Category: Blogs

Tillerson on Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

When speaking about Syria, President Obama and his key aides have never denied the vital connection between the Assad regime’s collective punishment survival strategy—mass homicide, wholesale displacement, starvation sieges, Nazi-style penal practices, state terror—and the ability of Islamist extremists in Syria to live long and prosper. But by failing to complicate and slow the sanguinary […]

Analysis: The Fifth Corps and the State of the Syrian Army

By Abdulrahman al-Masri

On November 22, the General Command of the Syrian Army announced the formation of its first official volunteer-based military force, the Fifth Assault Corps. The official statement described it as a commando force aimed at “fighting terrorism,” which would be deployed alongside other army units and foreign allied forces (but did not specify where). Among […]

US Should Require Russia’s RT to Register as Foreign Agent

By Elena Postnikova

Russia used RT, its TV channel, to influence the recent US elections. This was the finding of the recently declassified US intelligence report; it concluded that Russia implemented a multifaceted campaign involving disclosures of data obtained through hacking, intrusions into state and local electoral boards, and propaganda. While the American elite is debating an appropriate […]

Trump Has Tweeted Himself into a Red Line, Says Lindsey Graham

In order to end the war on terror and attain a lasting peace in the Middle East, as well as protect US security interests, Donald Trump’s administration must invest in long-term solutions, or face the consequences down the road, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on January 10. “To protect what we have here, we have […]

The Tillerson Hearing: What Was Said about the Middle East

By Elissa Miller and Emily Burchfield

On January 11, President Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, participated in a marathon nine-hour confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee members pressed the former ExxonMobil CEO on a host of issues, including his reported ties to Russia and his views on extremism.

Here’s What Trump Should Keep in Mind as He Seeks a Reset with Russia

By Mark Simakovsky

Rex Tillerson’s confirmation hearing on January 11 put a spotlight on an eventual architect of the next US administration’s Russia policy. Although he holds deep international experience, Tillerson is a highly controversial selection for the job of secretary of state. He has a track record of opposing sanctions on Russia and calling for increased cooperation […]

Tillerson Provides a Glimmer of Hope for Ukraine

By John E. Herbst

At his confirmation hearing on January 11, Rex Tillerson went a long way toward assuaging skeptics who feared that his past relationships with Russian leaders might translate into a naïve and weak approach toward the Kremlin. This was apparent from the start with his confirmation statement that was released the evening before his testimony. He said that […]

Tillerson Hearing Takeaways

US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the job of secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had his confirmation hearing on January 11. Here are our analysts’ takeaways from that session.

Rex Tillerson’s Long Day in the Senate

By Ariel Cohen

US Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson presented a strong testimony at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 11. He demonstrated a broad understanding of the US foreign policy agenda, and at times sounded Reaganesque. Also impressive was the combination of US values, democracy, and human rights issues addressed during the […]

TRADE in ACTION – January 12, 2017

By Global Business & Economics Program

This week in TRADEinACTION… European Commission announces new proposal on Digital Single Market while President Obama gets ready to pass the baton on January 20.