Good Evening,
It's Wednesday, January 8th. |
After Iran’s Attack
President Trump said Iran appears to be backing away from conflict with the U.S. and signaled no further U.S. military strikes, after an Iranian missile barrage on U.S. bases that seemed calibrated to avoid further escalation, as the WSJ’s Alex Leary, Aresu Eqbali, Sune Engel Rasmussen and Dion Nissenbaum report.
And, as the Journal’s Benoit Faucon, Rory Jones and Costas Paris report, the economic fallout from rising U.S.-Iranian tensions has rippled throughout the region.
Dive Deeper: “A Week of Consequence: Oil Markets Complacent but on Edge following Turmoil in Iran and Iraq,” by CSIS’s Frank Verrastro, Albert Helmig and Larry Goldstein.
“Staying in the Gulf: The Changing Cost and Strategic Advantages,” by CSIS’s Anthony Cordesman. |
Putin and Erdogan Call for Libya Ceasefire
Russia and Turkey have called for a ceasefire in war-ravaged Libya, as the two powers sought to deepen their influence in the north African country where they back opposing sides, as the FT’s Heba Saleh, Laura Pitel and Henry Foy report. |
Fresh Brexit Talks
Europe and Britain, in a very public way, staked out their newest, most definitive Brexit negotiations Wednesday over their future relationship, with the new president of the European Commission warning British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that it would probably be "impossible" for the two sides to complete a comprehensive divorce deal by his "very tight" deadline at the end of 2020, as the Washington Post’s William Booth and Michael Birnbaum report. |
CSIS Executive Education
Join CSIS March 11-13 for our course, Belt, Road, and Beyond. Work with leading experts and the Reconnecting Asia Project to explore what the BRI is, what it is not, and how it is impacting commercial and strategic realities on the ground. |
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
50%
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) has supported a growing number of non-state fighters in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan—including nearly a 50 percent increase since 2016.
Source: CSIS, “Containing Tehran: Understanding Iran’s Power and Exploiting Its Vulnerabilities” |
Critical Quote
“As long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.”
— President Donald Trump |
iDeas Lab
China has the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world, upgrading its missile forces in number, type, and capability.
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: Win McNamee/Getty Images). U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Iranian missile attacks that took place last night. |
Recommended Reading
"The U.S.-Iraqi Relationship Can Still Be Salvaged," Meghan O'Sullivan for Foreign Affairs. |
This Town Tomorrow
At 2:00 p.m., the Atlantic Council's Iraq Initiative and Future of Iran Initiative will host a conversation on the latest developments in Iraq, U.S.-Iran tensions, and the implications for U.S. policy, with keynote remarks from Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT).
Later, at 5:30 p.m., join CSIS for a discussion hosted by CBS News legend and CSIS Trustee Bob Schieffer on a range of issues to look out for in 2020. The event will feature CSIS experts Kathleen Hicks, Stephanie Segal and Sarah Ladislaw, and Beverly Kirk.
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Video
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) controls sub-state Shia militias all over the Middle East. CSIS's Seth Jones and Joe Bermudez explain how Iran trains and deploys these proxy forces to expand their regional influence. Watch the High Resolution video here. |
Podcasts
The Trade Guys and I kick off 2020 by looking ahead at what will happen this year in trade from the EU, Brexit, and China.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
On the first episode of the new David Crosby podcast, “Freak Flag Flying,” Croz and Steve Silberman discuss the CSN classic “Wooden Ships.” Croz tells a cool story about the time he sang the classic track with Steely Dan. Check this out. |
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I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz
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