Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Inside Washington: Acts and scenes
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 05 - 10 - 2017


“Fighting Joe” and future threats:
China could become the greatest threat to the US by 2025. “If I look out to 2025, and I look at the demographics and the economic situation, I think China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation,” General Joseph Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing on his re-appointment as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military adviser to the president, Secretary of Defence and National Security Council.
Regarding the China threat, he told the committee that “China is focused on limiting our ability to project power and weakening our alliances in the Pacific.” General Dunford described Russia as “the most significant threat in cyberspace,” saying: “I would agree with your assessment that the most significant threat in cyberspace we face today, the most advanced capabilities are the Russians. That's our assessment.”
As expected, the topic of Iran and its nuclear deal was raised at the hearing. “The briefings I have received indicate that Iran is adhering to its [JCPA Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] obligations,” Dunford noted in written answers to policy questions in advance of this hearing. “The [plan] has delayed Iran's development of nuclear weapons,” he wrote. He also mentioned that “Iran has not changed its malign activity in the region since [the plan of action] was signed.” He told the committee, “We see a physical manifestation of that in Yemen, we see it in Iraq, we see it in Lebanon, we see it in Syria.” Yet he cautioned against walking away from the 2015 deal, saying “It makes sense to me that our holding up agreements that we have signed, unless there is a material breach, would have an impact on others' willingness to sign agreements.”
Dunford's first term as chairman began in October 2015. He earned the nickname “Fighting Joe” when he led the 5th Marine Regiment during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and is known as a relentless, energetic commander. He shared with General Jim Mattis, secretary of defence, many years of service and combat. Dunford served under Mattis in the 2003 invasion in Iraq, and in 2013, Dunford was the commander of US forces in Afghanistan during the final portion of Mattis' tenure as commander of US Central Command. Dunford, 61, joined the Marine Corps in 1977. His father was also a Marine, who served in Korea and later became a Boston police officer. Dunford was raised in South Boston and later Quincy, Massachusetts. He attended St Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont, Georgetown University, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Trump World for Dummies:
One of the favourite sports in Washington these days is guessing what exactly is – or is going to be – US policy towards this or that country. Those who play the game spend time watching foreign diplomats, in particular, trying hard to guess who in the administration will make a particular decision, and when, and to predict what may happen, and how bad it will be. The repeated wisdom still is that the president is unpredictable. Some officials, trying to explain the created confusion, stress that “all options are on the table,” and sometimes they add: “As you know, the president does not like to show all his cards.” Before the end of last week and in the midst of the war of words with North Korea, the White House announced – on Friday, September 29 – that President Donald J Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will travel to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Hawaii from 3 to 14 November, 2017. David Ignatius of the Washington Post wrote, “In Trump world, we're learning to watch what the president does more than just read his inflammatory tweets. That lesson applies to his itinerary. Watch where he goes, and some of the policy implications become clear. A president who is about to attack North Korea doesn't schedule a November trip to China.” By Sunday morning President Trump had tweeted the following: “I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man... Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!” Tillerson was on a trip in the region at the time.


Clic here to read the story from its source.