E-Notes

E-Notes are policy-oriented articles covering current developments around the globe that impinge upon American foreign policy and national security priorities. 

Pompeo and the Settlements: It’s the Politics, Stupid

On November 18, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that it was the view of the U.S. government that Israeli settlements in the West Bank were not necessarily illegal according to international law. Since the announcement a torrent...

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An American Failure: CAATSA and Deterring Russian Arms Sales

The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization. The threat of sanctions action under Section 231 of the 2017 Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is...

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Shifting Poles in the Middle East: Implications for U.S. Regional Strategy

The Arab uprisings and subsequent civil wars sweeping the region beginning in late 2010 have fundamentally shifted the internal regional balance of power in ways that U.S. policy has yet to account for. Pro-Western autocrats in Egypt, Tunisia, and...

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FISA Renewal Controversy: The Suddenly Very Conspicuous Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

For quite some time now, it has been virtually impossible not to hear or read something about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), its use by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to secure orders from the Foreign Intelligence...

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Resist and Reward: Vietnam’s Naval Expansion

Without a doubt, the Southeast Asian country most willing to challenge Chinese claims in the South China Sea has been Vietnam. Its government and people have long resisted China. Vietnam famously fought its most recent war against China in...

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In the Wake of Withdrawal: The Future U.S. Military Presence in Syria

For well over a year, American strategy in Syria has resembled that of a poker player with a weak hand who refuses to bet, refuses to fold, and insists on staying in the game despite the looming stakes of...

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How Will the United States Respond to Turkey’s Invasion of Syria?

In the aftermath of Turkey's invasion of northern Syria on October 4, 2019, leaders from both U.S. political parties have suggested responding with economic and financial sanctions. The threat of economic and financial sanctions to deter, coerce, or punish...

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Operation “Peace Spring” and U.S. Strategy in Syria

On October 4, President Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey announced a major Turkish military incursion into northeast Syria. In Erdogan’s words, his goal is to “neutralize terror threats against Turkey and lead to the establishment of a safe...

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Mackinder’s Nightmare: Part Two

The United States has never faced a great power competitor with the range of economic capabilities now possessed by the People’s Republic of China. Americans need to come to grips with the fact that they could actually lose this...

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‘Pyongyang Coin’ and the Future of U.S. Sanctions on North Korea

On September 13, the United States Department of Treasury announced a new round of sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, this time specifically targeting three state-sponsored hacking organizations: Bluenoroff, Andariel, and, most infamous, Lazarus Group. Five days...

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