New ASP Report: Climate Security

Climate Security Report

Climate change poses a clear and present danger to the United States through its effects on our global allies as well as its direct effects on our agriculture, infrastructure, economy and public health.
This report aims to move past the current debate about climate change and towards a real, informed discussion about its security implications—both global and domestic.

 

What We Are Reading

US Audit Finds Afghanistan Incapable of Sustaining Security

Luis Ramirez/VOA

A U.S. government audit warns that Afghanistan will likely be incapable of sustaining its security forces beyond the 2014 pullout of international troops due to incompetence.

Uganda: OPM Fraud – More Donors Cut Aid

Ann Mugisa and Raymond Baguma/The New Vision in AllAfrica

Denmark has joined Britain and Ireland in suspending all development aid for Uganda after an audit revealed that funds had been misappropriated by the Office of the Prime Minister.  So far, Uganda has sanctioned 16 senior officials in the scandal.

Gunmen occupy Libyan parliament

BBC News – Africa

“Dozens” of gunmen have occupied the Libyan parliamentary building in a show of anger over the new Parliament’s composition.  An agreement as to the Parliament’s composition was achieved Wednesday; the gunmen are demanding the removal of some officials due to their links to the former Gaddafi regime.

It’s Global Warming, Stupid

Paul M. Barrett/Bloomberg Businessweek

Bloomberg Businessweek’s cover story this week takes a direct approach to linking Hurricane Sandy and climate change.

Editorial: It’s Time To Get The Nuclear Lead Out

Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board

A new report from the Department of Energy’s internal auditors was brief and to the point — problems cited in last year’s report persist. Again, the DOE’s inability to find cost-effective ways to modernize the aging U.S. nuclear weapons complex infrastructure is at the top of the Inspector General’s “watch list.”

Insight: Putin’s Russia-More Fragile Than It Looks

Reuters

When Vladimir Putin celebrated his 60th birthday last month, a group of patriotic mountaineers unfurled a portrait of the Russian leader on a 4,150-metre mountain peak.

 

On Our Flashpoint Blog

Exploiting the Information Gained through Social Media

Matthew Wallin

Is there a foreign policy opportunity here that the current administration is missing? Perhaps an opportunity to exploit the assumed power of social media? Whether the Administration, the State Department, or other social media practitioners are successfully tapping this assumed power for foreign policy purposes is unclear.

Intelligence and Defense Budgets: Apples to Oranges?

William Chodkowski

How do recently released two-year declines in intelligence budgets relate to spending cuts as a result of the national deficit broadly, and how do they compare with cuts to defense specifically? An aim to raise relevant questions over national security priorities as evidenced by fiscal cuts.

Training For Climate Change: Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012

Xander Vagg

Earlier this week Australia hosted the Chinese PLA and the New Zealand Defence Force in Brisbane for “Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012″; a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training operation. Here’s how three nations are enhancing their climate change security.

ASP Launch Event: The Climate Security Report

Nicholas Cunningham

Yesterday, the American Security Project released a major publication, “The Climate Security Report,” which clearly connects the dots between climate change and national security. The report was launched at an event this morning, held at ASP, featuring retired military officers.

Asymmetric Maritime Threats to the Strait of Hormuz

Elizabeth Deal

After increased international economic and political pressure, Iran has publicly threatened to utilize its geopolitical influence in the region to hold or close the Strait of Hormuz should it be provoked. The US should plan a practical response in case of attack that would deny Iran strategic advantage in the region.

 

 

About the American Security Project: The American Security Project is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges.

 

For more information, visit www.americansecurityproject.org. info@americansecurityproject.org