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The Evening CSIS: Outposts, New CSIS Documentary, Pancho and Lefty & More
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Good Evening,

Welcome to The Evening CSIS—my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day plus HIGHLY RECOMMENDED content from around the world. To subscribe, please send me an email at aschwartz@csis.org (mailto:aschwartz@csis.org) .


** US Outposts
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The Pentagon said yesterday it will consider opening more small military outposts that would provide artillery support and other aid to Iraqi forces as they prepare to retake the northern city of Mosul from ISIS, as AP’s Lolita Baldor reports (http://bigstory.ap.org/article/161f3d2e8c354784a7983a725013b1b0/pentagon-us-may-set-more-small-outposts-iraq) .

And today, the New York Times’ Ben Hubbard and Rick Gladstone reported (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/08/world/middleeast/isis-said-to-have-kidnapped-dozens-of-workers-at-syria-cement-factory.html?ref=world) that ISIS abducted at least 170 factory workers near Damascus.

Dive Deeper: CSIS’s Anthony Cordesman authored a new commentary today: “Give Iraq a Fighting Chance (http://csis.org/publication/giving-iraq-fighting-chance) .”

Plus, the Institute for the Study of War has a new Iraq Situation report (http://post.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iraq-situation-report-march-29-april-4-2016) .


** Americans Limited Knowledge on Zika
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A poll released today by the AP and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that Americans don’t know a lot about the Zika virus—1 in 5 couldn’t say whether Zika was liked to birth defects, the AP reports (http://www.thesunchronicle.com/features/stories/poll-some-key-gaps-in-americans-knowledge-about-zika-virus/article_b675d4ce-fcec-11e5-b50b-c3600e7abe09.html) .

And, the World Health Organization today said that based on the growing body of research, the Zika virus causes microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome, as CNN reports (http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/07/health/zika-microcephaly-guillain-barre-who/index.html) .

The Obama administration said yesterday it will redirect $589 million that was to be used to deal with Ebola to prepare for the Zika virus, but as MSNBC’s Steve Benen reports (http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/white-house-challenges-congress-step-zika-threat) , the White House and Congress remain at odds on the issue.

Dive Deeper: CSIS’s Stephen Morrison today penned a new Critical Questions (CSIS’s signature asked & answered series of short analysis): “The Delayed Battle with Zika, with Hands Tied (http://csis.org/publication/delayed-battle-zika-hands-tied) .”


** CSIS Documentary Preview
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On April 22, CSIS’s Stephen Morrison and the Global Health Policy Center will release a new documentary on how Ebola was experienced in America in 2014. In collaboration with NPR’s Jacki Lyden, the CSIS documentary will be the first to focus on the US domestic response to Ebola. Here’s a 1-minute preview trailer (http:// https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czEXoak7-NE&feature=youtu.be) .


** In that Number
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** 1,500
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The number of mines that Russia has removed from Palmyra, Syria, in recent weeks. Source: Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-idUSKCN0X3103) .


** Critical Quote
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** “In the recent CSIS report, they called this [the most recent Army modernization drawdown] the triple whammy.”
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—Lt. Gen. Herbert R. McMaster, Jr. in testimony before the SASC today, quoting from CSIS’s Rhys McCormick’s piece in CSIS’s Defense 360 “The Army Modernization Challenge: A Historical Perspective (http://defense360.csis.org/army-modernization-challenge-historical-perspective-2/) .”
Source: SASC (http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/16-04-05-army-modernization) .


** One to Watch
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(Photo Credit: Twitter.)

Paul Sonne (@PaulSonne (https://twitter.com/PaulSonne) ) is the Wall Street Journal’s Pentagon correspondent. He previously served as a Moscow and London correspondent at the WSJ. For the latest defense news, Paul is one to watch.


** Optics
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The DoD christened its first ever robotic ghost ship today, reports (http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2016/04/us-christens-first-ghost-ship-and-dawn-robotic-navy/127298/?oref=d-mostread) Defense One’s Patrick Tucker. The Sea Hunter is an unmanned ship designed to track down diesel-powered submarines.


** Highly Recommended
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Via Foreign Policy, “Donald Trump Doesn’t Understand the Value of US Bases Overseas (https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/04/07/donald-trump-doesnt-understand-the-value-of-u-s-bases-overseas/) ” by CSIS’s Kathleen Hicks, Michael Green, and Heather Conley.


** This Town Tomorrow
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Johns Hopkins University is hosting an event on “U.S. Strategy for Syria, Iraq, and the Islamic State (https://portals.jhuapl.edu/rethinking/MainPage.aspx) ” with Dr. Stephen D. Biddle tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. Register here (https://portals.jhuapl.edu/rethinking/MainPage.aspx) .


** CSIS on Demand
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CSIS’s Youth, Prosperity and Security Initiative hosted “Youth 3D: Iraq's Youth and Their Future” last month. Watch it On Demand (http://csis.org/event/youth-3d-iraqs-youth-and-their-future) .


** Sounds
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The latest CSIS AMTI Podcast “Itu Aba and Taiwan’s Amicus Brief (http://amti.csis.org/podcast/) ” explores Itu Aba, an island in the South China Sea occupied by Taiwan, and brings together two of the authors of Taiwan’s recent amicus brief on Itu Aba.


** I Like It Like That
Eye-catching things in CSIS's orbit
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The National Father’s Day Council today announced (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160407005206/en/Vice-President-Joe-Biden-Honored-Milestone-75th) that it will honor Vice President Biden with a “Father of the Year” award. The vice president deserves that honor and more. He should also be “Grandfather of the Year.”


** Smiles
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“They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose…”

Merle Haggard made a lot of people smile for a long time. His authenticity and immense influence on American music is immeasurable. 38 of his songs hit number 1 on the country charts. 38. But rock fans and other rock bands were just as into his music. He was an icon.

When Haggard and Willie Nelson sang the Townes Van Zandt masterpiece “Pancho and Lefty,” it seemed like the whole world took notice. This performance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iloyyrVt7EM) gives me chills.

Willie Nelson said yesterday that he had lost a brother.

Daniel Lanois, whose music we have been exploring is another Willie Nelson brother. He taught Willie and Emmylou Harris how to sing his song “The Maker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aur5KEaNtKc) .” It would make me smile if they played it for Merle.


** Feedback
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I always welcome and benefit from your feedback. Please drop me a line at aschwartz@csis.org.


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