researcher based at the University of Bath and at RAND Europe. The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility o...2024-10-2304 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldThe emerging fentanyl risk in South AmericaIn this episode of The Killing Drugs, Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses the emerging smuggling and retail of illicit fentanyl in South America with guests Daniel Mejía of Universidad de los Andes and Sara García of InSight Crime. They explore the sources and networks behind this threat, as well as the factors that mitigate or could amplify it. They also analyze South America’s preparedness to respond to fentanyl trafficking and use. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/KillingDrugs2024-10-2233 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldThe rising threat of synthetic opioids in EuropeIn this episode, host Vanda Felbab-Brown speaks with Dr. Alex Stevens, criminology professor at the University of Sheffield, about the emerging threat of synthetic opioids in Europe, particularly fentanyl and nitazenes. Stevens argues that the greater availability of treatment access and harm reduction programs in Europe than in the United States could reduce the severity of a growing flow of synthetic opioids into Europe. Felbab-Brown and Stevens also discuss the challenges of controlling synthetic drug supply chains and various law enforcement actions taken in Europe as well as the role of Afghanistan’s opium poppy ban. Show no...2024-10-1534 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldUS-Mexico relations and the fight against fentanyl traffickingIn this episode of The Killing Drugs, Vanda Felbab-Brown talks with Fred Dews about the role of Mexican criminal groups in the U.S. opioid crisis and U.S-Mexico anti-crime cooperation. She explains how, in addition to dominating fentanyl and methamphetamine production and supply to the United States, the Sinaloa cartel and cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación have expanded their role in other illegal as well as legal economies in Mexico and are building up political and institutional influence. Felbab-Brown also discusses the state of the U.S.-Mexico counternarcotics and law enforcement cooperation as well as the role o...2024-10-0838 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldThe fentanyl pipeline and China’s role in the US opioid crisisIn this episode, the podcast roles are reversed as show host Vanda Felbab-Brown is interviewed by Fred Dews, show producer and multimedia project manager at Brookings, about her research on the evolution of illicit networks and supply chains in China that fuel the U.S. fentanyl and opioid crises. They also discuss the evolution and complexities U.S.-China counter-narcotics cooperation and its prospects. Felbab-Brown also assesses some of the accomplishments of the restarted bilateral cooperation. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/Ki...2024-10-0134 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldFentanyl’s impact on Native American communities and paths to recoveryIn this episode, host Vanda Felbab-Brown speaks with Philomena Kebec, economic development coordinator for the Bad River tribe, about the particularly devastating impact of the fentanyl epidemic on American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In the United States, Native communities experience the highest drug overdose mortality rates among racial groups, with fatalities far surpassing national averages. But the sheer numbers do not capture the totality of the devastation, such as the cultural losses and community grief. Yet federal and state responses to the fentanyl crisis among Native communities have been profoundly inadequate. Kebec emphasizes the urgent need for greater...2024-09-2435 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldThe rise and fall of drug decriminalization in the Pacific NorthwestHost Vanda Felbab-Brown interviews Stanford professor Keith Humphreys about drug decriminalization in San Francisco, Oregon, and British Columbia. They discuss the origins and motivations for the dramatic policy change in 2020; the design of the policies, including the similarities with and differences from the decriminalization policies in Portugal; and the outcomes in the Northwest, including in terms of drug use, dealing, arrests, and property crime. Humphreys also explains what caused backlash against such policies and, ultimately, policy reversals. Humphreys emphasizes balanced policies, strong community engagement, and evidence-based public health service provision as the way forward. Keith Humphreys holds the Esther Ting Memorial Professorship at Stan...2024-09-1738 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldRethinking domestic law enforcement in the fentanyl crisisHost Vanda Felbab-Brown talks with RAND researchers Beau Kilmer and Roland Neil about U.S. domestic law enforcement responses to the fentanyl crisis. Kilmer and Neil highlight a decline in drug arrests, particularly for cannabis, in the United States, but note a surge in fentanyl-related seizures. They also discuss various alternatives to incarceration for specific drug-related crimes, including police-led deflection programs, and they cast skepticism on new punitive approaches, such as drug-induced homicide laws. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/KillingDrugs2024-09-1039 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldHarm reduction strategies to tackle the fentanyl crisisIn this episode, host Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses the benefits and limitations of harm reduction approaches with experts Regina LaBelle and David Holtgrave, who discuss a wide scope of harm reduction measures, including naloxone provision, overdose prevention centers, and the importance and efficacy of client-centered and community-centered approaches. Felbab-Brown, LaBelle, and Holtgrave also explore the legal barriers and stigma that pose challenges to adopting these strategies in the United States. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/KillingDrugs2024-09-0336 min
The Lawfare PodcastLawfare Daily: The Wagner Group, One Year After Prigozhin with Vanda Felbab-BrownOn today’s episode, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors, Co-Director of the Africa Security Initiative, and Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution joins Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien to help make sense of the recent skirmishes in northern Mali between the junta, separatist groups, Islamists, and Russian mercenaries. They discuss what the recent ambush in Mali portends for Russian and Russian-aligned mercenaries' activities in Africa and look back at how Moscow has restructured and reframed the Wagner Group in the year since the death of its former head, Yevgeny Prigo...2024-08-2838 min
The Lawfare Podcast: Patreon EditionLawfare Daily: The Wagner Group, One Year After Prigozhin with Vanda Felbab-BrownOn today’s episode, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors, Co-Director of the Africa Security Initiative, and Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution joins Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien to help make sense of the recent skirmishes in northern Mali between the junta, separatist groups, Islamists, and Russian mercenaries. They discuss what the recent ambush in Mali portends for Russian and Russian-aligned mercenaries' activities in Africa and look back at how Moscow has restructured and reframed the Wagner Group in the year since the death of its former head, Yevgeny Prigo...2024-08-2838 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldBreaking barriers to opioid use disorder treatmentHost Vanda Felbab-Brown speaks with Dr. Nicole Gastala and Dr. Harold Pollack about the challenges in reducing opioid use disorder in the U.S. They discuss the effectiveness of medication-assisted treatment and explore barriers like stigma, socioeconomic disparities, rural access issues, and insufficient insurance coverage. The conversation emphasizes the need to expand Medicaid, build family support, and reduce stigma within the medical community. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/KillingDrugs2024-08-2735 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldWhich drugs are up, which are down?In the show’s second episode, host Vanda Felbab-Brown talks with Dr. Peter Reuter and Dr. Greg Midgette, criminology professors at the University of Maryland, about the current state of the U.S. drug market, discussing changes to U.S. consumption patterns from cocaine to various opioids. The episode also explores the dramatic rise in lethality in the U.S. drug market, not just because of the widespread prevalence of fentanyl, but also because of the increasing potency of methamphetamine. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn mor...2024-08-2033 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldThe radical challenge synthetic opioids pose for drug policyIn the show’s first episode, host Vanda Felbab-Brown speaks with Dr. Jonathan Caulkins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, about the unique challenges that synthetic drugs, and particularly synthetic opioids, pose for policy. After laying out the history of drug use in the United States and the origins of the fentanyl epidemic, they discuss the pros and cons of a wide range of policies—from various law enforcement approaches to prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and prescribed safer supply. Show notes and transcript. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: B...2024-08-2039 minThe Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the WorldIntroducing The Killing Drugs, a new podcast about synthetic opioids around the worldOver 100,000 Americans are dying of drug overdoses annually. On The Killing Drugs: Synthetic Opioids around the World, host Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, interviews leading experts on the devastating synthetic opioid crisis to find policies that can save lives in the United States and around the world. Brought to you by the Brookings Podcast Network. Learn more at: Brookings.edu/KillingDrugs2024-08-1202 min
The InquiryAre synthetic opioids a global problem?An increasing number of people are dying from misuse of synthetic opioids. In 2022, the US recorded over 70,000 overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids. The government is spending billions to combat the effects of these super strength drugs.
Synthetic opioids, such as Fentanyl, are made in laboratories by using materials derived from the opium poppy. China is a major hub for the production of synthetic opioids, where it then makes its way to North America through Mexican drug cartels. The lab-made drugs can be more deadly than the natural materials, but they are more easily accessible, and prevalence is...2024-04-1823 min
This Is Not A Drill with Gavin EslerGuns, Drugs and Crypto – Who’s funding the return of asymmetric warfare?Why does the militarily weaker side lose many battles but often win the war? In the 21st Century the David-vs-Goliath threat of asymmetric warfare – where small non-state militias and terror groups defeat vastly better armed nation states in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere – is back. Now armed groups including Yemen’s Houthi, Hamas and Islamic State are growing and re-energised by a vast new funding sources: the global drugs trade, and even crypto. Gavin Esler speaks to Dr David Ucko – professor at the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University – and counterinsurgency and organised crime expert Vanda Felbab-Brown...2024-04-1041 min
The Inside Story PodcastWhat's behind the deteriorating security situation in Haiti?Parts of Haiti are under a state of emergency following an escalation in violence. Gangs have taken control of most of the capital, and they want Prime Minister Ariel Henry out. So, what's behind this unrest? And what will it take to restore long-lasting stability to the country? In this episode: Francois Guillaume, Haitian Ambassador to Qatar. Erwan de Cherisey, Principal, Janes Defence Intelligence Company. Vanda Felbab-Brown, Director of Initiative on Non-state Armed Actors, Brookings Institution. Ralph Emmanuel Francois, Haitian Social Entrepreneur and Activist. Host: Jonah Hull2024-03-0525 min
The CurrentThe US-Mexico border challengeThousands of migrants are heading north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. The number of Border Patrol encounters with migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to be high. And for two years in a row, the number of illegal crossings has exceeded 2 million. Meanwhile, border security remains a hot political issue as Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail accuse President Biden of having an “open border policy.” Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings offers insight about what's happening on the border. Show notes and transcript. 2023-11-0921 min
thanwstonebook$DOWNLOAD$ [EBOOK] The Extinction Market Wildlife Trafficking and How to Counter It PDF READ FREE**Download The Extinction Market: Wildlife Trafficking and How to Counter It Full Edition,Full Version,Full Book**by Vanda Felbab-BrownReading Now at : https://happyreadingebook.club/?book=0190855118ORDOWNLOAD EBOOK NOW!Read PDF $DOWNLOAD$ [EBOOK] The Extinction Market: Wildlife Trafficking and How to Counter It PDF READ FREE Ebook Online PDF Download and Download PDF $DOWNLOAD$ [EBOOK] The Extinction Market: Wildlife Trafficking and How to Counter It PDF READ FREE Ebook Online PDF Download by Vanda Felbab-Brown [PDF] Download $DOWNLOAD$ [EBOOK] The Extinction Market: Wildlife Trafficking...2023-10-2200 min
Brussels SproutsA Post-Prigozhin Wagner Group with Kimberly Marten and Vanda Felbab-BrownLast week, the world learned the shocking news that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the notorious head of Wagner private military company, died in a plane crash north of Moscow. Prigozhin’s demise came exactly two months after he launched a mutiny against Russian military leadership, which may be called the most significant and direct threat to Vladimir Putin’s regime since he came to power two decades ago. Now, it is far from certain whether Wagner can replicate its previous success without Prigozhin at the helm, and if not, whether other groups can effectively fill the vacuum. To discuss the post-Prigozhin futu...2023-09-011h 04
Deep Dish on Global AffairsFrom China to Mexico: Tracing the Deadly Fentanyl Trail With 110,000 drug overdose deaths last year, including 70 percent from synthetic opioids, we examine how international factors have played a crucial role in the US drug epidemic. Vanda Felbab-Brown of Brookings Institution and Regina LaBelle of Georgetown University offer insights on the government's response, effective policy solutions, and the path to recovery. Reading List: Why America is Struggling to Stop the Fentanyl Epidemic, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, May 15, 20232023-08-3129 min
The Global AgoraWhat is behind Republicans' rhetoric about sending military to Mexico?The Republicans want to send the military to... Mexico? It was quite a prominent topic of the first presidential debate of the GOP candidates. So what is behind this rhetoric? Is Mexico a functioning state taking into account the strong presence of drug cartels that are shipping highly lethal fentanyl to the US? I talked to Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. She visited Mexico in June and July, so I also asked her how dangerous it is to conduct the field research there. Listen to our conver...2023-08-3128 min
The Global GambitHow bad is the Niger Coup & Could it lead to Regional War? In late-July 2023, the country of Niger - a critical Western ally in Africa, and against the threats of Islamic Jihadism, experienced its 7th coup since WWII. The democratically elected President Bazoum was ousted, and there have been many claiming the role of Wagner/Russia or that this is positive for greater independence, autonomy from former colonial masters, France.But its not that clear cut, and Vanda Felbab-Brown of Brookings Institute, emphasises that while there is some support for Russia, its definitely not that high; while the hatred of ECOWAS, the regional body that could lead a...2023-08-2848 min
ChinaPowerChina’s Role in the U.S. Fentanyl Crisis: A Conversation with Vanda Felbab-BrownIn this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown to discuss China’s role in the fentanyl epidemic. Dr. Felbab-Brown explains that the fentanyl crisis is not just confined to the U.S. but has spread throughout North America as well as the rest of the globe. She unpacks the Chinese government’s approach to this issue and the conflicts it faces with trafficking networks. Moving forward, Dr. Felbab-Brown underscores the opportunity for the United States to engage with other countries to tackle this problem collaboratively. Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown is a senior fellow...2023-08-1742 min
The Real StoryWhy can’t America contain the fentanyl crisis?Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid which is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin, is now the main driver of drug overdose deaths in America. The US Drug Enforcement Administration says 67% of the 107,375 US deaths from drug overdoses or poisonings in 2021 were linked to fentanyl or similar opioids. US authorities blame Mexican drug gangs for supplying fentanyl to users across the US. Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says his country has proof that illegal shipments of the powerful opioid drug fentanyl are arriving from China; while China's foreign ministry has denied that there is illegal trafficking of fe...2023-05-1949 min
The CatchS2 Part IV: The Cartel of the SeaIn today's episode host Ruxandra Guidi looks at the conditions in the Upper Gulf of California that have allowed Mexican cartels to embed themselves into nearly all aspects of the fishing industry. She investigates the weak response from the Mexican government in rooting out the cartels, and tries to learn what, if anything, can be done about all this. This episode features conversations with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and Carlos Tirado, a local fishers leader who runs a large artisanal shrimp fishing operation and is an advocate for sustainable fishing. 2023-04-1121 min
The Red Line92 - Narco-Economics: Inside the Mexican Drug TradeIn this episode, we delve into the complex and lucrative world of the Mexican cartel drug trade and explore the economic factors that drive it. From the production and transportation of drugs to the money laundering schemes used to hide profits, we examine the various stages of the drug trade and the key players involved. We also discuss the impact of the drug trade on the Mexican economy and society, as well as the efforts being made to combat this illicit industry. Is there a way to blunt the rise of drugs like Fentanyl, or are we continuing down...2023-04-031h 49
Mexico MattersFentanyl: A Triangle of SadnessIn this episode, Mariana speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings scholar of crime, conflict, and non-traditional security threats, and Guillermo Valdes, former head of Mexico’s Center for Investigation and National Security, CISEN. They discuss the evolution of Mexico’s cartels, the failure of the Mexican government to curtail their growth, and how they have diversified into other illegal and legal businesses. They also speak about how the lack of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico—and the U.S. and China—is making it impossible to dismantle the Fentanyl supply chains and how Chinese and Mexican drug and wild...2023-03-1344 min
OC24 PodcastThe missing links: Explaining the absence of debate on transnational organized crime in IndiaThe purpose of the Roundtable is to identify why there is no academic or thinktank discourse focused on organized crime in India, especially when the phenomenon of mafia-style criminality touches upon such issues as national security (ie., terrorism), economic performance, democratic politics and megacity policing. Organized crime should be a prime subject of research in Indian social sciences, yet it is ignored. The five distinguished experts listed above will talk about different facets of the subject, with each speaking on their own field of expertise. The audience might therefore get an all-rounded perspective of a very complicated and layered...2022-12-061h 08
The Modern Mexico PodcastEpisode 5: Why Is Mexico's Security Strategy Failing?In this episode of the Modern Mexico Podcast, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to Brookings Institution senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown about security issues in Mexico and why President Lopez Obrador is failing to meaningfully address the country's historically high murder rate. Mexico has soldiers in the streets but no meaningful law enforcement strategy for addressing violent crime.
“There is no law enforcement strategy other than sending forces to stand in the streets and more or less do nothing. That’s really disastrous, the violence has become brazen. The level of homicides is very intense, similar to what a country in an i...2022-09-2838 minThe Global AgoraThe Taliban took over Afghanistan one year ago. How are they running it?The Taliban took over Kabul one year ago, on August 15th. It had a huge geopolitical significance but I have to admit there is another reason why it's so easy for me to remember it. The fact is that August 15th is my birthday. About what happened in Afghanistan in one year, I talked to Vanda Felbab-Brown. She is a Senior Fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings Institution and also the Director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors. We recorded our conversation one day after it w...2022-08-1529 min
Kleptocracy and CorruptionNarcotics Policy and ExtremismIn this weeks episode we will analyse the United States policy towards counter narcotics in Afghanistan. Get ready to see just how powerful the illicit drug trade can be in undermining reconstruction efforts and funding extremism. Sources: “Afghanistan Opium Survey 2020 - United Nations Office on ...” Accessed April 23, 2022. https://www.unodc.org/documents/crop-monitoring/Afghanistan/20210503_Executive_summary_Opium_Survey_2020_SMALL.pdf. “AOTP.” United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime. Accessed April 22, 2022. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/aotp.html. Felbab-Brown, Vanda. “Drugs, Security, and Counternarcotics Policies in Afghanistan.” Brookings. Brookings, March 9, 2022. https://www.broo...2022-03-3020 minKleptocracy and CorruptionThe Electoral ProcessIn this episode I will discussing Afghanistans electoral process. We will go in depth into the formation of the constitution and analyse the structures it created.Sources: “The Afghan Government Was Undone by Its Own Corruption.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper. Accessed April 22, 2022. https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/26/the-afghan-government-was-undone-by-its-own-corruption. “Afghanistan 2004 Constitution.” Constitute. Accessed April 22, 2022. https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Afghanistan_2004. “Afghanistan: Anatomy of an Election Disaster.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, October 19, 2009. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/20/afghanistan-election. “Afghanistan's Constitution of 1964 - Constituteproject.org.” Accessed April 23, 2022. https://www.constituteprojec...2022-03-2340 min
Dollar & Sense: The Brookings Trade PodcastIllegal trade in drugs and wildlifeVanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in Foreign Policy and director of the Initiative on Nonstate Actors at Brookings, joins David Dollar to talk about her research on illicit economies—including drug trafficking (fentanyl, meth, precursors) and wildlife trafficking—in China, Mexico, and elsewhere. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3JE9PxF Dollar & Sense is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Send feedback to podcasts@brookings.edu, and follow us on Twitter at @policypodcasts. 2022-02-2229 minDollar & Sense: The Brookings Trade PodcastThe threat of catastrophic biodiversity lossBrookings Senior Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown joins David Dollar to discuss the threat of biodiversity loss worldwide. Felbab-Brown explains the ominous trends in habitat and species loss—including the spread of illegal wildlife trafficking, the contributing role of human activity, and the compounding effects of climate change—and why the recent UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China, was “underwhelming.” But, she says, trade that is well designed, monitored, and managed can give humans an incentive to preserve natural habitat. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3GfZQ10 Dollar & Sense is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Send feed...2021-10-2531 min
Conversation SixVanda Felbab-Brown and Andrew WatkinsVanda Felbab-Brown and Andrew Watkins on the 20th anniversary of 9/112021-09-1106 min
Horns of a DilemmaInsurgency is Easier than Governing: The Future of the Taliban in AfghanistanWith the fall of President Ashraf Ghani's government and the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces, most of Afghanistan is now under the control of the Taliban. In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, we are joined by Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors at Brookings, and by Scott R. Anderson, a visiting fellow in governance studies at Brookings, a senior editor and counsel for Lawfare, and a senior fellow with the National Security Law Program at Columbia Law School. Felbab-Brown and Anderson...2021-09-0350 min
Business DailyThe economics of the TalibanThe economy of Afghanistan is collapsing as remittances and foreign aid dry up. As the militant Taliban consolidate their control over the country, it's unclear whether they will be capable, or even interested, in propping up the economy to prevent further humanitarian crises. Today on Business Daily, we're looking at how the economics of life under the Taliban. Professor Jonathan Goodhand of SOAS University of London, explains how the Taliban managed to generate revenues over the years since the US invasion, from local taxation on commodities, as well as support from sympathetic parties outside the country. Ian Hannan, a...2021-08-2418 min
The Brookings CafeteriaThe Taliban takes AfghanistanOn this episode, in the wake of the Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan, a discussion of the forces and issues that have shaped Afghanistan over the last two decades and will continue to do so with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy and the Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology at Brookings,. Her insights on what has happened in Afghanistan help make sense of an incredibly complex situation and offer some ideas of what to expect moving forward. This conversation took place on Monday, August 16, just the day after Taliban forces entered Kabul. Also, Governance Studies Senior Fellow...2021-08-2059 min
Wisdom of CrowdsWho Wrecked Afghanistan?How did it all go wrong? Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, a leading scholar of Afghanistan, joins Damir and Shadi to dissect the Taliban's victory and discuss what it tells us about the failures of America's nation-building effort. Why did the Afghan government collapse so quickly? Have the technocrats and NGOs in the democracy promotion industry been completely discredited? And for the sake of the Afghan people, should we now help the Taliban succeed in governing the country? Things get heated. Murtazashvili is director of the Center for Governance and Markets and associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh...2021-08-191h 47
BaroqueVeiled Future: What awaits girls and women who want education and their place in the sunThe replacement of the democratically elected government with a faith-led autocracy, in Afghanistan has been met with shock and awe. Mainstream media conversations have raised the possibility of the return to the dark days of the 20th century, when girls were denied access to education.
The reality is likely to be an expansion of what has been happening in the provinces, during the past decade, where the Taliban has been de facto control. In these places, the official educators, administrators and providers, have negotiated on ground compromises. What this has meant, is the giving up, of final d...2021-08-1711 minConversation SixOmar Samad and Vanda Felbab-BrownOmar Samad and Vanda Felbab-Brown on the military campaign going on in Afghanistan2021-08-1106 minConversation SixRupert Stone and Vanda Felbab-BrownRupert Stone and Vanda Felbab-Brown on China's role in Afghanistan2021-08-1005 min
Failed Architecture#13 Heroin is Everywhere Now and It's Everyone's ProblemSubscribe or listen: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Stitcher / Overcast
Heroin is an urban thing. That's the image we've been fed by movies, music, literature, news, public service announcements, and school curricula ever since it became a subject of moral panic over a century ago. The problem is, heroin was only ever a drug of the city because this image has focused almost entirely on the (historically very urban) point of consumption. What has been left out is a whole geography of production and distribution that has tended to encompass large and often very rural parts of East, South-East...2021-05-101h 11The Global AgoraWhat might be next for Afghanistan and Taliban after the withdrawal of foreign troops?Hello and welcome to another episode of my podcast The Global Agora. My name is Andrej Matišák, and I work as the deputy head of foreign desk in Slovak daily Pravda. This new episode is a bit longer than usual but I had a very interesting conversation about what might be next for Afghanistan and Taliban after the withdrawal of foreign troops. President Joe Biden's decision is criticized by many, including Afghans. It's easy to understand those concerns. So I talked to Vanda Felbab-Brown. She is a senior fellow in the Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in th...2021-05-0238 min
National Committee on U.S.-China RelationsThe Faces of Fentanyl: China, the United States, and Those In-BetweenThe National Committee held a virtual program on February 24, 2021 with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown and Mr. Ben Westhoff, moderated by Ms. Emily Feng, who discussed the current status of the opioid epidemic, bilateral efforts to curb the supply of fentanyl in the United States, and the prospects for progress moving forward.
About the speakers: ncuscr.org/event/faces-fentanyl-china-united-states-and-those-between
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NCUSCR EventsThe Faces of Fentanyl: China, the United States, and Those In-Between | Vanda Felbab-Brown, Emily Feng, Ben WesthoffThe National Committee held a virtual program on February 24, 2021 with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown and Mr. Ben Westhoff, moderated by Ms. Emily Feng, who discussed the current status of the opioid epidemic, bilateral efforts to curb the supply of fentanyl in the United States, and the prospects for progress moving forward.2021-03-051h 16
The Impact: Coronavirus and Organized CrimeCOVID and Corruption P2This Pandemic is causing huge economic impacts. The World Bank has forecast a contraction of 5.3% in global GDP in 2020 – that is the deepest global recession in decades leaving lasting scars on the lives of people living all over the world.And this could manifest itself in many ways - a rush to push government policy through to help combat the immediate effects of COVID means that the usual stringent checks may be ignored. And organized criminal networks are positioning themselves to capture state institutions and contracts – enriching themselves at the expense of the public.Gu...2020-06-2434 minThe Impact: Coronavirus and Organized CrimeHeroin's journey during COVIDFor over three decades Afghanistan has been the most dominant and largest producer of opium poppy and the production of heroin. From Afghanistan, heroin travels North and South – the northern route takes the heroin through Central Asia and into Russia. The Southern route takes the heroin into Pakistan – From there, like a spider, it spreads in all directions. But how is COVID-19 impacting it?A Shallow Flood: the Diffusion of Heroin in Eastern and Southern AfricaGuests:Vanda Felbab-Brown, the Brookings Institution and GI NetworkTariq Khosa, the National Initiative Against Orga...2020-05-2238 minThe Brookings CafeteriaAddressing COVID-19 in resource-poor and fragile countriesResponding to coronavirus as individuals, society, and governments is challenging enough in the United States and other developed countries with modern infrastructure and stable systems, but what happens when a pandemic strikes resource-poor and fragile countries that have few hospitals, lack reliable electricity, water, and food supplies, don’t have refrigeration, and suffer from social and political violence? To explore these scenarios and talk about policy solutions during the coronavirus pandemic, Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings, talks with Paul Wise, a medical doctor and a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford...2020-05-0953 min
En Nuestra EsquinaENE 11 - Héroes vs. CoronavirusEn Estados Unidos y México la batalla contra el coronavirus continúa con muchas bajas y escenarios muy complicados, pero han emergido héroes que nos siguen dando esperanza con su disposición, sabiduría y, muchas veces, su sola presencia. El episodio de esta semana lo dedicamos a los héroes que están quitándole protagonismo a la pandemia.
Links:
📖 "AMLO’s feeble response to COVID-19 in Mexico" por Vanda Felbab-Brown (Brookings)
💰"Campaña de apoyo a migrantes mexicanos en EEUU" por Grupo Olvera (Donadora)
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/en-nuestra-esquina/support2020-04-0346 minThe Brookings CafeteriaColombia’s search for peace and justiceIn June 2016, the government of Colombia signed a historic peace agreement with the armed rebel group known as FARC-EP to end a conflict that over five decades had taken the lives of at least 260,000 Colombians and displaced over 7 million. Three years later, the peace accord—a complex effort to not only stop the fighting but also address the underlying causes of the conflict, and to seek truth, justice, and reconciliation for victims—remains not fully implemented as new political disputes and leaders have hampered its progress. On this episode, experts Ted Piccone and Vanda Felbab-Brown explain the situation and how to m...2019-08-2352 min
"Wake" with Luke Vargas46: Forecasting a US exit from AfghanistanPresident Trump wants out of Syria and his aides say the U.S. is keen to reassert itself as a liberating, not an occupying military force. Amid a push to wind down prolonged conflicts, should we expect an end to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan? Helping us answer that question are this week's guests: Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for 21st Century Security Gil Barndollar, director of Middle East studies at the Center for the National Interest Graeme Smith, author, "The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our War in...2019-01-1226 min
Power ProblemsIt’s Not Just about the Elephants: Understanding Illegal Wildlife TraffickingVanda Felbab‐Brown is a senior fellow in the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. She is also the director of the Brookings project “Improving Global Drug Policy: Comparative Perspectives and UNGASS 2016” and co‐director of “Reconstituting Local Orders.” She is an expert on international and internal conflicts and nontraditional security threats, including insurgency, organized crime, urban violence, and illicit economies.Vanda Felbab‐Brown bioThe Extinction Market: Wildlife Trafficking and How to Counter ItWorld Wildlife Fund, “Illegal Wildlife Trade”U.S. Agency for International Development, “Combating Wildlife Trafficking”Jody Rosen, “Animal Traffic,” New...2018-09-1242 min
The Brookings CafeteriaThe true costs of Trump's border wall (part 1)President Donald Trump pledges to build a wall on the border between the U.S. and Mexico, claiming that it will stop criminals and drugs from entering the United States. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings and author of the new Brookings Essay, “The Wall: The real costs of a barrier between the United States and Mexico,” addresses these and other claims made about the border wall. This is part one of a two-part conversation about her essay and the wall. Also: in another installment of Metro Lens, the Metropolitan Policy...2017-09-0136 min
IntersectionsU.S.-Mexico relations: Beyond “America first” rhetoricDany Bahar, fellow in Global Economy and Development, and Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, discuss how U.S.-Mexico relations have been affected by the Trump administration, misconceptions about NAFTA, immigration, and crime, and why taking an “America first” approach won’t help U.S. consumers. Full show notes available here: http://brook.gs/2o74PMa Subscribe to Brookings podcasts here or on iTunes, send feedback email to intersections@brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. Intersections is part of the Brook...2017-03-2945 min
The Brookings CafeteriaMegachange is upending the worldDarrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies and author of “Megachange: Economic Disruption, Political Upheaval, and Social Strife in the 21st Century,” analyzes how recent dramatic disruptions in trends, such as the rise of Donald Trump and Brexit, are challenging institutions and societies. Also in this episode, David Wessel, senior fellow and director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal on Monetary Policy, talks about the types of economic policies that we can expect from a Trump presidency. Finally, Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in Foreign Policy and the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, answers a listener’s questi...2016-12-0224 min
LSE IDEAS | VideoAfter the Drug Wars [Video]Contributor(s): Dr John Collins, Professor Danny Quah, Professor Fransisco Thoumi, Professor Peter Reuter, Javier Sagredo, H.E. Ambassador Néstor Osorio Londoño, Dr Vanda Felbab-Brown, Dr Ethan Nadelmann, Dr Catalina Pérez Correa González, Dr Joanne Csete | The War on Drugs is over. What comes next? Experts from around the world gathered at LSE IDEAS for this International Drug Policy Project policy planning workshop on building a new 'drugs peace'. The workshop was held to mark the launch of the After the Drug Wars report which was endorsed by 5 Nobel Prize winners and President Santos of Colombia. Read...2016-04-1905 min
Matters of State - Underreported Issues in World News & International RelationsWildlife TraffickingDid you ever think that animals (and other lifeforms for that matter) could be trafficked like they were illegal drugs? In fact, some of the same people, networks, routes and tactics are involved in this massive illicit trade. Join us as we discuss the motivations, methods, and consequences of wildlife trafficking in this week's episode.
Digging Deeper
Check out some of the resources we used to prepare for this discussion:
* "International Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife," John M. Sellar (CITES Secretariat), The Police Chief.
* "The Disappearing Act: The Illicit Trade in Wildlife in Asia" (PDF), Vanda Felbab-Brown, Brookings Institution.
* "Five Myths ab...2016-01-2630 minLSE IDEAS | VideoHow can states work together to improve global drug policy? - Vanda - Vanda [Video]Contributor(s): Dr Vanda Felbab-Brown | The LSE IDEAS Expert Group Report on the Economics of Drug Policy produced the most thorough independent economic analysis of the current international drug strategy ever conducted. It aims to use this analysis to design a successor strategy to the global ‘war on drugs’. In so doing it provides the academic underpinnings for a new international paradigm that promotes human security, public health and sustainable development.2014-05-1401 minLSE IDEAS | VideoWhat are the key questions surrounding regulatory experimentation? - Vanda - Vanda [Video]Contributor(s): Dr Vanda Felbab-Brown | The LSE IDEAS Expert Group Report on the Economics of Drug Policy produced the most thorough independent economic analysis of the current international drug strategy ever conducted. It aims to use this analysis to design a successor strategy to the global ‘war on drugs’. In so doing it provides the academic underpinnings for a new international paradigm that promotes human security, public health and sustainable development.2014-05-1402 min
Open Society Foundations PodcastManaging Illicit Economies in East AfricaOpen Society Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown discusses her research on illicit economies including logging, wildlife poaching, human trafficking, the drug trade, and maritime piracy. Speakers: Vanda Felbab-Brown, Sarah Pray. (Recorded: Jul 24, 2013)2013-09-171h 09Open Society Foundations PodcastMiners and Loggers, Poachers and Pirates: Understanding Illicit EconomiesIn this provocative discussion, Open Society Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown brings fresh and unexpected insights to the study of seven illicit economies. Speakers: Vanda Felbab-Brown, Rupert Skilbeck.(Recorded: December 05, 2012)2013-01-291h 23Open Society Foundations PodcastRaw Opium: Pain, Pleasure, ProfitsOpen Society Foundations hosted the New York premiere of the documentary, Raw Opium: Pain, Pleasure, Profits. Amy Goodman moderated a panel discussion of the film. Speakers: Peter Findlay, Scott Calbeck, Neill Franklin, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Russ Maynard, Amy Goodman. (Recorded: March 22, 2012)2012-04-101h 09