Derek Chollet
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Articles by Derek Chollet
View / For investors, the Iran war redefined energy security
Nearly eight months of war in Iran have produced one of the most severe energy shocks in decades, exposing a sharp divide between the countries that absorbed it with surprising ease and those forced into painful tradeoffs. Resilience, it turns out, comes less from any single technology or policy than from systems-level thinking, long-term investment, and deliberate planning. The countries that coped best were not always those with the most energy resources.
View / The world’s new energy security age Original
The View From Dr. Sarah Kapnick and Derek Chollet Energy prices are volatile as the Iran conflict has disrupted flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping insurance premiums are surging and tanker routes are shifting. Major countries such as India are having to ration oil and gas, which, until recently, were projected to be in surplus. Even before any major infrastructure has been directly struck, geopolitical risk has grown. Yet the significance of this moment goes beyond another oil-price spike.
Inclusive, democratic future for Myanmar
Three years after Myanmar’s military seized power from a democratically elected government, the armed conflict in the country might appear intractable. The consequences have indeed been horrific: Tens of thousands of pro-democracy advocates have been killed, imprisoned, or forced to flee their homeland. Villages have been decimated by the military’s aerial assaults on civilian populations.
Supporting an inclusive and democratic future for Myanmar
THREE years after Myanmar’s military seized power from a democratically elected government, the armed conflict in the country might appear intractable. The consequences have indeed been horrific: tens of thousands of pro-democracy advocates have been killed, imprisoned or forced to flee their homeland. Villages have been decimated by the military’s aerial assaults on civilian populations.
USAs vedvarende forpliktelser i Arktis
Meninger Dette er et debattinnlegg. Innlegget gir uttrykk for skribentens holdninger. USA er en stolt arktisk nasjon og vi tar vår rolle som en av regionens forvaltere på alvor. Med en ny nasjonal strategi for Arktis og ved å opprette flere høytstående stillinger for å fremme våre interesser, deriblant den første amerikanske reisende ambassadør for Arktis, demonstrerer vi våre forpliktelser til denne vitale regionen i endring – som bare vil bli viktigere i årene som kommer.
Partnering with ASEAN to Promote Peace in Myanmar
HOME ARTICLES Partnering with ASEAN to Promote Peace in Myanmar The United States stands ready to work with ASEAN and other partners in the region to bring about the return of stability and prosperity in Myanmar. In the fall of 2022, United States President Joseph Biden travelled to Cambodia to mark the beginning of a “new era” in the relationship between the United States and Southeast Asia.
Backing Ukraine Against Russia, With Colin Kahl and Derek Chollet
February 24, 2023 Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl and Counselor to the Secretary of State Derek Chollet join the show to reflect on the war one year after Russia’s brutal invasion and the commencement of Ukraine’s monumental resistance. In a wide-ranging, hour-long conversation, the two respond to Ryan’s questions about the arming of Ukraine, sanctions, choices about certain platforms and munitions, China, India, America’s staying power, and much more.
Team due this week as US deepens engagement
15 Feb, 2023 15 Feb, 2023 15 Feb, 2023 Updated 14 Feb, 2023 Updated 15 Feb, 2023 It is unfortunate that no govt has ever had the political will to resolve Pakistan's economic issues.15 Feb, 2023 IT is telling of the vitiated state of Pakistan’s present-day politics that even outlining a bare minimum ‘code.15 Feb, 2023 THE PDM government appears hell-bent on clubbing its opponents, particularly those belonging to the PTI, with the .Updated 14 Feb, 2023 The Bajwa doctrine must be reassessed,...
Russische Propaganda: Muss Ukraine für US-Waffen zahlen?
Muss die Ukraine die US-Waffenlieferungen zurückzahlen? Tatsächlich wurde vom US-Kongress 2022 ein Leih- und Pachtgesetz verabschiedet. Was ist dran an der Propaganda? Sind die US-Waffenlieferungen an die Ukraine nur geliehen? Solche Vermutungen kursieren im Netz. Auf den ersten Blick mag es so scheinen. Tatsächlich gibt es das sogenannte Leih- und Pachtgesetz von 2022 zur Verteidigung der Demokratie in der Ukraine (Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022), verabschiedet vom US-Kongress.
Konflikt mit Serbien: US setzt Kosovo unter Druck
Am Wochenende sprach der Berater des US-Außenministeriums, Derek Chollet, über drei Punkte, die er mit Premierminister Albin Kurti im Hinblick auf die Normalisierung der Beziehungen zwischen dem Kosovo und Serbien vor einem wichtigen Treffen am Montag (21. November) in Brüssel besprochen hatte. In einem Twitter-Beitrag erklärte Chollet, dass sie über die Vermeidung einer Eskalation der Situation zwischen dem Kosovo und Serbien gesprochen hätten.
Remembering Robert Jervis, Part I
July 12, 2022 Many of those who follow War on the Rocks and the Texas National Security Review mourned the passing of Robert Jervis, the towering scholar of international relations who defined a field and mentored generations of scholars and policymakers. Four of his close friends, colleagues, and protégés sat down to remember his legacy, his intellectual contributions, and his kindness. It is a fascinating discussion that touches on a variety of important issues related to international security.
A Conversation with the Counselor: Derek Chollet on Navigating the World
A veteran State Department official and scholar, Derek Chollet is serving as counselor to the secretary of state. He sat down with Ryan last Friday to discuss the various challenges facing U.S. foreign policy.
The Best Books on The World Since 1978
Why did you choose 1978 as a starting point? Where was the world then? I think 1978 is, in retrospect, the birth date of globalisation. We’re sitting here in Beijing, and when Deng Xiaoping came to power in 1978 and launched reform and opening, that began the process that created the colossus that is modern China.
Who Lost Libya?
A CLOSE CALL It is tempting to view the chaos in Libya today as yet one more demonstration of the futility of U.S.-led military interventions. That is precisely the case that Alan Kuperman makes in his article (“Obama’s Libya Debacle,” March/April 2015), which asserts that NATO’s 2011 intervention in Libya was “an abject failure” that set free Libya’s vast conventional weapons stockpiles, gave rise to extremist groups, and even exacerbated the conflict in Syria.
As the pandemic rages on, it's time for NATO to step up
In the spring, as COVID-19-related deaths mounted in Spain and Italy, the European Union (EU) was slow to respond. National governments imposed bans on the export of medical equipment, complicating assistance efforts. A poll in March showed that 88 percent of Italians said the EU had not done enough to support them in their hour of need. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later apologized for the delayed reaction from Brussels.
Selling F-35s to the Middle East was Never Going to be Easy
This week’s White House ceremony to mark the normalization of relations between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, marks an important chapter in Israel’s quest for peaceful ties with its Arab neighbors. But will it open a new chapter in U.S. military relations with the Gulf states? Many in Arab capitals think so.
In 2020, Eisenhower Is a Lantern in the Dark
Four months ago, as America’s monument to Dwight D. Eisenhower readied to open officially just off the national mall in Washington, the celebration was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country grappled with its greatest crisis since the era that made Ike a hero, the symbol of the kind of nation he represented and tried to build — and the global role it aspired for — stood ready, gleaming, yet temporarily shuttered, awaiting a new day. Read Full Article »
In 2020, Eisenhower Is a Lantern in the Dark
Four months ago, as America’s monument to Dwight D. Eisenhower readied to open officially just off the national mall in Washington, the celebration was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country grappled with its greatest crisis since the era that made Ike a hero, the symbol of the kind of nation he represented and tried to build — and the global role it aspired for — stood ready, gleaming, yet temporarily shuttered, awaiting a new day. Now that day has arrived.
In 2020, Eisenhower Is a Lantern in the Dark
Four months ago, as America’s monument to Dwight D. Eisenhower readied to open officially just off the national mall in Washington, the celebration was shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country grappled with its greatest crisis since the era that made Ike a hero, the symbol of the kind of nation he represented and tried to build — and the global role it aspired for — stood ready, gleaming, yet temporarily shuttered, awaiting a new day. Now that day has arrived.
In 2020, Eisenhower is a Lantern in the Dark
; SOURCE: War on the Rocks 9/8/2020 Breaking News tags: Dwight D. Eisenhower, military history, internationalism, World War 2 by Derek Chollet Derek Chollet is executive vice president of the German Marshall Fund and a former assistant secretary of defense. His next book, The Middle Way: How Three Presidents Shaped America’s Role in the World, will be published later this year. Four months ago, as America’s monument to Dwight D.
Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Academia and U.S. National Security
June 26, 2020 The United States faces a unique confluence of crises right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented economic and social impact on society, and has caused many people to reconceptualize what “national security” means. At the same time, the nation finds itself convulsed by issues of racial injustice and the response to issues in our criminal justice system.
Opinion | What military leaders can do now to prevent Trump from using them in the election
Derek Chollet was an assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs and John Gans was a chief speechwriter for the defense secretary during the Obama administration. For most of the nation’s history, Americans and the U.S. military have been able to take for granted peaceful transitions of power. People cast their ballots. The votes get counted, a new president forms a team, and a few months later, the military helps to put on a terrific inaugural parade.
Where is NATO? And Where is Trump?
The virus is destroying economies and paralyzing societies in ways Russian military planners could only dream. The coronavirus, this invisible enemy, has become the most comprehensive security challenge NATO nations have faced — destroying their economies and paralyzing their societies in ways Russian military planners could only dream. This week, NATO’s defense ministers will convene an extraordinary meeting via secure videoconference to discuss the alliance’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Review: A national security analyst looks at Trump’s foreign policy
John Kelly, a retired general then serving as White House chief of staff, listens during an Oval Office meeting in February 2018. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) User Upload Caption: John Kelly, a retired general then serving as White House chief of staff, listens during an Oval Office meeting in February 2018. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) (Jabin Botsford/Washington Post / The Virginian-Pilot) “Holy ----. This can’t last.
Book World: An inside look at Trump's foreign policy: 'This is literally insane'
Derek Chollet, The Washington Post Published 9:38 am CST, Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos Photo: Penguin Press, Handout Photo: Penguin Press, Handout Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Image 1 of 3 Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos Photo: Penguin Press, Handout Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos By Peter Bergen Penguin Press. 386 pp. $30 --- "Holy f---.
Review | An inside look at Trump’s foreign policy: ‘This is literally insane’
Derek Chollet is executive vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. and a former assistant secretary of defense. His next book is about the shared foreign policy legacy of Dwight Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama. ‘Holy f---. This can’t last.
Nearly 30 years ago the U.S. acted to protect the Kurds - and must act again now
As gunships swarmed Kurdish towns and villages, the world watched aghast as the United States abdicated its responsibilities and enabled a humanitarian catastrophe. The German Chancellor called the president and urged him to act and show "a new kind of leadership." But this did not happen last week, when the Turkish military swept into Syria in an assault against U.S.-backed Kurdish militias. It was nearly 30 years ago.
Perspective | Why Democrats shouldn’t try to beat Trump at his own game
The politics of fear can’t solve the challenges of our time. At a news conference in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said it was reprehensible for public officials to refuse to produce evidence about African American voter registration. He had dealt specifically with such defiance in Alabama and also with defiance of the law generally. (Bill Allen/AP) Derek Chollet is executive vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense.
America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11
In this episode of Horns of a Dilemma, Jim Goldgeier, professor and former dean of the American University School of International Service, and Derek Chollet, current executive vice president of the German Marshall Fund, discuss their 2008 book, America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11 and the arc of post-cold war American foreign policy. In this podcast, they’ve included another 11/9, referring not to the end of the Cold War, but to Nov. 9, 2016, the day after the election of Donald Trump.
Why Tragedy Matters in U.S. Foreign Policy
Derek Chollet Security, Americas In The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order, Hal Brands and Charles Edel argue that for the United States to succeed in a world of unrelenting challenges, its leaders should be measured by their sense of tragedy. Why Tragedy Matters in U.S. Foreign Policy Hal Brands and Charles Edel, The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019), 216 pp., $25.00. IN JANUARY 1961, Dwight D.
Why Tragedy Matters in U.S. Foreign Policy
Hal Brands and Charles Edel, The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2019), 216 pp., $25.00. IN JANUARY 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the nation for the final time as president in a speech most famous for its warning about the influence of the military-industrial complex. Yet at a deeper level, Eisenhower conveyed a sensibility he thought was disappearing from modern life—and wanted to warn of the consequences.
Commentary: The middle road is the way to go
Reflecting on the tumultuous American political landscape of the late 1960s, an eminent American statesman believed that his country faced a genuine danger from the “extremes of the Far Left and the Far Right.” He believed that the nation could do better by following a pragmatic course “great enough to accommodate all reasonable citizens, from the moderate conservative to the moderate liberal.” These are the people, he reminded readers, “who get things done.” This appeal to sanity and...
Chollet: Why all Americans should embrace centrism
By Derek Chollet Saturday May 11, 2019 at 6:38 PM Reflecting on the tumultuous American political landscape of the late 1960s, an eminent American statesman believed his country faced a genuine danger from the "extremes of the Far Left and the Far Right." He believed the nation could do better by following a pragmatic course "great enough to accommodate all reasonable citizens, from the moderate conservative to the moderate liberal." These are the people, he reminded readers, "who get things...
Commentary: The middle road is the way to go
Reflecting on the tumultuous American political landscape of the late 1960s, an eminent American statesman believed that his country faced a genuine danger from the “extremes of the Far Left and the Far Right.” He believed that the nation could do better by following a pragmatic course “great enough to accommodate all reasonable citizens, from the moderate conservative to the moderate liberal.” These are the people, he reminded readers, “who get things done.” This appeal to sanity and...
Derek Chollet: Why all Americans should embrace centrism
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Perspective | Why Democrats — and all Americans — should embrace centrism
Moderation offers a healthier pathway for America. President Dwight D. Eisenhower advocated a "Middle Way" in politics. (Wally McNamee/The Washingtonpost) Derek Chollet is executive vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense. His next book is about the shared foreign policy legacy of Dwight Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama.
It's NATO week in Washington, amid tense years for the alliance
The Trump administration and Congress will host a flurry of NATO events this week, timed to the alliance's 70th anniversary. Why it matters: The past couple of years have been tough for NATO, with Europeans still struggling to pull their own weight on defense spending and warily watching President Trump to see if he'll pull the plug on the alliance.
Perspective | Republicans threatened NATO once before. Dwight Eisenhower stopped them.
His efforts show why withdrawing would be a catastrophic blunder. Former president Dwight D. Eisenhower in November 1966. (Wally McNamee/The Washington Post) Derek Chollet is Executive Vice President of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Republicans threatened NATO once before. Dwight Eisenhower stopped them.
Derek Chollet, The Washington Post Published 3:50 pm CST, Monday, February 4, 2019 Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the unveiling of a bust of Maj. Walter Reed. Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the unveiling of a bust of Maj. Walter Reed. Photo: Washington Post Photo By Wally McNamee. Photo: Washington Post Photo By Wally McNamee. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the unveiling of a bust of Maj. Walter Reed. Former President Dwight D.
Mattis Had a Mixed Record
An honorable public servant leaves behind a messy legacy. In hindsight, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis was doomed from the beginning. As he uncomfortably watched President Donald Trump use the Pentagon’s “Hall of Heroes” as the backdrop for signing a travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries in the administration’s first week—a policy Mattis had previously opposed publicly—this obviously was not going to end well.
Don’t Be Surprised the Next Time Trump Ends a US Mission
No one knows why the president pulled the plug on Syria now, but NATO and South Korea should be worried. The news that President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria is a shock but should hardly be a surprise. Trump telegraphs his punches, and last spring he made clear he wanted to pull U.S. forces out immediately. Military commanders talked him out of it by asking for several more months. But he didn’t change his mind, and they were on the clock.
How George H.W. Bush Became a Democrat
Reflecting on the life of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, one immediately thinks of his fundamental decency, his dedication to service, his skill at relationships, and his magnanimity in victory and defeat. Yet for a politician who spent decades as a proud Republican stalwart, one of Bush’s more unexpected legacies will be his enduring inspiration as a foreign-policy leader for Democrats. Ask a Democratic foreign-policy expert which presidents they most admire.
The United States Should Give Saudi Arabia a Choice
You know the Trump administration’s efforts to salvage its approach toward Saudi Arabia are in trouble when Sen.
Forum 18 on Bob Woodward. Fear: Trump in the White House. | H-Diplo | ISSF
Anyone reading these reviews will already be familiar with the basic picture of the Donald Trump White House that Woodward presents, and even if they have not read the book most will be able to recite at least a few of the choice anecdotes. But our two reviewers highlight points that need emphasizing. They are well placed to do so.
Lessons in Presidential Leadership
WHEN DONALD Trump sat down with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last July in Brussels on the margins of the most tempestuous NATO summit ever, he started off the conversation by asserting one point of historical trivia. Among Republicans, Trump bragged, he is a more popular leader than Abraham Lincoln. According to an official who was present, Merkel answered this odd—and dubious—claim with a typically deadpan response, saying she didn’t realize there were public opinion polls in the 1860s.
Trump Officials Can’t Rescue Their Reputations With Op-Eds
It is not often that I agree with President Donald Trump, but here it goes: The anonymous author of the New York Times op-ed published last week—and those political appointees who found themselves quietly nodding along in agreement or dishing similar details to Bob Woodward—is gutless. That’s not because I find the substance of this person’s claims unbelievable or the assurance that they are acting as a “steady state” unconvincing.
The Trouble With Counter-Terrorism Partnerships: Tackling the Toughest Cases
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from “Book Review Roundtable: America’s Hot and Cold Relationship with Its Counterterrorism Partners” from our sister publication, the Texas National Security Review. Be sure to check out the full roundtable.
Book Review Roundtable: America's Hot and Cold Relationship with Its Counterterrorism Partners
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Trump’s Performance in Helsinki Shouldn’t Have Come as a Surprise
Trump’s Performance in Helsinki Shouldn’t Have Come as a Surprise BERLIN—Perhaps the biggest surprise of President Donald Trump’s wrecking-ball trip to Europe and its chaotic aftermath is that we are surprised at all. The Trump we’ve watched over the past week—from his cynical lies and gratuitous insults, to his preening and contradictions, and of course, the ugly spectacle of his unconditional respect for and abiding trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin—is nothing new.
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