Middle East, ISIL, Counterterrorism
Pentagon yet to decide on Syrian rebel force central to Isis offensive
Spencer Ackerman | The Guardian
Two weeks after US warplanes began bombing Islamic State (Isis) positions in Syria, the Pentagon leadership has yet to make critical decisions about building the proxy rebel force central to its plan for taking territory away from the jihadist army.
Kurds repel jihadist attack on Syrian town
Bassem Mroue | AP
Kurdish forces defending a Syrian town near the Turkish border clashed with the Islamic State group on Monday after repelling a wide-ranging militant assault the day before in battles that left dozens dead on both sides.
U.S. envoy Allen arrives in Iraq, to visit Jordan, Egypt, Turkey
Arshad Mohammed | Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama’s envoy charged with building the coalition against the Islamic State militant group arrived in Iraq on Thursday and will also visit Belgium, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, the State Department said.
U.S.-led Airstrikes Disrupt Islamic State, But Extremists Hold Territory
Nour Malas, Dion Nissenbaum & Maria Abi-Habib | The Wall Street Journal
U.S.-led airstrikes designed to serve notice on Islamist extremists in Iraq and Syria have also delivered a sobering message to Washington and its allies: Breaking the militants’ grip will be every bit as difficult as they feared.
Pakistani Taliban declare allegiance to Islamic State and global jihad
Saud Mehsud & Maria Golovnina | Reuters
The Pakistani Taliban declared allegiance to Islamic State on Saturday and order militants across the region to help the Middle Eastern jihadist group in its campaign to set up a global Islamic caliphate.
Egyptian police arrest militants accused of recruiting for Islamic State
Reuters
Egyptian police have arrested four Islamic militants accused of recruiting youths to fight for Islamic State, the Mena state news agency said.
Turkey: NATO Has Plan to Defend the Country
ABC News
Turkey, a NATO member, says the alliance has drawn up a strategy to defend the country if it is attacked along its border with Syria.
US Army Apache Helos Used in Strikes Against Islamic State
Paul McLeary | Defense News
US Army pilots for the first time used an Apache attack helicopter to strike militant targets in Iraq over the weekend, according to a statement by CENTCOM.
Science & Technology
Medicine Nobel Prize goes for work on cells that form brain’s GPS system
Ben Brumfield | CNN
You may know where you are and where you’re going to, but do you know why you know that? The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has honored three neuroscientists, whose work is helping answer that question.
Ebola
U.S. Journalist With Ebola Being Flown To Nebraska For Treatment
Scott Neuman | NPR
The condition of a man infected with the Ebola virus who is undergoing treatment in a Dallas hospital is “fighting for his life” doctors say as another patient with the disease has arrived in Nebraska to receive care.
Why nation’s top docs say Ebola won’t spread in US
Connie Cass | AP
Ebola has arrived in the United States and people are frightened. The nation’s top infectious diseases expert says it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious about a virus that kills so fast and is ravaging parts of West Africa.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Event Recap: Renewable Transportation – Policy Options to Break the Oil Monopoly
Caroline Julia von Wurden
For nearly a decade, policymakers have attempted to more effectively incentivize the development of sustainable alternatives to petroleum as a transportation fuel.
Event Recap: Natural Gas/LNG – Using American Resources and Know-How to Build a World Market
Caroline Julia von Wurden
The emerging geopolitics of energy shows why it is important for the United States to take a leadership role in exporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Event Recap: Energy Technology of Tomorrow – and how can Government foster that innovation?
Caroline Julia von Wurden
On Tuesday, William Freebairn, managing editor of Platts Nucleonics Weekly, Jack Bailey, the Sr. Vice President of Business Development at NuScale Power, Keith Bradley, Program Leader and Senior Technical Advisor for national and global security programs at Argonne National Laboratory, and Mark Haynes, President of Concordia power met to discuss the future of nuclearl power and the political and technical hurdles.
Event Recap: Powering the Future – Prospects for Fusion Energy
Caroline Julia von Wurden
On Tuesday, Andrew Holland, ASP’s Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate Change, Michael Delage, V.P. of Strategy and Corporate Development at General Fusion, and Steve Dean, President of Fusion Power associated convened to talk about the future of fusion energy.
General Allen: the anti-ISIS coalition is an “important moment”
Sophia Dahodwala
General John R. Allen USMC (Ret.), who served as the top United States commander in Afghanistan, has been appointed as President Obama’s Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Maktoum’s Path to Lasting Peace
Sophia Dahodwala
President Obama’s objective to “degrade, and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) involves a multi-pronged strategy. It includes “a systematic campaign of airstrikes,” increased American service members to support forces in Iraq, training and equipment for moderate Syrian rebels, humanitarian assistance, and a continuation of counterterrorism capabilities.
Upcoming Events
Indianapolis Event – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
October 15 7:00PM – 9:00PM
Location: Anderson University, 1100 E Fifth St., Anderson, IN 46012 Hartung Hall, Room 101
Today the U.S. Navy is preparing for an open Arctic, the Marines are deploying in response to historic typhoons, and the army is preparing its bases to use less energy than they produce. Climate change is already a major consideration for US military planners. Meanwhile, American politicians continue to ignore the issue. Join us for a discussion with senior flag officers as they discuss the steps the US military has taken and future implications for our national security.
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