Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Bridge Colby quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “Trump Administration Considers 14,000 More Troops for Mideast”

"That, in turn, concerns officials and outside experts who believe the Pentagon must focus its resources on countering China, as mandated by the U.S. National Security Strategy and the Pentagon’s National Defense Strategy. China, some say, is a much larger, if less immediate, problem. “'China is always a, quote, long-term problem, unquote,' said Elbridge Colby, who helped author the Pentagon’s defense strategy. 'But it’s actually a now problem...'" Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-09T13:04:11-05:00December 4, 2019|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Dennis Ross quoted in The New York Times article, “Netanyahu and Pompeo Seek Heightened Pressure on Iran in Wake of Violent Protests”

"Dennis Ross, who helped negotiate earlier peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians during the Clinton administration, said the United States already has robust military agreements with Israel. "He predicted the Pentagon would be reluctant to support a formal treaty now — in part because it could be seen as a political boost to Mr. Netanyahu in a relationship that the American military wants to keep strictly professional. "Having a formal defense treaty could also raise the appearance that the United [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-09T13:00:25-05:00December 4, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith writes with Garima Mohan in The National Interest: “The Trump Administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Needs Proof of Life”

"No single word better describes today’s international system than 'competition.' China and Russia are competing with the United States for power, influence, and access to markets across multiple continents. With its Belt and Road investments and targeted diplomacy, China is creating new partnerships across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Russia has been busy establishing new strategic links across the Middle East with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Syria. Occasionally, when their strategic interests collide, China and Russia work together, as they did [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-09T12:59:05-05:00December 3, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy presides over Council on Foreign Relations and Institute for National Security Studies symposium: “The Future of U.S.-Israel Relations: The New Great Game in the Middle East”

"The symposium held on December 2, 2019 analyzed the consequences of U.S. retrenchment for the future of Israel and the Middle East. For more than four decades, the United States has played a large part in the Middle East regional order. However, it is now pulling back from the region in a manner that has generated uncertainty and insecurity for America’s allies and partners. The event convened experts to discuss whether Israel is in a particularly exposed position given its traditional [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-09T12:57:30-05:00December 2, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Liz Rosenberg quoted in The Economist article, “Donald Trump Uses Sanctions More Keenly Than Any of His Predecessors”

"What has driven this surge in sanctions? According to Marshall Billingslea, an assistant secretary in the Treasury department, the growth reflects Donald Trump’s innovative 'financial statecraft.' Certainly, they seem an ideal tool for Mr Trump, who wants to put foreigners under lots of pressure but is reluctant to send troops or bombers to do the job. 'Sanctions are perceived to be an option for when words aren't good enough but war is too much,' says Elizabeth Rosenberg, of the Centre for [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T07:50:48-05:00November 24, 2019|Economy & Trade|

Lisa Monaco on CNN’s Impeachment Watch podcast, “The Public Hearings Are Over. Did Democrats Make Their Case?”

"Democrats have essentially rested their case to the American people that President Trump should be impeached. Will it change any minds among Republicans in the House or Senate? And how is President Trump handling all this? Zachary Wolf, senior writer and publisher of the Impeachment Watch Newsletter, discusses the 'never Trumpers' rhetoric the President is pushing with CNN reporter and producer Marshall Cohen. Lisa Moncao, CNN senior national security analyst, also joins the conversation to offer her perspective, as a former [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T07:49:17-05:00November 22, 2019|News|

Julie Smith quoted in The Washington Post article, “Public Servants Use Impeachment Hearings to Offer Lessons of History and Military Service in Rejoinder to Trump”

"'What we’ve seen over the last couple of days is a whole assortment of personal and compelling reasons why people chose the career path of public service,' said Julie Smith, a Europe expert who served as deputy national security adviser to then-Vice President Joe Biden. 'Outside of Washington, the image of public service has become a bad word — a bunch of dark suits who are there for the wrong reasons. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Most are idealists [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T07:46:02-05:00November 21, 2019|News|

Ely Ratner quoted in The South China Morning Post article, “Hong Kong People Could Feel ‘Most of the Pain’ from U.S. Human Rights Act, American Experts Warn”

“‘I think it's a really hard policy problem for the United States in part because there needs to be some sort of rule here of "Do no harm,"’ Ely Ratner, deputy director of national security for former vice-president Joe Biden, said during a discussion hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations in Washington on Monday. “‘There are parts of that bill that are important in terms of some of the reporting requirements, but this lever of the autonomy status of [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T07:53:30-05:00November 19, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Liz Rosenberg quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “U.S. Sanctions Compliance Weighs on Nonfinancial Companies”

“‘In financial services, people are very accustomed to these sanctions,’ Ms. Rosenberg said. ‘There’s a lot of existing knowledge about what it means to have sovereign debt restrictions, correspondent banking restrictions.’ “‘But when there are new measures that go at nonfinancials—which is an expressed goal of this administration, for example, in the shipping industry, other manufacturing areas—that is a new compliance challenge for many industries, who haven’t seen this kind of measure being handed out before, and who may not have, [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T08:01:32-05:00November 19, 2019|Economy & Trade|

Dennis Ross quoted in The Washington Post article, “Trump Administration Says Israel’s West Bank Settlements Do Not Violate International Law”

“‘I’m mystified by the timing,' said Dennis Ross, who played a lead role in shaping Middle East policy under several administrations from Reagan to Obama. ‘If you were still interested in presenting the Trump peace plan, you wouldn’t want to do something that puts key Arab leaders... in a position where they would be much more moved to oppose it...'” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-12-02T08:04:19-05:00November 18, 2019|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

About Rebecca Skoryanc