Content

Forward Defense and Seizing the Advantage

Fast Thinking

Feb 26, 2021

FAST THINKING: Biden’s first bombing

By Atlantic Council

What does the strike signal about Joe Biden’s simultaneous efforts to re-engage Iran in talks to revive their nuclear deal? And what does it suggest about how the president will approach military action and the American presence in the Middle East?

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

In the News

Feb 25, 2021

Hasik quoted in the Mandarin on Australian government

By Atlantic Council

On February 18, FD NRSF James Hasik was quoted in a piece titled “Opinion: The triumph of the lobbies – Australia’s revolving door and democracy.” Hasik commented on the push by some Democratic leaders in the US Congress to limit connections between the defense industry and government, claiming it would stifle innovation in the Pentagon and lend itself to “miscommunication” between defence contractors and the government. “And whatever these two legislators’ indignation about occasional abuses, building barriers between suppliers and customers is frankly no way to do business”.

Australia Defense Policy

In the News

Feb 25, 2021

Lipsky spoke to Axios about the ‘overheating’ debate and Biden’s stimulus plan

By Josh Lipsky

Read the full article here.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

UkraineAlert

Feb 25, 2021

Biden must freeze Putin’s pipeline and prevent this “bad deal for Europe”

By Benjamin Schmitt

By taking steps to block the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, US President Joe Biden has a real opportunity to build a new transatlantic security consensus while revitalizing the US-German relationship.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Germany

EnergySource

Feb 25, 2021

In Texas and California, blackouts highlight the challenge of balancing reliability with cost

By Jonathan Gillis

Over the past year, the United States has endured two major “load shedding” events, first in California and now in Texas, in which electric system operators instructed transmission owners to reduce demand by rotating blackouts across service areas. In both cases, customers were left wondering how an entire region could run out of electricity. The answer lies in the complex and contentious world of “resource adequacy,” one of the most challenging issues in electric system planning and market design.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2021

The world’s wealthy countries are at risk of a moral default

By Vasuki Shastry and Jeremy Mark

Rich countries must live up to their pledges by getting specific about the resources they’re making available to low-income countries—particularly in Africa—to deal with the economic downturn and rising debt. The meeting of G20 finance ministers on February 26 will provide an opportunity to fill in the policy blanks.

Africa Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Feb 25, 2021

Delist or not delist: A $2.2 trillion US-China auditing dispute

By Jeremy Mark

The economic and financial forces set in motion by the COVID-10 pandemic—global recession and ultra-loose monetary policies that have driven a cross-border search for higher yield—have contributed to a slow shift of international capital toward China’s markets. Now, intensified US-China tensions—especially the targeting of Chinese companies for delisting from US stock markets—have the potential to heighten that trend.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Feb 24, 2021

Samad joins CGTN to discuss what’s next in Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Feb 24, 2021

GeoEconomics Center’s CBDC tracker cited in new Federal Reserve research

By Josh Lipsky, Ole Moehr, Nitya Biyani

Read it here.  

Financial Regulation United States and Canada

In the News

Feb 24, 2021

Warrick quoted in AP on the Capitol riots

Americas Conflict

Experts