Rachel Schneller

Former international affairs fellow in residence at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

During her IAF tenure, she researched the implications for Iraq and U.S. foreign policy of the displacement of 4 million Iraqis from their original homes to locations outside and inside Iraq. Rachel was a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State. She began her service in 2001 and has served at U.S. embassies in Macedonia and Guinea, as well as in the State Department's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. From 2005-2006, she served at the U.S. regional Embassy Office in Basra, Iraq, where she reported on sectarian violence and internal displacement following the Samarra mosque bombing. Prior to joining the U.S. Department of State, Rachel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali from 1996-98. She earned her MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

United States

What Happens When the U.S. Hits Its Debt Ceiling?

As the U.S. government grapples with another deadline to increase its debt limit, economists warn that a possible default could have disastrous economic consequences.

Backgrounder by Noah Berman January 20, 2023 Renewing America

Afghanistan

The Taliban in Afghanistan

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, twenty years after their ouster by U.S. troops. Under their harsh rule, they have cracked down on women’s rights and neglected basic services.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland January 19, 2023

United States

What Happens When Foreign Investment Becomes a Security Risk?

The United States and other Western countries are reevaluating their foreign investment regulations amid an uptick in Chinese interest in strategic sectors.

Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters, James McBride and Noah Berman January 3, 2023 Renewing America

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