▁series ▁of ▁deb ates . ▁Among ▁the ▁issues ▁deb ated ▁include ▁U . S . ▁policy ▁on : ▁Sy ria , ▁Afghan istan , ▁Iran , ▁the ▁defense ▁budget , ▁Egypt ▁and ▁the ▁Arab ▁Spring , ▁dr one ▁war fare , ▁and ▁Russia . ▁The ▁deb ates ▁are ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁private , ▁non - att ribution ▁discussion ▁among ▁the ▁deb aters ▁and ▁the ▁senior ▁polic ym akers ▁present . ▁This ▁creates ▁a ▁“ safe ▁environment ” ▁for ▁political ▁leaders ▁to ▁discuss ▁issues ▁honest ly ▁and ▁without ▁fear ▁of ▁political ▁vulner ability ▁or ▁back l ash . ▁ ▁The ▁deb ates ▁have ▁been ▁expanded ▁to ▁other ▁cities ▁including ▁Phoenix . ▁Each ▁debate ▁brings ▁in ▁about ▁ 2 5 0 ▁audience ▁members ▁and ▁reaches ▁thousands ▁of ▁people ▁via ▁live - stream ing , ▁television , ▁and ▁online ▁view ers . ▁ ▁The ▁deb ates ▁have ▁featured ▁speak ers ▁from ▁the ▁Brook ings ▁Institution , ▁the ▁American ▁Enter prise ▁Institute , ▁The ▁New ▁Republic , ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Month ly , ▁CNN , ▁Fox ▁News , ▁the ▁Wilson ▁Center , ▁Pe pp erd ine ▁University , ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Watch , ▁the ▁C ato ▁Institute , ▁the ▁Ho over ▁Institution ▁at ▁Stan ford ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁R AND ▁Corporation . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁Vo ices ▁ ▁The ▁McC ain ▁Institute ▁regularly ▁inv ites ▁senior ▁leaders ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁share ▁personal ▁ins ights . ▁The ▁inst itute ▁is ▁creating ▁a ▁digital ▁archive ▁of ▁these ▁events , ▁available ▁online ▁for ▁students ,