Today's D Brief: Biden takes world stage; NATO boosts Iraq force; New ICE priorities; Space lasers; And a bit more.
By Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
February 19, 2021
The D Brief
U.S. President Joe Biden’s first big day of international exposure kicks off today with a virtual meeting of G-7 leaders, followed by another virtual appearance at the annual Munich Security Conference, which runs through the noon hour East Coast time.
What to expect: Biden will announce a $4 billion U.S. investment in COVID-19 vaccine access to poor and developing nations, and he’ll promote the U.S. re-entry into the so-called Iran nuclear deal, White House officials told reporters Thursday. He’s also expected to elaborate somewhat on America’s security considerations when it comes to Russia, China and the war in Afghanistan, the Associated Press reports in a preview.
Quick note on the G-7’s influence: The combined GDP of the seven members — the U.S., U.K., Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Canada — adds up to about $40 trillion, which is just under half of the global economy, according to Reuters.
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/02/the-d-brief-february-19-2021/172159/
