Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Matt Waxman quoted in Lawfare article, “Repealing the ‘Zombie’ Iraq AUMF(s): A Clear Win for Constitutional Hygiene but Unlikely to End Forever Wars”

"Furthermore, from a constitutional hygiene perspective, it is discomforting to see decades-old force authorizations remain valid law. As Matthew Waxman has pointed out, there is even a 1957 AUMF on the books that is just now becoming the focus of possible repeal as well. For these reasons, the repeal of the Iraq AUMF(s) should not be dismissed as an undeserving endeavor—a proactive Congress interested in overseeing military conflict should be applauded. Just don’t expect this action alone to do much to [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:52:44-04:00July 14, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Bob Work quoted in Federal News Network article, “DoD Seeks to Develop New Career Paths to Stay Ahead of AI Competition”

“'[The National Security Commission's report on AI] is not primarily about national defense, or even national security in the traditional sense, and neither is the AI competition. At its core, the AI competition is a values competition,' Work said..." Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:53:45-04:00July 13, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Meghan O’Sullivan quoted in S&P Global article, “Global Renewable Energy Capacity Jumps in 2020, More Needed to Meet Climate Goals”

"'The 6.2% fall in global emissions the report lays out ... seems like a pretty paltry number given the dramatic decrease in global economic activity at the time,' Meghan O'Sullivan, professor of international affairs and director of the geopolitics of energy project at Harvard University's Kennedy School, said..." Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:51:31-04:00July 12, 2021|Climate & Environment|

Danny Russel interviewed in Nikkei Asia: “US Must Outcompete China for A Stable Relationship”

"If we took a step back and looked broadly at the historical record, we see that the United States deliberately chose a policy of engaging China and supporting its development, first back in 1972 under President Richard Nixon, where this was part of the strategy for containment of the Soviet Union, but then again in the '90s, when Bill Clinton was president, after the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union. There was a second policy of [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:26:12-04:00July 10, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Larry Gumbiner interviewed in The Dialogue: “What Does the Future Hold for Peru’s Oil & Gas?”

“Resource nationalism helped catapult Pedro Castillo to the verge of the presidency. He won handily in regions where mining and energy resources predominate. But Castillo is a political blank slate, with no governance experience and scant ideological formation beyond simple platitudes. His union with the Perú Libre Party of committed Marxist Vladimir Cerrón is a marriage of convenience formed for the election. Castillo’s tack toward the center after the first round may reflect his real views or mere expediency to calm [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:28:49-04:00July 9, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Bridge Colby quoted in Lawfare article, “Water Wars: No One in the Mood for Compromise in the South China Sea”

"The Pentagon is also considering establishing a permanent naval task force in the Pacific to counter China’s growing aggression, according to sources interviewed by Politico. Although not yet finalized, Politico notes that the initiative 'would add muscle to President Joe Biden’s tough talk on China and send a signal that the new U.S. administration is serious about cracking down on Beijing’s military buildup and aggressive behavior in the Pacific region.' According to Elbridge Colby, a former Trump Pentagon official, the initiative [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T23:02:37-04:00July 7, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Jim Jeffrey quoted in Bloomberg article, “Biden, Putin Face Post-Summit Test Over Syria Cooperation”

“'The basic strategic question is what Russia will demand from the international community and the U.S. in return for saving these 3.5 million people,' said James Jeffrey, who recently served as the American envoy for Syria and negotiated cross-border aid with Moscow. 'The U.S. is putting a lot of emphasis on this and it’s getting a lot of attention, but Putin won’t do this just to make us happy...'” Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:31:41-04:00July 6, 2021|Geopolitical Perspectives|

Michèle Flournoy interviewed in Modern War Institute podcast, “Back to the Future: Resetting Special Operations Forces for Great Power Competition”

"Special operations forces have been a favorite national security tool in the post-9/11 era; wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have consumed their attention and kept the special operations community focused on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency missions. However, the release of the 2017 National Security Strategy pivoted the United States’ strategic focus from terrorism to near-peer competitors China and Russia. What will be the role of special operations forces (SOF) in this era of great power competition? Where is SOF falling short in [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:19:40-04:00July 2, 2021|Cybersecurity & Defense|

John Conger quoted in Bloomberg Law article, “Biden Climate Promises Bump Against Bureaucracy’s Grinding Gears”

"The Senate also has yet to confirm a slew of the president’s top political appointees at the Defense Department, including officials who manage acquisition, personnel and readiness, and research and engineering. The tight deadline means that career officials are likely being asked to develop a plan that political appointees will need to implement once they’re confirmed, said John Conger, who oversaw environmental policy at the Defense Department during the Obama administration. “'There’s a degree of urgency coming from the White House: [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:27:22-04:00June 30, 2021|Climate & Environment|

John Conger quoted in Bloomberg article, “Biden Climate Promises Bump Against Bureaucracy’s Grinding Gears”

"The Senate also has yet to confirm a slew of the president’s top political appointees at the Defense Department, including officials who manage acquisition, personnel and readiness, and research and engineering. The tight deadline means that career officials are likely being asked to develop a plan that political appointees will need to implement once they’re confirmed, said John Conger, who oversaw environmental policy at the Defense Department during the Obama administration. "'There’s a degree of urgency coming from the White House: [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2021-08-02T22:21:39-04:00June 30, 2021|Climate & Environment|

About Rebecca Skoryanc