Good Evening,
It's Monday, October 21st. |
U.S. Discussing Proposal To Leave Troops Around Syrian Oil Fields
The Pentagon is discussing keeping a “residual force” of U.S. troops around oil fields in Syria, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday, as a large U.S. military convoy withdrew from a region of northeastern Syria, as the Washington Post’s Karim Fahim and Susannah George report.
Dive Deeper: CSIS Experts React: Turkey’s Intervention, U.S. Diplomacy, and the Crisis in Syria.
"Syria: Looking Beyond the Kurdish Crisis to Long Term Instability and a Near Certain Future of Civil Violence," by CSIS's Anthony Cordesman. |
U.S. Reduces Troops in Afghanistan
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said he has reduced the number of American troops fighting in the country in an effort to boost military efficiency while a restart of peace talks with the Taliban are unlikely until the outcome of September’s Afghan presidential election is resolved, as the WSJ’s Nancy Youssef and Gordon Lubold report. |
Netanyahu Fails to Form a Government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to form a government it was announced today, clearing the way for Benny Gantz, the former army chief who narrowly defeated him in last month’s election, to try to become the country’s next leader, as the NYT’s David Halbfinger and Isabel Kershner report.
Dive Deeper: “Netanyahu Era Likely Coming to an End Amid Post-Election Standoff,” by the Washington Institute’s David Makovsky. |
Video Shorts
Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify,” "What's Happening," "Preview," and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel! |
In That Number
$18.9 Billion
In recent years, Moscow almost tripled its trade with Africa, from $6.6 billion in 2010 to $18.9 billion in 2018.
Source: “Russian Theater: How to Respond to Moscow’s Return to the African Stage,” by CSIS’s Judd Devermont for Lawfare. |
Critical Quote
“I'm trying to get out of wars. We may have to get in wars, too. OK?”
— President Donald Trump |
iDeas Lab
The sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces from northeast Syria and the subsequent Turkish invasion has far-reaching geopolitical implications for the Middle East and the world. CSIS's Melissa Dalton and Brian Katz explain what's happening with Turkey and Syria.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video. |
Optics
(Photo credit: Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images). A demonstrator protests in downtown Beirut today just few hours after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri announced economic reforms that could ease harsh economic conditions. Demonstrators, who have been in the streets across the country for the 5th straight day, refused Hariri's decisions and demanded the resignation of the government. |
Recommended Reading
“What the U.S. Can Learn From Iranian Warfare,” by CSIS’s Brian Katz for The Atlantic. |
This Town Tomorrow
At 8:00 a.m., CSIS’s Smart Women, Smart Power will host House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX) for a conversation about U.S. spending on foreign aid and international affairs.
Also, at 10:00 a.m., CSIS will hold a discussion with Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Audun Halvorsen on the country’s Artic security strategy.
Later, at 2:30 p.m., CSIS’s Global Health Policy Center will host a conference addressing recent developments in HIV prevention and treatment technology, examine successes and challenges in integrating those products into existing service delivery, and discuss how global programs, such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund, need to adapt to ensure access and uptake.
|
Video
Last week, Amy Lehr, Director of the Human Rights Initiative at CSIS, testified before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) on "Forced Labor in Xinjiang and Implications for Global Supply Chains”. Watch her comments on the issue here. |
Podcasts
In this episode, I talk with resident North Korea experts Victor Cha and Sue Mi Terry about the failed U.S.-North Korea Stockholm talks and what they mean for the stalled nuclear negotiations.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
The Who are definitely doing their best to promote their forthcoming record “WHO” due out November 22nd. Just four days ago they posted the official video for one of their classic cherished songs, “Who Are You” and it is gangbusters. Filmed at The Who’s Ramport Studios in Battersea, London on May 4, 1978 by Jeff Stein for inclusion in his documentary “The Kids Are Alright” this video is more than a blast from the past, it’s a reminder of how incredible this band was at full strength. |
|
I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz
|
