Geopolitical Perspectives - WestExec Advisors

Dennis Ross writes in The Hill: “Trump’s Aversion to Alliances Is Making the World A More Dangerous Place”

"Donald Trump does not like alliances. Inevitably, they require obligation and commitments and don’t fit his idea of narrow transactions that serve our interests temporarily. Like Sen. William Borah (R-Idaho) and the 'belligerent isolationists' of the 1920s and 1930s, President Trump sees no need for allies and does not want the burden of having to fulfill commitments. "In his worldview, others should take care of themselves. And that applies even to those like the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces who served our [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-25T12:24:00-04:00October 20, 2019|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Mike Singh on KCRW’s Left, Right & Center podcast, “Who Wins from the Syria Ceasefire?”

"The situation in Syria changed quickly this week. A five-day cease-fire, which Turkey is calling a 'pause,' negotiated by Vice President Mike Pence, seemed to be barely holding up less than 24 hours after it was announced. President Trump considers the agreement a victory, but some members of the GOP disagree. Mike Singh of the Washington Institute joins the panel to talk about who the winners were from the agreement. Hint: it wasn’t the Kurds..." Read the full article here: Full [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-25T12:25:21-04:00October 18, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michael Camilleri writes with Ben Raderstorf in The Washington Post: “How Evo Morales Running Again — And Again — Undermines Bolivia’s Democracy”

"On Oct. 20, Bolivian President Evo Morales will go to the polls in search of a fourth term. Victory would extend his time in office to almost two decades, and — depending on how the election goes — could place democracy itself at risk in the Andean country. "Unlike with Morales’s counterparts in Latin America’s three consolidated autocracies — Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua — his past elections have been democratic and his governance style autocratic but not authoritarian. Members of Bolivia’s [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-18T14:14:52-04:00October 14, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dan Shapiro writes in Haaretz: “Five Ways Trump’s Unnerving Decision on Syria Has Seriously Harmed Israel”

"It was probably inevitable. Even Donald Trump’s most ardent admirers in Israel understood that it was always a package deal. "Strong support for Israel’s position on issues with political resonance in the United States - Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Iran deal - was bestowed by a president with a well-documented history, in his long business and entertainment career and his short political rise, of a Me First-America First ethos and a total disregard for the concerns of others, even those [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-18T14:13:14-04:00October 11, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dan Shapiro quoted in The Washington Post article, “Israelis See Trump’s Syria Pullout as A Betrayal That Could Help Unravel the Region”

“'He ran his campaign as a man in another league who had mastered the delicate diplomacy of this moment,' said Dan Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. 'This definitely weakens the argument.' "Israel would have objected to the withdrawal of U.S. troops under any circumstances, Shapiro said. But to have such a major policy shift dropped without notice — catching even Pentagon and State Department officials unaware — [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-18T14:18:33-04:00October 11, 2019|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dennis Ross quoted in The Jerusalem Post article, “Impeachment Inquiry Not Expected to Affect Rollout of The Peace Plan”

“‘This means with North Korea or Iran, the president has an interest to do deals and show he is producing,’ Ross told the Post. ‘Neither will give him possible wins on the cheap. They may believe that his need for a victory will ensure they can extract concessions from him…’” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-10T18:44:34-04:00October 3, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Danny Russel quoted in The New York Times article, “China Wants the World to Stay Silent on Muslim Camps. It’s Succeeding.”

“‘Many, many governments are looking the other way and self-censoring on the issue of Xinjiang,' said Daniel R. Russel, the Obama administration’s assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. 'Beijing is notoriously prickly about its self-declared 'core interests,' and few countries are willing to put the economic benefits of good relations with China at risk — let alone find themselves on the receiving end of Chinese retaliation...’" Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-04T18:43:13-04:00September 25, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy writes with Stephen Hadley in The Washington Post: “Don’t Leave The Afghan Peace Talks For Dead”

"President Trump’s decision this month to call off peace talks with the Taliban should not obscure the fundamental fact that a political settlement of the Afghanistan conflict remains the best way to protect U.S. national security interests and prevent terrorist attacks from originating in the region. "The U.S.-Taliban talks conducted on the U.S. side by Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, made some progress. Although the draft deal has not been made public, it reportedly established conditions under which [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-04T18:29:07-04:00September 25, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dennis Ross writes in Foreign Affairs: “Iran is Testing the Trump Administration”

"On September 14, drones and cruise missiles struck Saudi Arabia’s most important oil-processing facility, at Abqaiq. The attacks don’t just threaten the global oil supply, of which Abqaiq accounts for roughly five percent. They pose a critical test for the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. "Iran has chosen to act very brazenly with these strikes. If there is no consequence for that choice, the Islamic Republic will be even more emboldened. Worse, an ineffectual response will send a message internationally [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-04T18:30:54-04:00September 24, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dan Shapiro writes in The Washington Post: “Netanyahu Has Dominated the U.S.-Israel Relationship. What Happens If He’s Gone?”

“There are votes yet to be counted. A fraught coalition negotiation awaits. And if he clears those hurdles, indictments for corruption might lie around the corner. "It’s not over yet, and Israel’s Houdini may pull off another great escape. But after his decade in power, it’s possible to imagine the end of the Netanyahu era. It has been quite a ride. "The U.S.-Israel relationship is deep, broad and multifaceted. It comprises security, economic, technological and societal components. It is more than [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-10-04T18:05:07-04:00September 20, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|