Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Bob Work writes in War on the Rocks: “AI and Synthetic Biology Are Critical to Future U.S. Competitiveness”

"On Jan. 11, 2020, Chinese authorities shared the genetic sequence of the virus that causes COVID-19 for the first time. By Jan. 13, the biotechnology firm Moderna had used this information to finalize the design of its vaccine. "This miracle of modern science — shortening to a matter of hours a process that had previously taken months or years — was not a stroke of luck. It was enabled by significant advancements in AI and machine learning, investments in these technologies [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:26:39-04:00May 27, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Andrea Kendall-Taylor quoted in Foreign Policy article, “Sanctions Deadline Looms Ahead of Biden’s Summit With Putin”

"Andrea Kendall-Taylor, director of the transatlantic security program at the Center for a New American Security, said she expected the administration to continue to toe a firm line with Moscow. 'I don’t think they’re going to back down just because of an upcoming meeting,' said Kendall-Taylor, who briefly served as senior director for Russia and Central Asia on Biden’s National Security Council. "'I think it is a tight spot, but it’s not the administration’s doing. It’s a result of Russia’s actions,' [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:28:10-04:00May 26, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy quoted in The New York Times article, “Pentagon Accelerates Withdrawal From Afghanistan”

"United States troops and their NATO allies intend to be out of Afghanistan by early to mid-July, well ahead of President Biden’s Sept. 11 withdrawal deadline, military officials said, in what has turned into an accelerated ending to America’s longest war… "'Withdrawing forces is actually a really delicate kind of operation that has risks associated with it,' said Michèle A. Flournoy, a former under secretary for defense under President Barack Obama. 'There’s a lot they have to work through before the [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:29:25-04:00May 25, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Bob Work quoted in National Defense article, “Semiconductor Shortage Shines Light on Weak Supply Chain”

"Bob Work, former deputy secretary of defense and the current co-chair of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, said the United States currently has a two-generation lead on China in advanced hardware such as semiconductors. "However, 'we’re 110 miles away from going two generations ahead to maybe two generations behind,' he said during the unveiling of the commission’s final report in March. 'If China absorbed Taiwan — which is the source of many of the world’s hardware — that would [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:32:06-04:00May 21, 2021|Economy & Trade|

Dennis Ross quoted in NPR article, “What Will Shape Biden’s View of Gaza Violence Most? Hamas Attacks, Says Dennis Ross”

"President Biden has now said he would welcome a cease fire in this week-long war. But for the moment, there appears no clear path to a pause in the violence, and the long-term outlook for the region may be even murkier. "'Right now, the sense of possibility on both sides is probably at its low point,' according to Ambassador Dennis Ross…" Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:14:54-04:00May 18, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dennis Ross quoted in The Hill article, “Biden’s Quiet Diplomacy Under Pressure as Israel-Hamas Fighting Intensifies”

"Dennis Ross, a veteran Middle East peace negotiator who served on the National Security Council during the Obama administration, said the developments 'no doubt' add to pressure on Israel. "But he said the decision to greenlight the strike likely represented a calculated Israeli message to Hamas and other terror groups 'that Israel will do what it thinks it must and will not be constrained by criticism…'" Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:12:47-04:00May 17, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Vincent Brooks featured in Center for Strategic and International Studies event, “Future of Northeast Asia and Korea-U.S. Alliance”

"This pre-recorded event commemorates the launching of the Joint Report by the Commission on Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula…" Watch the full event here: Full Event

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:07:20-04:00May 17, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Mike Singh quoted in Politico article, “Biden Wants ‘Calm’ in the Mideast. So Much for Peace.”

"Michael Singh, a former George W. Bush administration now with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Biden may sympathize with Israel’s goal of degrading Hamas. He noted, however, that every few years, Israel engages in a violent showdown with the Palestinian militant group. "'Generally, part of U.S. policy has been to help Israel pursue its objectives as quickly and with as few civilian casualties as possible,' Singh said. 'The big question is, "Can Israel do this in a way [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:10:10-04:00May 17, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy interviewed in DefAero Report Daily podcast, “Flournoy on Keeping DoD’s Competitive Edge”

"On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Michèle Flournoy, the former undersecretary of defense for policy who is the co-founder of the WestExec Advisors consultancy, discusses her article in the May/June 2021 issue of Foreign Affairs — 'America’s Military Risks Losing Its Edge: How to Transform the Pentagon for a Competitive Era' — with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian…" Listen to the full episode here: Full Episode

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:03:41-04:00May 17, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Miriam Vogel quoted in The Financial Times article, “Silicon Valley Reboots Its Relationship With the US Military”

"Tech groups Microsoft and Amazon have taken a similar stand on the controversial software, after pressure from employees. They said they would refuse to sell it to police forces and asked Congress to regulate the emerging technology… "'I see these battle lines being drawn, where companies are saying in their mission statements what [policies] they want to be aligned with,' says Miriam Vogel, chief executive of EqualAI, a non-profit focused on removing unconscious bias from artificial intelligence…" Read the full article [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-07-20T19:08:39-04:00May 16, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

About Rebecca Skoryanc