26 October

Shifting Defense Expenditures in East Asia

David Isenberg/Time

One doesn’t need Superman’s X-ray vision or have to look far to see various tensions building in the Asia-Pacific region, aside from those long-standing ones between North and South Korea, or China and Taiwan.

Officials: Suicide Bomber Kills 36 in Afghanistan

Amir Shah/AP

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing 36 people and wounding 23, officials said.

BP Drops Plans for U.S. Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Roberta Rampton/Reuters

BP Plc on Thursday canceled plans to build a plant in Florida to turn tough grasses such as sorghum and cane into cellulosic biofuel, the second oil major this year to back out of plans to produce “next generation” ethanol from non-food crops.

Both Romney and Obama Avoid Talk of Climate Change

John Broder/The New York Times

Even after a year of record-smashing temperatures, drought and Arctic ice melt, none of the moderators of the four general-election debates asked about climate change, nor did either of the candidates broach the topic.

How Can OPEC Agree on Output Policy if it has Trouble Choosing a Secretary General

Margaret McQuaile/Platts

Appointing a secretary general to run OPEC’s Vienna headquarters should be easy. It never is. The job is technically an administrative one, but political rivalries between key producers have overshadowed the appointment process for years.

Almost Everyone Loves Solar

Michael Grunwald/Time

You probably like solar energy. I know this because I recently got a press release from the solar lobby, “Poll Reveals Strong Support for Solar Energy Across Political Spectrum.” It turns out that 92% of likely voters, including 84% of Republicans, want more sun-powered electricity. In America, solar is motherhood and apple pie.

Intel Community Seeks New Partnerships

Claudette Roulo/AFPS

One of the strengths of the intelligence community is that the people within it have a tremendous spectrum of backgrounds, the principal deputy director of national intelligence told attendees at the Security Innovation Network 2012 conference here today.

New Zealand to Resettle Afghan Interpreters

BBC News

New Zealand says it has offered to resettle 23 Afghan interpreters and their families who fear being targeted by the Taliban after troops leave.

On Our Flashpoint Blog

Need to Know- Energy and U.S. National Security Report

The American Security Project believes that the United States faces serious long-term energy challenges. Our dependence on fossil fuels presents national security challenges – economic disruptions from price volatility, the threat of climate change, and a constricted foreign policy..

Successes and Challenges to Chinese Clean Energy Development

Yong Wang

In 2011, China surpassed the U.S. in installed renewable energy capacity, with an astonishing 92% growth in from 2006 to 2011. Although still the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, China is also the world’s greatest consumer of clean energy.

 

 

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