The Evening: Mystery Drones, Assad Wanted to Fight, Turnpike Troubadours, and More

Newsletter - December 16, 2024

Mystery Drone Sightings Continue in New Jersey and Across the U.S.

A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey and have been spotted in recent days across the eastern U.S., sparking speculation and concern over where they are coming from and why, as The Washington Post reports.

Assad Wanted to Stay and Fight

Maneuvering for the future of Syria intensified on Monday after its new leaders met with foreign diplomats, and its ousted former president, Bashar al-Assad, said in what appeared to be his first public remarks since fleeing the country that he had wanted to stay and fight as, the NYT reports.

Germany Headed for Early Elections

Germany is heading for early elections after Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence, ending his fractious coalition government at a time of strain for the Eurozone's largest economy, as the FT reports.

Trump and SoftBank CEO Unveil $100 Billion Investment in U.S.

President-elect Trump and SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son jointly announced Monday that SoftBank plans to invest at least $100 billion in U.S. projects over the next four years, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

From production to procurement, explore the defense acquisition process with Mapping the U.S. DOD Acquisition Ecosystem. Join us at CSIS in-person or virtually on February 11 for a deep dive into the requirements process, funding stages, and how the government acquires and maintains capabilities. Registration closes January 31.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers full audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Victor Cha and Ellen Kim, "The Next Critical Step in South Korea's Impeachment: The Constitutional Court."

In That Number

$100 billion

President-elect Donald Trump joined SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son to announce plans by the Japanese company to invest $100 billion in U.S. projects over the next four years.
Source: AP

Critical Quote

As the field situation in the area continued to deteriorate, the Russian military base itself came under intensified attack by drone strikes. With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested that the base's command arrange an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday Dec. 8.

- Bashar al-Assad

iDeas Lab

The CSIS Defense and Security Department is exploring how the United States can live up to its core foreign policy goals in a rapidly changing national security landscape. DSD brings together top scholars to propose practical policy solutions to strengthen U.S. national security. Learn more here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

Photo: Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images

Protesters celebrate in front of National Assembly as the parliament votes to impeach South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol over his decision to impose a martial law, on December 14, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea.

Recommended Reading

"Why Are There So Many Unexplained Drones Flying Over the United States?" by CSIS's Clayton Swope.

This Town Tomorrow

Beginning at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Aerospace Security Program hosts a conference celebrating the U.S. Space Force, featuring keynotes from Chief of Space Operations General B. Chance Saltzman and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX.

Then, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses South Korea's current political crisis after President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law on December 3.

Later, at 1:00 p.m., the CSIS Defending Democratic Institutions Project hosts a virtual fireside conversation with Leon Panetta, the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Defense, on the critical role of civics education in today's society.

Video

Last week, the CSIS hosted a conversation with former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security Sherri Goodman and former Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon on Goodman's new book, Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership, and the Fight for Global Security. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Image

Last week, CSIS's Norman Roule, who served for thirty-four years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing significant programs relating to the Middle East, joined the podcast to discuss the actors that enabled the Assad regime to survive for so long, how bureaucratic rot in Russia and Iran enabled Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to move south so quickly, and actions the U.S. can take to support peace in the region.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

Country and Western, honkytonk, roots rock, Americana…whatever you want to call it, the Turnpike Troubadours out of Tahlequah, Oklahoma make music that sure is a smile.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz