New Russia Sanctions | Afghan-Pakistani Clashes | India Sexual Assault Protests

Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. April 16, 2018 Daily News Brief   TOP OF THE AGENDA U.S. to Sanction Russia Over Syria Support The United States is expected today to announce new sanctions on Russia for its support of the Syrian regime. The measures will target businesses that provide equipment to help the regime develop its chemical weapons arsenal (NYT), U.S. envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley said. The move comes after the United States, the United Kingdom, and France carried out air strikes on Syrian sites they allege were used to support President Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons program. On Sunday, chemical weapons experts began investigating the site of a suspected chemical attack (Guardian) that prompted the international strikes. The White House said U.S. President Donald J. Trump is seeking to pull U.S. troops from Syria (VOA) as soon as possible. ANALYSIS "Although there were certainly policy arguments for and against U.S. intervention in Syria, there was a compelling U.S. national interest in preventing and deterring Syria, as well as other governments, from using chemical weapons against its citizens," said CFR's John B. Bellinger III. "[The strikes] were not intended to unseat the Assad regime or directly protect the Syrian people. Although President Trump expressed his disappointment with Russian and Iranian support for Assad, the strikes took care not to engage them directly," CFR President Richard N. Haass writes for Axios. "[The strikes carried] a hidden message to the Russians that despite your existence and massive victories on the ground, we remain part of the game and we will always be part of the political solution," Nawar Oliver said in an interview with Syria Deeply. PACIFIC RIM Abe, Trump to Talk Trade Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with U.S. President Trump at Mar-a-Lago (Reuters) tomorrow. Washington is pushing Tokyo to sign a bilateral free trade agreement, with Trump tweeting days before the summit that Japan has "hit us hard on trade for years" (Nikkei). CFR's Edward Alden discusses U.S. trade policy on this episode of the President's Inbox. CHINA: In recent meetings with foreign officials, President Xi Jinping said he personally opposed lifelong rule (FT) and that China's recent abolition of presidential term limits has been "misinterpreted." This CFR panel examined the implications of China's lifting of term limits. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Clashes Break Out on Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Several people were reported dead, including at least two Pakistani soldiers (Reuters), in clashes yesterday in the eastern Afghan province of Khost (RFE/RL). Fresh clashes broke out along the border in Paktia Province (Tolo) on Monday. INDIA: Thousands of demonstrators nationwide carried out street protests on Sunday following two high-profile cases of sexual assault (Al Jazeera) involving young girls. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Jordanian, U.S. Troops Begin Joint Drills More than seven thousand troops from the United States and Jordan began joint military exercises known as Eager Lion that for the first time will include a simulated chemical weapons attack (AP). U.S. Major General Jon Mott said the threat of such an attack is "all too real, as we've seen recently in Syria." SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Nigeria's Buhari to Visit Washington The White House announced that President Trump will host his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, at the end of the month to discuss counterterrorism and economic growth (Vanguard). CFR's John Campbell discusses Buhari's bid for a second presidential term. ANGOLA: Angola's finance minister accused Jose Filomeno dos Santos, son of longtime leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos and former head of the country's sovereign wealth fund, of attempting to steal $1.5 billion from the fund (Al Jazeera). EUROPE U.S. Pastor on Trial for Terrorism in Turkey A pastor who ran a church in the city of Izmir rejected charges he is affiliated with a U.S.-based Turkish cleric (Hurriyet), who Ankara blames for a 2016 coup attempt, and the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party. He faces thirty-five years in prison if convicted. RUSSIA: Journalist Maksim Borodin was declared dead (RFE/RL) after falling from the window of a fifth-floor apartment. His editor said she did not believe Borodin, whose work included investigating Russian mercenaries fighting in Syria, committed suicide. AMERICAS Colombia, Ecuador Vow Offensive Against Guerrillas Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno said the two countries will "take forceful action" against Marxist rebels (Colombia Reports) following the kidnapping and murder of two Ecuadorian newspaper reporters and their driver near the countries' border (NYT). GUATEMALA: Voters in a Sunday referendum overwhelmingly supported calling on the Hague-based International Court of Justice (DW) to rule on a longstanding territorial dispute with Belize. UNITED STATES Former FBI Director Assails Trump James Comey, who was fired by President Trump last year, said in a televised interview that the U.S. president is possibly susceptible to blackmail by Russia (WaPo) and is "morally unfit to be president." Trump denied some of Comey's allegations on Twitter. Former Vice President Joe Biden said that he is not ruling out a presidential bid but that he is "really hoping that some other folks step up" (Politico) to challenge President Trump in the 2020 election.         Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. Forward This Email | Subscribe to CFR Newsletters | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org

Date: April 16, 2018 at 10:06PM