April 27 – The Human and Cultural Toll From the Nepal Earthquake; The New Japan/ U.S. Defense Posture; The Growing International Isolation of Turkey

Full Program

Part 1

We begin with the on-going tragedy in Nepal and speak with Alexander von Rospatt, a Professor of Buddhist and South Asian Studies at the University of California Berkeley who has over 20 years of field experience in the Kathmandu Valley which was devastated by Saturday’s earthquake that has claimed more than 5,000 lives.  We discuss rescue efforts underway and international help that already has the airport at Kathmandu unable to park any more planes. We additionally look into the most effective ways for people to offer assistance for efforts to restore the cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley.

Part 2

Then we look into the U.S. visit of Japan’s Prime Minister Abe who will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. Thomas Berger, Professor of International Relations at Boston University and author of “War, Guilt and World Politics After World War II” joins us to discuss Abe’s efforts to crack down on press freedom and his continual denial of World War II atrocities as well as the reversal underway in Japan’s post-war “pacifist” defense posture as the U.S. encouraged Japan to join it in containing China both militarily and economically with the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

Part 3

Then finally we speak with Houri Berberian a Professor of History and the Director of the Middle East Program at California State University Long Beach. She is just back from Turkey where she participated in demonstrations on the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which in spite of Turkey’s growing international isolation, President Erdogan insists did not happen.