In This Episode: “The President himself seems to prefer to play footsie with the Russians than actually confront them for the enemy that they are.”
Nord Stream 2 is exacerbating the split between the United States and its European Allies. Across the Mediterranean Laurent Gbagbo is acquitted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Les Munson, Jamil Jaffer, Loren Dealy Mahler, and Andrew Borene discuss how the U.S. should push back against the Russians in Europe and how Americans should think about the ICC.
In our under the radar segment, Les highlights the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam raising tensions along the Nile, Loren explores the legislative twists and turns of this year’s NDAA, Jamil discusses the tit-for-tat consulate closures in Chengdu and Houston, and Andrew discusses how rebalancing special operations forces and potentially elevating the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict to full Under Secretary will impact great power competition.
Can the United States stop Nord Stream 2 at this point? Is the ICC an international institution worth protecting? Will the long-view of foreign policy return in a post-Trump America? All these questions and more answered in this week’s Fault Lines.