Last Tuesday, Republicans secured control of the U.S. Senate – 52 seats, with some races yet-to-be-determined and could result in further gains. Squire Patton Boggs produced a 2014 Mid-Term Congressional Elections Analysis, which summarizes some of the implications of a Republican-controlled 114th Congress on the Obama Administration’s international and domestic policies. This Wednesday, 12 November, … Continue Reading
U.N. General Assembly President Barack Obama heads to New York City this Tuesday to attend the 69th Session of the U.N. General Assembly. The President will address the General Assembly on Wednesday. Iraq/Syria Crises This Wednesday in New York City, President Obama will also chair a UNSC meeting on foreign terrorist fighters. Congress passed a stopgap funding bill last … Continue Reading
The Senate and House Armed Services Committee are scheduled to hold hearings this week to follow-up on President Barack Obama’s September 10 speech; where the President outlined his strategy to combat the Islamic State (ISIL/ISIS). Last Wednesday, House Armed Services Committee Chair Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-California) presented his strategy to defeat the ISIL terrorist … Continue Reading
Iraq/Syria Crises On the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, President Barack Obama addressed the nation and outlined his Administration’s four-part strategy (fact sheet available here) to combat the Islamic State (ISIL/ISIS). First, the President said U.S. airstrikes have shifted from protecting U.S. nationals and humanitarian missions to attacking ISIL targets “as Iraqi forces go on the … Continue Reading
Defense Appropriations Last Thursday, the House debated its FY 2015 defense spending bill, offering a number of amendments that ranged from the unexpired Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq to addressing whether to arm the Syrian opposition forces. On Friday, the bill passed by a vote of 340-73. The Senate appropriations process suffered a … Continue Reading
Iraq/Syria Crisis Early last week, on Tuesday, President Barack Obama authorized the deployment of approximately 275 U.S. military personnel to provide support and security for U.S. personnel and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. On Thursday, President Obama provided the nation with an update on U.S. action in response to the Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant … Continue Reading
Iraq The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an al-Qaida offshoot, are moving toward Baghdad, having captured Mosul and other cities in the north. President Barack Obama called the developments in Iraq an “emergency situation” on Thursday, but on Friday announced he “will not be sending U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq.” President Obama … Continue Reading
Legislative & Executive Branch Ukraine & Russia Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns was in Kyiv, Ukraine, last week meeting with political leaders, civil society and religious leaders. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said last Wednesday: “The United States strongly supports Ukrainian leaders’ ongoing work to form an inclusive, multiparty government to represent all … Continue Reading
Legislative Branch Activity Budget Lawmakers have until this Wednesday, January 15, to pass a spending bill and to avert another government shut down. Last Friday, January 10, House Appropriations Chair Harold Rogers (R-KY) filed a “clean” three-day continuing resolution to keep the federal government open through January 18. If passed by Congress by Wednesday, Congress … Continue Reading
