Pentagon biofuels effort aids energy independence

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Sen. Susan Collins/Politico

Our nation’s military has long demonstrated its ability to identify strategic national security challenges and then solve them in innovative ways. It’s disappointing that Congress may try to second-guess the Pentagon’s attempts to tackle one big problem: our dependence on foreign oil.

How the world took a step closer to ending impunity

Mark Vlasic/CNN

Thus, in two courtrooms in The Hague, the world was reminded that while international justice may be slow, it does come – and with it, so may come the end of impunity that often exists for mass atrocities.

Exclusive: Eritrea reduces support for Al Shabaab – U.N. report

Aaron Maasho/Reuters

The UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea has released a report that says it found no evidence that Eritrea directly supported Al Shabaab in the last year; however, the nation still remains in violation of UN resolutions and is subject to embargoes.

South African named first woman to chair AU

Al Jazeera

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a doctor and diplomat from South Africa, is the first female elected to head the African Union Commission following a divisive battle for the top position.

Wealth Rises in Mongolia, as Does Worry

Dan Levin/New York Times

As Mongolia’s natural resources attract more interest from the energy industry, there is concern that traditional culture and political stability could be supplanted by a culture of corruption and a “resource curse.”

From Coal To Gas: The Potential Risks and Rewards

NPR

The U.S. natural gas boom has the potential to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. But, to stop global warming and avoid future extreme weather events natural gas is only a “bridge” to a low emissions future.

Firms Struggle To Keep Talent in Downturn

Defense News

Cutting employees is easy. Keeping the right ones is difficult. While U.S. defense companies will likely continue to reduce staffing as part of the defense downturn already in progress, the process of sorting the critical from the expendable is a concern for many senior executives.

On Our Flashpoint Blog

Carbon Pricing: What the US must learn from Australia

Matthew Baker

America can learn a lot from Australia on climate change policy. This will be particularly useful if any party in the U.S. wishes to push forward with a carbon tax in coming years.

Major News Outlets Report on Link between Extreme Weather and Climate Change

Catherine Foley

Climate change researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been able to attribute recent weather events to the effects of human activity on the earth’s climate for the first time, marking a major milestone for climate research.

The Logic of Retrospection

Joshua Foust

Outgoing Ambassador Ryan Crocker thinks the U.S.’s many development goals should guide our understanding of the war in Afghanistan. But does that really make sense?

LOTS at Stake in Middle Eastern Waters

Prachi Naik

Exactly one week ago, in response to escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, the USS Ponce sailed into waters off the coast of Bahrain. Her arrival was a rebirth of sorts, marking the beginning of a new shift in US naval strategy.

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