Political Brief: Israel-Iran escalation, bad jobs report, details on the prisoner swap, riots in the UK
Dear Friends,
I (Michael) finished reading Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet yesterday, and found it absolutely riveting. The books might be personally decade-defining for my 30s in the same way Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go was for my 20s and The Great Gatsby for my teens. I can’t wait to pick the books back up again in a year or two.
Let us know what you’re reading this summer.
This is Wear We Are,
Michael & Melissa
What you should know this week:
War has escalated between Hezbollah and Israel over the last few days. Rockets from Lebanon are hitting Israel’s iron dome and Israel has returned fire. (NYT) Sec. of State Antony Blinken convened a G7 call yesterday to warn leaders that the US expects Iran to attack Israel today in retaliation for killing Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. The US wants allies to help reinforce a message of restraint with Iran, Hezbollah, and Israel. (Axios) The US military sent additional fighter squadron and more warships to the region to prepare over the weekend. (ABC)
Late last week, 24 prisoners were swapped between the US and Russia in a historic feat of diplomacy. Americans who were released are now home. President Biden and his administration are being given credit for conducting delicate conversations with allies like Germany and Slovenia to make the swap happen. (BBC) Jake Sullivan did an interview with Politico to give an insider perspective on how the swap came together.
It’s actually hard to describe how meaningful it was because I felt like it was something of actual policy and strategic consequence, but combined with it being of just overriding human consequence. It was about people, individuals, and it really came home for me standing in the Oval Office when the president was talking to Vladimir Kara-Murza on the phone, and Vladimir said to him, “I thought I was going to die in a Russian prison.” And it struck me that there are larger things that come out of this, in terms of our alliance, in terms of our values, and living them out. I got a little emotional at the podium and then tried to strike it from the record. So, I’m pretty overwhelmed. - Jake Sullivan
There is concern this week that the American economy is headed for a recession following last week’s jobs report, and a downturn in the markets in Asia and Europe. The U.S. stock market took a big hit today. (AP)
In Trump’s DC-based case, Judge Tanya Chutkan denied former President Trump’s motion to dismiss the case based on selective and vindictive prosecution. Judge Chutkan said she found no evidence of vindictive prosecutor behavior when they brought their case against Trump. A hearing is now set for August 16th. (ABC)
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