Today’s podcast guest is Elizabeth Hoffman, Executive Director, North America at ONE, a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. In this episode, we discuss the background to the current civil war in Sudan, Elizabeth’s on-the-ground observations from her journey to the country earlier this year, the atrocities being committed against the people of Sudan, and what the international community, particularly the US, can do to help end this conflict.
Listen now; link in bio.
Full bio
Elizabeth Hoffman is Executive Director, North America at ONE, a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa.
She has extensive experience in government relations and international policy. Before joining ONE, she held positions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and as a senior staff member in the House of Representatives focused on foreign policy, national security, and human rights. She also worked at the George W. Bush Institute, where she developed and executed a leadership program for Burmese political leaders.
Elizabeth is a nonresident senior associate at CSIS and a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations. She has published articles and analysis for a variety of organizations and outlets and is a frequent media commentator on foreign policy and defense.
She holds an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
In my recent podcast episode, I spoke with Dr. Anne Speckhard, Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism, regarding the roots of terrorism. All terrorism, she notes, has some root in injustice. Listen to this and more in my recent episode; available now - link in bio.
Today’s podcast guest is Ambassador Patrick Theros, Strategic Advisor and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Gulf International Forum. He previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar.
We discuss the US-Israel-Iran war and the pending peace agreement between the US and Iran, the impacts of the war on the region, and how this conflict has affected the political prospects of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
Listen now; link in bio.
Full bio
Ambassador Patrick Nickolas Theros is a Strategic Advisor and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Gulf International Forum. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the State of Qatar from 1995-1998. Prior to his appointment, he served as Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, responsible for the coordination of all U.S. Government counterterrorism activities outside the United States. From 1991-1993, Ambassador Theros served as the Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of Central Command (CENTCOM).
Ambassador Theros joined the Foreign Service in 1963, and served in a variety of positions in Washington D.C., Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Nicaragua and Syria, including charge d’affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassies in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
In 1999, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al-Thani awarded Ambassador Theros the Qatar Order of Merit for his efforts in service of the U.S.-Qatar bilateral relationship. His commitment to national service also earned him the President’s Meritorious Service Award and the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service. Ambassador Theros has also earned four Superior Honor Awards, the highest awards for distinguished service given by the Foreign Service.
Ambassador Theros graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1963. He has done advanced studies at the American University in Washington, D.C., the Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua, the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, and the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. He speaks and reads Spanish, Arabic and Greek professionally.
Today’s guest is Dr. Anne Speckhard, Director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism. She is an expert in rehabilitation and repatriation of terrorists and their families, and has consulted with foreign governments on issues of terrorist prevention, interventions and repatriation; and the rehabilitation and reintegration of ISIS foreign fighters, wives and children. Her latest book, Homegrown Hate: Inside the Minds of Domestic Violent Extremists, examines the deepening threat of domestic violent extremism in the U.S. through more than 50 in-depth interviews with current and former members of a wide range of domestic hate groups.
In this episode, we discuss the psychological and psychosocial dimensions of violent extremism, what attracts people to these ideologies, how terrorists and violent extremists have been able to utilize social media to draw people into their ideologies, and what can be done to try to prevent people from falling into these extremist ideologies.
Listen now; link in bio.
Register here for the live event, which will feature a Question-and-Answer session at the end for attendees:
us06web.zoom.us/.../951.../WN_l88GefxvRPmeXm8gzLmfOQ
Can’t make it? The event will be recorded and uploaded to IHCR’s YouTube account, www.youtube.com/@ihcr.institute See lessThe Institute for Humanitarian Conflict Resolution (IHCR) is pleased to announce its first event.
Join us next Monday, June 29, at 10:00am EDT for a panel discussion:
The Kurdish Issue—Syria, Turkey, and Beyond
The discussion will explore the evolving Kurdish situation in Northeast Syria, Turkey’s role and influence, humanitarian challenges, displacement, minority rights, regional stability, and possible pathways toward conflict resolution and coexistence.
Speakers include:
Shiler Sido
Kurdish peacebuilding specialist and community leader with over a decade of dedicated service in humanitarian response, human rights advocacy, and organizational development across conflict-affected regions
Hassan Mohamed Ali
Civil Engineer, Politician, and Expert in Governance and Community Diplomacy, currently head of the Public Relations Office of the Syrian Democratic Council
David L. Phillips
Academic Visitor at Oxford University’s St. Antony’s College. He previously served as a senior official at the UN and the State Department during the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations
Alon Ben-Meir (Moderator)
President, Institute for Humanitarian Conflict Resolution
Register here for the live event, which will feature a Question-and-Answer session at the end for attendees: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9517823150966/WN_l88GefxvRPmeXm8gzLmfOQ
Can’t make it? The event will be recorded and uploaded to IHCR’s YouTube account, www.youtube.com/@ihcr.institute
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One of the few Black-owned banks in the United States has launched a new debit card designed to support single mothers living in government-subsidized housing. The initiative will direct funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct assistance to families striving to build a more secure future. For millions of single mothers, the challenges of raising children, maintaining employment, and achieving financial stability are immense. Programs that invest in economic opportunity, rather than simply managing poverty, can help create lasting change. Supporting mothers means supporting families, communities, and future generations. Economic empowerment is one of the most effective tools for reducing poverty and expanding opportunity.
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Palestinian children deserve protection, not abandonment. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has warned that Palestinian children face an increasingly dangerous future as human rights defenders and humanitarian organizations are being restricted, intimidated, and prevented from carrying out their work. For decades, these organizations have documented abuses, provided legal assistance, and defended the rights of children living under occupation. Without their presence, vulnerable children face even greater risks, while violations may continue without accountability. The Committee has called on Israel to remove restrictions on human rights organizations and urged the international community to take meaningful action to protect those defending children's rights. Children should never be the victims of conflict. Their safety, dignity, and fundamental rights must be protected at all times.
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You are absolutely right. Children deserver protection and safety. So tell me: Did Hamas consider this when on Oct 7 2023 they started this war against Israel?
They certainly deserve Parents that don't support Terrorist SCUM and will put the children's lives above their Neanderthal HATRED.🤷♂️
The arrest of Syrian activist Hassan Akkad raises serious concerns about freedom of expression in post-Assad Syria. Akkad was detained after publicly calling on wealthy businessmen to honor their pledges to help rebuild the country. According to reports, authorities are relying on Assad-era Decree 66—a law long criticized for being used to silence journalists, activists, and political opponents. If Syria is truly moving toward a more open and democratic future, it cannot continue using the same legal tools that were once employed to suppress dissent. Judicial reform, accountability, and protection of free speech are essential for rebuilding trust and creating a Syria where citizens can speak without fear.
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