Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Countering Russia; Munich Security Conference; Critical Times in Syria; North Korean Cyber Threats; Chaos in Congo; Venezuelan Crisis

Quote of the Week:

"At no time since the collapse of the Soviet Union has the risk of armed conflict between major powers been as high as it is today. It couldn't be worse."

-- Wolfgang Ishchinger, Chairman of the 2018 Munich Security Conference , recorded by Politico Europe on Friday. 

Countering Russia

"There's Still Time to Act Against Russian Interference" Daniel Fried -- The Atlantic, February 18, 2018

"Did the U.S. 'Hack Back' at Russia? Here's Why This Matters in Cyberwarfare" Michael Poznansky and Evan Perkoski -- The Washington Post, February 21, 2018

"Vladimir Putin's Parallel State" Maxim Trudolyubov -- Kennan Institute, February 21, 2018

"Vladimir Putin's Wartime Presidency" Leon Aron -- National Review, February 16, 2018

'To the Brink - And Back?' 2018 Munich Security Conference

"'We're in Trouble': Rancor Rules at Munich Security Conference" Carl Schreck -- Radio Free Europe, February 18, 2018

"Five Takeaways from the Munich Security Conference" Ulrike Esther Franke -- European Council on Foreign Relations, February 20, 2018

"The Munich Security Conference Is One of the Premier Global Forums, So What's with the Malaise?" Daniel Drezner -- The Washington Post, February 18, 2018

Critical Times in Syria

"With Nowhere Else to Turn, Syrian Kurds Will Have to Embrace Assad's Army" Zvi Bar'el -- Haaretz, February 20, 2018 

"Afrin Marks the Point of Collapse for American Influence in Syria" David Goldman -- Asia Times, February 21, 2018

Cyber Threats from North Korea

"North Korea Steps Up Cyber Powers with Shadowy 'Reaper' Hacker Group" Nicola Smith -- The Telegraph, February 20, 2018

"All Eyes on North Korea" Jenna McLaughlin -- Foreign Policy, February 15, 2018

Chaos in the Congo

"Congo Is Sliding Back to Bloodshed" Editorial Board -- The Economist, February 15, 2018

"Congo for the Congolese" Helen Epstein -- The New York Review of Books, February 19, 2018 

Venezuela's Mounting Humanitarian Crisis

"Venezuela: The Downward Spiral Continues" Andrew Stanley; Sarah Ladislaw; Adam Sieminski; Frank Verrastro -- CSIS, February 16, 2018 

"Witnessing Venezuela's Exodus" Vanessa Neumann -- The Cipher Brief, February 18, 2018
"A Venezuelan Refugee Crisis" Shannon O'Neil -- Council on Foreign Relations, February 15, 2018 [Report]