Month: February 2021
Stevenson’s army, February 16
– CNN has a typical day.
– WSJ’s Seib says he’s blending economic and foreign policy.
– WSJ says DOD is going big on robotics.
-CNAS writer has good to-do list for SecDef Austin.
– Erdogan blasts US for support to Kurds.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
Arms trafficking: more breach than observance
An event at the Atlantic Council on February 4 discussed the measures and mitigation techniques for illicit transfer of arms and weaponry around the world. The event was prompted by a report published by the Atlantic Council, authored by investigative journalist Tim Michetti, which followed materiel procurement by a network of militants operating in Bahrain, specifically activities carried out by Iran. The report can be read here. The prompting questions for the discussion were based on how to prevent and disrupt the flow of international illicit weapons flows as well as strengthening arms embargos. Further topics of discussion analyzed specific examples of illicit transfers of weapons in different regions, as well as the policy implications and a road map to alleviate these weapon flows.
Speakers:
Time Michetti: Investigative Researcher on Illicit Weapon Transfers
Rachel Stohl: Vice President for Conventional Defense, Stimson Center
Jay Bahadur: Investigator, Author and Former Coordinator of the UN Panel of Experts on Somalia
David Mortlock: Nonresident Fellow, Global Energy Center
Norman Roule (Moderator): Former National Intelligence Manager for Iran, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Challenges:
Moderator Norman Roule opened the discussion noting that the major concern revolves around Iran’s transfer of illegal weaponry throughout the Middle East, while also noting the consequences for regional geopolitical relations, reaching East Africa as well. Iran has provided weapons to Syria, which provoked a sort of “forever war” with Israel, as well as provided precision weapons and missiles to the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Tim Michetti’s report on Illicit Iranian Weapon’s Transfers analyzes the mode of entry, either by land or by maritime means. The report analyzed the weapons in comparison to those that were taken from regional conflicts in order to trace the materiel back to Iran. This work established a guide for how materiel from different regions could be traced back to actors based on their characteristics, which are unique to each country that they are manufactured in. Michetti’s report on Bahrain is one of many examples of the illicit weapons flows in the Middle East and sets the stage for future investigations on how the linkages between illicit weapons and where they end up can be made.
Jay Bahadur discussed an illicit weapons seizure by the Saudi Arabian navy in the Arabian Sea in June 2020 that discovered Chinese- made assault rifles and missiles, along with other weaponry that was believed to be manufactured in Iran. This seizure was not the first of this type, as the Saudis have intercepted multiple ships in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea since 2015, many of which have been traced back to Iran, where the weapons originated. These weapon transfers have exacerbated the conflict in Yemen, while also potentially destabilizing East African countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Eritrea.
Historically, disrupting commercial trafficking of small arms and light weapons has been a secondary priority to counterterrorism, but according to Jay Bahadur this approach ignores the overlap that often exists between arms trafficking and terrorism.
International Regulation
According to Rachel Stohl, the Arms Trade Treaty and the Firearms Protocol form the international legal framework for weapons transfers. Several voluntary groups and committees exist as well, in the United Nations and elsewhere. Synergy among these groups and treaties can improve transparency and responsibility in the global arms trade. The treaty mechanisms are only meaningful if they are implemented and signatories held accountable. In the Middle East and Horn of Africa, fewer than than 20 percent of countries are parties to the international treaties. Stohl emphasized the need to hold countries and industry actors accountable, as the consequences of illicit weapons transfers coincide with other illicit activities such as terrorism, trafficking, and illegal trading of goods.
David Mortlock noted that the international systems in place to combat illicit weapons transfers depend on member-state governments to uphold them. Sanctions should be considered to hold governments accountable. They can increase the operational costs for groups transferring weapons illicitly, but the UN and European Union have not wanted to sanction Iran to the extent the United States has. As noted by Roule, the United States, particularly the Trump Administration, had a vastly different perspective on countering Iran compared to the rest of the international community.
Stevenson’s army, February 15: earmarks edition
– NYT reports that the Taliban have encircled several Afghan cities.
– FT columnist says Bitcoin rise means reduced role and influence of the dollar.
– Military authors describe legal efforts to limit civilian casualties.
– Punchbowl explains return of earmarks:
Democrats are bringing earmarks back. And they’re trying to clean them up.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the new chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations panels, will announce in the coming weeks that Democrats will reinstate earmarks — also known as “member-directed spending” — in next fiscal year’s spending bills.
Democrats say they will be transparent and disclose the details of each earmark — who requested it, and which entity would get the money. Members cannot request earmarks for entities to which they have financial ties. And Congress will not allow earmarks for for-profit institutions, such as private companies. Earmarks will be limited to state and local governments and nonprofits that carry out quasi-government functions. There will be limits on how much of each spending bill can be allocated toward earmarks.
Some lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), have been arguing for years that Congress should bring back earmarks. The idea is to give members of Congress a personal stake in spending bills.
Hoyer and other pro-earmark lawmakers also argue that no one knows the needs of a state or congressional district better than the people who represent them in Congress.
DeLauro, who publicly supported reinstating earmarks in her campaign for the Appropriations gavel, is expected to make a formal announcement as soon as next week, when Congress returns from the Presidents’ Day recess.
“Chair DeLauro has been clear that she supports Member-directed funding for community projects,” said Evan Hollander, communications director for the House Appropriations Committee, in a statement. “She is working through the details of a reformed process, and will share additional information with Members and the public in the coming weeks.”
“Chairman Leahy has been clear about his intent to restore congressionally directed spending in a transparent and accountable way as part Congress’ constitutional power of the purse,” said Jay Tilton, press secretary for the Senate Appropriations panel.
How will this impact D.C.? This is a big deal for a lot of reasons. This will rejuvenate a whole line of business for lobbying shops. Appropriations lobbying was once a very lucrative corner of the influence market — that will come back now.
Here’s a question worth pondering: will House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy allow his lawmakers to take earmarks, or will he use this as an opportunity to try to set Republicans apart? Rule 30 of the House GOP rules ban Republicans requesting earmarks. But there are many Republicans who will want to change that given the shifting politics.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
What Kosovo needs now is not only Serbian recognition
Kosovo’s early elections have produced, as expected, a clear victory for Vetevendosje (VV or “Self-Determination”). According to preliminary results, it has won close to 48% and a commanding lead of something over 50 seats in the 120-seata Kosovo Assembly.
This is Albin Kurti’s moment. The still young, articulate VV leader had a couple of months in the Prime Minister’s chair last year. The Trump Administration didn’t like his insistence on reciprocity with Serbia or his skepticism about Trump’s bizarre choice of an American envoy. Washington took advantage of a squabble within his coalition to bring him down. That isn’t likely this time around, not only because of VV’s strong showing at the polls but also because Trump is gone. The Biden Administration will at least try to be respectful of Kosovo’s democracy.
That however won’t save Albin from a bigger challenge: constructing the kind of majority in parliament that will enable election of a new president as well as a strong position in negotiations with Serbia. Both in practice require a two-thirds majority. Part of the difference will come from ethnic minority parties, but at least one more Albanian-based party will be needed. Two obvious candidates both have a bad history with VV: the LDK, running a poor third in yesterday’s election, brought down Albin’s short-lived coalition last year and VV has been a stern critic of the second-place Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), in particular its now-indicted former President Hashim Thaci. Ramush Haradinaj’s Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) will not have enough seats to get VV to two-thirds, but it would be step in that direction.
Kosovo’s parliamentary system has often produced long inter-regna. Albin could cut this one short by acting unilaterally, but that might make forming the necessary coalition later more difficult rather than less. Negotiations with Serbia and electing a new president will not be top priorities for VV. Albin would prefer to focus on his campaign priorities: jobs and justice. That will not be easy, as Covid-19 has hit the Kosovo economy hard and reform of the justice system is a long-term project. The Americans and Europeans will be trying to get Pristina to engage as soon as possible on the dialogue with Belgrade, which faces presidential and likely parliamentary elections by April 2022 (and possibly earlier). No serious negotiations with Serbia will be possible after the end of this year.
Though the EU aims at it, there is little prospect of a “final” agreement within that timeframe. Serbian President Vucic has made eminently clear he will not recognize Kosovo before his re-election, if then. Some interim confidence-building steps might be possible, focused on missing people from the 1999 war and implementation of the several dozen existing agreements between Belgrade and Pristina, few of which have been executed to the satisfaction of both capitals. In any event, Pristina will need to be ready to walk away from a bad agreement in order to get a good one. Albin would do well to match Vucic’s reluctance.
A more comprehensive agreement is however needed. Serbia’s refusal to recognize its erstwhile “autonomous province” leaves Kosovo in international limbo with unclear and unmarked borders, enabling Serbia to undermine its statehood, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. But it also leaves Serbia without the “good neighborly relations” required for EU membership. The two capitals would do well to contemplate seriously the much-mentioned German/German solution, which entailed UN membership for the German Democratic Republic as well as ambassadorial-level representation in both capitals but no formal recognition. No one who knows Kosovo would expect the longer-term outcome to be like Germany’s (i.e. re-incorporation of Kosovo into Serbia).
If Kurti, either as leader of VV or prime minister, is even modestly successful in using the next couple of years to deliver on “jobs and justice,” Kosovo will find itself in a far stronger position to negotiate successfully with Serbia. A stronger economy and a judicial system that can handle both inter-ethnic crime and high-level corruption would make both Washington and Brussels more unequivocal in their support. Success would also enable a stronger position on reciprocity with Belgrade. Albin Kurti has big shoes to fill: his own.
Peace Picks | February 15 – February 19, 2021
Notice: Due to public health concerns, upcoming events are only available via live stream.
- Iraq: A Road Map for Recovery | February 16, 2021 | 9:00 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Iraq faces a range of complex and interrelated challenges across the political, socioeconomic, and security sectors. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Atlantic Council’s Iraq Initiative, with support from DT Institute, convened a US-Europe-Iraq Track II Dialogue beginning in March 2020 and continued through virtual venues through December 2020. The dialogue brought together experts from the United States, Europe, and Iraq for a series of workshops to identify policies to help address Iraq’s cross-sector governance challenges. The attendees included a mix of former and current high-level officials and experts, all of whom are committed to a better future for Iraq.
In a new report, Iraq: A roadmap for recovery, Dr. C. Anthony Pfaff outlines some of the most important discussions, findings, and recommendations of the dialogue. The panel will explore some of the most important discussions of the working groups and share recommendations to support the government of Iraq on its road to recovery.
A link to the meeting will be sent to those who register to attend. The event is open to press and on-the-record.
Speakers:
Dr. Dhiaa Al-Asadi: Former Member of Iraqi Council of Representatives
Amb. Ramon Blecua: Former European Union Ambassador to Iraq
Amb. Feisal Al-Istrabadi: Founding Director, Center for the Study of the Middle East; Professor of the Practice of International Law and Diplomacy, Indiana University, Bloomington
Amb. Rend Al-Rahim: President, Iraq Foundation;
Former Ambassador of Iraq to the United States
Mr. Olin Wethington: Founder and Chairman
Wethington International LLC
Ms. Louisa Loveluck (Moderator): Baghdad Bureau Chief
The Washington Post
2. MENA’s Economic Outlook 2021: Challenges and Opportunities February 16, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Wilson Center| Register Here
This is a critical year to revisit economic hopes for the region. The COVID-19 epidemic will continue to constrict national GDPs and as vaccinations accelerate, countries will be looking beyond survival to recovery. The incoming Biden administration will be in the early stages of formulating its Middle East strategy, of which economic development will play a central role. Policy makers will need a carefully considered approach to dealing with a region in the midst of economic and political transformation. We believe this discussion will provide much needed clarity on key questions regarding economic opportunities and challenges facing MENA countries.
Speakers:
Jihad Azour: Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund
James F. Jeffrey: Chair of the Middle East Program;
Former ambassador to Iraq and Turkey, and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS
Merissa Khurma (Moderator): Program Director, Middle East Program
3. Croatia: Opportunities and Obstacles to Peace and Economic Growth in the Balkans | February 17, 2021 | 1:00 PM ET | The Hoover Institution |Register Here
In this ninth episode of Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović discuss education reform, peacebuilding in the Balkans, and strategies to achieve energy security and combat cyber-enabled information warfare.
H.R. McMaster in conversation with Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, First female President of the Republic of Croatia (2015- 2020)
Speakers:
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović: Former President of the Republic of Croatia (2015- 2020).
H.R McMaster (Moderator): Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
4. Building an Army Ready for Great Power Competition | February 17, 2021 | 1:30 PM ET | The Heritage Foundation | Register Here
The Army is aggressively preparing for Great Power Competition by moving beyond incremental improvements and making transformational changes across the entire force. Most notably, the Army announced People as their #1 priority, enabling resources to efforts that take care of people and transform how to manage talent. Army transformation includes implementing new doctrine, new organizations, new ways to train, modern equipment, and how the Army competes around the world. Just recently, the Army announced a new model called Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM) to balance priorities and requirements. These changes ensure the Army maintains strength for the Great Power Competition environment already on the horizon.
As the Army moves into 2021 there are, however, some storm clouds on the horizon. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley recently predicted “a lot of bloodletting” as the Pentagon tries to fund all the necessary programs in a constrained funding environment. A new administration, with undoubtedly different priorities, will be soon sworn in. The recruiting environment remains difficult.
Speakers:
General James C McConville: 40th Chief of Staff of the US Army
Thomas Spoehr (Moderator): Director, Center for National Defence
5. Nonstate Armed Actors and the US Global Fragility Strategy: Challenges and Opportunities | February 18, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Brookings Institution | Register Here
In December 2020, the United States released its first U.S. “Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability,” as called for in the 2019 Global Fragility Act. To maximize the strategy’s efficacy, the U.S. government must ensure the implementation plan has a clear goal and theory of success, as well as addresses pressing challenges such as the fallout from COVID-19 and efforts to subvert peace. Chief among these challenges will be nonstate armed actors who are an entrenched driver of violence in nearly every potential priority country, from Central America to East Africa and beyond.
On February 18, the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors at Brookings will hold a panel discussion examining how the U.S. government should think about working with, and through, nonstate armed actors in implementing the fragility strategy. The discussion will address the following questions: How should the Biden administration approach working with nonstate actors as a potential means to maximize efficacy of conflict prevention and stabilization? What, if any, broader changes should it make to engage such actors? What challenges and opportunities do nonstate armed actors pose in potential priority countries?
Speakers:
Matthew D. Steinhelfer (Keynote): Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations – U.S. Department of State
Frances Z. Brown: Senior Fellow, Democracy, Governance, and Conflict Program – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
George Ingram: Senior Fellow – Global Economy and Development, Center for Sustainable Development
Patrick W. Quirk: Nonresident Fellow – Foreign Policy, Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology
Vanda Felbab-Brown (Moderator): Director – Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors; Co-Director – Africa Security Initiative; Senior Fellow – Foreign Policy, Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology
6. Turning a Blind Eye: the Human Cost of Trafficking | February 18, 2021 | 11:00 AM ET | Friends of Europe | Register
Human traffickers run sophisticated operations. Often bypassing border officials, national and local police – and on occasion the judiciary – human trafficking is intimately intertwined with migration. Reports have brought to light how women are taken by trafficking networks during their journey and face widespread sexual exploitation. And the danger does not end at the border – even after arriving at reception centres, shortages of police and guardians for unaccompanied children create hotspots for exploitation and smuggling.
There isn’t a major city in Europe that doesn’t benefit from human trafficking of women and girls. Furthermore, the proceeds of trafficking underpin illegal arms, drugs and terrorism. This is a sinister and dirty equation, and yet we in Europe largely turn a blind eye to it. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, recently released its annual risk analysis, claiming to provide a comprehensive picture of the European Union’s migratory situation. Yet, missing from the picture – human trafficking and its significant impact on women and girls. As the European Commission looks towards its 2021-2025 Action Plan against migrant smuggling, it will be vital to address protections for those on the move and the relationship between human trafficking and organised crime.
This Policy Insight debate will broach the realities of migrant smuggling and address the steps that must be taken to ensure that people on the move can undertake safe and legal journeys.
Speakers:
Ana Christina Jorge: Director of Operational response Division at Frontex
Notis Mitiarachi: Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum
Malaika Oringo: Founder and CEO of Footprint to Freedom and member of the International Survivors of Trafficking Council
Monique Pariat: Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) at the European Commission
Dharmendra Kanani: Director, Asia, Peace, Security and Defence, Digital and Chief Spokesperson
7. Libya: The great game. A decade of revolution, civil war and foreign intervention | February 18, 2021 | 11:30 AM ET | Atlantic Council | Register Here
Ten years after the 2011 revolution that overthrew Muammar al-Qaddafi, the Biden administration is facing renewed challenges in Libya. Placed at the center of great powers’ diverging geopolitical interests, such as those of the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Russia, Libya will face enormous political, economic and security challenges in the foreseeable future. The Biden administration must now face the current state of play: The United States’ diplomatic absence has left the country in turmoil and facilitated the intervention of foreign powers in the country.
The panel will explore the role of international actors in the post 2011 Libyan political landscape. The panel will also analyze their interactions, as well as the relationship these actors have with forces on the ground. Please join the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East programs in collaboration with the Tripoli-based think tank Sadeq Institute for a public conversation to launch the upcoming publication of the Sadeq Institute’s book part of a long reads collection: Libya: the Great Game. A Decade of Revolution, Civil War and Intervention.
Speakers:
Steven A. Cook: Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow, Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Marta Dassù: Senior Advisor for European Affairs, The Aspen Institute
Anas El Gomati: Founder and Director, Sadeq Institute
Deborah K. Jones: Former United States Ambassador to Libya
Karim Mezran (Moderator): Director, North Africa Initiative, Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs, Atlantic Council
8. Veterans, Novices, and Patterns of Rebel Recruitment ? | February 18, 2021 | 12:15 PM ET | Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs | Register Here
Why do insurgents recruit experienced fighters at some times and untrained novices at others? Research suggests that insurgent organizations place a premium on committed members who demonstrate political devotion. But research also suggests that groups are willing to compromise on commitment when compelled by other priorities. The speaker will argue this extends to recruitment of experienced fighters who are capable and knowledgeable, but also less committed and generally riskier. Specifically, he expects groups will accept these risks and recruit veteran fighters when initially building their organization, when transitioning to new modes of warfare, and when competing with peer organizations for dominance.
At other times, groups should more readily focus their efforts on novices who can be molded to fit their less urgent operational needs. The speaker will evaluate this theory with a case study of Al Qaeda in Iraq and its successor, the Islamic State. This research sheds light on an understudied component of insurgent recruitment that has implications for organizational behavior, counterinsurgency, intergroup conflict, and civilian victimization.
Speakers:
Evan Perkoski: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, International Security Program
9. Is Now Finally the Time to Discuss Inequality in Lebanon? | February 19, 2021 | 10:00 AM ET | Carnegie Middle East Center | Watch Here
Lebanon’s political economy has long been described as exceptional. The trope of a “Lebanese economic miracle,” in which Lebanon is a paragon of economic success, was long amplified by the ruling elite in order to maintain a status quo.
The 2019-2020 crises not only swept away this idea but also made blatant another kind of exceptionalism in the country—its record-high income and wealth inequality, which is perpetuated by the corrupt political economy. Extreme inequality is not a new phenomenon, however; rather it was brushed aside by the ruling elite, which largely consists of the nation’s wealthiest.
How can Lebanon create a new economic model that would put social justice at its core? Did the 2019 revolution create the opportunity to think and design policies that could decrease inequality levels? Join us for a conversation with Lydia Assouad, Toufic Gaspard, Haneen Sayed, and Gregg Carlstrom to discuss Lebanon’s worsening inequality and Assouad’s latest paper, Lebanon’s Political Economy: From Predatory to Self-Devouring, on Friday, February 19 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Beirut (10:00-11:00 a.m. EST).
Speakers:
Lydia Assouad: El-Erian fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center where her research focuses on public and political economics.
Toufic Gaspard: Former senior economic adviser to the Lebanese minister of finance and adviser to the International Monetary Fund.
Haneen Sayed: Lead human development specialist at the World Bank.
Gregg Carlstrom: Middle East correspondent with The Economist.
10. The Syrian Civil War and its Aftermath | February 19, 2021 | 11:00 AM ET | Middle East Institute | Register Here
The Middle East Institute’s (MEI) Syria program is pleased to announce a panel discussion to launch Syrian Requiem: The Syrian Civil War and its Aftermath (Princeton University, 2021). In this volume, the authors trace the origins and escalation of the conflict from 2011 protests in Deraa to the current state of widespread humanitarian devastation and displacement a decade later.
The authors will be joined by MEI Syria Program Advisory Council Member Rime Allaf and MEI Senior Fellow Robert Ford, who will reflect on the origins and development of this conflict and explore what avenues exist today toward reconciliation, humanitarian relief, or solutions for the millions of displaced Syrians around the world.
Speakers:
Amb. (ret.) Itamar Rabinovich (author): President, the Israel Institute; Israel’s Chief Negotiator with Syria in 1990s
Carmit Valensi (author): Research fellow, Institute for National Security Studies
Rime Allaf: Advisory Council Member, MEI Syria Program
Amb. (ret.) Robert Ford: Senior fellow, MEI
Charles Lister (Moderator): Senior fellow and director, Syria and CTE programs, MEI
Stevenson’s army, February 12 and 13
I didn’t get to it yesterday, so here is two days worth:
February 13
– Major shakeup in Senate Appropriations — Sen. Leahy becomes chairman, but loses his chairmanship of State/Foreign Ops after many decades. Full roster here.
– State de-lists Houthis as terrorists.
– Biden keeps tariffs on European wine & cheese [Darn]
February 12
This is the year of the ox.
Technology issues are a major part of the Biden administration’s China policy. Note these:
Export restrictions expected.
Supply chain issues important.
Press reports say Jennifer Harris, co-author of War by other means [assigned for week 6] will be NSC director for foreign economic policy.
Fred Kaplan says Pence’s “nuclear football” was evacuated with him.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).