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☆ Iran is willing to take the risk that a larger war will develop, says Harvard’s Meghan O’Sullivan
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIran is willing to take the risk that a larger war will develop, says Harvard’s Meghan O’SullivanMeghan O’Sullivan, Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs director and former Deputy National Security Advisor, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, the potential impact of new sanctions on Iran, what a possible retaliatory strikes from Israel could look like, and more.

Persons: Harvard’s Meghan O’Sullivan Meghan O’Sullivan Organizations: Iran, Harvard, Belfer, for Science, International Affairs, National Security Locations: Iran, Israel

☆ Putin’s brutal war on Ukraine vanishes from news coverage amid raging conflict in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In the days before the Israel-Hamas war, the battle in Ukraine amounted to about eight percent of CNN’s television coverage. After the attacks, CNN —the cable news network that provided the most Ukraine coverage — fell to under one percent. The noted drop in Ukraine war coverage from the press, given the fresh violence in the Middle East, is not completely surprising. As Kolbe told me, “Putin’s media campaign to paint Ukraine as divided, corrupt, and a puppet of the U.S. and NATO, is a central part” of his strategy. The lack of press attention makes that all the more easier.

Persons: It’s, Vladimir Putin’s, —, ensnared Washington, Donald Trump’s, Putin, Paul Kolbe, “, ”, Russia “, ” Kolbe, Kolbe Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, Internet Television, GDELT, Belfer Center for Science, International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Central Intelligence Agency, Hamas, U.S, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Israel, Maine, Russian, ”, Russia, Ukraine wanes, NATO

☆ Opinion | When Great Power Conflict and Climate Action Collide
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It also processes the bulk of the so-called critical minerals, like lithium, cobalt and graphite, that are essential to building out clean energy technologies. There is no clean energy revolution without China. What would happen if China decided to weaponize its clean energy resources in the same way Russia recently weaponized its oil and gas? Is it possible for the U.S. to end its energy dependency on China by investing in clean energy at home? Bordoff is the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a former senior director for energy and climate change for the National Security Council under Barack Obama.

Persons: “, Ezra Klein, Jason Bordoff, Meghan O’Sullivan, Barack Obama, O’Sullivan, George W, Bush Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, Center, Global Energy, Columbia University, National Security, Belfer Center for Science, International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School Locations: China, Russia

☆ Zelensky Lands in Japan for G7 Summit, Seeking Military Aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( David E. Sanger | Natalia Yermak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. White House officials insist this reflects not indecision, but changing circumstances — and changing assumptions about the risks involved. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. It all raises the question: Are there any conventional weapons in the American or NATO arsenals that the president would not, eventually, provide to Ukraine? Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, President Biden told the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that he could not have American precision missile systems. Washington’s pattern of saying no before saying yes has repeated itself enough times over the past 15 months that Ukrainian officials say they now know to ignore the first answer and keep pressing. But White House officials say the shifting positions reflect not indecision, but changing circumstances — and changing assumptions about the risks involved. And after China’s leader, Xi Jinping, explicitly warned late last year against threatening the use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin has quieted down. Some experts warn that Mr. Putin hasn’t dropped his nuclear threats; just delayed them.

☆ Face masks are still a good idea at the doctor’s office, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But they remain in many medical offices, and a study published Monday says they might still be a good idea. The study, published in the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine, also found that there wasn’t a significant difference in protection between surgical masks and N95 respirators in a health care setting. Because gold standard evidence about their protectiveness is not available, they say, masks for patients and health care personnel should be considered a good safety measure. Lab studies show that surgical masks and respirators are good at limiting the spread of aerosols and droplets from people who are sick with the flu, coronaviruses and other respiratory viruses. “We all realize the importance and utility of a mask,” Madad said.

☆ Germany is finally focusing on defending NATO, but its military 'lacks almost everything' it needs to do it, a former German general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

That's the warning from a former German general who argues that Germany must refurbish its badly neglected armed forces — though this will take years to accomplish. Today, the German military is just 183,000-strong, and it can't meet its recruiting goals. In 2020, German defense spending was only 1.4% of GDP, well short of 2% goal that NATO members have pledged to hit by 2024. "Armament procurement concentrated on armored transport vehicles rather than on battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles," Vad writes. RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite years of calls by France for pan-European defense, coordinating German defense procurement with other EU states — each with distinct military needs and political priorities – is difficult.

☆ Russia has screwed up over and over in its war in Ukraine, and Western militaries need to learn from its mistakes, former US Army general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The West needs to learn from Russia's screw-ups in its war with Ukraine, a former US Army general said. "Russia has shown us what kinds of problems a large army can have if it hasn't done its homework," he said. The US and the West, Ryan emphasized in discussions with Insider, should be learning from Russia's mistakes. "We should be preparing our own militaries for a possible war with Russia and or China," the former general said. Looking at the future of the war in Ukraine and Western involvement, Ryan said "the West will probably increase its reactions to Russia's actions as they unfold."

☆ Putin was so worried about a conflict with the West that he basically ended up starting one, former US Army general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin has wound up basically creating a proxy war with the West, a former US Army general said. Putin's long-held "fear" about a conflict with the West "encouraged" him to invade Ukraine, he said. "Putin believed that war was inevitable with the West," Ryan said. With his attack on Ukraine, Putin has essentially "created this reality of the war with the West," he said. "The Russian leadership believes it is in a war with the West, that the West wants to destroy them," the former general said.

☆ The war in Ukraine could be decided this year, former US Army general says, warning of dire consequences if Russia faces defeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia's war with Ukraine could come to a conclusion this year, according to a former US Army general. The Kremlin would likely turn to nuclear weapons if Moscow faces defeat in the conflict, he said. Ryan explained: "Both sides are still too strong to agree to say that they don't have a shot at winning this war. Or is it more dangerous that the Russian military should be defeated in the field and destroyed?" Russia suffered a brutal defeat at the end of World War I and "it helped bring to power the communist regime in Russia," Ryan said, adding, "Russia being destroyed — its military being destroyed — would greatly weaken the country and cause internal revolt."

Former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter died Monday evening after a "sudden cardiac event," his family said. He served as Defense Secretary in the Obama administration from 2015 to 2017. His sudden loss will be felt by all who knew him.”During his time as defense secretary, Carter was behind the campaign to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. He held multiple positions within the Department of Defense, including Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary Defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics, in addition to serving as Secretary. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden applaud Ashton Carter after Obama announced his nomination to be the next defense secretary on Dec. 5, 2014.

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Ash Carter, who served as a U.S. defense secretary during the Obama administration, died late on Monday at the age of 68 after a sudden cardiac event, his family said in a statement on Tuesday. Under Carter, the U.S. military opened all military roles to women and also ended a ban on openly serving transgender service members. "To choose service members on other grounds than military qualifications is social policy and has no place in our military," Carter said at the time. Before becoming defense secretary, Carter served as deputy defense secretary and chief operating officer in the Pentagon. Since leaving public service, Carter led the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the partial mobilization of his country's reservists. According to Russian officials, 300,000 reservists will be drafted immediately. Conscripts and students will not be called up and will affect only those with combat experience, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. In his speech, Putin reiterated that the goal of Russia's invasion of Ukraine was the liberation of the Donbas region. Ukrainian officials in response slammed the referendum as a "sham" and said it won't change anything.

☆ Former US general says he is 'even more concerned' about Putin using nukes as Ukraine makes astonishing progress in its counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Western officials and experts have said Putin may use nukes in Ukraine if he gets desperate enough. After failing to take Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk. And as we know, that is a trigger for using nuclear weapons." But not everyone is convinced that Putin would do something as drastic as using a nuclear weapon to achieve his goals in Ukraine. If Russia used a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, it could trigger a military response from the US, which could spiral into a direct conflict between Russia and NATO — a 30-member alliance.

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