Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Danny Russel quoted in POLITICO article, “Adversaries Delight in America’s Convulsions, While U.S. Diplomats Despair”

"Daniel Russel, a former senior Obama administration official who dealt with Asia, said that American diplomats traditionally have been able to acknowledge U.S. struggles when dealing with foreign audiences. That dash of humility, however, was coupled with a sense of U.S. credibility – that America could be relied upon to help the oppressed in other countries as they fought for democracy, human rights and other ideals... "'The willingness of people in other countries to stand with you rests in large part [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:58:56-04:00June 2, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith quoted in The New York Times article, “Embattled at Home, Trump Finds Himself Isolated Abroad, Too”

"'It all shows just how out of touch Trump is with allies,' said Julianne Smith, a former Obama official now with the German Marshall Fund in Washington. 'This is a man isolated at home and abroad. He is trying to find friends in other places, knowing that relations with traditional allies are bad. But there are serious strains even with the authoritarians he admires, like Xi Jinping and even Putin.' "Mr. Trump 'continues to believe allies can be abused and mistreated [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T14:42:25-04:00June 2, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy keynotes CSIS Future Strategy Forum

Michèle Flournoy explores how Covid-19 will impact national security in her keynote address to kickoff the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) 2020 Future Strategy Forum, an initiative to connect scholars who research national security with its leading practitioners... Watch the full keynote here: Full Keynote

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:36:07-04:00June 2, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Bridge Colby quoted in The New York Times article, “As Virus Toll Preoccupies U.S., Rivals Test Limits of American Power”

"'I think what Beijing is pursuing — and it’s a rational interest — is hegemonic authority over Asia,' said Elbridge Colby, the former Pentagon official who was the main writer of the Trump administration’s National Defense Strategy, which focuses on how the American military should reshape itself for great-power competition with Russia and particularly China... "'We need to change things on Taiwan to improve the deterrent and make clearer where we stand,' said Mr. Colby, who added that the United States [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:53:12-04:00June 1, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Ron Clark and Shannon Kula share guidance for community protection and resilience in a piece published by Rutgers’ Miller Center: “Part VI: RESILIENCE: The Need for Universal Personal Protective Equipment”

In February, Dr. Clark and Dr. Kula and started developing guidance for vulnerable communities and faith-based organizations to help them understand evidence based best practices for the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal was to provide pragmatic guidance that was realistic, accessible and would positively impact their level of safety amidst a storm of misinformation... Read the latest guidance here: Latest Guidance

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:39:44-04:00June 1, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Dan Shapiro writes with John Allen in The Hill: “Stopping Israel’s Annexation Is a US National Security Interest”

"Opponents of Israel unilaterally annexing portions of the West Bank frequently couch their concerns in terms of the infringement on Palestinian rights and aspirations for statehood. Those concerns are real. Yet we would add another reason for opposition: the damage that would be done to American security interests. "Each of us has devoted a significant portion of our personal and professional lives to advocating — and acting — in support of Israel’s security. We have worked closely with Israel’s leaders and [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:51:08-04:00June 1, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy writes with Jim Townsend in Der Spiegel: “This Is at the Core of the Transatlantic Idea”

"The chairman of the SPD parliamentary group Rolf Mützenich has called for Germany to withdraw from NATO's nuclear participation . A debate that has long been smoldering among experts has now reached the public. Mützenich bases his position on the fact that the policies of the current US government make the use of nuclear weapons more likely. "We knew from decades of experience working with Germany on defense and security issues that this debate would come. It began when it was [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:41:42-04:00May 31, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Nick Rasmussen quoted in The Atlantic article, “It’s Time to Listen to the Doomsday Planners”

"Doomsday planners can’t conjure up every possible future calamity. But their warnings can prompt the government to react quickly, to adapt to ambiguity, and to treat uncertainty as a feature of good social science, not an excuse to avoid prudent precautions. Nicholas Rasmussen, who participated in national-security continuity planning as a senior counterterrorism adviser to George W. Bush and Obama, told me that, at the moment, the U.S. government doesn’t 'really have a plan for a scenario where we are down [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T14:02:16-04:00May 29, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Danny Russel quoted in The Washington Post article, “As He Seeks to Punish China, Trump Faces Criticism at Home Over His Own Attacks on Democratic Values”

"Danny Russel, a vice president at the Asia Society, who served in the Obama administration, said the Trump administration had long since 'crossed the Rubicon in terms of undercutting any credibility the United States may have had with the Chinese public about our commitment to values and to our principles.' "Trump tweets and actions this week 'are just gratuitous validation,' said Russel, who added that a theme running through Trump’s domestic and foreign policies 'is the theme of polarization and divisiveness. [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T14:04:22-04:00May 29, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith and Meghan O’Sullivan in conversation on the Post-Pandemic Order podcast

"On this week’s episode of Post Pandemic Order, host Julie Smith discusses the coronavirus and disruptions in the global energy market with Meghan O’Sullivan the Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School where she also directs the Geopolitics of Energy Project. "The insight-packed 20 minute conversation dives into the pandemic’s effect on energy trends, the international energy transition, the state of international cooperation on energy issues, and much more..." Listen to the full episode [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-06-05T13:48:03-04:00May 28, 2020|Economy & Trade|

About Rebecca Skoryanc