Foreign Policy

Next week, we will continue our periodic discussion of immigration reform. This time, it will be in the context of the “crisis” (“situation”) involving the recent acceleration of unaccompanied children crossing our southern border.

• What should be done with the children currently being held in the US?
• Many say “border security” should be “strengthened.” What does this really mean? What should it?
• What can be done to alleviate future illegal immigration?
  • Border security
  • Actions in the “source” countries
  • Changing the outcomes for immigrants entering the US illegally

There is lots of current press (and statements from the Administration and Congress on the subject), so read up before Monday.

On Monday, we’ll turn our attention to (at least) two topics recently in the news:

First, the developing story of the circumstances around the Beau Bergdahl prisoner exchange. There are numerous questions raised in the wake of the exchange, many voiced by members of both parties:

1. Should the Administration have followed the law requiring 30 days’ notice before transferring any prisoners out of Guantanamo?
2. Was this an appropriate “trade” (i.e., five Taliban for one soldier)? To what degree does this action send a signal that such trades will be contemplated in the future and, thereby, heighten the risk of future hostage-taking?
3. Was the Administration’s “PR” appropriate in the context of the questions around the circumstances of Bergdahl’s service and his capture by the Taliban? Or should it have been less political and more muted?

Second, we’ll revisit the Asia-Pacific region, prompted by the recent security summit in Singapore at which, as The Diplomat (below) points out, a variety of “squabbles” were aired.

Questions for the group: How’s the “pivot” working for us now? And how should we think about the growing friendship between Russia and China?

The Diplomat article
BBC article

See you Monday!