Patrick W. Quirk and Richmond Blake
The Biden administration will face a multiplicity of challenges on day one. Armed conflict and instability in countries that matter for U.S. interests will be chief among them. From Ethiopia to the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador), armed violence remains an unfortunately pervasive and persistent element of the national security threat landscape. Intra-state violence had already been rising before the pandemic began its global sweep, but COVID-19 has exacerbated many factors underlying fragility and associated instability.
The Biden administration has an opportunity to address this challenge by effectively implementing the first-ever U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability.” Released by the national security agencies on December 18, the strategy is the foundational requirement of the bipartisan 2019 Global Fragility Act (GFA), envisioned as a PEPFAR-for-conflict-prevention.
Minnesota s Republican representatives silent as certification vote nears Amy Klobuchar, who will lead Senate debate, is optimistic for bipartisan support of Biden s win. January 6, 2021 11:13am Text size Copy shortlink:
Republicans in Minnesota s congressional delegation remained silent about their plans Tuesday as a historic vote approached to certify President-elect Joe Biden the winner of the Electoral College.
Their Democratic colleagues approached Wednesday s vote feeling both solemn about the occasion and outraged at President Donald Trump s continued efforts to undermine the will of voters.
The unusual move by about a dozen GOP senators and scores of their House colleagues to object to Biden s victory in a handful of pivotal states has consumed Washington in recent days. It was shaping up as something of a last stand for the outgoing president s congressional backers.