home > about cfr > leadership and staff > robert mcmahon
Acting Editor
Contact Info:
E-mail: rmcmahon@cfr.org
Location:
Washington, DC
Robert McMahon has covered foreign affairs since 1990 for the Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and now CFR.org. Based in Washington, he helps shape editorial content for CFR.org, and contributes analysis and background reporting, with an emphasis on U.S. foreign policy. His “Capital Interview” series features conversations with leading foreign policy figures in Washington. During the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, McMahon managed CFR’s special Campaign 2008 web site, focusing on foreign policy issues. A former news director and UN correspondent for RFE/RL, McMahon has expertise in international organizations and has written extensively on democracy promotion, public diplomacy, human rights, UN peacekeeping, and issues related to nation building.
McMahon has a masters degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He has written for publications including the Foreign Service Journal, the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, the Weekly Standard, MSNBC.com, Transitions Online, and the Economist.com’s “Democracy in America” blog. His work for CFR has been regularly republished on the web sites of CFR partners such as newsweek.com, washingtonpost.com, and nytimes.com. He has been interviewed by the BBC, CNN International, NPR, Voice of America, and many other broadcasters and publications.
June 26, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
June 24, 2009
Daily Analysis
A day after U.S. President Barack Obama harshly condemned Iran's leadership for post-election violence, some analysts believe the United States will have no choice but to scale back promised overtures to the Iranian regime
See more in United States, Iran
June 19, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
June 12, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
June 4, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
June 4, 2009
Interview
CFR Mideast expert Steven A. Cook says President Obama's Cairo speech effectively addressed issues at the core of U.S.-Muslim tensions. But sustaining a constructive dialogue will be a challenge, he says.
See more in United States, Middle East
May 29, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
May 28, 2009
Interview
North Korea's nuclear test raises new concerns about its nuclear capabilities, regime succession, and the limits of both international pressure and engagement. Four experts address the policy options available to influence Pyongyang.
See more in North Korea, Weapons of Mass Destruction
May 22, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
May 14, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
May 8, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
May 1, 2009
Podcast
A preview of world events in the coming week from CFR.org and Foreign Affairs.
April 27, 2009, New York, NY
Transcript
A Council on Foreign Relations media conference call about the current state of the swine flu outbreak.
See more in United States, Global Health, Public Health Threats
April 27, 2009
Audio
Listen to CFR expert Laurie Garrett discuss the threat of a global swine flu pandemic and possible policy responses.
See more in International Organizations, Global Health, Public Health Threats, Society and Culture
April 16, 2009
Interview
President Obama's new strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan has drawn praise from U.S. forces and international allies. But Afghan Defense Minister Gen. Adbul Rahim Wardak tells CFR.org that Washington's renewed commitment falls short of previous U.S. commitments.
See more in Afghanistan, Defense Policy & Budget, Defense Strategy
April 9, 2009
Backgrounder
The U.S. State Department's annual global rating of human rights performance antagonizes friend and foe alike. Many rights activists embrace the reports while some express doubts about their influence on U.S. policy.
See more in United States, Human Rights
March 25, 2009, Washington DC
Transcript
This is a Council on Foreign Relations media call on the upcoming NATO 60th anniversary Summit. The meetings on April 3rd and 4th come right after the Group of 20 summit in London on the global financial crisis and that could suck some of the oxygen from the summitry in Strasburg and Kehl, but at the same time there are existential questions building for the alliance -- in particular, what is its role going to be in Afghanistan?
See more in Europe/Russia, NATO
March 26, 2009
Podcast
CFR Central Asia expert Evan Feigenbaum says the United States has a rare opportunity to explore whether the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can become a serious partner in stabilizing Afghanistan.
See more in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Russian Fed., International Peace and Security
March 16, 2009
Interview
Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says a combination of tough enforcement measures and a new system for regulating flows of Mexican labor are essential for reforming the U.S. immigration system.
See more in United States, Immigration
March 10, 2009
News Briefing
Speaking at CFR, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke urged an overhaul of U.S. financial regulation that might translate to added oversight authority for the Fed.
See more in United States, Financial Crises
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