Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.Please reply to this email to arrange an interview.
The Russian Threat: Bolstering NATO Deterrence at a Critical Time <[[ttp://report.heritage.org/ib5252]]> – Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and continuing war of naked aggression against the country, a NATO non-member, should put to rest any lingering questions about the modern utility of the Alliance and about which threat should be the focus of NATO’s upcoming strategic concept. Russia’s ongoing violation of the sovereignty of Ukraine highlights the importance of NATO and its Article 5 guarantee, as well as the need for a united and robust Alliance posture in Eastern Europe. Both are necessary for sending a clear message to Russia to deter Putin from violating the sovereignty of a NATO member next. Heritage Experts: Daniel Kochis <[link removed]>, Alexis Mrachek <[link removed]>, Brent Sadler <[link removed]>, and Patty-Jane Geller <[link removed]>
The largest risk to an escalation of the conflict would be a no-fly zone enforced by NATO <[link removed]> – The complications associated with establishing a no-fly zone are enormous and would involve more risk than NATO or the US would accept under almost any circumstance. If Putin continues to get boxed in through sanctions, trading and banking stoppages -- and he starts losing the war, that may be reason enough for him to employ tactical nuclear weapons. The West needs to continue to apply pressure, attempt to broker a settlement/cease-fire while continuing to offer off-ramps that deescalate the potential for a conflict between NATO and Russia. Heritage Expert: John Venable <[link removed]>
Enabled by Biden, Putin Now Loses Even With His Best-Case Outcome <[[applewebdata://790FA732-6137-462F-82E1-368818C02484/Sun%20https:/www.nysun.com/article/enabled-by-biden-putin-now-loses-even-with-his-best-case-outcome]]> – The most likely outcome, sadly, is that the Russian will direct his troops to fight until he grounds Ukraine into dust. For some reason, his Kremlin crowd decided now was the time to swallow Ukraine whole, once and for all. Why? Perhaps it’s because they saw weakness in President Biden, as well as in a tentative cluster of European countries on the other side of Ukraine. He obviously gambled that they’d be unwilling to do much for Ukraine. After Ukraine, Mr. Putin might want to move on to other targets including lands where Russia is already a threatening influence—in the Balkans, Moldova, and Georgia, or even NATO territory like the Baltic states. At best, though, the Russian military would have to pause and regroup.Heritage Expert: James Carafano <[link removed]>
What’s driving up gas prices—and why the White House won’t help <[link removed]> – The best way to decrease oil prices—and, given the current context, dilute Russia’s sway in energy markets—is to increase supply. Yet President Joe Biden is unwilling to make the policy changes that would allow this to happen. Biden remains adamant that the solution isn’t to use all the energy resources we have, but to force a transition to a narrow set of politically preferred technologies. So while asking American oil companies for short-term production increases to bail him out of political trouble, Biden has made it clear that he intends to put them out of business in the long term. High prices are a feature, not a bug, of this administration’s policies. Heritage Expert: Katie Tubb <[link removed]> and Joel
Griffith <[link removed]>
Putin’s dangerous nuclear brinkmanship in Ukraine <[link removed]> – Most Americans view nuclear weapons as a relic of the Cold War. A Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine—or worse, against a NATO state—is unlikely. Doing so would break a 75-year nuclear taboo while completely alienating the rest of the world from Russia. But the chances are not zero, either. The U.S. must take the threat seriously. The nuclear dangers in Ukraine have taught us that nuclear war is a 21st century concern. As much as U.S. policymakers might like to wish away nuclear weapons from existence, unfortunately, the enemy gets a vote. Heritage Expert: Patty-Jane Geller <[link removed]>
Securing U.S. Maritime Rights in Our Unguarded Waters <[link removed]> – The U.S. Coast Guard will be an important player in the nation’s strategic approach to China. The Coast Guard is best trained to take on peacetime competition in the Indo–Pacific region while building coalitions of like-minded nations. The potential incursion of a large Chinese fishing fleet protected by paramilitary units into U.S. waters is already here. At present, the U.S. has limited ability to interdict such illicit maritime activity in U.S. Pacific exclusive economic zones. The answer will require improved maritime policing, defense, and improvement of associated infrastructure, especially in the lightly patrolled South and Central Pacific. Multiple administrations have under-appreciated and under-resourced the Coast Guard for its unavoidable role in great-power competition with China. This must change. Heritage Expert: Brent Sadler <[link removed]>
Why Georgia schools must reject critical race theory <[link removed]> – Georgia parents, unhappy that their children are being used as cannon fodder in the culture wars, have demanded action from their political leaders. This is the impetus for bills currently before the Georgia legislature. They are a direct response to parents who have demonstrated through survey data and elections that they reject radical ideas. Heritage Expert: Mike Gonzalez <[link removed]>
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