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Wednesday's global agenda: Afghan debate heats up
Your morning global affairs speed-read
Some Obama administration insiders are pushing for a minimal residual force in Afghanistan after 2014 as President Hamid Karzai prepares to meet with the president and members of his Cabinet this week. The leaks come as Obama's three picks to lead his national-security team — John Brennan at the CIA, Chuck Hagel at Defense and John Kerry at State — are widely seen as evidence of the president's preference for a less interventionist U.S. foreign policy in his second term.
Karzai is scheduled to meet with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday, before meeting with President Obama at the White House on Friday. His finance minister, Omar Zakhilwal, meets with Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin today. Zakhilwal is also scheduled to meet today with Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and Melanie Verveer, the State Department's ambassador-at-large for global women's issues.
Following Karzai's visit, Panetta departs Monday for a weeklong trip to Portugal, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, where he will meet with his defense counterparts and discuss the mission in Afghanistan.
Be very afraid: Not sure what to be most worried about in 2013? The helpful folks at the Council on Foreign Relations' Center for Preventive Action give you the lowdown at a briefing this afternoon.
Joining forces: The left-leaning Truman National Security Project today will announce a new partnership with the Center for National Policy (CNP), a well-established national and economic-security think tank.
In other news:
The Obama administration is accusing Iran of hacking U.S. banks. [The New York Times]
U.S. foe Hugo Chavez won't attend his swearing-in ceremony for a new term as Venezuela's president Thursday because he is ailing from cancer. [Bloomberg]
U.S. troops deployed to Turkey on Wednesday in support of NATO's Patriot-armed missile defense mission at the border with Syria. [American Forces Press Service]
Are you smarter than a U.S. diplomat? asks The Christian Science Monitor.
Lobbying and regulations:
The U.S. State Department waived the provisions of the 1987 Anti-Terrorism Act for the Palestine Liberation Organization Office.
Global Affairs news you might have missed:
Pro-Israel hawk gets top spot on House Foreign Affairs new Middle East panel
Clinton expected to testify on Benghazi attack in two weeks, sources say
US puts $10 million bounty on accused killers of USAID employees
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