Obama Close to Authorizing Military Training of Syrian Rebels
Adam Entous / Wall Street Journal
President Barack Obama is close to authorizing a mission led by the U.S. military to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight the regime of Bashar al-Assad and al Qaeda-linked groups

Separatist Leader Says 50 Militiamen Died in Ukraine Attack
Sabrina Tavernise / The New York Times
The prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic said on Tuesday that about 50 pro-Russian militiamen had been killed the day before in heavy fighting with Ukrainian forces for control of a crucial airport.

India, Pakistan leaders meet, signal steps to rebuild trust
Hilary Whiteman and Harmeet Shah Singh / CNN
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hailed his first one-on-one meeting Tuesday with India’s newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “historic opportunity” for the two nations.

E.U. Leaders to Meet in Wake of Election Setbacks
James Kanter and Alan Cowell / The New York Times
European Union leaders are set to meet in Brussels on Tuesday evening under intense pressure to reform the way the bloc is run after upstart populist parties on the right and left surged in four days of legislative elections ending at the weekend.

Vietnam, China trade barbs after Vietnamese fishing boat sinks
Nguyen Phuong Linh and Sui-Lee Wee / Reuters
Vietnam and China traded accusations on Tuesday over the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat not far from where China has parked an oil rig in the disputed South China Sea, as tensions fester between the two countries over the giant drilling platform.

Thai Soldiers Publicly Arrest Anti-Coup Minister Chaturon
Ian Williams / NBC News
A fugitive government minister ousted in last week’s coup was arrested by soldiers Tuesday, moments after publicly criticizing the country’s military junta.

Nigerian defense chief claims abducted schoolgirls located
Jennifer Griffin / Fox News
Nigeria’s defense chief is claiming that the country’s military has located nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists but cannot go in with force to free them.

US to Keep 9800 Troops in Afghanistan
Julie Pace / Associated Press
Senior U.S. administration officials say President Barack Obama will seek to keep 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after the war formally ends later this year.

On Our Flashpoint Blog 

Egypt’s Upcoming Presidential Election
Jeffrey Lloyd
The new democratic process set in motion in Egypt this past year will secure a free and fair election next week.

Senate Hearing: DoD’s Preparation for Climate Change’s Impacts on Security
Colin Taylor
Military and Department of Defense officials downplay potential arctic threats.

Upcoming Event: European Union Election Results – Implications for the United States
This May, the European Union will hold parliamentary elections to determine their parliamentary representatives for the next 5 years. The outcome of these elections will have a resounding economic, social, and political impact on the international community – including the TTIP negotiations.We will be joined by Paul Adamson, Philippe Maze-Sencier, and Geoffrey Harris who will be contributing their years of experience to the discussion.

About the American Security Project: The American Security Project is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy and research organization dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security issues, promoting debate about the appropriate use of American power, and cultivating strategic responses to 21st century challenges.

For more information, visit www.americansecurityproject.org. info@americansecurityproject.org

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