DALLAS – Today, the George W. Bush Institute released new policy recommendations to Congress and the executive branch that emphasize the key vulnerabilities of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, or CRINK, to counter their coordinated threats to the United States.
This is part of a larger initiative, Malign Alignment, which focuses on how CRINK endangers the United States and our allies, global security, mineral supply chains, and human rights.
“The challenge from CRINK requires a concerted effort from the U.S. to lead the free world, and convincing our close allies to join,” said Igor Khrestin, coauthor and Senior Advisor of Global Policy at the Bush Institute. “By adopting a values-based, alliance-forward foreign policy, the United States can more effectively counter the growing alignment between an aggressive Russia, a rising China, and an increasingly belligerent Iran and North Korea.”
The series includes fact sheets with actionable policy recommendations that zero in on democracy and human rights, as well as economics and national security concerns. These recommendations include increased sanctions implementation and enforcement; utilizing “soft power”; uplifting democratic narratives; strengthening alliances; securing the semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains; and aiding Ukraine to win the war Russia started.
“The CRINK challenge is growing, and I have seen this in my research and lived it as a North Korean defector,” said Joseph Kim, coauthor and Program Manager of Global Policy at the Bush Institute. “But I have also seen its weakness: authoritarian regimes can control people, but they cannot extinguish their desire for freedom. America’s enduring strength lies in defending human dignity and liberty. CRINK is real, but it’s not invincible.”
Visit bushcenter.org/CRINK for more.
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About the George W. Bush Institute
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at www.bushcenter.org.
