FOREIGN AFFAIRS - page 5

The Trump administration looks poised to send up to 5,000 additional troops to Afghanistan while loosening the rules of engagement for US forces there. The deployment and ratcheting up of hostilities would be aimed at strengthening the Afghan government’s hand in peace negotiations with the Taliban, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times. The Post, which first reported the development late Monday, said that President Trump has yet to approve of the plan. He is expected make a decision before a May… Keep Reading

The sister of White House aide Jared Kushner leveraged her brother’s name in a sales pitch to Chinese investors, on behalf of the family’s real estate venture. Nicole Meyer cited the high-level Presidential staffer and his recent involvement with Kushner Companies in Beijing, on Saturday, while attempting to raise capital to build luxury apartments in Jersey City, N.J.. Meyer mentioned her brother and touted the investment opportunity as important to “me and my entirely family,” according to both The New York Times and The Washington… Keep Reading

Attempts by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to ease the concerns of North Korean leadership may have backfired spectacularly on Thursday, when a high-ranking military commander refused to rule out the possibility of the US toppling Pyongyang “for the heck of it.” Adm. Harry Harris, head of Pacific Command, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee to brief lawmakers about the simmering conflict on the Korean peninsula—tensions that could ratchet up following the unsettling exchange between the admiral and Sen. Graham. Characterizing Kim Jong Un’s dash… Keep Reading

The Trump administration could still annul the Iran nuclear deal despite certifying Tehran’s compliance with the agreement, observers warned. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) said Wednesday that President Trump could effectively rip up the accord, by violating its terms on sanctions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed late Tuesday that Iran is currently abiding by the terms of the multilateral deal–one that involves all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. “With this certification, President Trump must now uphold the United States’ obligations and… Keep Reading

President Trump has repeatedly attacked the Iranian nuclear deal, and last month promised to approach enforcement of the agreement with “great strictness.” But according to one administration official, the agreement is doing precisely what it set out to accomplish. The head of US Strategic Command said Tuesday that Iran is not attempting to acquire nuclear weapons, and that it is abiding by the terms of the deal—agreed to in 2015 by the Iranian government, the Obama administration, Germany and the five permanent members of the… Keep Reading

Egyptian leader Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi was warmly welcomed to the White House on Monday, four years after he assumed power in a military coup. During a brief sit down in front of reporters, President Trump described his relationship with Sisi as “very close,” and added that the US was “very much behind” the controversial world leader. The new administration’s invitation and effusive praise for the former general marks a shift from the prior US president’s posture—at least optically. Sisi took power in Cairo in 2013, deposing… Keep Reading

A top US military commander is denying reports that that the Pentagon has relaxed its targeting protocols, despite rapidly increasing civilian casualty rates in Syria and Iraq. The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Gen. Joseph Votel, testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, providing details on the military’s probe of a series of airstrikes in Mosul in recent weeks that have reportedly killed upwards of 300 civilians. Votel noted he agreed with an analysis made Tuesday, by Lt. Gen. Steve Townsend, that concluded there… Keep Reading

The influential pro-Israel group AIPAC is asking supporters to back recently-drafted legislation that seeks to punish a peaceful movement in solidarity with Palestinians. The organization, which is in Washington this week for an annual policy conference, is dispatching members to lobby lawmakers to pass the bill. One Washington-based group decrying Israel’s occupation of Palestine has said the proposal is unconstitutional. “This dangerous bill seeks to impose fines on corporations that boycott business dealings with illegal Israeli settlements,” said Josh Ruebner, the policy director of the US… Keep Reading

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Thursday that the Trump administration will wait until April before deciding if China should be considered a currency manipulator. A decision over the move, which would pave the way for tariffs on Chinese imports, will come in a biannual report on foreign exchange markets, Mnuchin told Bloomberg. The report could give President Trump an off-ramp to walk back one of his first campaign promises. Early during the Republican Primary, Trump said he would declare China a currency manipulator on his… Keep Reading

The United States and Russia are on the precipice of a proxy conflict in Afghanistan, three decades after the Soviet military was defeated in the country, by CIA-backed militants. The commander of US Forces in Afghanistan referenced intelligence outlining possible Russian support for the Taliban, when appearing Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Gen. John Nicholson, however, said he couldn’t openly discuss reports of Moscow giving the Taliban “money, materiel or fighters,” when asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). “There is some classified reporting… Keep Reading