27 September, 2012
Water Security Conflicts: A Regional Perspective
Nelson E. Hernández/Small Wars Journal
Water scarcity has been predicted to be the source of future wars and many experts have publicly warned about the dangers of water scarcity as the main factor for armed conflict in the Middle East and Africa.
Nuclear Fusion Milestone Could Provide Power For Thousands of Years
Michael A. Robinson/Money Morning
For decades, researchers have toiled away in the quest to provide nuclear power that is cheap, safe, and stable.
Press Release: US Government Assistance to Yemen
US Department of State
Yemen has experienced a significant transformation over the past year and is charting a path to democracy. A successful democratic transition will require Yemen to overcome a number of serious, complex, and inter-related challenges.
Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is being smuggled into Afghanistan for IEDs
Greg Jaffe/Washington Post
Seizures in Afghanistan of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the main explosive used in Taliban bombs, more than doubled in the first seven months of 2012 compared with the same period last year, U.S. officials said.
Satellites trace sea level change
Jonathan Amos/BBC
Incorporating the data from a number of spacecraft, the study re-affirms that ocean waters globally are rising by just over 3mm/yr. But that figure, according to the reassessment, hides some very big regional differences – up and down.
Chinese Smuggler Tried to Sneak Carbon Fiber for Fighter Jets, Feds Claim
Robert Beckhusen/Wired
The U.S. has busted up a plot to smuggle tons of carbon fiber to China, where the material would ostensibly be used in the construction of new fighter planes.
Behind Russia’s USAID Expulsion
Mark Adomanis/The National Interest
Russia’s recent decision to expel the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) clearly will lead to increased tensions between Moscow and Washington.
US Africa command chief in Mauritania
AP
U.S. Africa command head Gen. Carter Ham met with Mauritania’s president and an official says the two are discussing a possible military intervention, likely West African-led, in north Mali against al-Qaida-linked group members and their allies.
Afghan schools and clinics built by British military forced to close
Nick Hopkins/Guardian
Schools and health centres built by the British in Afghanistan as part of the military’s counter-insurgency strategy are being forced to close down because President Karzai’s government cannot afford to pay for them, the Guardian has learned.
In the News
Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan
ASP will be hosting a fact-based discussion with leading experts on counterinsurgency this Tuesday, October 9th, 2:00-3:00 p.m. The featured speakers will include Nick Dowling, founder and president of IDS International and David H. Young, a Washington-based writer and analyst of international affairs and violent conflict. Stay tuned for further information!
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Need to Know – Nuclear Weapons, Proliferation and U.S. National Security
Mary Kaszynski
The strategic environment of the 21st century is very different from the threats we faced during the Cold War. The risk of a nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia has greatly diminished; other risks – nuclear terrorism, cyberwar, climate change – have grown. Confronting the threats of the 21st century will require moving past political rhetoric to develop effective solutions. ASP’s nuclear security collection informs the national debate on U.S. nuclear policy by presenting strategic, nonpartisan analysis.
From Negotiations to Acquiescence: Stephen Hadley on Iran Options
Mitchell Freddura
In a new paper, former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley analyzes the various options available to the United States in the standoff with Iran.
Climate Change causing 400,000 deaths per year
Nicholas Cunningham
An estimated 400,000 people die each year due to hunger and diseases related to climate change, and it is costing the global economy $1.2 trillion per year, equivalent to about 1.6% of global GDP.
Senate Hearing on Maritime Territorial Disputes and Sovereignty Issues
Yong Wang
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, testified before the Senate Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs on the role of the U.S. in the maritime territorial disputes in Asia.
Maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard
Galen Petruso
The United States is the largest consumer of oil in the world, burning about 18 million barrels per day, this dependence creates serious national security threat. Reliance on foreign oil makes America susceptible to high oil prices which have devastating effects on military costs as well as the economy.
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