Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Dan Shapiro quoted in Vox article, “11 US Troops Were Injured in Iran’s Attack. It Shows How Close We Came to War.”

"'It certainly seems that Iran’s intent was different than earlier estimates,' says Dan Shapiro, who served as the US ambassador to Israel from 2011 to 2017, 'and there was a serious possibility of deaths of US troops.' "It appears the two reasons everyone stayed alive was because of US intelligence and a warning from Iraq to Iran about the incoming missiles that enabled US and Iraqi forces to quickly take precautions, such as hunkering down in bunkers..." Read the full article [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-24T08:07:46-05:00January 17, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Miriam Vogel featured in Design Week article, “Siri, Alexa And Unconscious Bias: The Case for Designing Fairer AI Assistants”

“'I have yet to meet the person who is designing to intentionally discriminate,' Miriam Vogel tells Design Week. 'But sometimes it’s hard to admit that you’ve designed something that might have gaps and flaws in.' "Vogel is executive director of EqualAI, a US-based initiative that aims to prevent unconscious bias in artificial intelligence (AI) development. But when it comes to one of the most widespread uses of AI — voice-assistants — the machines themselves do discriminate..." Read the full article here: [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-24T08:12:34-05:00January 17, 2020|News|

Michèle Flournoy testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on DOD’s role in the competition with China

Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry, distinguished members of the House Armed Services Committee, it is truly an honor to testify before you today on the Department of Defense’s role in the United States’ strategic competition with China. U.S.-China Competition Broadly Strategic competition between the United States and China is multi-faceted, with economic, technological, political, ideological, and military dimensions. Any successful approach to this competition must take account of each of these dimensions and neglect none. Therefore, before I outline the [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T11:04:24-05:00January 15, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives, Press Releases|

C-SPAN livestreams the Center for American Progress’ National Security Conference featuring Michèle Flournoy, Susan Rice, and Denis McDonough

"Obama administration officials discuss the national security priorities a progressive government should focus on during its first 100 days in office. Several topics were covered including the current tensions with Iran, President Trump’s handling of foreign policy, and repairing U.S. relationships with allies..." Watch the full panel here: Full Panel

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-01-16T21:57:13-05:00January 14, 2020|News|

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|

About Rebecca Skoryanc