The Geopolitics of The Syrian Civil War
Reva Bhalla / Forbes
International diplomats will gather Jan. 22 in the Swiss town of Montreux to hammer out a settlement designed to end Syria’s three-year civil war. The conference, however, will be far removed from the reality on the Syrian battleground.
The Globe and Mail: In Japan, an LNG revolution looks to Canada
Natural Gas Asia
Nearly three years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan is only part-way through the work of preparing for a rush of new overseas energy imports, one that stands to see tankers filled with Canadian LNG among the 69 ships each year that pour out their cargoes at Ohgishima.
Pirates Suspected of Hijacking Oil Tanker
Cassie Werber / Wall Street Journal
An oil tanker that has disappeared off the coast of West Africa may have been hijacked by pirates.
How the Chinese Internet ended up at a house in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Brian Fung / Washington Post
It’s not clear how it happened, but for several hours on Tuesday thousands if not millions of Chinese Internet users were being dumped at the door of a tiny, brick-front house on 2710 Thomes Ave. in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Gazprom Says China Natural Gas Deal Delayed to Putin’s May Visit
Elena Mazneva / Bloomberg BusinessWeek
OAO Gazprom, Russia’s natural gas exporter, failed to seal a 30-year natural gas supply accord with China today, shifting the window for a deal to President Vladimir Putin’s planned trip to the Asian country in May.
The Future of the Army: Less Soldiers, More Robots, More ‘Lethality’
Alexis Madrigal / Defense One
In the future, an Army brigade might have 3,000 human troops instead of 4,000, but a lot more robots, according to recent remarks by General Robert Cone, the Army’s head of Training and Doctrine Command.
Reorienting U.S. Pakistan Strategy: Three Things to Know
Daniel S. Markey / Council on Foreign Relations
U.S. troops are preparing to draw down from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, but instability in neighboring Pakistan remains a vital concern for Washington, says Daniel S. Markey, CFR’s senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia.
Syria: Is there a Constructive Role for Iran?
Frederic C. Hof / Atlantic Council
The recent furor over the aborted United Nations invitation of Iran to the Geneva 2 conference on Syria, convening today in Montreux, Switzerland, provided a comic opera distraction from a central reality: the role of Iran in the survival of Syria’s Assad regime is absolutely vital.
Upcoming Events
America’s Energy Choices for 2014
American Security Project
The way America uses and produces energy remains a hotly debated issue in Washington and around the country. We will discuss the various energy choices available to the United States currently and in the years to come.
US House of Representatives
Sustainable and controlled fusion power has been a dream for the scientific community for decades. However, recent advances in research and technology have raised hopes that fusion could become a new source of electricity.
Defense Budget in 2014: A Conversation with Russell Rumbaugh
American Security Project
Since sequestration and passage of the new budget, the Defense Department has been adjusting to a reduced funding environment – and 2014 won’t be much different. The speaker will discuss the outlook for Pentagon spending in 2014.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Congratulations to the Egyptian People on a Successful Constitutional Referendum
BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.)
Congratulations to the Egyptian people on a successful Constitutional referendum! As I personally witnessed last month in Cairo, they are optimistic and embracing a new era for their democratic nation. I look forward to seeing the official turnout numbers and the results.
5 Reasons Why More Sanctions Should Not be Imposed at This Time
Nathan Daniels
There is one thing that everyone wants: the successful dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program. Here are 5 reasons why more sanctions should not be imposed right now.
PODCAST – Egypt, the Referendum and What’s Next
American Security Project
Today we are joined from Cairo by former Egyptian Senator and Civil Society leader Mona Makram Ebeid, and from DC. just back from his fact-finding visit to Egypt, BGen Stephen A. Cheney USMC (Ret.).
ASP in the News
Wallin in The Public Diplomat: US Public Diplomacy Priorities Podcast
Discussing his Top 10 US Public Diplomacy Priorities for 2014, Matthew Wallin spoke to The Public Diplomat’s Michael Ardaiolo and Guy Golan on the public diplomacy outlook for 2014.
ASP congratulates former Board Member Lael Brainard on her nomination to the Federal Reserve Board
Ms. Brainard was instrumental in getting ASP off to a running start early on and has followed her tenure here with a successful stint as Under Secretary for International Affairs at the Department of Treasury.
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