Obama Budget Targets Millionaires, Replaces Sequester Cuts
Mark Felsenthal and Jeff Mason/Reuters
The White House on Wednesday proposed a budget that would sharply trim the U.S. deficit over three years by forcing millionaires to pay more in taxes and enacting spending cuts that replace the “sequester” reductions that went into place last month.
Smooth Hearing for Ernest Moniz
Andrew Restuccia and Darius Dixon/Politico
MIT physics professor Ernest Moniz breezed through a Senate hearing Tuesday on his nomination for energy secretary, setting the stage for what is expected to be an easy confirmation.
Four Charts Show That the U.S. Spends Way Too Little On Energy Research
Brad Plumer/The Washington Post
At his confirmation hearing this morning, Energy Secretary nominee Ernest Moniz told the Senate that the United States spends far too little on energy R&D. “We are underinvesting by a factor of three,” he said.
Arctic Vegetation Spread Could Boost Climate Change
Bill Steele/Phys.org
Changes in Arctic vegetation due to climate change have probably been underestimated, according to a new computer analysis which shows that tree and shrub cover in the region will increase more than previously expected, accelerating climate change and possible adverse effects on wildlife.
South Korea Brace for North Korean Missile Test ‘Anytime Soon’
Joohee Cho and Akiko Fujita/ABC News
The South Korean military is on high alert today preparing for North Korea’s possible mid-range missile test “anytime soon,” while Pyongyang seeks to grab international attention and build an image at home of Kim Jong Un as a formidable leader.
In Syria, Some Brace For the Next War
Liz Sly/The Washington Post
As this remote corner of northeastern Syria fast slides out of government control, many Syrians are bracing for what they fear will be another war, between the relatively moderate fighters who first took up arms against the government and the Islamist extremists who emerged more recently with the muscle and firepower to drive the rebel advance.
Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar
Rod Norland/The New York Times
Both Taliban and American officials publicly agree on one thing: that they are no longer talking to each another, officially or unofficially.
American Firms Increasingly Look to Africa, U.S. Official Says
All Africa
Africa is an increasingly important market for U.S. firms and small businesses, a top U.S. trade official told an audience at Harvard University April 6.
ASP Recently Published
PERSPECTIVE—The Defense Industrial Base
August Cole
The defense industrial base is tied to American competitiveness in the 21st Century. For that reason, leaders in the private and public sector must take steps to thrive during a drawn out period of changing expectations while also remaining committed to keeping the country strong through innovation, long-term investment and disciplined management.
Read our latest collection of our writings in this edition of American Security Quarterly – with special lead of American Competitiveness
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Event Review: The UK in the EU and the Future of Transatlantic Cooperation
Livia Pontes Fialho
ASP welcomed member of the UK parliament Tobias Ellwood for a discussion on the UK in the EU and the Future of Transatlantic Cooperation earlier today. BGen. Stephen Cheney, ASP’s CEO, joined the panel along with its COO, Paul Hamill.
Gastrodiplomacy—“Reaching Hearts and Minds Through Stomachs”
Matthew Wallin
Yesterday, I attended an event at American University discussing the merits of “gastrodiplomacy”—a term basically meaning the public diplomacy of food. The event was hosted by the School of International Service’s Public and Cultural Diplomacy Forum.
This Week in Public Diplomacy April 8
Livia Pontes Fialho
This Week in Public Diplomacy, read about #TraceEffects, #Gastrodiplomacy, #Egypt and more!
Natural Gas Exports, Nuclear Waste Storage Highlight Ernest Moniz Confirmation Hearing
Theodore J. MacDonald
On Tuesday, April 9 the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources convened to consider the nomination of Ernest Moniz as the next Secretary of Energy.
“Connecting the Drops”—New Report Highlights the Challenges in the Indus Basin
Kaitlyn Huppman
The Stimson Center, in coordination with Sustainable Development Policy Institute has published a report entitled Connecting the Drops: An Indus Basin Roadmap for Cross-Border Water Research, Data Sharing and Policy Coordination.
Upcoming Events
EVENT: The Future of the U.S. Nuclear Deterrent: A Conversation with Amb. Linton Brooks
Mon., April 15 1230 PM – Join us for a conversation with Linton Brooks, Ambassador and former Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), on the future of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.
EVENT: The Geopolitical Implications of U.S. Natural Gas Exports
Tues., April 16 12:30 PM – Join us for a discussion on how U.S. natural gas exports can achieve geopolitical goals by enhancing the energy security of America’s closest allies.
