Current Issues

There are a multitude of current ongoing issues that the U.S. is facing and must strategize for in the world today. Firstly, President Bashar Al Assad of Syria presents an enormous threat to the international community. He has destabilized the Middle East and has connections to President Vladimir Putin, which enables Russia to meddle into Middle East affairs as well.1 This counterbalance to the U.S. hinders American influence in the region. Additionally, President Assad has created a refugee crisis through the Syrian Civil War. Horrific images of children who are victims of Assad’s chemical attacks haunt the world at large.2 Lastly, Europe has suffered enormously from the mass migrations across the Mediterranean, which poses a security threat to the European Union, a U.S. partner.3

Inadequate cyber security has further posed to be an impediment to U.S. interests and security. Russian election interference greatly undermined confidence in the integrity of the U.S. election. Additionally, China sponsored hacking groups have stolen billions of dollars worth of intellectual property by targeting private U.S. companies.4 Most recently, it was revealed that individuals in Russia led what is widely considered to be the worst cyber attack on U.S. federal agencies in history.5 All of these attacks have certainly led to the loss of an enormous amount of data pertinent to U.S. security interests. 

China is a security issue in a second regard as well. Chinese influence in South East Asia continues to expand. In the South China Sea, the development of islands that further grows their territorial claims has limited American freedom to navigate the ocean.6 Despite initial promises to keep only civilian interests on these new islands, images show that military assets have indeed been positioned on the new land.7 This perhaps may become the most pressing current issue that the U.S. must deal with. Unlike many other current issues, China has an immense amount of credibility in the international community. It holds a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and also has nuclear capabilities. More recently, it has been shown that Chinese spies have gotten close to Americans with ties to the U.S. government. In fact, it was recently exposed that Representative Eric Swalwell (and failed presidential candidate) developed romantic relations with a Chinese spy. Swalwell sits on the House Intelligence Committee, which handles an immense amount of classified information vital to the national security of the United States.

Nuclear proliferation is another concerning issue that is a risk to international security. Iran and North Korea both aim to develop nuclear weapons capable of being fired with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). With this technology, they would have much greater bargaining capacity with the U.S. and their spheres of influence would extend greatly. Furthermore, members of the international community would be under constant threat of destruction. Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly said that he wishes for the destruction of Israel and its people.8 Likewise on the Korean Peninsula, Kim Jong Un has threatened nuking the United States. It is especially concerning as there are 28,500 troops within easy striking distance of North Korea.9 Kim Jong Un further provokes Western powers through his military parades that keep nuclear war much on the minds of America and its allies.

Lastly is the issue of wide spread migration due to climate change. Climate change has caused a refugee crisis. The crisis is a result of rising water levels and dryness. Multiple small islands have seen population displacement due to it not being livable anymore. Also, many states in continental Africa lack water which has many subsequent effects such as food scarcity due to agricultural development not being feasible. As a result, some of those most impacted in Africa, particularly in Somalia, have turned to extremist groups and engaged in terror campaigns. It is quite often that one reads in the news about Somali pirates who hijacked an oil ship off the coast of Somalia.10

 

  1. Miller, Chris. “After Five Years of Fighting in Syria, Putin Has Gotten What He Wants.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 8 Oct. 2020, foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/08/after-five-years-of-fighting-in-syria-putin-has-gotten-what-he-wants/.
  2. Shaikh-Lesko, Rina. “Children Face The Greatest Danger From Chemical Weapons.” NPR, NPR, 9 Apr. 2018, www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/04/09/600833043/children-face-the-greatest-danger-from-chemical-weapons.
  3. Gauthier-Villars, David. “Refugees Stream Across Turkey, Trying to Enter the EU.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 4 Mar. 2020, www.wsj.com/articles/refugees-stream-across-turkey-in-bid-to-enter-eu-a-baby-in-an-isotherm-bag-11583319603.
  4. Benner, Katie, and Nicole Perlroth. “China-Backed Hackers Broke Into 100 Firms and Agencies, U.S. Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Sept. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/09/16/us/politics/china-hackers.html.
  5. Smith, David. “US Scrambling to Understand Fallout of Suspected Russia Hack.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 18 Dec. 2020, www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/18/us-russia-hack-cyber-attack-federal-agencies-congress.
  6. Kuok, Lynn. “China Is Winning in the South China Sea.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 17 July 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/china-is-winning-in-the-south-china-sea-1531868329.   
  7. Grossman, Derek. “Military Build Up in the South China Sea.” RAND, RAND Corporation, 22 Jan. 2020, www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/external_publications/EP60000/ EP68058/RAND_EP68058.pdf.
  8. Vahdat, Amir. “Iran Leader Says Israel a ‘Cancerous Tumor’ to Be Destroyed.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 22 May 2020, apnews.com/article/a033042303545d9ef783a95222d51b83.
  9. Shinkman, Paul D. “North Korea Threatens U.S.: Nuclear Attack ‘The Only Option Left’.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 26 June 2020,  www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2020-06-26/north-korea-threatens-us-with-nuclear-attack.
  10. Elias, Barbara. “Somalia, Climate Change and Conflict” International Security. December 8, 2020. Lecture.

Image Source:

  1. Davey Winder, “Cyber Attack On U.K. Electricity Market Confirmed: National Grid Investigates,” Forbes, accessed December 19, 2020, https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/05/15/cyber-attack-on-uk-electricity-market-confirmed-national-grid-investigates/.
  2. Goldberg, Mark Leon. “In Somalia, There Is a Dangerous Nexus between Climate Change and Violent Conflict.” UN Dispatch, 8 Aug. 2017, www.undispatch.com/somalia-dangerous-nexus-climate-change-violent-conflict/.