Geopolitical Perspectives - WestExec Advisors

Julie Smith quoted in The Guardian article, “Washington’s Great Mystery: Trump’s Affinity for Putin and Populists Baffles Experts”

"'Trump’s deference to Putin remains one of Washington’s greatest mysteries,' said Julianne Smith, a former deputy national security adviser to former vice-president Joe Biden. 'No one knows for sure whether it’s just Trump’s admiration for Putin’s authoritarian rule or it’s the fact that Trump owes Putin something.' “'Either way, Trump’s refusal to speak ill of Putin or Russia’s aggression in its neighborhood and beyond is eroding US leadership and the transatlantic alliance.' “... 'Allies are growing tired of the constant barrage [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-09T15:39:42-04:00August 31, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dennis Ross writes with Dana Stroul in The Washington Post: “The Flaw in Trump’s Maximum Pressure Campaign Toward Iran”

“The Trump administration says its maximum-pressure campaign on Iran is working. If only that were true. "The administration has consistently made the argument that economic sanctions would deprive the Iranian regime of money and that less money would mean less bad behavior and more concessions at the negotiating table. "Bargaining with Iran is not the same as a closing a real estate deal, however, and Iran-sponsored terrorism is not easily reduced to counting dollars and cents. Less of one does not [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-09T15:33:57-04:00August 29, 2019|Economy & Trade, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dan Shapiro quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “Israel’s Shadow War with Iran Widens as Netanyahu Faces Close Election Contest”

“‘Multiple engagements that are highly public on multiple fronts, with perhaps a political context attached to them, could incentivize one or more of Israel’s enemies to try to escalate into a much more expansive conflict,’ said Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel who is now at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University…” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-03T17:28:52-04:00August 26, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith on The Tea Leaves podcast

"In this episode of Tea Leaves, Kurt and Rich are joined by Julianne (“Julie”) Smith, an expert on transatlantic issues and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). The three discuss Julie’s experiences in the national security field as a woman, the complexities of Europe’s multifaceted relationship with Beijing, and the European perspective towards the Trump administration." Listen to the full podcast here: Full Podcast

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-03T17:36:52-04:00August 26, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith quoted in The Los Angeles Times article, “Trump Says He’s Willing to Negotiate with Iran, Doesn’t Want Leadership Change”

“Julianne Smith, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a bipartisan think tank, said Macron ‘found the right recipe’ to handle Trump and seized an opportunity to influence him. “‘Macron is smart,’ Smith said. ‘He knows what he is up against. But he also knows Trump can be persuaded…’” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-03T17:29:48-04:00August 26, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Danny Russel quoted in The Straits Times article, “Trump’s China Strategy Counterproductive, Says Former Top US Diplomat for Asia Pacific”

"‘For retaliation to be smart it needs to be applied in a targeted and judicious manner for the purpose not of inflicting pain but to change behaviour,' [Daniel Russel] said. 'And you can't claim that Trump's retaliatory measures - the tariffs, the threats, the listing of companies like Huawei - have led to better behaviour by China.' "‘On the contrary [China has] dug itself in more determinedly,' Mr. Russel said. 'The Trump administration has not been able to close any deal, [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-03T17:32:01-04:00August 22, 2019|Economy & Trade, Geopolitical Perspectives, News|

Danny Russel on PBS News Hour: “How Current Japan-South Korea Tensions Reflect Decades of Resentment”

“‘When talking to the South Koreans and the Japanese, they will quickly take you back to 1592, when the Shogun Hideyoshi invaded South Korea.’ “‘There is a long litany of grievances. Particularly in the last three years, there has been steady series of events. One slap is met by another slap between Seoul and Tokyo.' "...‘There have been series of actions and reactions that should have caused the Trump administration not to mediate, but to moderate, to remind both allies that [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-09-03T17:33:51-04:00August 22, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith quoted in The New York Times article, “Boris Johnson Needs Help from Trump, but Not Too Much”

“'Johnson’s friendship with Trump and their joint admiration society is a liability for him with the Europeans,' said Julianne Smith, a former United States deputy national security adviser now with the Center for a New American Security, who recently finished a fellowship in Berlin. “'The closer he allies himself with Trump the more difficulty he’ll have going forward with the Europeans, from trade to security,' she said..." Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-08-26T15:48:20-04:00August 21, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives, News|

Dennis Ross quoted in The New York Times article, “How the Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process Became a Farce”

“'As much as Israel’s founding leaders may have disagreed with one another, men like David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin always in the end put the interests of the state above their own,' said Ross. 'They understood that whether you were making a choice or doing nothing, you were making a choice...'” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-08-26T16:03:59-04:00August 20, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives, News|

Ely Ratner quoted in The Washington Post article, “Generational Clash Emerges Among U.S. Experts In China Policy Debate”

“'A more competitive United States would be a stabilizing force,' said Ely Ratner, who was deputy national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama administration and is now executive vice president at the Center for a New American Security. "U.S. strategy should 'not just be engagement or containment,' said Ratner, 42, who was among several scholars and former practitioners loosely dubbed 'the younger generation' who spoke at the 21st Century China Center’s inaugural China forum. “'There will be [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2019-08-26T15:53:40-04:00August 17, 2019|Geopolitical Perspectives, News|