CHINA
President Trump recently called out China for its ongoing theft of American intellectual property that has amounted to hundreds of billions of dollars in stolen technology. The goal of the ongoing US-China trade negotiations, according to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, is to create a deal that ensures US technology will be safe if a company does business in China, and if there is a loss, to create a mechanism to recover it. Pompeo pointed out in an interview with Maria Bartiromo that the United States is “serious” about the issue and its “obligation” to the American business community.
Trade issues in recent weeks have become more complicated as negotiations with Washington are increasingly muddied by China’s human rights abuses and mistreatment of its Uighur Muslim minority population. Reports coming out of China conclude that Beijing is holding over one million of its citizens in detention camps, or prisons, under horrific conditions. In one case, after Secretary Pompeo met with a victim, members of his extended family were rounded up and put into prison as a threat to others who might consider talking to the outside world.
NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNTRIES: Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador
Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, known as the three Northern Triangle countries, account for a large percentage of the illegal aliens crossing the southern US border. These nations, according to Secretary Pompeo, have received hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to stem the flow but have failed to stop the caravans. The United States announced recently it will stop the flow of aid to the Northern Triangle countries until Washington sees progress being made in resolving the issue.
Our mission, noted Pompeo, “…by telling them that this aid will be conditioned on the change in their behavior, is to convince them that they ought to have the will, that they need to try, they need to work at it. We’ll work with them to build out their capacity to do so, but we have not yet seen enough demonstration of their commitment to actually preventing these folks from crossing into Mexico and making this dangerous trek across Mexico, and then coming unlawfully into the United States.”
Illegal immigrants typically see the risk of staying in their country as outweighing the possible benefits and opportunities found in the United States. The number of people entering the United States illegally has skyrocketed in recent weeks with often as many as 3,400 people crossing the southern border in a single day. Not all are escaping poverty or political persecution. Many of these individuals are human traffickers or transporting narcotics. Without control of the southern border the US Government has no way to know who is crossing or what they are carrying. Pompeo said we must stem the human tide and reform immigration rules.
IRAN
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Among other actions over 1.5 million barrels of Iranian oil taken off the market, and over 20 importers of Iranian oil are reduced to zero countries today. This has driven down the price of Iranian oil exports. It is in addition to the $10 billion in revenue that has been denied Iran from destructive activities since May 2018. According to the State Department, over 100 corporations have now exited the Iranian market, effectively denying the country billions in investment dollars.
Sanctions typically take an extended period of time to produce a profound economic impact on a nation’s economy. Iran is feeling the pain now as the rial, its currency, has lost two-thirds of its value. The State Department says economic reports indicate Iran is in a recession, and inflation has hit a record 40 percent. Iran’s total trade has declined by nearly 25 percent since March 2018. In addition to US actions, the European community has pushed back against Iran.
Recently, representatives from over 70 countries toured the “Iran Materiel Display,” exposing the type of lethal aid that Tehran is sending to Yemen, Bahrain, and Afghanistan. The display included ballistic missiles, attack UAV’s, and explosive boats, among other items. The regime’s goal in sending these weapons to its partners is to support them in attacking international shipping and the Gulf’s civilian infrastructure. Others are joining the US effort to contain Iran and it appears to be making progress toward changing Iran’s behavior.
DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government. Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.
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