Center for Strategic Communication

Do US sanctions on Russia threaten NASA’s space programme?

Rebecca Morelle / BBC

In July, President Obama matched the EU’s latest round of sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. Many of them target powerful people close to President Putin who are some of Russia’s richest businessmen, but one unexpected victim may be the US space programme.

 

Exclusive: Governor of Iraq’s Sunni heartland secures U.S. support against militants

Raheem Salman / Reuters

A dramatic push by the Islamic State through northern Iraq to the border with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region alarmed Baghdad and drew the first U.S. air strikes on Iraq since the withdrawal of American troops in 2011.

 

Russia Truck Convoy Nears Ukraine Border

VOA

The convoy of nearly 300 trucks, carrying what Moscow has said is humanitarian aid, had stopped overnight in the southwestern Russian city of Voronezh as controversy swirled about its contents and final destination.

 

North Korea fires three short-range rockets as pope visits South Korea

Reuters

North Korea fired three short-range rockets off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said, shortly before Pope Francis arrived in Seoul on his first visit to Asia.

 

Hagel Says Iraq Rescue Less Likely as Civilians Escape Mountain

Gopal Ratnam, Angela Greiling, Terry Atlas / Bloomberg

U.S. troops found fewer trapped civilians on a mountain in northern Iraq than expected, making it “far less likely” that the U.S. will conduct a rescue operation, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

 

At least 94 killed in 3 days of Ukraine fighting, officials say

Victoria Butenko, Jason Hanna / CNN

At least 94 people were killed and 116 others were injured during clashes between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine over the past three days, officials in Ukraine said Thursday.

 

France Plans to Ship Arms to Embattled Kurdish Forces in Iraq

Suzanne Daley, Alan Cowell / NY Times

European nations moved on Wednesday to intensify their involvement in Iraq, announcing further humanitarian aid and, for the first time, pledging to supply arms to the embattled Kurdish forces fighting the Sunni militants who have overrun much of northern Iraq.

 

 

ASP Recent Reports 

Central Asia: Five Key Issues

Alexander Gupta

Central Asia has again become a geopolitical chessboard. The superpowers of today, U.S., Russia, and China, have much at stake in Central Asia.

American Security Quarterly – August 2014

Adin Dobkin

In this issue of American Security Quarterly, we hope to give you a broad view of the relationship between the various elements that must be understood when making key policy decisions

 

 

On Our Flashpoint Blog

US-Russian Tensions Put Titanium Supply in Doubt

Dan Day

Titanium is a crucial component of US military weaponry, and tensions with Russia have the military scrambling for alternative sources.

 

Upcoming Events

INVITE – Under Secretary Richard Stengel: American Public Diplomacy in 2014 and Beyond
September 16 @12:30PM-1:30PM
Join us at ASP as we host Richard Stengel, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, as he discusses his plans for America’s public diplomacy.

 

What’s Next? Fostering the Next Generation of Energy Security Conference
September 30 @ 9:00AM –4:30PM
The next steps in building a cleaner, more resilient energy system and economy will not be easy. The American Security Project intends to build on its years of research into energy security and climate policy by initiating a study into the next generation of energy policy. Join ASP and our panelists as we discuss the next generation of energy technology and climate policy.

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