International News Coverage
Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Yemen, Hezbollah
Iran general said to mastermind Iraq ground war
Qassim Abdul-Zahra & Vivian Salama | AP
Militia commanders told The Associated Press that dozens of advisers from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Lebanese Hezbollah were on the front lines in Jurf al-Sakher, providing weapons training to some 7,000 troops and militia fighters, and coordinating with military commanders ahead of the operation.
US slams Egypt’s human rights record at UN meeting
Frank Jordans & Sarah El Deeb | AP
The United States and other countries on Wednesday slammed the human rights situation in Egypt at a United Nations meeting reviewing the country’s record for the first time since the 2011 ouster of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt levels Sinai homes in new strategy against Islamist militants
Reuters
At Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, families are emptying their homes – lugging mattresses and furniture onto waiting vans as soldiers look on from armored cars.
Senior al Qaeda operative killed in US strike in Yemen – sources
Mohammed Ghobari | Reuters
A senior al Qaeda official wanted by the United States and a local leader of the militant group’s affiliate, Ansar al-Sharia, were killed in a drone strike in central Yemen overnight, tribal sources and a militant said on Wednesday.
Why Hezbollah leader chose Shiites’ Ashura to reach out to Lebanese Sunnis
Nicholas Blanford | Christian Science Monitor
With sectarian tensions soaring across the Middle East, Hezbollah’s leader has used the emotive Shiite commemoration of Ashura to deliver a message of conciliation to the nation’s Sunnis – and a word of caution to his fellow Shiites.
Science & Technology
The solar explorer built with dead animal bones
Eli Kintisch | National Geographic News
A human technology straight from the Stone Age is being adopted for an ambitious 21st Century mission – to study the Sun at close quarters.
Despite Disasters, Explore We Must
Marcelo Gleiser | NPR
The crash of Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo over the Mojave Desert last Friday, killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury and seriously injuring pilot Peter Siebold, has renewed discussions on the value of commercial space exploration. Should we continue to do this at the unavoidable cost of human life?
Russia & Ukraine
Ukraine crisis: Poroshenko orders troops to key cities
BBC
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has ordered army reinforcements to key southern and eastern cities in case of a new rebel offensive.
Europe
Catalonia to Defy Spanish Court on Independence Vote
Matt Moffett | The Wall Street Journal
Spain’s breakaway-minded Catalonia region upped the ante in its conflict with the central government Tuesday, saying that it intended to ignore a court ruling and allow a symbolic vote on independence to go ahead this weekend.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
The U.S. – E.U. Partnership: Looking Ahead
Maggie Feldman-Piltch
The EU-US partnership has been integral in successfully addressing many of the most serious threats to peace, stability, and democracy across the globe in the two decades since its formalization.
The Rise of Lithuanian LNG: A Long-term Opportunity for the U.S.
Hidetoshi Azuma
Lithuania officially made its debut in the global LNG market with the arrival of its floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Independence on Monday, October 27, 2014.
Is an “Arab-style NATO” in the works?
Giancarlo Lima
Arab states, led by Egypt and its Gulf allies, are working on a military alliance to tackle the region’s security concerns.
UN IPCC Climate Change Report Reaffirms Nexus between Climate Change and National Security
AJ Degarmo
This past weekend United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their fifth assessment report covering climate change.
Fusion is “the perfect way to make energy”
Caroline Julia von Wurden
The BBC Radio 4 series “In Our Time” broadcasted a program on nuclear fusion.
ASP in Indiana: Climate Change and Security in the Heartland
Andrew Holland
ASP visited Indiana to discuss how the Midwest is threatened by climate change.
Upcoming Events
ASP Conference – The US – EU Strategic Partnership: Trade, Energy, and Security
November 12 @ 12:30PM – 1:30PM
Location: American Security Project, Suite 750W – 1100 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Numerous strategic challenges and opportunities face the United States and European Union in 2015. Join ASP on November 12, 2014 as our high-level panel discusses what options are ahead of the US and the EU.
Orlando Event – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
November 17 @ 8:00AM – 10:30AM
Location: Pegasus Ballroom – Student Union Building – University of Central Florida: 12715 Pegasus Dr., Orlando, FL 32816
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.
Tampa Event – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
November 18 @ 2:00PM – 4:00PM
Location: University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606
Climate change is already a major concern for US military planners. Meanwhile, American politicians continue to ignore the issue of this growing threat. Join ASP at the University of Tampa on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 as we discuss this important issue.
Geography 2050: Mounting an Expedition to the Future
November 19
Location: Low Memorial Library, Columbia University, 2960 Broadway, Manhattan, NY 10027
The one-day inaugural event, to be held at Columbia’s Low Library in Manhattan, offers an opportunity for thought leaders in industry, government, the social sector, and academe to come together to think about collectively exploring the future, and to examine how geography, geographic thinking, and geospatial data and technologies will enable this new age of exploration.
FSC Event – Climate Change: Risks for National Security
November 19 @ 10:30AM – 12:00PM
Location: Florida Southern College, 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr., Lakeland, FL 33801
Climate change is already a major concern for US military planners. Meanwhile, American politicians continue to ignore the issue of this growing threat. Join ASP at the University of Tampa on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 as we discuss this important issue.
ASP Conference: Electricity Supply: What it Means for Security, Developments and Geopolitics
November 19 @ 12:00PM – 4:30PM
1100 New York Avenue, NW – 7th Floor – West Tower
The nexus of electricity, development, and security is significant, yet its nuances are too often overlooked. The half-day event will bring together development and energy experts, government officials, and policy makers to better establish the important linkages between power, security, and development, share successful implementation strategies and consider how these successes can be replicated in diverse contexts.
ASP Conference – Pakistan: Aid, Trade, and Security
December 9 @ 12:00PM – 2:00PM
Location: TBA
Join ASP and FTI Consulting as we host an event that will discuss current conditions of economic aid, trade and security in Pakistan, and will feature experts of military and development backgrounds.
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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