Thursday Reads

Washington vs. Tehran, American grand strategy, and more. Thursday Reads February 8, 2024 Want to book an interview with our authors or experts? [Click here](. Why Iran Won't Back Down to Joe Biden by Dov S. Zakheim Iran behaves as if it is a safe haven because it has thus far successfully deterred an American attack on its soil. [Read it here](. America's Biggest Foreign Policy Weakness: No Grand Strategy by Michael C. DiCianna To the extent that a U.S. grand strategy exists, it seems to be the hope that things don’t deteriorate further. [Read it here](. Can China Protect its Nationals in the Middle East? by Mordechai Chaziza Rising violence against Chinese citizens and assets in the Middle East raises domestic pressure on Beijing, posing a potential challenge to China's traditional non-interference policy. [Read it here](. Joe Biden’s Sham UNRWA Funding Freeze by Victoria Coates & Brett D. Schaefer Critics of the U.S. State Department’s “temporary pause” of additional funding for UNRWA act as if the organization will suffer a harsh financial blow. It won’t—at least not in the short term. [Read it here](. PODCAST: Overcoming America’s Nuclear Energy Challenges w/ John Deutch Despite initial optimism about nuclear energy in the fight against climate change, recent setbacks have dampened expectations for rapid nuclear energy expansion in the United States. America today faces significant hurdles in extending the operational lifespan of its existing nuclear reactors, reducing construction costs, and fostering investment in new nuclear technologies. On this episode, Jacob Heilbrunn speaks with John Deutch, an emeritus Institute Professor at MIT who has served as director of energy research, deputy secretary of energy, deputy secretary of defense and director of central intelligence in the Clinton administration. Deutch recently wrote a piece for The National Interest titled "[COP28’s Nuclear Energy Promise Is Still a Long Way Off]( Listen now on [Apple]( [Spotify]( or wherever you get your podcasts. [Spotify]( [Spotify]( [RSS]( [RSS]( [SoundCloud]( [SoundCloud]( [YouTube]( [YouTube]( [Apple]( [Apple]( Copyright © 2024 Center for the National Interest, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in for our daily newsletter or registered at an event. Our mailing address is: Center for the National Interest 1025 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 709Washington, DC 20036 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list]( Want to subscribe to our mailing list? [Click here](.