The New York Times
13 people, including the shooter, lost their lives in the Navy Yard shooting Monday. Each victim has a story of their own.
Amber Hildebrant/CBC News
US gun homicides have fallen over the past two decades, though the proportion of homicides due to mass shootings has risen. Despite the decline, the US still has a higher gun homicide rate than most other developed countries.
Mark Adomanis/USNI
Russia’s diplomatic maneuvers with regards to Syria have garnered significant attention from the international community. But despite its success, Russia is not experiencing a return to its Cold War significance.
Associated Press
Former Secretaries of Defense Robert Gates and Leo Panetta spoke about US involvement in Syria, and questioned President Obama’s decision to ask for Congressional approval. Both of them were skeptical of Russia’s negotiation plan.
USNI
In light of the sequestration cuts, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant James Amos says that the Marine Corps should shrink to 174,000. Any smaller force would harm national security and prevent the Marines from operating as a crisis response force.
UCLASS Acquisition Questioned by Congress
USNI
The House Armed Service Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces sent a letter to Secretary of Navy, questioning the development of a new carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Instead, the subcommittee asked the Pentagon to create a UAV that would fully integrate with the carrier air wing.
Coast Guard and Mounties Joint Operation
US Embassy
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police finished a three-day joint law enforcement operation along the border at the St. Lawrence Seaway. The collaboration program, known as Canada-US Shiprider successfully stopped and boarded several vessels.
Voice of America, Propaganda Machine?
Nicholas Kralev/Huffington Post
Voice of America Director David Ensor appeared on “Conversations with Nick Kralev,” stating that Voice of America was not a propaganda machine for the US Government. However, VOA remains a tool of US public diplomacy.
China Losing Ground on African Oil
Adam Nossiter/New York Times
For years, Chinese companies have used favorable contracts to extract African countries. Now, several African countries are pushing back, by re-negotiating contracts, or even blocking Chinese entry.
Climate Change and the Colorado Floods
Chris Mooney/Mother Jones
In the wake of the massive floods engulfing Colorado, some are suggesting that climate change may have contributed to the flooding’s extreme nature. Climate change scientists predict that rainfalls will be more frequent and intense in the future.
Mr. Zuckerberg Goes to Washington
Anna Palmer and Jessica Meyers/Politico
Mark Zucerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook, will visit leaders of both political parties in the House and Senate in the following week. Mr. Zuckerberg will talk about immigration reform, an issue which he has been arguing for, as well as NSA surveillance and online privacy concerns.
ASP Recent Publications
Propaganda: A Tool of Strategic Influence
Christian Mull and Matthew Wallin
Today, the U.S. government undertakes a variety of communications techniques designed to influence target Audiences. From strategic communication and public diplomacy to MISO (psychological operations), these techniques serve as fundamental tools intended to increase to increase America’s ability to achieve its foreign policy objectives.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Brendan Zehner
Just before it broke the record set in 2002 for the latest start to the Atlantic’s hurricane season, Tropical Strom Humberto was upgraded to hurricane status. The mild hurricane season has helped lead to new thinking about climate change’s effect on storms.
Can Fusion Energy Foster Cooperation among Enemies?
Farhad Mirzadeh
Cheap and sustainable energy are one of the many tangible benefits that fusion energy has to offer. But there are also unquantifiable benefits to the research between countries on fusion energy that can foster cooperation and good relations.
ASP in the News
The Homeland Security Digital Library has featured the American Security Project’s report, written by Kareem Chin, “Climate Change: Coastal Flood Threat to the U.S.” on their blog.
ASP Adjunct Fellow Matt Freear: Somalia’s Future
Matt Freear, an adjunct fellow at the ASP, recently wrote on the Huffington’s Post blog about Somalia’s future.
Holland in National Journal: What Syria Can Teach Us About War in the 21st Century
The Syrian civil war may be an unfortunate signifier of what war in the 21st Century may look like. The 2008 National Intelligence Assessment of the impacts of climate change predicted many of the stressors that led to the Syrian civil war.
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