Wednesday, August 2, 2017

America First: Diplomacy Last; Deterring North Korea; Africa's Elections; Pakistan's Politics; Venezuela Crumbles; Russia Strikes Back

Quote of the Week:

"People are struggling with how to honor their oath. The basic question is: How do you serve this great institution [U.S. Department of State] in what is one of the most trying times for our Republic?" 

-- Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, President of the Foreign Service Association in a New York Times article Sunday.

America First: Diplomacy Last?

"Tillerson Spurns $80 Million to Counter ISIS, Russian Propaganda" Nahal Toosi -- Politico, August 2, 2017

"State Department Considers Scrubbing Democracy from its Mission" Josh Rogin -- The Washington Post, August 1, 2017

"Morale Takes a Nosedive at State Department" Sharon Weinberger -- Foreign Policy, August 1, 2017 [Podcast]

"Where to Go from Here: Rebooting American Foreign Policy" Richard N. Haas -- Foreign Affairs, July/August, 2017

Deterring North Korea

"North Korea's ICBM Test Jeopardizes the Regional Power Balance" Deniele Ermito -- Foreign Policy Association, August 2, 2017

"The Surprise Location of North Korea's Latest Missile Test Is Making the U.S. and China Nervous" Steve Mollman -- Quartz, August 2 2017

"Lindsey Graham Reveals the Dark Calculus of Striking North Korea" Uri Friedman -- The Atlantic, August 1, 2017

"The Political Effects of the Missile Tests: Extended Deterrence Redux and the Squeeze on Moon Jae-in" Stephen Haggard -- Peterson Institute for International Economics, July 31, 2017

Africa's 'Big Five' Elections

"Election Guide: What You Need to Know About the Rwandan Presidential Poll" Thomas Stubbs -- The Conversation, July 30, 2017

"Essential Guide to Kenya's High Stakes Election on 8 August" Murithi Mutiga -- International Crisis Group, August 1, 2017

"Senegal's Ruling Coalition Claims Landslide Victory" Aida Grovenstins -- Deutsche Welle, August 1, 2017

"Liberia's President Calls for Peace as Election Campaigns Begin" Jonathan Paye-Layleh-- Miami Herald, August 1, 2017

"Why Kabila's Bid to Remain in Power is Bad News for the Democratic Republic of the Congo" Nelson Alusala -- The Conversation, August 1, 2017

Pakistan's Political Turmoil

"Pakistan: The Combustible Democracy" Emanuel Safraz -- The Interpreter, August 1, 2017

"Sharif Dismissal Proves Unelected Pakistan Generals Still Calling Shots" Sadanand Dhume -- Wall Street Journal via Australian Business Review, August 1, 2017

"Pakistan Lawmakers Elect New Prime Minister -- Who's Likely to Step Aside in 45 Days" Aoun Sahi -- Los Angeles Times, August 1, 2017

Venezuela Continues to Crumble

"Venezuela Nears the Road's End Between Populism and Dictatorship" Jose Mauricio Gaona -- Washington Examiner, July 29, 2017

"How to Help Venezuela Out of Crisis - and How Not To" Jodi Hanson Bond -- U.S. Chamber of Commerce, July 31, 2017

"Venezuela's Postcrisis Recovery and Reform" Moises Rendon -- CSIS, July 31, 2017

Russia Fires Back

"Russian Military Drills Near NATO Border Stoke Fears of Aggression" Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt -- The Toronto Star, August 1, 2017

"The View from Moscow on U.S.-Russia Diplomatic Tensions" Steve Inskeep -- NPR, August 1, 2017 [Podcast]

"President Trump Silent on Russia after Putin Announced Expulsion of U.S. Diplomats" Karen DeYoung -- The Washington Post, July 31, 2017