May 5, 2021

Weekly World News Update

Biden's Foreign Policy, 100 Days In; Leaving Afghanistan; Spotlight on India; Tensions in the South China Sea; Prospects for Détente with Iran; Palestinian and Israeli Elections; Chad; and Latin America

Quote of the Week

“I’m about to cancel all my Zoom meetings. I’m done with it. [...] We want people back to work, and my view is that sometime in September, October it will look just like it did before.” -- Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, said Tuesday at The Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

Biden's Foreign Policy, 100 Days In

“Biden’s 100-Day Strategy: Under Promise and Over-Deliver" Elaine  Kamarck -- Brookings Institution, April 28, 2021     “Biden’s First Hundred Days” Richard Haass -- Project Syndicate, April 30, 2021    “Biden’s Welcome Climate Reboot and the Daunting Diplomacy Ahead” Susanne Dröge; Margareth Sembiring; Rebecca Peters -- Council of Councils, April 28, 2021  “100 Ideas for the First Hundred Days of the Biden Administration” Atlantic Council, April 29, 2021

Leaving Afghanistan

“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Reality of Afghanistan” John McLaughlin -- OZY, April 28, 2021    “Afghanistan’s Moment of Risk and Opportunity” Ashraf Ghani -- Foreign Affairs, May 4, 2021  “I Commanded a NATO Brigade in Afghanistan. Now Is Not the Time to Leave” James Creighton -- National Interest, April 28, 2021  “Even After Withdrawal, U.S. Retains Leverage Over Taliban” Karen Decker -- United States Institute of Peace, April 29, 2021

Spotlight on India

"The End of Modi's Global Dreams" Sushant Singh -- Foreign Policy, May 3, 2021 “Behind the Pandemic’s Devastation Is a Monumental Failure of Governance” Suhas Palshikar -- The Indian Express, April 30, 2021  "Trapped By India Travel Bans: Workers, Expats, Families ... Aussie Cricket Players" Kamala Thiagarajan -- NPR, May 4, 2021 “India Elections: Modi Party Defeated in West Bengal Battleground” Geeda Pandey -- BBC, May 3, 2021  “Biden’s Misstep in India” Thomas Wright -- The Atlantic, April 28, 2021

Tensions in the South China Sea

"China Urges ‘Basic Manners’ After Philippine Foreign Secretary Slams Beijing in Blunt Tweet" Yen Nee Lee -- CNBC, May 4, 2021 "China Has Lost the Philippines Despite Duterte’s Best Efforts" Derek Grossman -- Foreign Policy, May 3, 2021   “An Asymmetric Defense of Taiwan” Michael E. O’Hanlon -- The Brookings Institution, April 28, 2021

Prospects for Détente with Iran

“Iran Nuclear Talks Open a Window for Broader Middle East Security” Ambassador Hesham Youssef -- United States Institute of Peace, April 29, 2021    “Adding an Ishmael Track to the Abraham Accords: How to Pursue Détente Between Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE” Kirsten Fontenrose -- Atlantic Council, April 29, 2021    “Iran Negotiator: Based on Accords So Far, U.S. Sanctions on Oil, Banks Would be Lifted” Francois Murphy -- Reuters, May 1, 2021

Palestinian and Israeli Elections

“Palestinians Postpone Long-Awaited Elections in West Bank and Gaza” Steve Hendrix; Hazem Balousha; Shira Rubin -- The Washington Post, April 29, 2021    “Abbas Delays Palestinian Parliamentary Polls, Blaming Israel” Al Jazeera, April 30, 2021    “Netanyahu Misses Deadline, Political Future in Question” Josef Federman -- AP News, May 4, 2021    “How Can Israel Prevent an Eternal Merry-Go-Round of Elections?” Gideon Rahat -- Times of Israel, April 29, 2021

Chad on the Brink

“Chad’s Military Names New Government but Opposition Still Unimpressed” Reuters, May 3, 2021  “Could Chad be a ‘Time Bomb’ Affecting Algeria, Sahel in Africa?” Seth Frantzman -- The Jerusalem Post, May 3, 2021  “The Death of Chadian President Idris Déby Itno Threatens Stability in the Region¨ Alexandre Marc -- Brookings Institution, April 29, 2021

Developments in Latin America

“In Venezuela, a Quest for Sainthood Offers Proof of Miracles” Amy Mckeever -- National Geographic, May 4, 2021 “Mexico’s President Is Giving the Armed Forces New Powers” The Economist, April 30, 2021 “Brazil’s COVID-19 Deaths Top 400,000 Amid Fears of Worsening Crisis” Emma Bowman; Philip Reeves -- NPR, April 29, 2021