Rebecca Skoryanc, Author at WestExec Advisors

Michèle Flournoy quoted in The Washington Times article, “Trump’s Peace Hopes for Afghanistan Threatened by Confusion in Kabul”

"'The whole purpose of this U.S.-Taliban agreement is to induce the Taliban to come to the negotiating table with the Afghan government and other representatives of Afghan society,' said Michèle Flournoy, who was a high-level Pentagon official in the Obama administration. "'It’s very, very important that the delegation that sits across from the Taliban be inclusive, not only members of the Ghani administration, but also the political opposition, civil society and especially women and younger Afghans,' Ms. Flournoy said this week [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-04T10:52:19-05:00February 20, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Lisa Monaco interviewed on CNN’s New Day

"The president is the chief law enforcement officer. Of course he is. Just like he's the commander in chief of the armed forces. Just like he's the chief diplomat. But the difference here is past presidents have chosen to delegate those powers to their attorney general, to their secretary of defense, to their secretary of state. Why? Because the president occupies a unique role. He is both the head of our government and the head of his political party. That makes [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:44:36-05:00February 19, 2020|News|

Lisa Monaco quoted in POLITICO article, “Trump Taps Fierce Ally Grenell As Top Intelligence Official”

"Lisa Monaco, who served as homeland security director in the Obama White House, said, 'The intelligence Community is a diverse enterprise; given the wide array of threats and complexity of the global challenges we face -- this country and, most importantly, the men and women of the intelligence community, need an experienced national security and intelligence professional at the helm...'" Read the full article here: Full Article

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:46:24-05:00February 19, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, News|

Mike Singh writes in The Washington Post: “Trump is Right to Bide His Time in Renewing A Nuclear Treaty with Russia”

"Next February, the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), which limits U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons, will expire. With the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) last year following Russian violations, and Moscow’s flouting of other treaties meant to limit U.S.-Russian competition, the lapse of New START could prove to be the final nail in the coffin of the post-Cold War arms-control regime. "That prospect has raised alarms on Capitol Hill, where Republicans and Democrats alike find themselves [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:33:19-05:00February 19, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Michèle Flournoy interviewed by the Council on Foreign Relations, “Prospects for Peace in Afghanistan”

"Speakers [Michele Flournoy and Carter Malkasian] discuss the seven-day reduction of violence deal in Afghanistan reached by the Trump administration and the Taliban and the prospects for peace..." Read the full transcript here: Full Transcript

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:39:54-05:00February 19, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Dan Shapiro quoted in NPR article, “Israel Is Eager To Annex West Bank Lands, But U.S. Says To Wait”

"'[Kushner] understands that an immediate move by Israel to annex these territories will pretty much strangle those efforts to recruit Arab support in the crib,' says former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. 'That left Netanyahu a little bit hung out to dry, but he had to make an adjustment to this now more definitive U.S. position...' "'Trump would not have rolled this plan out when he did if he didn't think it would provide some benefit to Netanyahu. But it [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:43:14-05:00February 19, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

WestExec Welcomes Admiral Bill Moran, USN (Ret.) and Rachel Ellehuus

Washington, DC – WestExec Advisors is pleased to announce Admiral William "Bill" Moran, USN (Ret.) has joined its distinguished team of principals. ADM Moran is the former Vice Chief of Naval Operations and the former Chief of Naval Personnel. He recently retired, culminating 38 years of service as the U.S. Navy's second-highest ranking officer. In his last role in the Navy, ADM Moran led many important budget initiatives and contributed on all key operational decisions. He was responsible for guiding an [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-03-04T10:50:41-05:00February 18, 2020|Press Releases|

Michèle Flournoy featured on USIP panel, “Ending Our Endless War in Afghanistan”

"After over a year of intensive talks, press reports indicate that an official agreement between the U.S. and Taliban is imminent. The agreement reportedly begins with an immediate reduction in violence by all sides, followed by the signing of a U.S.-Taliban agreement. This would lead to intra-Afghan peace negotiations, accompanied by a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops. Implementing and verifying each step in this process will require meticulous diplomacy, but this reported agreement could mark a major turning point in the [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:36:29-05:00February 18, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense|

Vikram Singh interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered

"NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Vikram Singh, former deputy special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and a former defense negotiator. They discuss the U.S. and Taliban's ceasefire deal..." Read the full transcript here: Full Transcript

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:37:58-05:00February 18, 2020|Cybersecurity & Defense, Geopolitical Perspectives|

Julie Smith writes in War on the Rocks: “Germany’s 5G Debate Ought Not Be A Referendum on Donald Trump”

"Chancellor Angela Merkel can’t seem to make up her mind. For months, her administration, the Germany Parliament, and outside experts have been debating whether to rely on high-risk vendors for the construction of the country’s 5G telecommunications networks. Unfortunately, this important debate keeps getting sidetracked. Because the Trump administration is using another one of its ill-conceived “maximum pressure” campaigns to persuade Germany to ban Huawei, this debate has morphed into a black and white choice between the United States and China. [...]

Rebecca Skoryanc2020-02-24T15:35:21-05:00February 16, 2020|Geopolitical Perspectives|

About Rebecca Skoryanc