"Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Professor of International Affairs at Harvard’s Kennedy School, former National Security Council advisor, and a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, discusses the oil market plunge, and the Russia-Saudi relationship..." Listen to the full episode here: Full Episode
"The United States — and the world — faces a historic threat to its health, well-being and economy. The global covid-19 pandemic challenges all of us: the public, cities, states and, of course, the federal government. But as we collectively fight this deadly disease, the intelligence institutions that help protect us all from current and future threats are also under attack from an insidious enemy: domestic politics. We cannot let the covid-19 pandemic be a cover for the deeply destructive path [...]
"Saudi Arabia is hosting the Group of 20 summit in November of this year. But given the current crisis, the Saudis announced recently that it will convene a virtual G-20 leaders’ summit next week 'to advance a coordinated response to the covid-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications.' "The virtual summit is clearly needed to mobilize a response to a pandemic that respects no borders. It’s a sign of the times, however, that the United States is nowhere to be [...]
“'While Iran is an epicenter of this virus outbreak and facing true economic catastrophe... there will be no relief on sanctions,' said Elizabeth Rosenberg of the Center for a New American Security think tank..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"'What I learned most is that we had to stand up a global biosecurity and health directorate, and get it enshrined for the next administration,' said Lisa Monaco, Mr. Obama’s homeland security adviser... "After Mr. Trump’s election, Ms. Monaco arranged an extensive exercise for high-level incoming officials — including Rex W. Tillerson, the nominee for secretary of state; John F. Kelly, designated to become homeland security secretary; and Rick Perry, who would become energy secretary — gaming out the response to [...]
"'I’m encouraged that the administration is turning to a career national security professional for this job as opposed to picking a career politician or some known ideologue,' said Nicholas Rasmussen, who led the NCTC from 2014 to 2017. "'What’s important is whether Chris Miller or any nominee can do what needs to be done most — which is to preserve the integrity and independence of the NCTC as an intelligence organization,' he said..." Read the full article here: Full Article
"Preet and Anne are joined by Lisa Monaco, who was President Obama’s chief homeland security and counterterrorism advisor. Drawing on her experience battling pandemics, Lisa provides valuable perspective on the response to the crisis, and helps Preet and Anne break down all of the important issues..." Sign up to listen to the full episode here: Full Episode
"At this point, it’s probably not enough for the U.S. to say that companies are allowed to sell drugs and medical equipment to Iran to help battle the coronavirus—they’re already technically allowed to sell those things. But that doesn’t mean the U.S. can just sit back. 'There are small and large steps the United States can take to try to speed aid to Iran,' says Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former Treasury Department official who is now a senior fellow at the Center [...]
"We were warned in 2017, a week before inauguration day, when Lisa Monaco, Barack Obama’s outgoing homeland-security adviser, gathered with Donald Trump’s incoming national-security officials and conducted an exercise modeled on the administration’s experiences with outbreaks of swine flu, Ebola, and Zika. The simulation explored how the U.S. government should respond to a flu pandemic that halts international travel, upends global supply chains, tanks the stock market, and burdens health-care systems—all with a vaccine many months from materializing. 'The nightmare scenario [...]
"'There’s considerable friction between Europe and the United States on many fronts,' said Julianne Smith, who served as deputy national security adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner in the race to face Mr. Trump in the November election. "'One of the things that’s irritating the Europeans the most, though, is the administration’s failure to consult with our European allies on a number of issues,' said Ms. Smith, a geopolitics expert at the German Marshall Fund..." Read the [...]