The National Interest Foundation Newsletter
Issue 12, September 19, 2019
Welcome to the latest edition of the NIF Newsletter. In this week’s domestic headlines: President Trump fires John Bolton as National Security Advisor and the top ten candidates take part in the third Democratic presidential debate in Houston. Meanwhile, around the world: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledges to annex a large part of the West Bank if re-elected and two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia are hit by drone strikes.
United States
Trump Fires Bolton
Trump and Bolton disagreed over who made the decision for him to leave, with the President claiming that he was fired while the former National Security Advisor stated that he resigned. (Photo from Getty Images)
President Trump Fires John Bolton as National Security Advisor
President Trump fired John Bolton last week, his third National Security Advisor, after months of disagreements over key foreign policy issues. Trump and Bolton clashed on several global challenges including Iran, North Korea, and Afghanistan. The two men also disagreed on the nature of Bolton’s departure, with Trump claiming that he fired Bolton while the former National Security Advisor stated that he resigned from his post. Deputy National Security Advisor Charles Kupperman initially replaced Bolton, but Trump has since named Robert O’Brien, the State Department’s top hostage affairs official, as the new National Security Advisor.
Third Democratic Debate
Only the top 10 candidates qualified for this debate so this was the first round where all participants were slotted together on the same night. (Photo from AP)
Third Democratic Presidential Debate Takes Place in Houston
The top 10 contenders for the Democratic Presidential nomination squared off for the third round of debating last Thursday night in Houston. To qualify, candidates had to reach 130,000 unique donors by August 28th and earn at least 2% in four polls – which could be national polls or polls in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, or Nevada. Several notable candidates did not qualify for this debate such as U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan. Over the course of the three-hour debate, the 10 candidates discussed key issues including health care, criminal justice reform, and gun legislation.
Around the World
Israel/Palestine
Netanyahu is facing corruption charges and what is expected to be a tight race for re-election. (Photo from Reuters)
Netanyahu Pledges to Annex Jordan Valley if Re-Elected
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank if he is re-elected. The Jordan Valley is a 2,400 square kilometer area that accounts for nearly 30% of the West Bank. Netanyahu’s announcement appears to be aimed at mobilizing right-wing supporters on the eve of what is expected to be a tight race against former Israeli military chief, Benny Gantz. Arab League foreign ministers have condemned the plan, stating that it would undermine any chance of progress on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also expressed concern, saying the move would be illegal and hinder the viability of the two-state solution.
Saudi Arabia
On Saturday, loud explosions erupted at Khurais oil field and the Abqaiq processing facility in eastern Saudi Arabia. (Photo from Getty Images)
Two Major Oil Facilities in Saudi Arabia Hit by Drone Strikes
Coordinated drone strikes on two key Saudi Arabian oil facilities disrupted more than half of the country’s oil capacity. The Houthi rebels, who have been fighting a Saudi-led military coalition in neighboring Yemen, took responsibility for the attacks. News of the strikes sent oil prices soaring by about 20% at the market’s opening this past Monday morning – the highest ever intraday increase. By the end of Monday, oil prices ended the day at nearly 15% higher overall. On Tuesday evening, the Saudi Arabian Energy Minister announced that the country’s oil supply levels were back to normal on some of their production facilities and that their oil market will be fully back online at the end of this month.
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