Cybersecurity & Defense - WestExec Advisors

Michèle Flournoy featured in the Washington Diplomat article, “Michèle Flournoy Hopes U.S. Takes Pragmatic Path to Navigate National Security Challenges”

"Michèle Flournoy speaks in calm, measured tones about some of the world’s most terrifying crises, from coronavirus and nuclear weapons to Afghanistan and Iran. But that doesn’t mean her words carry any less weight or urgency. "Her level-headed yet deeply thought-out approach to the litany of national security threats facing the United States propelled her to the top echelons of the Pentagon. It’s also made her a popular moderate voice among both Democrats and Republicans..." Read the full article here: Full [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-04-03T09:51:34-04:00March 31, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Lisa Monaco interviewed on CNN

"'This was not a black swan event,' says former Obama Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco, responding to President Trump's claim that the coronavirus pandemic was an unforeseen crisis. 'This is not a surprise. And we should have been better prepared...'" Watch the full interview here: Full Interview

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-04-03T09:49:52-04:00March 28, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Michèle Flournoy featured in Defense News article, “Public Health Must Be Part of National Security Calculus, Says Flournoy”

"Michèle Flournoy, who spent three years as undersecretary of defense for policy at the start of the Obama administration, also said via a webcast hosted by the Hudson Institute that U.S. attempts at deterrence in the Middle East must evolve beyond force presence. She called for an American version of China’s Belt and Road Initiative — an economic growth strategy. "'We are defining national security too narrowly. Dealing with pandemics and safeguarding the health of the American population from a threat [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-30T11:02:23-04:00March 27, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Michèle Flournoy, Bob Work, and Julie Smith cited in the Wall Street Journal article, “National Security Veterans Urge Trump to Invoke Emergency Mobilization Law”

"A bipartisan group of more than 100 former national security officials are urging President Trump immediately to use a Korean War-era defense mobilization law 'to the full extent' to support companies making supplies critical to combating the coronavirus outbreak. "In a letter Wednesday, the former officials said the Defense Production Act was designed precisely because the private sector "lacks the ability to process incoming requests, prioritize the most urgent needs and coordinate with other companies absent more concerted government involvement..." Read [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-30T10:49:34-04:00March 25, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Nick Rasmussen co-authors in The Washington Post: “Former Intelligence Chiefs: Trump’s Removal of Experts is Deeply Destructive to Our Nation’s Safety”

"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 [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-30T10:51:25-04:00March 20, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Lisa Monaco quoted in The New York Times article, “Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded”

"'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 [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-04-10T09:17:45-04:00March 19, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Lisa Monaco interviewed on CAFE Insider podcast, “Extraordinary Times”

"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

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-24T11:27:01-04:00March 18, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Nick Rasmussen quoted in The Washington Post article, “Trump Plans to Nominate Special Forces Veteran to Head Counterterrorism Center Amid Uncertainty About Its Future”

"'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

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-30T11:39:14-04:00March 18, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Lisa Monaco quoted in The Atlantic article, “We Were Warned”

"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 [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-04-10T09:27:05-04:00March 18, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Lisa Monaco quoted in Axios article, “Countries Meet the Coronavirus Unprepared and On Their Own”

"Lisa Monaco, who served as Barack Obama's former Homeland Security adviser (2013–2017), tells Axios the U.S. squandered the time bought by China's aggressive (if belated) containment efforts and the travel restrictions Trump imposed on China. "'As we saw this coming out of China in December, there should have really been ramping up,' says Monaco, who was warning that a pandemic like this one might strike long before it did. “'If you’re thinking about a worst-case scenario here, you would be thinking, [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-13T15:23:39-04:00March 12, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|