ASP: In case you missed it ….
6 February 2013
Reimagining America’s energy policy
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
America has an opportunity to reimagine how we think about energy. The possibilities of abundance are very different from the trappings of scarcity, and the facts underpinning the nation’s bright energy outlook to 2020 and beyond are still struggling to make themselves known.
Getting natural gas right a priority
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
The U.S. has critical decisions to make in the next few years. How will it address the newly accessible reserves of shale gas? How can government encourage the continued growth of cleaner sources of power?
Alireza Nader/NY Times
We’ve heard a great deal about how Washington is reacting to President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, so perhaps it’s worth paying some attention to how Hagel is playing in Tehran.
U.S. May Have Trouble Gauging North Korean Nuclear Test
Choe Sang-Hun/NY Times
Even if North Korea follows through with its threat to conduct a third nuclear test, Washington and its allies will have difficulty determining whether the device detonated is made of plutonium or uranium, a prominent American nuclear scientist and South Korean officials said on Tuesday.
Agreement Reached on Fifth Block of F-35 Engines
Aaron Mehta/Defense News
Engine maker Pratt & Whitney has reached an agreement in principle with the U.S. Department of Defense for engines on the fifth block of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
Rain getting heavier as temperatures rise
ABC News
A review of worldwide rainfall data has found the intensity of the heaviest downpours is increasing across the globe as temperatures rise.
ASP In the News
The next step in strategic arms control
Stephen A. Cheney and Terri S. Lodge
Last week, Sen. Hagel’s confirmation hearing sparked a heated debate over the future of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Some still define our arsenal by the rigid paradigm of the Cold War, a paradigm that is out of touch with today’s dynamic, multipolar security environment.
ASP Recently Published
Perspectives: The Challenges of the Internet and Social Media in Public Diplomacy
Matthew Wallin
This perspectives paper takes a look at the variety of challenges facing governments that choose to employ social media as a tool of public diplomacy. From measures of effectiveness and audience reach, to the ability to have online material noticed above the sea of information posted daily, the proper use of these tools not as easy and straightforward as it may initially appear.
Factsheet: American Security Enhanced – The Benefits of the New START Treaty
Mary Kaszynski and Katharyn Nicolle
In February 2011 the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty entered into force. The Treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate in December 2010 based on the widespread bipartisan consensus that the treaty was in the U.S.’ national security interests. This update of our June 2012 fact sheet lays out the security benefits of New START, showing that the treaty is in our national security interests today, just as it was in 2010.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Smart Grid Back in the Headlines After Super Bowl Blackout
Theodore MacDonald
Officials are still trying to determine what exactly caused the Super Bowl blackout. Whatever the cause, the incident has sparked debate over the health of the nation’s power grid.
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) Launches New Website Promoting Biofuels Industry
Justin Yarros
The group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) launched a new website, Fuelinggrowth.org, as a way to disseminate information about renewable fuels.
F-35 Shows the Need for a Strategic Approach to Defense Acquisitions
BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.)
The suspension of flight operations for the F35-B, the Marine Corps version of the Joint Strike Fighter, is sure to provoke more criticism of the F-35 program. But rushing to scale back the program is exactly the wrong way to make effective investment decisions.
China Consuming Coal At Alarming Rates
Danielle Parillo
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an alarming statistic about China’s consumption of coal. The statistics released on January 29th show that China consumes almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined.
This Week in Public Diplomacy Feb 4
Lívia Pontes Fialho
A round-up of public diplomacy news.
Event Review: Current Foreign Policy Challenges and Opportunities in US-China Relations
Fiona Cotton
On January 31st the State Department’s Foreign Policy Classroom held an event entitled, “Current Foreign Policy Challenges and Opportunities in U.S.-China Relations.”
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
