PBS series looks at Arab Spring, Border War and More

Great Decisions in Foreign Policy airing on PBS in 2012, now available on DVD. 

Democratic movements in the Arab world, the violent conflict along the U.S.-Mexico border and the drawdown from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the focus of the 2012 Great Decisions in Foreign Policy television series on PBS.

The series, produced by the Foreign Policy Association for more than 40 years, takes a comprehensive look at the most critical global issues facing America in the year ahead. Each episode takes on a different region or topic, offering expert analysis and discussion on where we are, where we’re going and how we can get there, encouraging Americans to make a “Great Decision” of their own.

“Foreign policy is actually not foreign, and it is very much connected to every American’s daily life,” said former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, one of the many featured guests in this year’s series. “Whether it’s on a resource issue or on matters of life and death, the issue of terrorism, issues of nuclear proliferation, gaps between rich and poor… There is not any issue that happens abroad that doesn’t affect American’s directly, and I think we need to understand that. The 21st century is an interdependent century.”

Beginning in January, PBS will air one 40-minute episode a week, starting with “After the Arab Spring,” and in-depth look at the historic events taking place in the Middle East and North Africa. “This is probably the most positive development in this region in my lifetime,” said former CIA Director General Michael Hayden, one of the episode’s featured guests. Other experts, such as award winning journalist Mona Eltahawy, discuss the waves of popular protests, violent uprisings, and U.S. response to a new political landscape.

Speaking on “Beyond the Border: The U.S. and Mexico,” the third episode in the series, Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arurto Sarukhan argued, “this relationship between Mexico and the United States is probably the most strategically significant relationship for the future well being of American citizens.” Also contributing their thoughts on the challenges to America’s partnership with its southern neighbor are New York Time’s Immigration Correspondent Julia Preston, and former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow.

This year’s series also takes a close look at national security. Episode four, “Cybersecurity: Defense in the Digital Age,” analyzes what former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley called “a new domain, in the same way land, sea, air and space were domains of threat and challenge and military operations.”

The next episode takes a closer look at the U.S. military drawdown from Iraq and Afghanistan, featuring former military personnel, non-governmental actors, and key members of President Bush’s administration.

This year’s series also features an extended introduction by former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, James Baker, George Shultz and Hillary Clinton. As these political giants espouse, America’s interdependence overseas is more important to understand than ever. Great Decisions provides the tools necessary to navigate our increasingly interconnected world.

“Everyone has been at a dinner party or even just watching the news, where they had some of the facts on a topic, but wished they understood the bigger picture,” said MacDara King, executive producer of the series. “We hope Great Decisions reminds people that you don’t need to be a political scientist to understand the global issues that affect us every day.”

by Sarah Marion Shore

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