In the News
C.R. / Economist
IN THE debate over climate change, policies to reduce pollution are often seen as detrimental to economic growth. But this need not always be the case. As we pointed out last month, policies such as cutting fossil-fuel subsidies can both cut carbon emissions and boost growth.
Microsoft Names Nadella Chief Executive
FastFT/ Financial Times
The world’s largest software maker has picked Satya Nadella, a 22-year Microsoft veteran, to take over from Steve Ballmer as chief executive. He will be the company’s third head after Mr Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates.
Shares Steadier as Emerging Market Sell-Off Eases
Marc Jones / Reuters
World shares slumped to near a four-month low on Tuesday as signs of a slowdown in the U.S. economy aggravated the anxiety caused by a sell-off in emerging markets.
Europe Links 15 Power Markets in Biggest Shift Since 1990s
Julia Mengewein / Bloomberg
Power markets across 15 European nations from the U.K. to Finland are linked from today in their biggest transformation since liberalization in the 1990s.
U.S. and Europe Work on Aid Package for Ukraine
Alison Smale & Steven Erlanger / New York Times
Looking to defuse Ukraine’s crisis, the United States and Europe are trying to assemble a financial package that could ease the path for a new government there to guide the country out of its current impasse between Europe and Russia, American and European officials say.
Hamid Karzai ‘has been talking to Taliban for months’
Emma Graham-Harrison / The Guardian
The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has been talking to the Taliban for several months in an attempt to broker a last-minute peace deal before his term expires, the New York Times reports, citing Afghan and western officials.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Resigns
Andrew Roth /New York Times
The United States ambassador to Russia announced on Tuesday that he would leave his post and return to the United States after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics that begin in Sochi on Friday.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
NOAA’s Significant Climate Anomalies and Events
William Fassuliotis
A look and analysis of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report on climate-related occurrences in 2013.
Energy & Climate Security: A Necessary Nexus
Nathan Alvarado-Castle
Energy and climate security should be treated as two sides of the same coin. But often, US national security analysts make a sharp distinction that separates the fundamental link the two issues share.
Are the Olympics an Opportunity for Public Diplomacy?
Madeline Bersch
It’s certainly possible for diplomacy to occur over the course of the Games; however, I’m skeptical that a setting in which nationalism rules would present a fair opportunity to create meaningful and lasting—as well measurable—public diplomacy outcomes, especially in an official government capacity. While bringing athletes together can have positive effects, the environment surrounding the Olympics does not lay sturdy groundwork for public diplomacy to flourish.
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP): Infrastructure Resilience is Key
Andrew Charles Wills
Speculations and investigations related to national security have identified a growing concern: the potential exploitation of weaknesses in national infrastructure.
EVENT INVITE: Inside Aleppo: New Tools for Understanding the Syrian Conflict
American Security Project
February 13 2014, 8:30-9:30 AM
1100 New York Ave, NW Washington DC, Seventh Floor, West Tower
The American Security Project will host Dr. David Kilcullen and Mr. Nate Rosenblatt of Caerus Associates who will provide a briefing on findings from what may be the most detailed, publicly available assessment of the ongoing conflict in Syria to date.
The Slow-Minded Myth about a Fast-Tracked Policy
Brendan Connell
The common discourse over fast-track mostly involves the alleged trade-off between effectiveness and accountability in US trade policy. But does a “slow-tracked” nation mean any more accountability than a “fast-tracked” one?
Thoughts on The State of The Union 2014
Stephen A. Cheney
ASP CEO, Brigadier General Steve Cheney – USMC (retired), shares his thoughts the on State of the Union 2014.
Defense Budget in 2014: A Conversation with Russell Rumbaugh – Event Recap
Nathan Daniels
On Thursday, ASP hosted Russell Rumbaugh, a senior associate at the Stimson Center and Director of its Budgeting for Foreign Affairs and Defense program. He discussed the defense budget for fiscal year 2014 with ASP CEO, Brigadier General Steve Cheney, along with numerous guests.
Andrew Charles Wills
NERC ensures the reliability of the electricity grid. It is an important, if overlooked part of our energy security.
ASP Recent Publications
Fact Sheet – Executive Authority in US Trade Policy
Brendan Connell / American Security Project
There has been an increasing discussion regarding the possibility of Congress granting the US presidency “fast track” authority in free trade agreements. But the shifting of trade authority to the executive has been a heated debate starting from the days of the Great Depression.
America’s Energy Choices – 2014
American Security Project
Three years after ASP first released “America’s Energy Choices” in 2011, the U.S. remains stuck in a political stalemate over energy. Even so, the energy choices made years or even decades ago by politicians, businesses, and consumers have led to a revolution in how the U.S. produces energy. The reality of change in America’s energy system is far different from the stagnation of the political debate.
Upcoming Events
American Security Project
Join us February 10, 2014 at 7pm on the campus of Washington and Jefferson College. In 2014-2015, the American Security Project (ASP) is undertaking a grassroots effort to build a consensus among Americans around the country from left to right, and especially among the non-political, that climate change is not simply a low-priority ‘green’ issue: but instead it is a pressing national security threat.
American Security Project
Join us February 11, 2014 at 12:15pm on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. In 2014-2015, the American Security Project (ASP) is undertaking a grassroots effort to build a consensus among Americans around the country from left to right, and especially among the non-political, that climate change is not simply a low-priority ‘green’ issue: but instead it is a pressing national security threat.
A View from the Ambassador’s Post: Ambassador Don Beyer on American Public Diplomacy
American Security Project
2014 is a year of opportunity and challenges in public diplomacy. Join us as Ambassador Don Beyer discusses his experiences as Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and explores the role public diplomacy plays in shaping America’s security, foreign policies and relationships abroad.
EVENT INVITE: Inside Aleppo: New Tools for Understanding the Syrian Conflict
American Security Project
The American Security Project will host Dr. David Kilcullen and Mr. Nate Rosenblatt of Caerus Associates who will provide a briefing on findings from what may be the most detailed, publicly available assessment of the ongoing conflict in Syria to date.
Defense Budget Issues for FY15: A Conversation with Dr. Lawrence J. Korb
American Security Project
Since sequestration and passage of the new budget the Defense Department has been adjusting to a reduced funding environment. The speaker will discuss the outlook for Pentagon spending for FY15 from personnel costs to right sizing the nuclear arsenal.
EVENT: TTIP – Trade and Investment: A U.S. and European Perspective
American Security Project
Paul Adamson, editor of the European magazine E!Sharp and Senior European Policy Advisor, and Peter Rashish, a Senior Advisor for Europe and Transatlantic Trade at Transnational Strategy Group LL, will discuss the key elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, key aspects for the U.S. and the E.U., the 2014 trade-political climate, and key issues both parties will face going forward.
Click here to check out more ASP’s events.
ASP in the News
ASP’s Andrew Holland on US Energy Policies in Politico
American Security Project’s Andrew Holland, Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate, was quoted in a recent article by Politico Pro.
Energy Choices 2014 – The Choices We Face for a Strong & Secure America
January 28th, Washington DC – The American Security Project (ASP) released a key report regarding the choices America faces regarding Energy production and consumption. It predicts that 2014 will be a year of continued upheaval for America’s energy system and lays out the choices that our nation faces in ensuring that the vitality of the U.S. economy, America’s nation security, and the global environment are not undermined.
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