Obama, Netanyahu Show Solidarity on Iran
Julie Pace/AP
Seeking a fresh start to a strained relationship, President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday demonstrated solidarity on the key issues that have stirred tensions between them
North Korea Threatens U.S. Military Bases in the Pacific
Choe Sang-Hun/ NY Times
North Korea on Thursday threatened to attack U.S. military bases in Japan and the Pacific island of Guam in retaliation for training missions by American B-52 bombers over the Korean Peninsula
IEA Experts Advise Japan on Smart Communities
IEA
Two members of the IEA Sustainable Energy and Policy Technology Directorate recently visited Japan’s Tohoku region to provide advice on rebuilding as energy self-sufficient “smart communities” many of the municipalities that were hit hardest by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
NRL Nike Laser Focuses of Nuclear Fusion
Department of Navy
Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have successfully demonstrated pulse tailoring, producing a time varying focal spot size known as ‘focal zooming’ on the world’s largest operating krypton fluoride (KrF) gas laser.
Fast Ignition for Fusion Energy Closer after Supercomputer’s Record Simulation
Katherine Ling/ E&E Publishing
Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) pushed the boundaries of the largest and second-fastest supercomputer in the world to perform record simulations that can help model the interaction of ultra-powerful lasers with plasma to “spark” fusion energy, the lab announced yesterday
Google Explains Why the Future of Energy is Green
Michael Kanellos/ Forbes
Google isn’t investing billions into clean energy projects only to feel good and make employees happy. The company is doing it because the bottom line results are supported by data.
Russia Fears Iran Nuclear-Talks Progress Not Irreversible
Ilya Arkhipov and Henry Meyer / Bloomberg
Russia is concerned that recent progress in talks over Iran’s disputed nuclear program isn’t “irreversible,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
Iran Says It’s Not Opposed to Direct Talks With US
Associated Press
Iran’s Supreme Leader says he’s not opposed to direct talks with the U.S. to resolve its nuclear standoff with the West. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says he’s not optimistic that such talks would yield results unless Washington stops imposing sanctions against the Islamic Republic
Falling Out of Love with China
David Shambaugh/ NY Times
NOW that China is becoming a world power, it is beginning to recognize the importance of its global image and the need to enhance its “soft power.”
ASP Recently Published Reports
White Paper- A 10 Year Plan to Energy Security
Andrew Holland and Nick Cunningham
Fusion energy holds great promise to meet America’s energy needs. Energy from fusion is clean, safe, secure and abundant. ASP’s new White Paper report provides a detailed plan on how to accelerate the development of fusion power.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Event Review- Energy Security Trust Fund
Danielle Parillo
On March 19, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) held an event discussing the Energy Security Trust Fund (ESTF).
Pentagon- Rare Metals Shortfalls is a National Security Challenge
Justin Yarros
The Pentagon’s recent released annual Strategic and Critical Materials report assesses the risk of critical materials shortages for America’s military. This is a critical national security issue.
Promoting Religious Freedom: a Case for Ensuring National Security
Livia Pontes Fialho
As the new pope for the world’s 1.5 billion Catholics was inaugurated yesterday, one cannot help but think, on a larger scale, of the impact of religion in international politics and foreign policy.
Upcoming Events
Nation Branding and Global Politics: A Conversation with Sir Martin Sorrell
Join ASP for an insightful conversation on nation branding with Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of the world’s largest advertising group.
A Conversation with Anita Friedt: Nuclear Priorities 2013
Join us for a conversation with Anita Friedt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, on the State Department’s nuclear priorities in 2013.
National Security and the DOD: 2025
Two leading Congressmen from the House Armed Services Committee – from both parties – will lay out their views, and discuss what the Department of Defense requires leading up to 2025, and how it can be reformed in order to meet the challenges & seize the opportunities.
