Accountability for Watchdogs, the EU Chips Act, and More

August 10, 2022

Congressional staff prepare for January 6 hearing on the attack on the U.S. Capitol

Inspectors general (IGs) perform a critical function in the U.S. government—but they are not always suited for the job or may have conflicts. Drawing on his own experience as an IG, Glenn Fine argues that there needs to be a better way to hold these government officials accountable and a process to remove the very few who are not adequately performing their challenging responsibilities.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s commissioner for its internal market, speaks at a press conference on the European Chips Act

How Europe aims to achieve strategic autonomy for semiconductors

Just as U.S. policymakers are attempting to strengthen the American semiconductor industry via the CHIPS and Science Act, lawmakers in Europe are attempting to build a more independent technology industry. Paul Timmers explains the EU Chips Act and the geopolitical context in which it may come into effect.

Can China take Taiwan? Why no one really knows

“Military analysts often use modeling to predict specific outcomes in war, including winners and losers, casualties, territorial gains or losses, and combat duration. But a potential U.S.-China war over Taiwan, likely also involving some American allies, poses analytical and policy challenges that make predicting outcomes especially difficult,” writes Michael O’Hanlon.