Michèle Flounory speaks with General Joseph Votel and Peter Bergen about how COVID influences our conceptualization of national security, civil-military relations, and ongoing and upcoming national security challenges for the United States. Watch the full event here: Full Event
"Daniel Shapiro, who served as President Barack Obama’s ambassador to Israel, said that had been true from the start of Mr. Trump’s presidency. 'He’s been trying every day for four years to turn Israel into a wedge issue with American Jewish voters, and he can’t even move it out of the margin of error,' Mr. Shapiro said. 'The votes are set...'" Read the full article here: Full Article
WestExec’s Spotlight Series highlights the issues some of our team members focus on. This week’s Spotlight features Rachel Ellehuus, former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy and Principal Director for European and NATO Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2015-2018. Europe: The political currents in Europe grow increasingly complicated as the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union, the United States readies to remove a substantial number of troops from Germany, [...]
"The pandemic brought on the most quick and severe recession that the United States has ever experienced. The economy shed over 22 million jobs in just two months, and contracted at an annualized rate of 32 percent in the second quarter..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"For most people, there was nothing to celebrate when the International Monetary Fund downgraded its outlook for global economic growth in June, anticipating a contraction of 4.9% for 2020. Yet for others, such as the small but persistent group of economists and others known as the 'degrowth movement,' the Covid-induced economic slowdown has a silver lining..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"While regional experiences vary and it is still early to draw definitive conclusions, it is already clear that the pandemic is exposing and exacerbating many of Latin America’s preexisting challenges. Income inequality, labor informality, and weak social safety nets obligated millions of citizens to choose between protecting their health and feeding their families. Strained public finances and regressive tax systems limited the steps governments could take to stimulate their economies and support those most in need. Weak public services and discrimination [...]
"At the White House on Tuesday, Israel will formalize peace with the United Arab Emirates and sign a declaration of peace with Bahrain. For some, this event symbolizes the advent of a new day in the region. Others bemoan it for rewarding the Israelis and doing little to end the occupation of the Palestinians..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"Mike Singh, a former director of Middle East affairs at the National Security Council, said that while Mr. Trump has long been focused on a 'deal of the century' between Israelis and Palestinians, administration officials have 'always felt there was more progress to be made between Israel and US allies in the Gulf than between the Israelis and Palestinians...'" Read the full article here: Full Article
"Biden advisers see China policy as just as much about rebuilding the U.S. economy as containing China’s. 'The debate should be about who’s going to make America more competitive,' says Ely Ratner, a Biden national security aide in the Obama administration now at the Center for a New American Security..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"Michael Singh, a managing director at the Washington Institute and former senior director at the National Security Council, said the JCPOA was 'effectively dead,' regardless of the outcome of the election..." Read the full article here: Full Article