September 30 - An Update From Hong Kong on China's National Day; Time for the U.S. To Make a Deal With Assad; India's New Prime Minister's State Visit

Full Program

Part 1

We begin and go to Hong Kong for an update on the continuing demonstrations that have grown in size and determination against Hong Kong’s Chief Executive who is increasingly seen as a stooge of the Chinese Government in Beijing. Michael Davis, Professor of Law at the University of Hong Kong, joins us on China’s National Day marking the 65^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, to discuss how far the demonstrators can push the envelope before the leadership in Beijing cracks down.

Part 2

Then we speak with Graham Fuller, the former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA and author of “Turkey and the Arab Spring: Leadership in the Middle East”. We discuss Turkey’s moment of decision in terms of dealing with the mess they helped create next door in Syria, and Graham Fuller’s article at The Huffington Post, “Embracing Assad in a Better Strategy for the U.S. Than Supporting the Least Bad Jihadis” which makes a case for the U.S. to recognize its policy in Syria has failed and to swallow the bitter pill of joining with the despicable Assad regime to eliminate the Islamic State or ISIL.

Part 3

Then finally we look into the two day visit by India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington and the White House where President Obama gave him a State dinner at which Prime Minister Modi did not eat because he is engaged in a religious fast. Sumit Ganguly, the Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University and author of “India Since 1980” and “India, Pakistan, and the Bomb: Debating Nuclear Stability in South Asia”, joins us to discuss the rock-star welcome Modi is getting from the Indian Diaspora and the demonstrations against him.