Nuclear fusion in the ‘perfect energy source’
Steven Cowley / CNN
Solar, advanced nuclear fission, and fusion offer the best hope but, unfortunately, none are ready for large-scale deployment. All need time-consuming innovations so we cannot afford to hesitate; research must be ramped up across the board and government must keep up the pace.
No “Smoking Gun” from North Korean Nuclear Test
Fredrik Dahl / Reuters
A month after North Korea’s nuclear test, a monitoring agency said on Tuesday it was highly unlikely to find any “smoking gun” radioactive traces from the blast, potentially leaving important questions about the device unresolved.
Erratic North Korea Poses Serious Threat
Lara Jakes and Donna Cassata / AP
An erratic North Korea, with its nuclear weapons and increasingly belligerent tone, poses a serious threat to the United States and East Asia nations, the director of National Intelligence warned Tuesday in the annual accounting of the threats worldwide.
Report: Iran Plans to Promise U.N. it Will Not Seek Nuclear Weapons
AP
A news agency says Iran plans to submit a written promise to the United Nations that it will not seek nuclear weapons.
Afghanistan – Diplomatic Resuscitation Followed by A Large Dose of Medicinal Political Union…
Michael Kay / Huffington Post
Secretary of State Kerry and Defense Chief Hagel take over the baton for what the Obama administration and Karzai’s Government hope is the final leg of intense engagement in the war stricken country of Afghanistan.
Arming opposition in Syria is violation of international law – Lavrov
RT
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that plans to arm the Syrian rebels would violate international law, citing Libya, where anti-Gadhafi forces received arms despite an embargo on the country.
Syria Military Shows Strain in a War It Wasn’t Built to Fight
Anne Barnard / The New York Times
The Syrian military’s ability to fight rebels and hold territory has steadily eroded, forcing it to cede the job of running many checkpoints to paramilitary groups, give up a provincial city last week without much of a fight and even enlist the top state-appointed Muslim cleric as a recruiter.
ASP Published Today:
WHITE PAPER: Fusion Power – A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security
Andrew Holland and Nick Cunningham
ASP’s new White Paper report, “Fusion Power – A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security” provides a detailed plan on how to accelerate the development of fusion power. Why do we need fusion power? The American economy depends on reliable sources of power. Over the next several decades, almost all of the power plants in the U.S. will need to be replaced, and America’s dependence on fossil fuels presents serious national security concerns – they sap our economy, exacerbate climate change, and constrict U.S. foreign policy.
Fusion Power: A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security – Executive Summary
Fusion power holds great potential in meeting America’s long-term energy security needs. Fusion is clean, safe, secure and abundant, and will completely revolutionize the global energy system when fully commercialized.
Fusion Fact Sheet
Nick Cunningham
The U.S. relies upon a range of energy sources to power its economy. However, the current mix presents significant national security risks – America’s dependence on fossil fuels saps the economy, contributes to climate change, and constricts our foreign policy.In order to break this dependence on fossil fuels, America needs to invest in next-generation energy.
On Our Flashpoint Blog:
Event Review: Fusion Power – A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security
Theodore MacDonald
Today the American Security Project hosted an event entitled “Fusion Power: A 10-Year Plan to Energy Security.” The event coincided with the release of ASP’s newest White Paper on fusion power.
Are small modular reactors about to have their breakthrough?
Kaitlyn Huppmann
The TVA is commissioning Babcock & Wilcox to construct the nation’s first small modular reactor. This holds potential to herald a new era in nuclear energy.
New Intelligence Community Report – Climate Change is Threat to National Security
Andrew Holland
The new Intelligence Community’s “Worldwide Threat Assessment” notes how climate change is affecting our food, water, and energy resources. It also suggests that terrorist elements may use weaknesses brought on by climate change such as weak governments, civil disobedience, and riots for their benefit to recruit and train potential candidates. All of these factors in turn greatly affect the United States’ national security.
This Week in Public Diplomacy Mar 11
This Week in Public Diplomacy, read about #NorthKorea, #SocialMedia, #AlQaeda and more!
