The Evening: NK Photos, Syria Deadline, Death Letter and More
March 7, 2019
More New NK Photos
North Korea's Sohae long-range rocket site is now back to "normal operating status," according to new commercial images and analysis provided by CSIS, as NBC News reports.
Dive Deeper: “Sohae Launch Facility Update: North Korean ‘Snapback’ After Hanoi,” by CSIS’s Joseph Bermudez and Victor Cha.
United States Gives European Allies Friday Deadline
The Trump administration is giving eight European allies until Friday to commit troops to a U.S. proposal to stabilize northeastern Syria, U.S. officials said, setting a deadline meant to pressure reluctant partners to join Washington in the still-developing plan, as the WSJ’s Nancy Youssef and Dion Nissenbaum report
U.S.-China Trade Deal
President Trump says he is optimistic that a landmark trade deal with China is close. Chinese officials are not so sure, as the NYT’s Keith Bradsher and Ana Swanson report
Dive Deeper: “Taking Managed Trade Seriously—What Would a Deal that Tries to Close the Bilateral Deficit Need to Look Like?” by CFR’s Brad Setser.
Listen to the new episode of the CSIS podcast “The Trade Guys.”
Your Questions
Do you have any questions about trade and how a changing U.S. trade policy may affect your life? If you do, please email me your question(s) to aschwartz@csis.org. We’ll publish some of the best questions and get our experts to answer them on an upcoming CSIS podcast.
Video Shorts
Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify” and “High Resolution.” In under 90 seconds, CSIS experts tell you what they told Congress in testimony, or use high-resolution satellite images and advanced mapping to break down national security issues. And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!
In That Number
407
The House today overwhelmingly approved a far-reaching resolution condemning anti-Semitism and bigotry by a margin of 407-23.
Source: New York Times
Critical Quote
"Reduction of the physical caliphate is a monumental military accomplishment but the fight against ISIS and violent extremism is far from over."
— General Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command
iDeas Lab
Does the U.S. withdrawal from Syria spell conflict between the Kurds and Turkey, or can more bloodshed be avoided? In this short video, CSIS’s Turkey Project director Bulent Aliriza explores the complex web of actors in Northern Syria. Watch it here.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video.
Optics
New satellite imagery acquired by CSIS on March 6 shows that North Korea has essentially completed the rebuilding of both the rail-mounted transfer/processing structure on the launch pad and the vertical engine at the Sohae Launch Facility.
Recommended Reading
“What Italy Stands to Gain by Endorsing China’s Belt and Road,” by the FT’s James Kynge.
This Town Tomorrow
At 10:00 a.m., the United States Institute of Peace will host UK Secretary of State Penny Mordaunt to hear her views on empowering women and girls in fragile and conflict affected states.
Later, at 11:45 a.m., the Hudson Institute will hold a panel discussion on the crisis in Venezuela, the Trump administration’s recent policy responses, and the future of the Latin America.
And, at 12:15 p.m., the Atlantic Council will host British National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill to discuss opportunities for the United Kingdom and the transatlantic relationship beyond Brexit.
Video
CSIS today hosted a panel to assess the outcome of the U.S.-North Korea, featuring a keynote address from Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO). Watch the full event here.
Podcasts
Take as Directed highlights important news, events, issues, and perspectives in global health policy. In this episode, Sara Allinder speaks with Dr. Robert Mwadime, chief of party of the USAID Integrated Community Agriculture and Nutrition Activity in Uganda.
Listen on SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts.
Smiles
I’m glad you all enjoyed the Cassandra Wilson version of Son House’s “Death Letter” for the True Detective Season 3 theme song. But how do you like the original?