9 November 2012
Drone War in Afghanistan Peaks as Human Troops Withdraw
Noah Schachtman/Danger Room in Wired
In 2012 alone, the US military has launched 333 drone strikes in Afghanistan, the same number of strikes that have been launched in Pakistan across an eight-year period. And while the war has begun winding down, the number of strikes has increased, from an average of 24.5 strikes per month in 2011, to approximately 33 per month in 2012, now comprising 9% of all aerial attacks in Afghanistan.
Long-shot carbon tax suddenly part of fiscal cliff debate
Valerie Volcovici/Reuters
A potential tax on big polluters, a taboo subject in the United States in recent years, has come back into the spotlight as some sense potential for a revenue windfall at a time lawmakers look for ways to the so-called “fiscal cliff” of tax rises and spending cuts due in early 2013.
Iran, U.N. nuclear agency plan December talks
Fredrik Dahl/Reuters
The U.N. nuclear agency said it would hold a new round of talks with Iran on its atomic programme next month, in the latest push to resolve a dispute that has raised fears of war in the Middle East.
Attorney accused of trying to launder $600 million for drug cartel
Joe Sutton/CNN
Marco Antonio Delgado, a respected attorney and former Carnegie Mellon University trustee, was arrested on November 2nd on the suspicion that he conspired with a drug cartel based in Guadalajara, Mexico, to launder $600 million in cash. A conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Washington, D.C. cold stretch: Longest since Snowmageddon, but nearing an end
Ian Livingston/Washington Post
If you think the Washington, D.C. area has been in a lengthy cold snap, you’re right. Yesterday marked the 11th day in a row of below normal temperatures in D.C., and today has a very good chance to be number 12. Assuming we stay on the cold side of average today, we will match our longest cold snap since Snowmageddon.
Warmer still: Extreme climate predictions appear most accurate, study says
Brian Vastag/Washington Post
Climate scientists agree the Earth will be hotter by the end of the century, but their simulations don’t agree on how much. Now a new study suggests the gloomier predictions may be closer to the mark.
Missteps by Rebels Erode Their Support Among Syrians
Anne Barnard/NY Times
Syria’s rebel fighters — who have long staked claim to the moral high ground for battling dictatorship — are losing crucial support from a public increasingly disgusted by the actions of some rebels, including poorly planned missions, senseless destruction, criminal behavior and the coldblooded killing of prisoners.
US Aviation Detachment Establishes Permanent Presence in Poland
Ian Brzezinski/Atlantic Council
On Friday, the United States will inaugurate its first permanent military presence in Poland by deploying an air force aviation detachment (AV-DET) at the Polish 32nd Tactical Airbase in Lask. The detachment will further institutionalize US-Poland military-to-military engagement and is a needed and useful boost to the bilateral security relationship.
Iran hints at possible new delay in atom power plant’s operation
Reuters
Taiwan will join countries such as France and Germany in a visa waiver program that the U.S. government reserves for nationalities that it deems pose little security threat and that are not major sources of illegal immigration.
ASP In the News
Andrew Holland Featured in ecoAffect
ASP’s Andrew Holland wrote an OpEd for The Hill’s Congress Blog on November 6, and the OpEd was cross-posted on ecoAffect.
BGen Steve Anderson on Climate Change in the Huffington Post
Brigadier General Steve Anderson, USA (Ret.), an ASP Consensus Member, wrote an article for the Huffington Post on why Hurricane Sandy demonstrates the dangers of climate change, and why we need to move rapidly to cleaner sources of energy.
ASP’s Climate Report Cited in The Century Foundation’s Blog
The Century Foundation wrote a blog post on the prospects for addressing climate change in President Obama’s second term, citing ASP’s “Climate Security Report.”
Andrew Holland Quoted in Reuters
Reuters published an article on what the energy and climate change landscape looks like in the second Obama term, with a quote from ASP’s Andrew Holland.
ASP Report
Fact Sheet – The United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency (USIA) ran America’s public diplomacy efforts from 1953 until it was disbanded in 1999. This fact sheet takes a look at some of these issues, telling a brief history of the program and how public diplomacy is operated today.
Fact Sheet – Science and America’s National Security
Scientific innovation bolsters America’s national security. While this sentence is simple, it belittles a long and crucial relationship. Through scientific advancements, the United States government has developed technology and tools that have bettered American lives, spurred economic growth, and strengthened our military. Science and national security have intertwined since the very first days of the American Republic, with both sides driving the other towards greatness.
On our Blog
Freddura: Netanyahu, the Octet, and Striking Iran
Before an Israeli decision to strike Iran can be made, there first needs to be a consensus among an eight member security cabinet unofficially known as the octet. Although often overlooked, the influence of the octet is great.
Chodkowski : Defining the Future Army
The US Army’s traditional model of overwhelming and devastating an enemy with a superior ground force is simply outdated. Technology is too pervasive, lives are valued highly, and complete annihilation of the enemy is no longer politically acceptable. An examination of one possible option for strategic realignment by the US Army.
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.
