Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Julie Smith quoted in Foreign Policy article, “Why Is the United States So Bad at Foreign Policy?”

"According to Julianne Smith of the German Marshall Fund of the United States: 'The Chinese have started brazenly claiming that it is China, not the United States, that shares more values with Europe. [They] also frequently remind European audiences that unlike the United States, China believes in climate change and multilateralism, a message that is especially powerful in a place like Germany.' "Now consider this: At a moment when the U.S. State Department is in free fall, China is upping its [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:01:29-05:00January 13, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith writes in the Washington Monthly: “What the Next President Can Do to Save Our Alliances with Europe”

"The transatlantic relationship has suffered a series of near-fatal blows in recent years. President Trump has openly questioned America’s Article 5 commitment to defend any attacked NATO member, dubbed the European Union a 'foe,' and repeatedly disparaged some of America’s closest allies—for example, calling Germany 'captive to Russia.' The people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. France and Germany, instead of joining forces to chart a future course for the European project, have spent years trapped between [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T21:55:51-05:00January 13, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Lisa Monaco quoted in The New York Times article, “Esper Says He Saw No Evidence Iran Targeted 4 Embassies, as Story Shifts Again”

“'If indeed the strike was taken to disrupt an imminent threat to U.S. persons — and that picture seems to be getting murkier by the minute — the case should be made to Congress and to the public, consistent with national security,' said Lisa Monaco, a former senior F.B.I. official and homeland security adviser to President Barack Obama. 'Failure to do so hurts our credibility and deterrence going forward.' "Intelligence officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T21:58:50-05:00January 12, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Danny Russel quoted in The New York Times article, “U.S. Applauds Tsai’s Re-election as Taiwan President: Pompeo”

"Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia until early in the Trump administration, said the extent of Trump's interest in Taiwan had seemed to be as a customer for U.S. weapons systems and as leverage on Beijing in the trade war. "'At times that has meant moving in Taipei’s direction; at other times it has meant backing off demonstrations of support,' he said. "'Now that a mini-trade deal has at last been reached with Beijing, Trump may have fewer [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:02:44-05:00January 11, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy quoted in Task and Purpose article, “The Missiles Have Stopped Flying But Iran Isn’t Done Yet”

"The immediate crisis may be over, but Iran is likely to 'resume provocations' unless it gets some relief from the United States' maximum pressure campaign, said Michèle Flournoy, who served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to February 2012. "'I think those are most likely to be either covert or clandestine or through proxies or directed at others in the region,' said Flournoy, now managing partner of WestExec Advisors, a strategic advisory firm in Washington, D.C. 'I [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:05:28-05:00January 11, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Liz Rosenberg quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “New Sanctions Power Could Squeeze Remaining Iranian Trade Channels”

"The executive order is a limited expansion of the already extensive U.S. sanctions on Iran, but it gives sweeping power for the U.S. to issue secondary sanctions on non-U.S. individuals and companies that maintain ties with Iran, said Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former senior sanctions adviser at the Treasury Department. “'A primary intention of these measures is to threaten Iran and deter anyone who would do business with Iran,' she said... "By naming a few targets outside of Iran, the U.S. sends [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:00:11-05:00January 10, 2020|Economy & Trade|

Michèle Flournoy on Bloomberg’s “Wall Street Week”

"Michèle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense of Policy, reflects on recent escalations between U.S. and Iran with former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers and Roger Ferguson, TIAA chief executive officer..." Watch the full interview here: Full Interview

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:06:56-05:00January 10, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Michèle Flournoy featured on NPR’s “Morning Edition”

"'From one tweet to the next, from one day to the next, you never know what he's going to say or what his approach will be. And I think for adversaries who are trying to figure out where the line is, it's very difficult to establish deterrence for them. For allies, it makes them very uncertain.' "... Flournoy says Trump's approach isn't strategic—it's tactical, transactional, impulsive. "'I actually think [Trump's] an interesting mix of, on the one hand, wanting to appear [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T21:10:23-05:00January 9, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Linc Bloomfield and Dan Shapiro quoted in CNBC article, “It Isn’t Over — Iran’s Promise of Revenge Could Take Months or Years to Play Out, Analysts Say”

"'Since there were no casualties, President Trump seems to be taking the opportunity to say this is the end of this round. That’s a hopeful sign, (but) it doesn’t mean this is the end of this conflict,' said Daniel Shapiro, who was the U.S. ambassador to Israel between 2011 and 2017. "He warned that the supposed a deescalation in tensions could be 'fragile.' “'It’s very likely that the Iranian response to the death of Qasem Soleimani will play out over weeks, [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T22:04:04-05:00January 9, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Michèle Flournoy interviewed on CNN’s “New Day”

"'The fact that there were no casualties gives President Trump the opportunity to throw the circuit breaker on this particular cycle of escalation,' ex-Under Sec. of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy says after Iran attacked Iraqi bases housing US troops..." Watch the full interview here: Full Interview

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T21:16:19-05:00January 8, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

About Rebecca Skoryanc