US Foreign Policy

• Trump nominates US Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft to be the Ambassador to the UN. [Link]
• Mikhail Gorbachev warns about the concerning status of nuclear weapons treaties. [Link]
• Pat Buchanan explains how foolish it would be for the US to attempt regime change in Iran or Venezuela. [Link]
• At the Munich meeting, EUCOM leader General Scaparrotti told Sen Lindsey Graham that leaving Syria would be a disaster. [Link] Senator Graham also yelled at acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan. [Link]
• Andrew Bacevich on American losing its position as Hegemon. [Link]

Venezuela

• A video surfaces showing Venezuelan opposition setting an aid truck on fire with a molotov cocktail. Initial reporting suggested the Venezuelan government was responsible for setting the truck on fire. The truck as part of a US operation on Saturday to bring aid into Venezuelan in defiance of the Venezuelan government. [Link]
• Vice President Mike Pence announces new sanctions against Venezuela. [Link]
• The US is flying more spy planes near Venezuela. [Link]  

China

• The US sails two warships through the Taiwan Strait. [Link]
• China and Saudi Arabia sign $28 billion in economic agreements [Link]

India & Pakistan

• India will divert water that flows into Pakistan. [Link]
• Eric Margolis explains the dangers of India and Pakistan rattling their nuclear sabers. [Link]

Iran

• Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif announces his resignation. [Link]

Afghanistan

• The US carries out four airstrikes in Somalia and claims to kill two al-Shabaab fighters. [Link] In a separate strike, the US claims to kill 35 al-Shabaab fighters. [Link]  
• In 2018, peace agreements reduced fighting in South Sudan. However, the humanitarian crisis did not improve. [Link]
• Sudan’s President Bashir declares a state of emergency and dissolves the government. [Link]
• Unidentified gunmen killed three UN Peacekeepers in Mali. [Link]