Strategic options

In his first in-depth meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden , Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signaled his country's willingness to step up against undesirable actions pursued by major powers China and Russia, while simultaneously setting out to shore up his nation's military capabilities at home. Friday's virtual chat lasted nearly an hour and a half and marked the second time the two men met face-to-face and their first extensive dialogue since Biden took office in January 2021 and Kishida in October. Officials from both sides detailed a warm, candid conversation that spanned a range of topics pertaining to the economic and political nature of the 70-year Washington-Tokyo alliance. One Japanese official speaking to Newsweek summed up the call in six points: "First, the building up of the personal relations plus the face-to-face although online meeting, second, the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, third, the alliance, fourth, China and other regional issues, fifth, the … [Read more...] about Japan steps up on China, Russia and “strategic Issues” amid defense review in Biden call

Globally, we see stakeholder segments at odds with strategy, and sometimes a strategy is completely missing or often confused with tactical and operational elements. This reluctance is seen in mature democracies as well as democracies with disorders. The primary reason is a lack of alignment on a common minimum shared containment and/ or mitigation programme. In the absence of a concerted strategy, the stakeholders are bound to go into cognitive dissonance. The latter is counterproductive since it is the root cause of non-compliance, ignorance, and poor adoption. Ideally, strategies should be across the nations, irrespective of local, state or national objectives. These strategies should be based on scientific rationale independent of political or other influences, they must be transparent and equally applicable across stakeholders. Especially with a virus-like COVID, it is imperative to remain ahead of the wave and not trail it, as the latter has implications on lives, livelihood … [Read more...] about Revoke Privileges of Anti-Vaxxers, Identify Target Group Before Next Wave Hits Them – The Covid Strategy We Need

With Russian forces massed on the Ukrainian border and talks stalling, fear of invasion has increased. Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin Iran announces naval drills with Russia, China Blinken calls for 'global action' against Russia amid Ukraine tensions Putin's options extend well beyond invasion MORE is using the threat of a major war in eastern Europe to wrest concessions from the United States and NATO. Commentators have described him as irrational . Putin’s long-term strategy, however, is consistent and predictable, even when his short-term objectives are not. Like the tsars and commissars before him, Putin wants a buffer zone in eastern Europe. By 1914, the Russian Empire included Finland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and much of Poland. The Soviet Union ceded most of that territory when it signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in 1917. ADVERTISEMENT After World War I, Poland, the Baltic Republics and … [Read more...] about Putin’s long-term strategy: exploit ethnic tensions to weaken NATO

Some corporations are so big, so intertwined with the economy and our daily lives and current events and politics, that it can be difficult to grasp the true scope of their importance. CVS Health is one such company. With some 300,000 employees, more than 9,000 stores, and upward of 40,000 physicians, pharmacists and nurses on staff, CVS wields outsize influence in the American health care system. And with its 2018 merger with Aetna , the health insurance giant, the company now insures more than 20 million people, too. Last year, Karen S. Lynch took over as chief executive, replacing the longtime C.E.O. Larry Merlo. For Ms. Lynch, who came up through Aetna and worked at other insurers before that, assuming the new job meant confronting a host of immediate challenges. CVS stores remained open throughout the pandemic, though its army of office workers has been working from home for nearly two years. The pharmacies became vaccine distribution centers and testing sites. A jury last … [Read more...] about The Chief of CVS Health Wants to Be Part of People’s ‘Everyday Life’

The threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent NATO countries scrambling to provide military support to Kyiv. In recent weeks, Spain, France, Estonia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. among others have provided varying kinds of military support to Ukraine in anticipation of Russian aggression. NATO is under no treaty’s obligation to defend Ukraine because the ex-Soviet country is not a member of the alliance, but the group has made clear that it stands with Kyiv and has called on Moscow to de-escalate tensions. ADVERTISEMENT Some military movements appear to be posturing, aimed at deterring Russia from any aggressive actions, but other steps appear to be prepared for a serious conflict. Either way, experts say, the assistance could show Russian President Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin Ukrainian president praises Biden for reaffirming US support The pitfalls of Russia's plan to rewrite history in Ukraine Kazakhstan's crackdown is a … [Read more...] about NATO members scramble to support Ukraine amid Russian threat

The sweeping “zero-tolerance” strategy that China has used to keep COVID-19 case numbers low and its economy functioning may, paradoxically, make it harder for the country to exit the pandemic. Most experts say the coronavirus around the world isn’t going away and believe it could eventually become, like the flu, a persistent but generally manageable threat if enough people gain immunity through infections and vaccines. In countries like Britain and the U.S., which have had comparatively light restrictions against the omicron wave, there is a glimmer of hope that the process might be underway. Cases skyrocketed in recent weeks but have since dropped in Britain and may have leveled off in the U.S., perhaps because the extremely contagious variant is running out of people to infect. Some places already are talking about easing COVID-19 precautions. China, which will be in the international spotlight when the Beijing Winter Olympics begin in two weeks, is not seeing … [Read more...] about China’s success taming virus could make exit strategy harder

The United States and NATO are attempting to convince Russia not to use force in Ukraine. They will fail. Putin’s claimed insecurity is pure pretense. If his purpose is to take control of Ukraine, a war is unavoidable, but if his purpose is to curb NATO expansion and simultaneously to end a costly conflict in Ukraine’s eastern provinces. Ukraine should consider its options separately from those of NATO or the EU since the price of diplomatic failure will be paid by Ukraine alone. Ukraine therefore should prepare for war but also should offer to withdraw its hopeless application for NATO membership in exchange for measures that materially enhance its sovereign interests. The U.S. and NATO have advanced arms control and military activity proposals that refute Putin’s pretense that NATO expansion and military preparedness threaten Russia’s security.  But addressing Putin’s pretense is no substitute for effectively countering Putin’s purpose. He knows that NATO cannot accept a … [Read more...] about Ukraine must take control of its destiny

Joseph R. Biden Jr. had just been sworn in as vice president. All he needed now was a job. During the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama had assured Mr. Biden that he would be consulted on every major decision. But many on the new president’s team were still Biden-skeptical, and Mr. Obama was not sure the meandering former senator had the discipline to be an effective governing partner, people close to both men said. So, during a private lunch in February 2009, Mr. Biden slid a memo across the table to Mr. Obama, outlining a role to erase those doubts: quarterbacking the implementation of the $787 billion economic stimulus that had been rammed through Congress a few days earlier in the depths of recession. “Sounds good to me,” said Mr. Obama, barely glancing at the memo, according to two people familiar with the exchange. Mr. Obama was already pivoting to health care reform, so why not encharge Mr. Biden? As it turned out, Mr. Biden’s work on the rollout, implementation, oversight and … [Read more...] about Biden Camp Finds Selling Point in Ailing Economy: His Work on 2009 Recovery

The British government on Saturday accused Russia of seeking to replace Ukraine’s government with a pro-Moscow administration, and said former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate. Murayev is head of the small pro-Russian party Nashi, which currently has no seats in Ukraine’s parliament. Britain’s Foreign Office named several other Ukrainian politicians it said had links with Russian intelligence services. It’s unclear what means Britain believes Russia might use to install a friendly government in Kyiv. The U.K. government made the claim based on an intelligence assessment, without providing evidence to back it up. It comes amid a war of words between Moscow and the West over Russia’s designs on Ukraine. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the information “shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.” Ms. Truss urged Russia to “de-escalate, end its campaigns … [Read more...] about Britain says Russia seeking to replace Ukraine government

WASHINGTON — Americans should consider leaving Ukraine "now," nonemergency diplomatic employees were authorized to depart, and eligible family members were ordered to evacuate Sunday amid Russia's continued military presence along the country's border, the U.S. State Department said. While family members of embassy employees in Kyiv were required to depart, the others covered by the travel advisory were not, a senior State Department official said. The State Department also warned Americans not to travel to Ukraine or Russia, citing the possibility of Russian military action, as well as "the potential throughout Russia of harassment towards foreigners, including through regulations targeted specifically against foreigners," a spokesperson said. Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops at its border with Ukraine. The "do not travel" advisories, designated as top-level travel warnings, cited "the increased threats of Russian military action," as well as "the potential … [Read more...] about U.S. orders embassy families out of Ukraine, says some staff may leave as well