<![CDATA[Global Dispatches: To Save Us From Hell]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/s/to-save-us-from-hellhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!r-vl!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Febfee1ee-624a-4830-90f0-2ef3d8014102_1178x1178.pngGlobal Dispatches: To Save Us From Hellhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/s/to-save-us-from-hellSubstackTue, 16 Jun 2026 07:57:23 GMT<![CDATA[Germany Gets Snubbed for the Security Council]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/germany-gets-snubbed-for-the-securityhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/germany-gets-snubbed-for-the-securityThu, 04 Jun 2026 14:05:15 GMTSubscribe now

Get 40% off forever

There was a remarkable scene at the United Nations yesterday as the President of the General Assembly and former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock read out the results of a hotly contested race for a Security Council seat.

For months, Portugal, Austria, and Germany had been duking it out behind the scenes at the General Assembly. These three EU allies were competing for just two seats on the Security Council, where they would serve for two years as non-permanent members. They needed the votes of two-thirds of the Assembly to secure those seats, and one country would be the odd European out.

As Baerbock read the results, she sat stone-faced while the General Assembly erupted in raucous applause: Portugal and Austria would be joining the Security Council in 2027. Germany was snubbed.

This was the first time that Germany sought a Security Council seat and lost. What’s more, it was the first time that any of the so-called “G4” countries — India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany — were deni…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Stopping Ebola Requires Multilateralism. America’s Retreat Is Making That Harder]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/stopping-ebola-requires-multilateralism-40ehttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/stopping-ebola-requires-multilateralism-40eThu, 21 May 2026 16:31:24 GMTAn Ebola outbreak is spiraling in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — and one of the clearest lessons from past outbreaks is that Ebola requires multilateralism: countries working together through existing institutions like the United Nations and the World Health Organization to contain the disease, support frontline health workers, share information, and prevent cross-border spread.

But the Trump administration’s retreat from the global health architecture built for precisely this kind of emergency has made that task harder. In this episode of To Save Us From Hell, Mark Leon Goldberg and Anjali Dayal discuss how American attacks on the WHO and other key nodes of our global defenses against disease outbreaks have made this particular Ebola outbreak more difficult to contain than it ought to be. Later in the show, they discuss the newest entrant in the race for UN Secretary-General — and whether we can expect more candidates to throw their hats in the ring.

]]><![CDATA[Why a New UN Security Council Resolution on Hormuz is Probably Doomed ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/why-a-new-un-security-council-resolutionhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/why-a-new-un-security-council-resolutionWed, 06 May 2026 15:04:01 GMT

The United States is making another push for a UN Security Council resolution to compel Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. An early draft of the resolution calls on Iran to stop imposing transit tolls, declare where it has laid mines, cease attacking ships, and more generally return the status of the strait to what it was before the war.

This all may seem reasonable. The problem, however, is twofold. First, the last time a similar resolution came to a vote, it faced a double veto by Russia and China. Both countries insisted on language condemning the U.S. and Israeli attacks and did not want to pass a resolution that might in some way justify further attacks on Iran. It’s hard to imagine this new resolution will allay those concerns.

But perhaps more importantly, even if this resolution does somehow get past those vetoes, the fact remains that Iran is insisting on keeping Hormuz closed. The resolution itself can’t open the Strait. Only Iran can. And that can only happen through direct diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran. If and when the U.S. and Iran come to an agreement, then the Security Council can step in to enforce it. This resolution will fail in its intended effect even if it passes, precisely because it represents an inversion of the proper diplomatic order of operations.

In this clip from today’s episode of To Save Us From Hell Anjali and I discuss what this draft resolution circulated by the US entails — and why it is probably doomed from the start.

Our full conversation is below the fold for our paying subscribers — we also discuss a new American effort to squeeze the UN budget even tighter and the latest from a major nuclear security meeting underway at the United Nations.

You can also access the full episode here on Substack or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Subscribe now

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Inside the Flawed Push at the Security Council to Reopen Hormuz]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/inside-the-flawed-push-at-the-securityhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/inside-the-flawed-push-at-the-securityWed, 06 May 2026 14:44:45 GMTThe Security Council is weighing yet another U.S.-backed resolution on the Strait of Hormuz that is probably doomed from the start. In this first segment, Anjali and Mark explain the flawed logic behind this latest effort to return the Strait to its status quo ante bellum. Then, Mark discusses what he learned covering the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, underway at the UN — the major multilateral nuclear security gathering that happens every five years. Finally, Anjali and Mark consider the latest American effort to withhold money it already owes to the UN — threatening to plunge the organization into an even deeper fiscal crisis.

Subscribe now

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Let the Race for UN Secretary General Begin! ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/let-the-race-for-un-secretary-general-9a2https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/let-the-race-for-un-secretary-general-9a2Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:48:43 GMTOn Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the four candidates for UN Secretary-General made their case at the UN General Assembly. Across twelve hours spanning two days, they took questions from UN member states and civil society groups eager to learn more about their priorities, proclivities, and leadership styles should they become the next UN Secretary-General on January 1, 2027.

It was a marathon — and my To Save Us From Hell co-host Anjali Dayal and I watched it all! In today’s episode, we tell you what we learned.

To kick things off, we explain how the process for selecting a UN Secretary-General works — and how these hearings fit into it. We then break down what we heard from each of the candidates: Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, and Macky Sall, bringing you the key highlights and takeaways. Consider this your curtain-raiser for a year of public campaigning and backroom dealmaking that will result in the selection of the next UN Secretary-General in the coming months.

This episode is free for all and can also be found later today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.

The selection of the next Secretary General is a major story in international diplomacy and I plan on covering it to the finish line — whenever that may be (but hopefully before January 1!)

]]><![CDATA[The UN Has a Plan to Open Hormuz (Two of Them, Actually.) ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-un-has-a-plan-to-open-hormuz-860https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-un-has-a-plan-to-open-hormuz-860Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:09:39 GMTThe global ramifications of this Third Persian Gulf War are worsening around the world. Oil shortages are rocking economies in South Asia, with the contagion soon to spread throughout the rest of Asia and the world. Another key concern is fertilizer prices, which are surging right ahead of planting season as a consequence of the bottleneck at the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, the UN Secretary-General’s office announced a “Task Force” comprised of key international diplomats “to develop and propose technical mechanisms specifically designed to meet humanitarian needs in the Strait of Hormuz.” The key focus will be creating a mechanism by which fertilizer and humanitarian goods can safely make their way to and from the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, at the Security Council, Bahrain is pushing for a robust resolution that would compel Iran to open the strait—potentially under the threat of force.

In this episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I explain these proposals and weigh whether or not they stand a chance of success. We also discuss the precariousness of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon after the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in 24 hours, the latest surprises in the race for UN Secretary-General, and what happened when two socialists (Zohran Mamdani and António Guterres) met at the UN for the first time.

The full episode is available below the or wherever you get podcasts. But first you need to get a paid subscription.

Subscribe now

Or get a discounted subscription with this link

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The UN Has a Plan to Open Hormuz (Two of Them, Actually.) ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-un-has-a-plan-to-open-hormuzhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-un-has-a-plan-to-open-hormuzSun, 05 Apr 2026 02:01:36 GMTSubscribe now

Get 40% off forever

The war in the Middle East has claimed its first UN casualties: three Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon were killed in under 24 hours. With Israel intent on occupying the same part of southern Lebanon that UN peacekeepers are meant to patrol, can the peacekeeping mission even continue? Meanwhile, in New York, a Secretary-General-led diplomatic effort to open the Strait of Hormuz for humanitarian and fertilizer shipments is taking shape, while the Security Council debates authorizing the use of force to escort food through the strait. Do either of these efforts have a meaningful chance of success? Anjali and Mark discuss all this, as well as the latest — unexplained — shakeup in the Secretary-General race.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[How the US is Justifying the Iran War to the UN ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/how-the-us-is-justifying-the-iran-050https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/how-the-us-is-justifying-the-iran-050Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:41:33 GMTOne of the fundamental precepts of the United Nations Charter is that waging war against another UN member state is simply not permitted. It’s illegal. There are, however, some narrow exceptions — and here the United States is playing a game of legal legerdemain. In the first segment this week’s episode of To Save Us From Hell, we break down the formal legal justification the Trump administration invoked at the United Nations to defend its bombing campaign against Iran. Does it hold up? And more importantly, how do other countries view this retroactive justification for America and Israel’s war of choice? We also discuss a potential UN diplomatic intervention in the Strait of Hormuz that is gaining some traction, modeled on one of the UN’s successes during the Russia-Ukraine war.

Later in the show, we examine why the United States is standing alone at the Commission on the Status of Women, casting lone “no” votes on a host of measures intended to promote gender equality. Finally, we discuss the newest entrant in the race to replace António Guterres as secretary-general, Virginia Gamba, and how her nomination may shake up the race.

The full episode is available immediately below the fold for our paying subscribers. You can support our work at full price or get a discount subscription using the button below.

Subscribe now

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[How the US is Justifying the Iran War to the UN ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/how-the-us-is-justifying-the-iranhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/how-the-us-is-justifying-the-iranFri, 20 Mar 2026 16:30:17 GMTOne of the fundamental precepts of the United Nations Charter is that waging war against another UN member state is simply not permitted. It’s illegal. There are, however, some narrow exceptions — and here the United States is playing a game of legal legerdemain. In the first segment of our show, we break down the formal legal justification the Trump administration invoked at the United Nations to defend its bombing campaign against Iran. Does it hold up? And more importantly, how do other countries view this retroactive justification for America and Israel’s war of choice? We also discuss a potential UN diplomatic intervention in the Strait of Hormuz that is gaining some traction, modeled on one of the UN’s successes during the Russia-Ukraine war.

After the fold, and for paying subscribers, we examine why the United States is standing virtually alone at the Commission on the Status of Women, casting lone “no” votes on a host of measures intended to promote gender equality. Finally, we…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The War in Iran Comes to the United Nations ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-war-in-iran-comes-to-the-united-86bhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-war-in-iran-comes-to-the-united-86bFri, 06 Mar 2026 12:46:22 GMTWe cover a lot of ground in this week’s episode of To Save Us From Hell! There are two new entrants to the race to succeed António Guterres as the next UN Secretary-General; Cindy McCain announced she is stepping down as head of the World Food Programme, meaning there will soon be a vacancy at the top of one of the largest UN agencies—one typically led by an American; and we dissect a bizarre Security Council meeting earlier this week chaired by…Melania Trump. But we begin with an extended discussion of how the new war in Iran is impacting diplomacy at the United Nations—and what role the UN may play as this conflict evolves.

The full episode is immediately available after the fold for our paying subscribers. You can use the discount link to get 40% off a subscription, or, if you’d prefer, support Global Dispatches and To Save Us From Hell at full price.

Subscribe now

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The War in Iran Comes to the United Nations]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-war-in-iran-comes-to-the-unitedhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-war-in-iran-comes-to-the-unitedFri, 06 Mar 2026 00:39:22 GMTWe cover a lot of ground in this week’s episode of To Save Us From Hell! There are two new entrants to the race to succeed António Guterres as the next UN Secretary-General; Cindy McCain announced she is stepping down as head of the World Food Programme, meaning there will soon be a vacancy at the top of one of the largest UN agencies—one typically led by an American; and we dissect a bizarre Security Council meeting earlier this week chaired by…Melania Trump. But we begin with an extended discussion of how the new war in Iran is impacting diplomacy at the United Nations—and what role the UN may play as this conflict evolves.

The full episode is immediately available after the fold for our paying subscribers. You can use the discount link to get 40% off a subscription, or, if you’d prefer, support Global Dispatches and To Save Us From Hell at full price.

Subscribe now

Get 40% off forever

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Board of Peace v United Nations | US To Attack Iran? |Plus, Trump's Very Odd Pick to Lead Outreach to International Organizations ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/board-of-peace-v-united-nations-ushttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/board-of-peace-v-united-nations-usMon, 23 Feb 2026 01:47:32 GMTSubscribe now

It was an odd juxtaposition: Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace gathered in Washington, D.C. as the U.S. appeared to be readying for war with Iran. In this week’s To Save Us From Hell episode, Mark and Anjali discuss why this Board of Peace can’t really compete with the Security Council, and what its advent says about international relations today. They then discuss a looming American attack on Iran, and what that suggests about the diminishing role of international law and the much-lamented rules-based international order. Finally, they unpack a bizarre confirmation hearing for Trump’s pick for assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs—who appears to be too racist for this particular role.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Secretary General Race Heats Up — And the Epstein Files Hit the UN]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-secretary-general-race-heats-32ahttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-secretary-general-race-heats-32aFri, 06 Feb 2026 08:28:26 GMT
Michelle Bachelet enters the S-G race. Credit: OHCHR Photo

For the first time in history, multiple countries have jointly nominated a candidate for UN Secretary General. Earlier this week, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico endorsed Michelle Bachelet—a former president of Chile, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a survivor of brutal repression under the Pinochet regime. The move is unprecedented—and potentially transformative. What does it signal about the race to replace António Guterres, and how soon might more rival candidates emerge?

Anjali and Mark unpack what this coordinated nomination reveals about shifting power dynamics inside the UN. They then turn to the latest Epstein document dump, which has ensnared several prominent diplomats and sent shockwaves through the diplomatic world. Finally, they confront a looming institutional crisis: the UN’s cash reserves are so depleted that even the viability of this year’s UNGA is now being called into question.

The full episode of To Save Us From Hell is immediately available below the fold for our glorious paid subscribers. You can also listen directly in the Substack App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you list. Here’s a discount link

Get 40% off forever

Or support the show at full price

Subscribe now

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Secretary-General Race Heats Up — And the Epstein Files Hit the UN]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-secretary-general-race-heatshttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-secretary-general-race-heatsThu, 05 Feb 2026 20:53:33 GMTSubscribe now

Get 40% off forever

For the first time in history, multiple countries have jointly nominated a candidate for UN Secretary General. Earlier this week, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico endorsed Michelle Bachelet—a former president of Chile, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a survivor of brutal repression under the Pinochet regime. The move is unprecedented—and potentially transformative. What does it signal about the race to replace António Guterres, and how soon might more rival candidates emerge?

Anjali and Mark unpack what this coordinated nomination reveals about shifting power dynamics inside the UN. They then turn to the latest Epstein document dump, which has ensnared several prominent diplomats and sent shockwaves through the diplomatic world. Finally, they confront a looming institutional crisis: the UN’s cash reserves are so depleted that even the viability of this year’s UNGA is now being called into question.

Subscribe now

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Stories That Will Drive The UN's Agenda in 2026 | Plus: Hi Mark Carney! ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-stories-that-will-drive-the-unshttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-stories-that-will-drive-the-unsFri, 23 Jan 2026 11:03:36 GMTQuick personal message to Mark Carney: Hi! We appreciated your remarks at Davos. So much so that we made the very same points two weeks ago — using very similar language. In fact, your blockbuster Davos Speech seemed to quote nearly verbatim from our last episode! Merci for apparently being a loyal listener and giving our ideas such a massive audience.

(For all you loveable hosers who happen not to to be a head of government, here’s a discount code so that you too can be in the know.)

Get 40% off forever

(But if like Mark Carney you do happen to lead middle power, you should probably just subscribe at full price.) 👇

Subscribe now

On with this week’s episode description…

Can Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace really compete with the Security Council? Will we even be discussing it a week or two from now, or will Trump and other world leaders simply move on? And what’s with the Board’s logo, which looks almost like a parody of the United Nations emblem?

Mark and Anjali break down the newest—and perhaps strangest—entrant into the multilateral peace and security space, answering these questions and more. But first, they take stock of the major stories set to dominate the agenda at the United Nations as the world body closes out its 80th year.

As always, the full episode is immediately available for paying subscribers below the fold, directly in the Substack App, and across all podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Stories that Will Drive the UN Agenda in 2026 | Plus, Can Trump's "Board of Peace" Compete with the Security Council?]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-stories-that-will-drive-the-unhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/the-stories-that-will-drive-the-unFri, 23 Jan 2026 00:56:14 GMTCan Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace really compete with the Security Council? Will we even be discussing it a week or two from now, or will Trump and other world leaders simply move on? And what’s with the Board’s logo, which looks almost like a parody of the United Nations emblem?

Mark and Anjali break down the newest—and perhaps strangest—entrant into the multilateral peace and security space, answering these questions and more. But first, they take stock of the major stories set to dominate the agenda at the United Nations as the world body closes out its 80th year.

Subscribe now

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Is This an Existential Moment for the United Nations? ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/is-this-an-existential-moment-for-dd7https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/is-this-an-existential-moment-for-dd7Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:23:32 GMTThe Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday in response to American military operations in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife— forcing dozens of countries to publicly respond to one of the most audacious U.S. actions in recent memory.

On today’s episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali and Mark break down what unfolded in the chamber: which countries issued the strongest condemnations, which were more restrained, and which attempted to thread the needle between defending a core principle of the UN Charter and avoiding the wrath of Donald Trump.

We also ask a larger question: can an American foreign policy openly premised on hemispheric domination, resource extraction, and territorial expansion coexist with a United Nations designed to prevent exactly that? Is this an existential moment for the UN? Can the rules-based international order survive? And why has Somalia’s UN ambassador suddenly landed in MAGA crosshairs? We discuss all this—and more!

The full episode is available exclusively to our amazing paying subscribers. You can unlock the episode immediately using this discount link!

Get 40% off forever

Or, if you’d like to support our work here on Global Dispatches at full price use this link.

Subscribe now

Full episode below!

Paying subscribers can also access it directly in Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Is This an Existential Moment for the United Nations?]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/is-this-an-existential-moment-forhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/is-this-an-existential-moment-forThu, 08 Jan 2026 03:03:40 GMTGet 40% off forever

The Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday in response to American military operations in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife— forcing dozens of countries to publicly respond to one of the most audacious U.S. actions in recent memory.

Anjali and Mark break down what unfolded in the chamber: which countries issued the strongest condemnations, which were more restrained, and which attempted to thread the needle between defending a core principle of the UN Charter and avoiding the wrath of Donald Trump. They also ask a larger question: can an American foreign policy openly premised on hemispheric domination, resource extraction, and territorial expansion coexist with a United Nations designed to prevent exactly that? Is this an existential moment for the UN? Can the rules-based international order survive? And why has Somalia’s UN ambassador suddenly landed in MAGA crosshairs? We discuss all this—and more!

Subscribe now

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Anjali Addresses the Security Council! | Plus: Rafael Grossi Gets "The New Yorker" Profile Treatment ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/anjali-addresses-the-security-council-87bhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/anjali-addresses-the-security-council-87bThu, 18 Dec 2025 17:15:43 GMT
UN Photo/Loey Felipe Anjali Dayal of “To Save Us From Hell Fame” addresses the Security Council.

Your very own To Save Us From Hell co-host Anjali Dayal briefed the United Nations Security Council on Monday! She was paired with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a special meeting of the Council dedicated to examining the role of the Secretary-General and the process for selecting Antonio Guterres’s successor. Anjali gives me a behind-the-scenes account of what it’s like to sit in the briefers’ chair at the famous horseshoe table and shares highlights from the meeting.

After the paywall, Anjali and I discuss a glowing New Yorker profile of International Atomic Energy Agency chief—and UN Secretary-General candidate—Rafael Grossi. It’s certainly a PR coup for the Argentine, but does PR really matter when it comes to running for UN Secretary-General? We discuss!

And one more thing: this is the 50th episode of To Save Us From Hell…Fifty episodes of deep dives into power, politics, and the UN’s place in the world. Huge thanks to everyone who listens—and especially to our paid subscribers, who make this show possible. If you’ve been on the fence, now’s the moment: grab a paid subscription using the discount link below, get access to our full episodes and support the show with a cult following around the UN! And, of course, this subscription gives you ALL we have to offer here at Global Dispatches.

Get 40% off forever

Or support the show at full price using.

Subscribe now

Full episode after the paywall

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Anjali Addresses the Security Council! | Plus: Rafael Grossi Gets "The New Yorker" Profile Treatment ]]>https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/anjali-addresses-the-security-councilhttps://www.globaldispatches.org/p/anjali-addresses-the-security-councilThu, 18 Dec 2025 17:12:10 GMTGet 40% off forever

Your very own To Save Us From Hell co-host Anjali Dayal briefed the United Nations Security Council on Monday! She was paired with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a special meeting of the Council dedicated to examining the role of the Secretary-General and the process for selecting Antonio Guterres’s successor. Anjali gives co-host Mark Leon Goldberg a behind-the-scenes account of what it’s like to sit in the briefers’ chair at the famous horseshoe table and shares highlights from the meeting.

After the paywall, Mark and Anjali discuss a glowing New Yorker profile of International Atomic Energy Agency chief—and UN Secretary-General candidate—Rafael Grossi. It’s certainly a PR coup for the Argentine, but does PR really matter when it comes to running for UN Secretary-General? We discuss!

And one more thing: this is the 50th episode of To Save Us From Hell. Fifty episodes of deep dives into power, politics, and the UN’s place in the world. Huge thanks to everyone who listens—a…

Read more

]]>