Center for Strategic Communication

Exxon Secrecy Over Ruptured Pipeline May Mask National Danger

Elizabeth Douglass and David Hasemyer / Bloomberg

The 1940s-era construction process that ExxonMobil said caused an oil pipe to rupture in Arkansas earlier this year is a common and well-documented problem the pipeline industry has battled for decades – and one the industry believes can be detected and controlled with appropriate vigilance

Pacific Island summit ends with call for climate compensation        

Responding to Climate Change

Leaders from 17 island nations met in Fiji last week for a four-day Pacific Island Roundtable summit to discuss how best to cope with rising sea levels and increased incidences of drought.

Mexico’s Zetas Gang Is on The Ropes With Top Dog Arrested

Manuel Rueda / ABC News

The Mexican government may have dealt a crippling blow to one of that country’s biggest drug gangs on Monday when it captured Zetas leader Miguel Angel Trevino. Trevino is believed to have taken control of the Zetas operations following last year’s killing of its longtime leader.

Climate policy is dominating Australian election

John Upton / Grist

The climate debate has blown up in Australia in recent days following news that the governing party plans to change its approach to carbon pricing. The weekend announcement is still dominating headlines and airtime.

Rolling Stone puts Boston bombing suspect on cover, ignites firestorm

Julie Cannold / CNN

Rolling Stone magazine’s decision to put Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the accused Boston Marathon bomber, on the cover of its latest issue has ignited a firestorm of outrage online.

Al-Qaida Branch Confirms Its No. 2 Killed in Yemen

Ahmed Al-Haj / Associated Press

The Yemen-based branch of al-Qaida confirmed on Wednesday that the group’s No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, was killed in a U.S. drone strike. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Saeed al-Shihri.

Russia’s Putin puts U.S. ties above Snowden

Denis Dyomkin and Alexei Anishchuk / Reuters

President Vladimir Putin signaled clearly on Wednesday that he did not want a dispute over the fate of former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden to derail Russia’s relations with the United States

On Our Flashpoint Blog

BGen Steve Cheney Participates in Launch of Climate Week NYC

BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.)

On July 16, I took part in the kickoff of Climate Week NYC, an event to publicize a series of major events on climate change set to take place in New York from September 23-30. Now in its fifth year, the launch event hosted by The Climate Group was a great success.

Challenges to U.S. Public Diplomacy in North Korea

Christian Mull

As the traditional avenues of diplomatic relations remain closed, the U.S. has been forced to focus its efforts more towards influencing public opinion within North Korea itself, hoping to garner more change in the long term. But this is no easy task.

Event Recap – Gen. Cheney at NASDAQ for Climate Week NYC

William Joyce

On Tuesday, July 16, The Climate Group kicked off Climate Week NYC, the annual global summit that convenes the world’s top business, government, and thought leaders to discuss clean technology innovation.

Rowing Through Troubled Waters: Sports Diplomacy in the Middle East and South Asia

Katrina Trost

Sports diplomacy is a common form of public diplomacy, and has long been used to bridge tense relations between international powers. For example, Iranian athletes wrestled Americans this May in a bilateral effort to save wrestling as an Olympic sport.

Crafting a new policy for the crisis in Egypt (No, not the political one)

Ollie Engebretson

The political crisis in Egypt requires a reorientation of U.S. foreign policy, the first step being to acknowledge that the true crisis exists in the country’s imminent economic collapse.

ASP in the News

ASP’s Andrew Holland Quoted in Law360

ASP’s Andrew Holland offered his take on the recent selection of Adm. McGinn to lead the Navy’s energy efficiency efforts.

ASP Board Member Norman Augustine and American Competitiveness Principles Quoted by National Defense Magazine

The National Defense Magazine recently published an article reviewing ASP’s American Competitiveness Day Panel Discussion. The article quotes Dr. Michael Porter and Dr. Jan Rivkin of the Harvard Business School as well as ASP Board Member Mr. Norman R. Augustine.

Dr. Michael Porter Quoted at ASP’s American Competitiveness Panel

Harvard Business School professor Dr. Michael Porter’s remarks at the American Security Project’s Capitol Hill Panel, “Restoring American Competitiveness: A National Security Crisis” were quote by the Washington Free Beacon.

Upcoming Events

Yemen’s Political Transition and National Dialogue: Progress and Challenges

Yemen is currently in a historic period of political transition following the 2011 revolution and the end of former President Saleh’s regime. At the mid-point of its National Dialogue process, Yemen faces many challenges. Please join us on Tuesday, July 30th from 12:00 until 1:00pm at 1100 New York Ave, 7th Floor West Tower. Lunch refreshments will be served between 11:30am and 12:00pm. If you wish to attend, please RSVP by July 28th to: events@americansecurityproject.org.