American Security Quarterly

quarterly
American Security Quarterly

Vision, Strategy, Dialogue
July 2012
Gary Hart: TIME TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT SECURITY

Mitchell Shivers: A WAR LESSON TO LEARN, STILL
John Castellaw: INCREASING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY August Cole: WATCHING THE HORIZON FROM CHICAGO
Nick Cunningham: World Oil Market Oversupplied? Matthew Wallin: Goodbye Discovery Joshua Foust: What we Misunderstand about drones
and Robert Garder: US must ratify Law of the Sea Convention Ashley Boyle: Keeping the lights on in Pakistan
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INTRODUCTION
I often get asked how the American Security Project picks its topics to study. From our inception, our board of directors was interested in a candid, honest dialogue about issues that impact our national security but rarely were put into that context. This started initially with climate change and energy security. Those two issues had many intersections for example, various forms of energy generation are huge pollutants, hence contributing immensely to climate change. And climate change is having an impact on immigration, water supply, and many other factors that made us link it to terrorism and nuclear security. Of course all those topics were also linked to American competitiveness. We continued to expand our studies and have since added on public diplomacy, among others. In this issue you will find a compendium of articles written by our staff, adjunct fellows, and interns. They are all worth reading. The authors have been to the NATO Summit; they have been to Afghanistan; they have been to the National Ignition Facility. They are knowledgeable and articulate about a wide variety of subjects. ASP is proud of them and their work. Please understand that while they have an association with ASP, their writings and opinions are their own. We publish them hoping that you can draw your own conclusions about the impact on national security that each of their subjects has. We all come at this from a non-partisan perspective our primary interest is the national security of the United States. ASP has significantly expanded its writing and web presence. We now have a following numbering in the thousands and wed like to include you. Please visit our website and see what we have to offer.
BGen Stephen A. cheney uSmc (ret.) CEO American Security Project American Security Quarterly was produced with assistance from Zachary Miller
CONTENTS
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
Time for a Fresh Take on Security Gary Hart A War Lesson To Learn, Still Mitchell Shivers NATOs Many Challenges Joshua Foust Limitations of Hard Power in the Pacific Zachary Miller
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page 5 page 6 page 7 page 8
A Russian ResetAgain? Zachary Miller Watching the Horizon from Chicago August Cole Wrapping up NATOs Chicago Summit: some success, but questions remain Ashley Boyle The Challenge of Chinese Soft Power Matthew Wallin
page 9 page 10 page 12 page 13
CLIMATE AND ENERGY SECURITY
Increasing our national security with new technology Retired Lt. Gen. John Castellaw Running on empty: Failing to address high gas prices Andrew Holland Who Killed the Coal Plant? Nicholas Cunningham UNEP Report: Does This Mean a Bright Future for Solar? Matthew Baker Are US Cities Prepared for Climate Change? Catherine Foley World Oil Market Oversupplied? Nicholas Cunningham Prudence Needed in Department of Commerce Tariff Decision Carl Grote Need to Address Water Security Matthew Baker
page 14 page 15 page 16 page 17 page 18 page 19 page 20 page 20
AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS
Goodbye Discovery Matthew Wallin
page 21 page 22
Energy Development in the Arctic: Threats and Opportunities Andrew Holland
US Must Ratify Law of the Sea Convention Robert Gardner Its Time for Magnetic Fusion to Have a Seat at the Energy Table Matthew Baker Race for Arctic Energy Resources Shows Need for U.S. to Ratify Law of the Sea Treaty Andrew Holland
page 24 page 25 page 26
ASYMMETRIC OPERATIONS
What We Misunderstand About Drones Joshua Foust How Strong Is al Qaeda Today, Really? Joshua Foust Ambiguous public opinion of the War on Terror Carolyn Deady A Radically Different Way of Bringing U.S. Aid to Pakistan Joshua Foust Keeping the lights on in Pakistan Ashley Boyle The Annals of Chicken Diplomacy Joshua Foust
page 27 page 28 page 30 page 31 page 32 page 33
NUCLEAR SECURITY
New START is working to enhance US national security Terri Lodge Is There Light at the End of the Nuclear Tunnel? Bryan Gold Time to Ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Stephen A. Cheney
page 35 page 36 page 37
Further Reading
page 39
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
Technology, in the form of drones, robots and sophisticated detection, will provide a U.S. advantage. Otherwise, 21st century warfare will look very much like the elimination of Osama bin Laden and the 11th century age of the Assassins. The exception, of course, is the terrorists possession of weapons of mass destruction. Here all the nuclear aircraft carriers, long-range bomber wings and big army divisions will not protect us. The national and international security formulas will remain: detection, prevention and response. Stop the evil-doers before they arrive on our shores, but be prepared to contain the impact if that fails. Ironically, the greatest security asset in the years to come will probably be the lone informant.
Time for a Fresh Take on Security

Gary Hart The Hill June 5, 2012 Fragile and possibly failed states, nuclear developments in Iran and North Korea, friction and conflict between non-state actors, private wars in Mexico, pirates off Somalias coast, civil war in Syria, and the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of terrorist groups all will characterize the next presidential term. For the first time since World War II, however, the commander in chief will not have the luxury of preparing for every contingency. Serious budget constraints will require defense budgets to conform to a degree of discipline that will make it impossible to pay any price, bear any burden that the Cold War and beyond made us accustomed us to. Fortuitously, the changing nature of conflict and the transformation of the most likely warfare will make this transition both more acceptable and more necessary. The likelihood of nation-state wars in the 21st century at least those involving the United States is declining, largely due to the advent of weapons of mass destruction and the integration of global economies. Wars cost too much and they are too destructive to justify traditional all-out warfare. Such threats as we do face will require smaller, more specialized combat units with tactical weapons and instant mobility.
The transformation of our military structures in the age of changing conflict will require the emerging younger officer corps and a new generation of political leaders to gradually transition from the largescale, Cold War/nation-state warfare legacy systems to the lighter, faster, more mobile and more lethal combat capabilities. Budgets will require it, but even more importantly, so will reality. The commander in chief in the coming four years will find it increasingly necessary to seek cooperation and collaboration with allied intelligence and security services to isolate non-state actors, guarantee global energy distribution systems, constrict nuclear ambitions, protect global cybersystems and prevent the integration of mafias, drug cartels and renegade arms dealers. A number of the nations most serious national security experts reached conclusions such as these well before 9/11 and the subsequent Afghanistan and Iraq wars. As the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century concluded in 1999: The type of conflict in which this country will generally engage in the first quarter of the 21st century will require sustainable military capabilities characterized by stealth, speed, range, unprecedented accuracy, lethality, strategic mobility, superior intelligence, and the overall will to prevail. Even if, as some would have it, the United States wished to police the world unilaterally, budget realities will prevent it and shared security interests will prevail. We will soon find it both convenient and necessary to structure new security alliances for specific security missions and for long-term common interests. The security of the global commons will increasingly characterize defense structures and policies.
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It is becoming increasingly obvious that there are shared security interests, such as petroleum distribution systems and international communications systems, that many other nations share. The United States is facing and will continue to face a blunt choice: either demand autonomy and go-it-alone doctrines that commit us to police the world in the common interest at unacceptable costs or structure new security alliances that are project-specific for example, cybersecurity or that are inclusive and require long-term integration of multinational security assets in the manner of NATO to protect the global commons. Once again, the U.S. Commission on National Security forewarned in 1999: The national security of all advanced states will be increasingly affected by the vulnerabilities of the evolving global economic infrastructure. Traditional national security is giving way to international security.
the globe. Dealing with asymmetric wars, Secretary Gates understood the need to use both guns and butter. Well, has his clarion call been heeded? No. The projection of Americas abundant soft power is still wholly inadequate. Tally the scorecard in Afghanistan youll see the consequence of our inadequacy in misspent treasure and tragic human sacrifice. When we fail with our soft power, we rely more heavily on hard power to achieve our goals, placing an undue, and unfair, burden on our armed forces. As a nation, we dare not face our global national security challenges without the latest hi-tech armaments and well readily commit to making multi-hundredbillion dollar, multi-year commitments.
But why is it, when the stakes are so high, that we still cant tap into our vast, abundant reservoirs of national Thinking as usual will represent the greatest hazard soft power resources? Wheres our sense of urgency on in the next few years. The 21st century is already as this? different from the 20th as the 20th century was from Our private sectors prowess is the envy of the world. the 19th. Traditional, conventional thinking will in- But relatively little was done to harness that power to crease our vulnerability. Anticipation, imagination, our benefit in Iraq and Afghanistan and certainly flexibility and experimentation are required to make not on a scale that might have made a decisive difus secure in an age of profound revolutionary change. ference. Our soft power possibilities have been mired in government red-tape, bound by well-intentioned but counter-productive congressional mandates and limited by plenty of protected self-interests. A War Lesson To Learn, Still Mitchell Shivers Forbes April 18, 2012 Back in November of 2007, then Secretary of Defense, Robert M. Gates, delivered a landmark speech on national defense at Kansas State University. At the time, the Secretarys Landon Lecture was noteworthy for his call to more adequately fund our State Departments so-called soft power capabilities. During the current debate over the future of Americas national security budget, its worth noting his call once more. Traditionally, Defense and State, sometimes called Mars and Venus by Washington foreign policy insiders, have been rivals for congressional funding. Gates made the case that both agencies would need adequate resources to deal with national security challenges emanating from failed and failing states around
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The little weve done to address our soft power weaknesses is timid and ever-protective of bureaucratic sensitivities. Reforms, so far, have been incidental lacking the heft needed to totally re-cast the delivery of this crucial ingredient to prevailing in asymmetric warfare. Currently our attempt at soft power is often just money tossed down the drain. Were still using a centrally planned methodology to apply our foreign aid and our State Department aid overseers are no more effective at pulling this off than yesterdays repudiated Soviet commissars. This model is just not any good at quickly mobilizing a failed or failing states economy. Im not suggesting we intervene all around the world to fix everyone elses problems. We should have limits on our willingness to help other countries. But, when its in our self-interest to help another nation, we should be able to do just that help. Not squander our riches on well-intentioned, but hapless, aid
programs that actually do little to move the ball down officials discuss their plans with an oftentimes skeptical crowd. NATO tried to sell the summit as a wathe field. tershed moment for the alliance announcing new As a start, our government must expand its circle of milestones in missile defense, Smart defense and soft power reformers. Engage and exploit the best of the war in Afghanistan. But the impression it made our private sector to help develop new soft power was quite the opposite: the alliance appeared to be methodologies. Unleash its brain power and love of in strategic drift, unsure of how to proceed with dracountry. If need be, damn the bureaucracy this, af- matically curtailed resources. ter all, is about prevailing in war. Probably the biggest accomplishment NATO anIts time to re-think development risk taking in a cha- nounced at the summit was the interim operational otic wartime environment no doubt some clever capability of its fledgling ballistic missile defense syshedge fund managers might be able to shed some tem. In English, it means that NATO now has the welcome light on a diversified portfolio of invest- capacity to defend itself from a missile attack. ments with uncorrelated risks all aimed at lessening the disruption to overall progress caused by the chaos The big problem, however, with a missile defense capability is that Russia hates the idea. We need to of war. communicate to Russia that missile defense is not Diversification, and decentralization of decision mak- aimed at them, Ellen Tauscher, special envoy for ing, both the antithesis of central planning,hold great strategic stability and missile defense at the State Depromise in improving aid outcomes during war. Our partment, told a panel. Tauscher has a sharp eye for current, centrally planned method of aid dispersal, these things: she served in the Obama administration concentrates risk thats foolish in war. during the New START negotiations and still has missile defense issues at the top of her portfolio. The Secretary Gates was right. We need to seriously in- challenge, Tauscher noted, is that Russia still thinks vest in correcting this critical shortfall in our national missile defense is aimed its way. security capabilities. Soft power needs to become a whole-of-nation effort. This is a skill set well surely That poses a serious challenge for NATOs missile need for the rest of this century. defense plans. The idea behind the system is to secure Europe from attack by Iran or some other hosMitchell Shivers is a former senior policy official at tile power. Its not meant to pose a strategic threat to the Department of Defense in the George W. Bush Russia that is, its not designed to counter Russias Administration and the former senior advisor for nuclear arsenal. Moscow, however, has never believed economics and finance to US ambassadors Zalmay that, and has responded to NATOs expansion of its Khalilzad and Ronald Neumann at the U.S. Embassy missile defense capabilities by packing Kaliningrad, a in Kabul. He is currently an Adjunct Senior Fellow at tiny sliver of land it owns nestled between Poland and the American Security Project in Washington, D.C.. Lithuania, with its own battery of missiles to threaten this new system.
NATOs Many Challenges

Joshua Foust The Atlantic
NATO must work past this impasse with Russia if it wants missile defense to secure Europe, rather than destabilize it.
Smart Defense is another concept that many NATO officials discussed at length last week. The concept is based on the pooling and sharing of resources, as May 31st, 2012 well as specialization: some countries share weapons I had the privilege of attending the Young Atlanti- and facilities, and others choose to specialize in narcist Summit, sponsored by The Atlantic Council, row types of warfare. Officials underscored how Euduring the NATO Summit last week in Chicago. It ropean countries could save a substantial amount of was a fascinating experience, getting to hear NATO money by reducing redundancy.
However, the concept is shot full of holes. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen admitted in his opening remarks that NATO has yet to find solutions for some of the problems that can arise from this pooling-and-sharing strategy, like how to resolve a dispute if only one country wants to use equipment shared with another. During the Libyan campaign, both Germany and Turkey refused to participate in the bombing mission as a consequence, the U.S. had to provide aerial refueling aircraft for European aircraft to fly their missions.
new forms of collaborating, a thirst for more cheap interventions outside of Europe, and grand ideas of building a missile shield. The lofty goals on display in Chicago are bound to come crashing into the reality of a greatly reduced budget sooner or later. The big question after the summit is: how long can NATOs self-delusions last?
Limitations of Hard Power in the Pacific
Without addressing some very basic shortcomings in Zachary Miller Smart Defense, NATO runs the risk of only ever be- Flashpoint Blog ing able to take action with the unwavering, unanimous consent and participation of each of the 28 June 26, 2012 member states a virtual impossibility. Earlier this year, the Obama administration outlined Lastly, there was much happy talk on Afghanistan. a strategy for military rebalancing in Asia in order to I asked a senior official in an off-the-record session provide a strategic military presence and enhanced how they plan to pay for Afghanistans security forces, cooperation with regional allies. The Pentagon has which amounts to billions of dollars a year in subsi- begun to shift naval forces to the Pacific and has prodies, for at least a decade. The recent Strategic Part- vided reassurances in order to strengthen an implicit nership Agreement brokered at the beginning of May notion of collective security. In June, Leon Panetta obligates the U.S. and NATO to fund Afghanistans visited regional partners to demonstrate the Pentamilitary, but it does not specify how. Whoever is gons commitment, and asserted the importance of president in 2013 will have to ask Congress for fund- regional agreements pertaining to areas of increased ing every year and the same is true for each NATO tension such as the South China Sea. member state. The administrations Asia pivot was conceived as a The official responded, rather glibly, that they planned hedge against a rapidly developing Chinese military for that. That was it. The official didnt say what that and to strengthen security commitments with regionplan was, or how they intended to convince two doz- al allies who have seen escalating tensions with China. en countries with shrinking federal budgets to spend a The rebalancing justification hinges upon the notion huge amount of money on a country they had already of an increasing likelihood of military conflict in the withdrawn from. It was stunning to see a senior figure Pacific, and that Washington has ignored commitso publicly engage in magical thinking about such a ments to regional partners for too long. Deputy Seccritical issue. retary for Defense, Ashton B. Carter, explained the NATO has played a hugely important role in the military rebalancing from a historical perspective and world first as a bulwark against Soviet aggression that security in Asia was reinforced by the pivotal in Europe and later in assisting the Eastern bloc tran- military power of the United States in that region. sition to more open societies. In the 21st century, Will Military Rebalancing be Effective? NATO has played a huge role in coordinating interventions in Afghanistan and Libya one reason many The military rebalance in Asia, however, is not only a protestors took to the streets of Chicago to protest the geopolitical strategic maneuver, but is also a foreign summit. policy choice which provides a justification for a new military concept: Air-Sea Battle. In February of 2010, In the post-Afghanistan world, however, NATO the Pentagon released its Quadrennial Defense Reseems adrift. Its budgets are shrinking even the U.S. view which outlined the Navy and Air Forces desire is facing steep defense cuts over the next few years. for enhanced military cooperation known as Air-Sea But NATOs ambitions are bigger than ever, with Battle. Air-Sea Battle is a rather ambiguous opera-
tional concept which provides enhanced cooperation for cross-domain operations. Cross-domain operations essentially involve coordination among military departments in different domains such as air, land, sea, and cyberspace to achieve a favorable operational outcome. The Air-Sea Battle conceptual framework is justified as a means to challenge the growth of anti-access and area-denial strategies which are allegedly being employed by China in the Pacific. Anti-access threats involve the exclusion of the U.S. from a particular region by reducing political and economic influence or even logistical capabilities in a particular region. Area-denial methods are lethal tools which may physically prevent the enemy from entering a particular territory and will inflict operational difficulties in achieving objectives. CSIS has provided a comprehensive analysis of anti-access/area-denial strategies.
national Norms In a time of fiscal uncertainty for the Defense Department, the United States must utilize all other forms of instruments to achieve favorable outcomes in Asia. Diplomatic initiatives which include China in the international system will be critical. An important step will be for the United States to ratify the Law of the Sea which provides international rules and laws governing the use of oceans and maritime resources. This would provide the U.S. with an international legal framework to influence China through inclusion and demand their cooperation on issues such as the South China Sea. The Obama administration has already taken note of the advantages in the treaty for Chinese relations.
The inclusion of China into the WTO, for example, was an effective way for the United States to posiThe difficulties in the South China Sea are indicative tively engage China and incorporate them into the of this struggle as China has asserted the South China international community on issues of trade. The Law Sea to be a national interest and has demanded that of the Sea has similar potential and will be an importhe United States stay out of the issue: clearly assert- tant diplomatic and legal framework. ing greater influence and desiring less political and economic presence by the United States (anti-access). While the military rebalance and development of an Air-Sea Battle Concept are significant for the military The Air-Sea Battle concept is designed as a military pivot towards Asia, it is critical that the United States strategy to provide security against an assertive Chi- utilizes international agreements as legal justifications nese government which clearly wishes to limit U.S. for influence, stability, and to gain greater cooperaintervention on this critical issue. Air-Sea Battles tion from China on issues. cross domain approach is supposed to confront the anti-access/area-denial methods of any enemy, but The United States must recognize the projections of has clearly found its strategic rationale as the admin- military power in the current fiscal climate may not be viable as long-term strategy. Binding nations to istration shifts focus to Asia. international agreements will be important in achievWhile the Air-Sea Battle operational concept is logi- ing cooperation and legitimacy for those nations who cal for conventional military operations, it should not wish to curb Chinese influence in the Pacific. be viewed as the primary leverage of the United States in the Pacific. The United States desires stability, diplomacy, economic integration, and cooperation with Asian countries. It is unlikely that only a mili- A Russian ResetAgain? tary strategy on cooperation issues will create a de- Zachary Miller sired outcome with China. The doctrine still remains to be a conventional military approach to a foreign Flashpoint Blog policy dilemma in Asia that is multi-faceted. Deploying military force could involve the United States in June 14, 2012 various contingencies and may only embolden ChiThe domestic situation in Russia has continued to nas rivals such as Vietnam in the South China Sea. deteriorate in recent weeks as thousands of protestAlternative Approaches: Engagement Through Inter- ers, resilient as ever, have taken to the streets in Mos-
cow to protest Putins government. Economic decline and a decrease in oil prices have also contributed to a mounting frustration, and so far the Kremlins response has varied. Police raids, increased fines for protest activity, and the seizure of computers have categorized some responses by authorities. The Kremlin has remained relatively silent, however, on the protests. Some experts have argued that the lack of dialogue will likely only increase the likelihood of a prolonged conflict, and has exacerbated tensions between Putin and the protestors. The result of the turbulence in Moscow may be contributing to an insecure Putin government, and has directed his focus towards foreign policy. Despite his rather precarious domestic political situation, Putin has been traveling a great deal to confront a variety of global issues that the international community has pressed for Russian cooperation. Last week, Putin visited Beijing in an attempt to posture for a new strategic partnership with China, and has recently been visiting foreign leaders to develop a compromise on Iranian nuclear proliferation and the brutal conflict in Syria.
issues. Yet the U.S. has also failed to develop a strategic plan for engaging the Russian public and communicating U.S. policy effectively to the Russian people. While the protests may or not result in long-term political change, they should remind people that there is an element to Russia that remains untapped. What about a reset with the Russian people? There has generally always been a relative mistrust of U.S. intentions by Russian leaders, but what about the Russian people? Thousands of protestors in Moscow are feeling frustrated with Putin and speaking openly. Though public diplomacy is a long-term strategy, this is a prime opportunity for engagement with the Russian people.
Engaging the Russian people through a productive dialogue will be important in determining their foreign policy preferences to create effective foreign policy toward Russia. Most evidence indicates that the protests in Russia have been about domestic politics and the economic downturn. Russian geopolitical strategy has little to do with the frustrations in Moscow, and engaging the Russian people will be a critical step for U.S. policymakers in determining their next step on Recent news has focused on Secretary Clintons re- how to achieve greater Russian cooperation in the fumarks regarding the possibility of Russia engaging in ture. a proxy war by providing military attack helicopters to Syria. This assertion remains questionable and has The response to the precarious situation in Russia been unconfirmed by the Department of Defense. As should be measured and cautionary, as a provocative the acute crisis in Syria continues to grow and reports strategy may cause further mistrust between the Putin of the violence are as terrible as ever, the focus remains government and the United States. Instead of incenon Syria. Provocative rhetoric, however, is unlikely to diary rhetoric towards the Kremlin, the U.S. should produce cooperation from Putin and only further en- utilize soft power and strategic language to engage the Russian people while respecting traditional diplomattrenches his Administration. ic discourse. Russia, as the primary military supplier of Assad, may not actually desire a proxy war. What remains clear The U.S. must seize the domestic turbulence in Mosis that Russia still wishes to be a relevant actor in in- cow for constructive communication with the Rusternational affairs, retain a toehold in the Mediterra- sian people. While the protests may indicate a decline nean, and assert influence where NATO has shown in Putins political popularity as of recent, there is leadership for over a decade. Putins original popular- still broad support for his policies in Russia. The U.S. ity was partially on the basis of Russias soaring eco- should also understand the preferences of both the nomic growth and its return as a global power, and he people who agree and disagree with his policies. What may be attempting to restore this popularity through do Russians think about the crisis in Syria? What do they think of Iranian proliferation? Would they prefer foreign policy achievements. The Obama administrations Russian reset has been Moscow to behave differently in foreign policy? unsuccessful in recent years, and has failed to produce the cooperation the U.S. desires on several important The Russian people are already talking. And while such communication may not produce the response
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Washington desires, it will gain Putins attention. In the long run, it may even influence Russian geopolitical foreign policy with domestic pressure. Fostering trust with Russian leaders has often been difficult, but can be improved over time through focusing on issues of agreement and finding common ground on those of disagreement. The Russian people, however, have largely been ignored in the Russian reset and public diplomacy may be effective in developing desirable cooperative outcomes from the Kremlin.
litical path has been secured, in part, by NATO airpower. NATO offers the U.S. an operational framework for multilateral military operations and humanitarian engagement in a region where American intentions are under constant suspicion. NATOs role in a Syria intervention is up in the air, for now. Meanwhile, Europes politicians are girding for Greeces exit from euro. The economic fallout among the worlds banks and investors presents a frightening prospect. Just as spooky is the sure-to-follow political chaos that will undercut Europes collective foreign policy interests. This includes NATO, which counts Greece as a 60-year member. Should Greece bail out on the euro, the move would start a nationby-nation unraveling of a European political-economic compact connecting northern countries with southern ones in unprecedented ways. Italy and Spain are also at risk. Once lost, the euros binding elements will be hard to replicate with either a single currency or a unity of purpose.
Watching the Horizon from Chicago

August Cole Flashpoint Blog May 24, 2012
There are times when you step onto Chicagos Lake Michigan beaches with sand at your feet and azure While the best baseball park in the world and picwater stretching to the horizon, it doesnt feel like turesque views from Chicagos lakeshore make the world-class city an excellent venue, the best reason the Midwest. to host the NATO summit there was that it was on President Obamas home turf. It is a view reminiscent of the Mediterranean. Just one of the reasons Chicago was a fitting host for the recent NATO summit. While its hard for the worlds myriad geopolitical problems to compete with the distraction of Wrigley Field, the conference in Chicago tackled crucial questions about the alliances future. Some questions are existential, such as how committed European countries really are to a common defense that wont come cheap. Others are practical, including how to orchestrate a decisive withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Many of the most pressing issues President Obama faces this year, at what will be either the finale of a single term or the start of a second round as president, are tied to what the U.S. should do after more than 10 years of war. This dynamic is behind myriad questions facing the countrys political and military leaders. Among them are figuring out the kinds of fighters the U.S. Air Force should fly to how large Americas land forces should be to determining the scope of the U.S. intelligence communitys role in conducting military-like operations. The value of For all the significance the White House made of NATO is part of that examination, too. the U.S. strategic pivot from the Middle East and Central Asia toward the Pacific, the Mediterranean This conference presented a mutual moment to recognize the Mediterranean has deepening strategic region must be the urgent priority for the U.S. fault lines. They are not over the horizon, as in the Found among the nations lining the Mediterranean Pacific. They are immediate and may hobble Amerare historic democratic promise and the seeds of icas closest allies. These past few days, there was nowhere better for President Obama to see NATOs economic calamity. role in addressing them than from Chicago. Consider the democratic political transformation throughout the Mediterranean nations of Northern Africa. Historic elections in Egypt are testing the promise of the Arab Spring. Libyas emerging po-
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Wrapping up NATOs Chicago Summit: in relations could signal further destabilization of the Pakistani government, presenting opportunities for a some success, but questions remain
Ashley Boyle Flashpoint Blog May 22, 2012 Heads of state, ministers, diplomats, and top military brass were in attendance at the Chicago summit, where the membership decided on an irreversible exit from the conflict in Afghanistan, confirmed the interim capability of its European missile defense system, and agreed to twenty different multinational projects considered foundational to the organizations smart defense initiative, though many logistical questions remain unanswered. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen termed the summit an outright success, declaring: We [NATO] have focused on the future of Afghanistan; we have decided to invest smartly in our defense, even in times of austerity; and we have engaged with our partners around the world to address the challenges we all face in the 21st century. The progress achieved by the summit comes at a time when the organization faces an identity crisis and seeks renewed purpose amidst the end of operations in Afghanistan, dwindling financial resources, and a shift in US focus to the Pacific region. The summit was the target of several large protests some violent - expressing the general dissatisfaction rife throughout much of the US and Europe, where economic recession and stagnating governmental performance have left citizens weary and angry. Protestors with messages ranging from the anarchic to those of the Occupy Movement, capitalized on the opportunity to assemble before one of the largest gatherings of international officials on US soil in recent history. Chicago 2012 marked only the third time NATO has held its summit in the US, and the first time it has convened outside of Washington, DC. On the sidelines of the summit, the contentious relationship between the US and Pakistan over the latters failure to reopen ground transport routes to Afghanistan was on public display. The US-Pakistan relationship continues to be critical to the development and security of Afghanistan. A failure to mend the rift hardline regime to assume power and jeopardize the already fragile security situation on the ground. Overall, the Chicago summit demonstrated that there still exists a cooperative spirit within NATO, though the means and methods of implementing the resulting objectives remain unclear. By reaching agreements on an exit from Afghanistan and initial smart defense projects, the membership has reaffirmed its commitment to the cooperative spirit of the organization. Whether this renewed commitment is capable of withstanding the financial constraints of individual member nations as projects are implemented remains a significant concern. The organization has clearly been impacted by the deepening Eurozone crisis; until a viable recovery plan is enacted by European officials, NATO will largely be at the mercy of its members not-so-deep pockets. Conversely, the US may ultimately benefit from the agreements reached at the summit depending on how the smart defense initiative proceeds. The program presents a key opportunity to rebalance the financial burden between the US and Europe. If executed judiciously, this adjustment could allow for the US to allocate additional resources toward other strategic priorities. The US still recognizes NATO as a key partner in security and will remain a staunch defender of its mission; however, it is essential that the US capitalize upon the opportunity presented by smart defense to evaluate and pursue its own defense initiatives both in cooperation with NATO and independently. ASP Fellow Joshua Foust attended the summit and has been broadcasting daily from the event, covering the key issues and having candid discussions with those in attendance including NATO Secretary General Rasmussen, Senators Dick Durbin and Jeanne Shaheen, and Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, among many others. Catch all of Joshuas podcasts on ASPs multimedia page.
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The Challenge of Chinese Soft Power

Matthew Wallin Flashpoint Blog May 9, 2012 Much ado has been made about burgeoning Chinese soft power, and how China is increasing its public diplomacy and extending its soft power reach. From expanding the number of Confucius Institutes around the world, to a growing international broadcasting effort, China has been actively working to wield more signficant soft power influence.
love cheap stuff)just that quality is rarely associated with Chinese goods. Yet product quality is just one issue amongst many for China. Even Chinas most notable efforts at soft power management have not been without their issues.
Though the Beijing Olympics aimed to show China at its best (and it was certainly an impressive showing), some of Chinas problems were visible right through the temporary faade. Beijing had to make a considerable, and widely reported effort to reduce air pollution in the city. Protests over Tibet interrupted the Olympic torch relay and culminated in the unfurling of a massive banner over an Olympics And then I read this CNN headline: China says no billboard outside Chinas state TV headquarters, chalpills made from human flesh in country. This stems lenging the official Chinese narrative. from a report by the Korea Times that the Korean Customs Service had arrested 29 smugglers who were Most recently, the Chen Guangcheng fiasco at the attempting to bring in 11,000 of these pills, allegedly U.S. Embassy hasnt shined well upon the Chinese, containing ground up aborted human fetuses. Levels nor the U.S. for that matter. And on top of that, Chiof disgust aside, what does this say about perceptions na just kicked out Al Jazeera English. of China? In the end, despite Chinas attention to improving More than this being a case of possible misinforma- its image abroad, it faces a great deal of soft power tion, this is a question of nation branding, and prac- and branding challenges. These will not be easy issues tices in China that could lead individuals, whether to overcome, especially as much of Chinas growth the story is true or not, to give it credence. is characterized by questionable industry standards, and nation branding takes behavioral and perceptuChinas unparalleled rate of industrialization and al changes over long periods of time. It will take far economic growth has not come without volumes more than international broadcasting and cultural diof stories about lead contamination, counterfeiting, plomacy to change Chinas imageChina will actuquality control, and pollutionall leading people to ally have to do things that actually change its image. ask, Whats next? Aside from the horrible bloodlibelous nature of this story, its almost not surprising given the stories of contaminants in consumables. Though certainly there is a difference between government black market activities and the conduct of legal business in China, China faces an image issue where that line is rather blurry. The manufacturing capability of a country has immediate soft power connotations. Many products are inately linked to specific countries, and sometimes give people what they perceive to be a connection to that country. Think French wine, German cars, or Japanese electronics. But what immediately comes to mind when you think of products made in China? Cheap. Thats not to say that cheap is necessarily a bad thing (and Americans
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CLIMATE AND ENERGY SECURITY
worlds oil reserves, simply cannot produce enough oil to meet the demands of both our consumers and the military. Second, the U.S. Military, particularly the Navy, is a fighting force with a globalpresence. They need the flexibility to be able to buy fuel from ports around the world, not just the American mainland. Today, there is a new technology on the horizon that is rapidly developing as a real alternative to petroleumbased fuel. New, next-generation biofuels can provide a drop-in replacement for the fuels our military needs for combat and training operations. Companies like Solazyme,Virent, and Gevo can create refined fuels from feedstocks ranging from corn and sugarcane to waste oils, mustard seeds, algae or camelina. These fuels are not like the first generation ethanol that is blended as about 10% of the nations gasoline supply. They are of better quality: designed to be chemically identical to the jet-fuel they are replacing. They also will be more sustainable than current biofuels, in that their feedstock does not need tocompete directly with food sources.
Increasing our national security with new technology

Retired Lt. Gen. John Castellaw The Hill May 3, 2012
Because of the national security importance of developing an alternative to oil, the military should be a The United States military is the single largest purchas- leader in fostering these new energy sources. From the er of petroleum fuel in the world, burning through age of sail to steam to oil to nuclear, the United States about 325,000 barrels of fuel per day. Almost all of Navy in particular has a history of swiftly transitionthat fuel is derived from oil. This is important not being to new energy sources when a strategic need arises. cause of the vast carbon footprint (or boot print) that Today is no different: the dependence on oil for all the military has a separate, and important problem. flight operations and most sea transportation presents It is actually the dependence on oil that presents the the Navywith long-term strategic risk. military with a long-term strategic risk. The Department of the Navy has proposed to adAlthough today the military is able to buy fuel for dress this risk by using the Defense Production Act, in operations anywhere around the world, access to oil conjunction with the Department of Energy and the is not guaranteed in the future. Finite global reserves Department of Agriculture, to directly invest in comof oil means that some time in the future, oil may mercial development of a domestic biofuels industry. become physically more difficult to acquire, no mat- This is not without cost the government investment ter the price. Related to that risk, the military, like all would be $510 million, matched equally by private consumers in the U.S., relies on oil from countries sector funds but the returns would be large, both that do not align with our interests. This affects our in terms of strict budgetary reasons and in national foreign policy and undermines our national security. security. We know that this technology works, and we It also means that, in a shooting war, when our fight- have evidence that costs are falling dramatically. Last ing men and women need access to fuel to effectively year, a congressionally mandated study concluded fight, we may not be able to guarantee access to the that biofuels would be competitive early in the next fuel we need. We can no longer afford totake it as a decade a timetable that it said could be moved forward if the government partnered with industry to given that oil will always be available. speed up commercialization. Unfortunately, this is not a problem that can be solved by drilling more for oil at home, for two reasons. First, On March 12, the Senate Subcommittee on Water the United States, with only a small percentage of the and Power held a field hearing, chaired by Senator
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It is true that the Republican policy of increasing domestic production of oil, by either opening up new federal lands for leasing or by reducing taxes or regulations on oil production, could produce more oil here at home. However, we should not expect that new production to reduce prices. The last five years should be an object lesson in this: domestic production of oil has increased by 20 percent since March, 2007, while U.S. consumption has dropped 12 percent. If changes in U.S. productionwere as important Ultimately, the Department of the Navy knows that as Republicans or the oil industry makes it out to be, alternative fuel development is not about being green weshould have expected that time period to see a rap it is about combat capability and making a strategic id fall in gasoline prices. Unfortunately, we know that choice to increase our national security. We can re- the opposite happened. duce our militarys crippling dependence on oil, but it will take a long-term strategic vision for creating a The reason is because the U.S. is only a small part of market for new alternatives to oil. They deserve credit a global oil market. Our domestic oil boom increased for taking this strategic step, and Congress should production by one million barrels of oil per day over make the necessary funding available. This is a unique the last five years, but -- even with a fall in American opportunity to catalyze an important new industry demand for oil that was overwhelmed by global dethat everyone in the United States who drives a car of mand growth of 3.7 million barrels per day in that same time period. flies in a plane will benefit from. Jeanne Shaheen, at Naval Station Norfolk aboard the USS Kearsarge that looked at the Navys efforts to help start a domestic biofuels industry. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, former Virginia Republican Senator John Warner, and representatives of the Navy and Marine Corps convincingly argued that directly supporting a domestic biofuels industry would help our national security as well as ultimately reducing fuel costs. Likewise, the policies of Democrats would also prove ineffective. Cracking down on market manipulation Running on empty: Failing to address high or speculation will not lower prices. Limiting finangas prices cial speculation in oil markets could remove the ability of traders to drive prices up but it also removes Andrew Holland the ability of short-selling traders to drive prices back down. Moreover, in our age of globalization, limits The Hill on speculation in the U.S. would only drive trades to foreign centers like London. April 17, 2012 The average price of regular gasoline around the country is $3.92 per gallon. This is the third time in four years that prices have spiked above $3.90 per gallon. Today, the American Security Project released a new report Cause & Effect: U.S. Gasoline Prices that looks more deeply at the root causes of todays high gasoline prices, and punctures some of the assertions and rhetoric that both political parties use about gas prices. While Republicans offer legislation to expand domestic production of oil or remove regulations on energy production, Democrats call for tightening regulations of oil market manipulation and a release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Unfortunately, the global nature of the oil market means that none of these solutions will actually work to meaningfully and durably reduce gasoline prices. Another short-term fix that will do little is releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Last years release of oil from the SPR in response to the revolution in Libya reduced prices for a short time, but markets quickly adjusted and prices were higher within weeks. In addition, we should be careful about how we use our reserves: a release in the face of high prices would limit the ability of the government to respond in future cases of actual disruptions in supply, like a war. There is one policy that will drive down gas prices in the short term, but neither party is talking about it: lifting the threat of conflict with Iran. Heightened sanctions on Iran are making it much more difficult for them to sell their approximately 2 million barrels per day of exports, but Irans threat to world oil markets does not lie solely with the oil it produces.
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They have threatened actions to block the Strait of Hormuz to sea traffic in response to an attack by either Israel or the U.S. This could stop over 15 million barrels per day (17 percent of total world supplies) of oil from reaching world markets a catastrophic shock to global oil supplies. Just the threat of conflict has caused speculators to bid up the price of oil. If that risk premium were removed, prices would swiftly drop. So, in the short-term, the most effective policy to reduce gasoline prices is to find a diplomaticsolution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.
house gases on new power plants further enraged the industry.
Coals dominance in the electric power industry has begun a period of rapid decline. Data from the Energy Information Agency (EIA) shows that the share of electricity generation in March from coal was at its lowest monthly total since 1973. For decades, coal typically represented half of the nations electricity generation, but it dropped to only 34% for the month of March. The decline can be partially attributed to warm weather, causing low demand for elecOver the longer term, the best response to price tricity overall, but there is a reason that coals share fell spikes is to develop alternatives to oil. Luckily, Amer- much faster than other energy sources and its not ica can do this; were developing and commercializing the EPAs regulations. the technology now that can reduce or replace the oil we need for transportation. Next generation biofuels, The real threat to the coal industry is not some politnew electric vehicles, and increased fuel efficiency are ically-motivated War on Coal; it is cheap natural succeeding in reducingAmericas dependence on oil. gas that is killing coal. The EIA report represents a We need to sustain and accelerate these trends so that milestone in the energy industry, confirming trends the next time the global price of oil spikes, it goes un- underway for some time. Growing natural gas production across the country is rapidly eroding coals noticed by consumers here in the U.S. share of the electricity market. Technological breakHolland is a Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate throughs in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drillat the American Security Project, which recently pub- ing have allowed drillers to extract gas from shale rock at low cost. This has unlocked enormous quantities lished Cause and Effect: U.S. Gasoline Prices. of natural gas, causing prices to plummet from above $10.50 per million Btu (MMBtu) in 2008, down to below $2/MMBtu this year. Low prices are forcing Who Killed the Coal Plant? utilities to shift away from coal towards natural gas. The EIA projects that natural gas consumption in the Nicholas Cunningham electric power sector will increase by an astounding 21% in 2012 from a year earlier, while coal consumpAOL Energy tion will decrease by 13%. June 18, 2012 Contrary to coal industry claims, the erosion of coals The coal industry is ramping up its campaign against position is due to market forces, not regulation, as President Obama and the EPA, criticizing the ad- many of the regulations proposed under the Obama ministration for attempting to regulate the industry administration so loathed by the coal industry have to death. A $1 million ad buy from American Com- not yet taken effect. Instead, it is becoming increasmitment, a conservative advocacy group, decries ingly difficult for coal to compete with natural gas on Obamas war on coal and targets EPAs recently price. finalized rule to limit toxic mercury pollutants from power plants, known as the Utility MACT rule. The Regardless of whether or not the campaign to kill rule will require power plants to install technology the Utility MACT rule is successful, coal plants pose to limit toxic mercury emissions. The Senate could significant financial risks to investors. Coal plants soon vote on a resolution that would kill the rule. The require high fixed construction costs and their ecocoal industry and other conservative groups claim the nomic viability is based on 30-40 year lifespans. Inrule will force utilities to install expensive equipment, vestors must have long-term certainty that those costs which will drive up the cost of energy and kill jobs. can be recovered over that lifespan. A sustained period EPAs proposal in March to begin regulating green- of cheap natural gas would put that return on investment into question.
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Additionally, the coal industrys claim that government regulation is killing jobs seems to ignore the fact that the loss of jobs in the coal industry correspond to a surge in employment in the natural gas industry. IHS Global Insight estimates the natural gas industry supported 1 million jobs in 2010, and it will create an additional 500,000 jobs by 2015. Shale gas drilling has expanded so rapidly that the hotel industry in Pennsylvania is booming as local housing cannot satisfy the influx of new workers. This is an example of creative destruction, a phenomenon that the free market enthusiasts like those claiming a war on coal supposedly support.
in the solar industry, and the rise of renewable energy investment in America. In his foreword to the UNEP report Udo Steffens, President and CEO of Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, noted that although some actors have gone bankrupt and left the solar stage, the sector shows all elements of a highly dynamic and vibrant industry. Furthermore, he is convinced that green energy led by solar will continue to offer exciting career opportunities for years to come. Many of these opportunities have come over the last twelve months as the introduction of cheaper photovoltaic (PV) panels particularly those imported from China have led to solar technology becoming accessible for more homes. The report notes that with PV solarprices falling rapidly, there is a promised land in sight where solar will at least be competitive without government subsidies.
The coal industry and other conservative groups are spending millions of dollars to derail the Utility MACT rule and other environmental regulations, but they have identified the wrong enemy. The real threat to their long-term survival is the natural gas industry. They are being beaten in the very free market that they claim they support, and to overcome that open competition, coal is trying to rig the game by What does the report tell us about solar in the US? undermining critical environmental protections. The possibility of not needing government subsidies Nick Cunningham is a policy analyst at the American to sustain a solar industry in the near future should be Security Project, a non-profit, bipartisan public pol- pleasing to everyone, but there is still a lot of work to icy and research organization dedicated to fostering be done before this can be a reality. The report notes knowledge and understanding of a range of national one obstacle can be seen in recent criticisms toward government assistance of renewables, which occur security issues. ironically at a time when fully competitive renewable power is starting to be a realistic possibility in a few years.
UNEP Report: Does This Mean a Bright Unfortunately, the possibility of solar slowly weaning Future for Solar?
Matthew Baker
itself off government assistance has become victim to political opportunism. As the report alludes, the collapse of Solyndra has been used to move energy Flashpoint Blog policy away from support of renewables in the US. Debate on this issue itself is problematic because such June 19, 2012 funding should not be controversial, just as its not for liberal or conservative governments in the rest of The American solar industry is a lot like a child-star: the world. Germanys funding of renewable energy young, has immense potential, and wants to make a under a conservative government has led to record lot of money when it grows up. But it is impossible breaking power generation in solar this year. to know how bright its future can be unless we give it the chance to fill a bigger role in our energy needs. Some antagonists have made solar the whipping boy of green technology. Opponents of solar have used Last Monday we saw how this future star is growing Solyndra as a reflector for the entire industry; turning in the findings of the United Nations Environment it into a political piata to negate any success solar Program (UNEP) report entitled Global Trends in has had. But this is not an accurate depiction of the Renewable Energy Investment 2012. The report entire industry, and claiming Solyndra is somehow presents a narrative of green energy investment from a mirror for solars economic future is as absurd as last year centered around two key points: huge growth using Enron to illustrate the reliability of natural gas
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companies. In the report, Steffens suggests global competitors are changing the game for solar. Emerging markets frequently have failed enterprises as businesses become more in tune to market trends and develop accordingly. The solar industry is no exception, with Steffens acknowledging the painful disparities between the performances of different companies. But current inequalities should not lead to despair.
preparing for the potential hazards of a changing climate.
In a recent USA Today article, the public works director of Coronado, California, Scott Huth, noted that adapting to climate change is not about politics, whether liberal or conservative. Instead, he said, its simply about taking seriously our duty to make sure that were informed for things that might potentially happen. Leaders in many vulnerable cities are not wasting time on politics while the already apparent When Henry Ford began the first of his two failed impacts of climate change worsen. They are preparautomobile companies there were sixty aspiring au- ing for the future changes in their cities that may aftomakers in the United States. From 1899-1919, fect all aspects of society. 77% of the automobile firms that entered the industry went out of business. During this same period In the West, where recent wildfires like the one in autos net product value went from 150th to 2ndin Colorado have ravaged the region, cities like Tuscon, all American industries. Although solar is not likely Flagstaff and Salt Lake City are leading the country to grow at that same rate any time soon, due partly in climate change adaptation. The University of Arito the European economic downturn, expansion of zona at Tucson hosted the 2nd International Consolar this year does dispel the argument that Solyndra ference on Climate Adaptation two weeks ago where in particular is some yardstick for solars economic representatives from these three cities discussed what they are doing individually to prepare and how they viability. can work together in the future. These cities initiated Where do we go from here? the Western Adaptation Alliance in 2010 and have been joined by Aspen, Boulder County, Denver, For Current fossil fuel consumption is unsustainable. Collins, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Park City. This alThe need to invest in alternative energy will rise with liance allows cities to discuss common threats and increased energy demands, particularly in the US to build capacities in terms of responses to disasters where we expect to see an increase 25% by 2035. It is such as wildfires. Colorado houses 6 military bases, important we keep our options open and give alter- all of which border national forests. With wildfires native sources of energy like solar a chance to prove becoming a larger issue as rainfall decreases and temthemselves. The $147 billion investment in solar last peratures increase, military bases may be threatened year is a good start. But more must be done to show by impending fires. Groups like the Western Adaptathe public how government support of solar will en- tion Alliance will allow for better efficacy in preparcourage future investment, allow solar to stand on its ing for a responding to these issues. own two feet, and ultimately benefit us all. In other parts of the country, New York and Chicago are also moving past the Congressional debate about claims change and are leading Are US Cities Prepared for Climate Change? the scientific climateof climateadaptation. As extreme the way for change weather intensifies, these cities must be prepared Catherine Foley for the potential floods associated with extreme rain events and New York must prepare for flooding asFlashpoint Blog sociated with hurricanes. These preparations include elevating pumps at wastewater treatment plants and June 19, 2012 replacing concrete sidewalks with permeable materiThe US is lagging behind globally in climate change als to better soak up rain water. New York City has adaptation, both in number of cities considering cli- a Panel on Climate Change which has been working mate change in their development plans and the ex- on a risk management response to climate change. tent to which they are preparing. Despite this finding, Part of this response includes planting a million trees there are many US cities that are leading the trend in and investing in a $1.5 billion 20-year plan for green
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But, perhaps most importantly, Saudi Arabia has rapidly ramped up production. It produced a record Other cities such as San Francisco and Seattle are also amount of oil in the past year to offset lost producplanning for a warming climate, with San Francisco tion from Libya. Even though oil production in Libya requiring new projects to account for the projected has recovered, Saudi Arabia has kept output up to sea-level rise and Seattle developing tools to take cli- offset a potential decline in Iranian production from mate variability into account for new building proj- western sanctions. An oil embargo of Iranian oil by ects. the European Union is set to take effect on July 1. infrastructure to handle storm-water runoff. Despite ranking last in global climate change adaptation, the progress US cities are making must not be overlooked. These cities are moving past the political deadlock in Congress and are working towards preparing their own cities to adapt to the anticipated conditions of the future. Higher oil production over the last few months has resulted in world oil production exceeding demand for the first time since 2005. In addition to Saudi output, geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran have eased, causing prices to plunge from $128 per barrel of Brent crude just a few months ago down to its current level of about $96 per barrel.
World Oil Market Oversupplied?

Nicholas Cunningham
Therefore, analysts were closely watching the latest meeting of OPEC, which met Thursday in Vienna. OPEC is a collection of 12 major oil producers, Flashpoint Blog mostly in the Middle East, and they make collective decisions on output in order to reach their price tarJune 15th, 2012 gets. Saudi Arabia acts as the swing producer, essenThe three most recent price spikes in the oil markets tially the central bank of oil, ramping up or cutting (2008, 2011 and 2012) sparked concerns that the back on production to maintain price levels. global oil markets would not be able to satisfy the worlds insatiable appetite for oil. But, high prices OPEC agreed at Thursdays meeting to keep its protypically do not last long, and prices dropped in all duction ceiling at 30 million barrels per day due to ongoing economic weakness in the global economy, three cases almost as fast as they rose. despite calls from some members to cut production. In all three situations, price spikes caused some demand destruction as consumers reached the limits on Although OPEC attempts to speak with one voice, it which they were willing to pay for gasoline without is not a monolith, and members often disagree. Severchanging behavior. Clearly, a cratering global econ- al countries, including Iraq, Venezuela, and Iran were omy also contributed to a decline in oil demand in- calling for a cut in output to boost prices. For these nations, oil represents the vast majority of their excluding the ongoing Eurozone crisis. port revenue. Venezuela has called for oil to stay above However, many analysts believe that oil oversupply is $100 per barrel and it is believed that Iran needs oil prices to stay above $100 in order for it to balance its also a major factor in driving down prices. budget. Iraq has also said that prices between $100 Global oil production has surged in the last two years, and $120 per barrel are reasonable and acceptable. reaching an all-time high of 88.9 million barrels per However, enough members resisted a production cut. day this year. The latest decision will ensure that oil markets are Oil production is booming in the Bakken in North oversupplied, at least in the short-term. Dakota, allowing it to surpass Alaska as the U.S.s second largest oil producing state. As Daniel Yergin recently noted, [I]n 2011, the United States registered the largest increase in oil production of any country outside of OPEC. With surging U.S. oil production, analysts and policymakers have U.S. energy independence in their sites.
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Prudence Needed in Department of Com- free, but the physical capital and installation of solar technology is quite costly. Because tariffs serve to raise merce Tariff Decision
Carl Grote Flashpoint Blog June 8, 2012 The United States Department of Commerce recently reported that it has preliminarily opted to apply a 31% tariff to Chinese solar panel imports. The decision comes as a response to rising sales of inexpensive Chinese solar panels which have led to sharp profit declines for many companies producing solar panels in the U.S. Even in the face of tax breaks and stimulus financing, these American businesses have struggled. For instance, Solyndra filed for bankruptcy last year despite the $535 million it received as part of President Obamas clean energy stimulus package. Similarly, First Solar, Inc. has seen a 62.3% decline in its share prices even with over $3 billion in Department of Energy Loan guarantees. Commerce believes American solar manufacturers have lost their ability to compete with their Chinese counterparts, and estimates that Chinese manufacturers on average sell their panels at 31% below market price having analyzed dumping margins for over 50 Chinese solar exporters. While this market development raises clear economic concerns for American manufacturers, it poses an even larger concern for consumers just when solar power is becoming competitive with conventional electricity generation. market prices to a fair level, Commerce will effectively raise the solar industrys cost of capital; hindering its further expansion.
Another drawback to a slowdown in domestic solar installations is the likelihood that solar financiers and installers will take on an increasing number of projects abroad. For instance, SunEdison has recently turned to African and Asian villages traditionally powered by diesel generators and subject to frequent blackouts for installation projects. The afore-mentioned glut of panels has made such projects more economical, and raised profitability expectations. If enacted, the DOCs tariff could accelerate solar companies shifting focus to foreign markets. Whereas the U.S. energy industry has contributed nearly 30% to global emissions in the past 150 years, developing nations contribute significantly less. So, expansion of solar infrastructure into third-world villages will have a relatively smaller influence on climate change improvements than domestic development of the industry. While improving energy accessibility in these places is altruistic, it is certainly not ideal for the solar industry to seek expansion abroad as growth opportunities at home offer avenues for improvements to our own climate and energy security.
Before passing the tariff, Commerce should carefully consider the repercussions to the entire solar industry, not just the panel producers who oversupplied their inventories. By propping up those firms at the expense of other players in the industry, Commerce In fact, solar installations have surged in the U.S. and risks taking backward steps as the U.S. seeks to mitiother industrial nations largely due to a decline in gate climate change and secure its energy future. panel prices. 2011 alone saw more than a twofold increase in solar installations from 2010 levels. The tariff would force consumers to pay higher prices for solar Need to Address Water Security electricity, and could reverse that industry-wide trend. Further, the tariff is aimed solely at photovoltaic panel Matthew Baker manufacturers who have experienced declining profit margins, and lost their competitiveness in the world Flashpoint Blog market. On the other hand, solar installers are likely June 1, 2012 to see a slowdown on their end of the industry. The U.S. has ample solar resources, making solar power an exciting opportunity for the U.S. to wean itself off of fossil fuels- a necessary step toward climate change mitigation. The biggest challenge to achieving a scalable solar infrastructure, however, is the capitalintensive nature of the industry. After all, sunlight is
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Recently the New York Times Green Blog published a harrowing article highlighting the possible impact of one of our most overlooked national security issues: water security. The article demonstrated the direct impact of insecure water supplies on an entire civilization hugely important in itself and
prompts the reader to ask are we really prepared for serious constraints on access to fresh water reserves? Throughout history intricate river systems have allow for the existence of civilization. Interestingly, finite river water makes up 0.0002% of the earths water and 0.06% of all freshwater. This scarcity shows how changes in water supplies have the potential to undermine security by increasing tensions between and within states.
AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS
Research conducted on the relationship between environment and conflict suggests the most persistent conflicts of the past twenty-five years like the Rwandan genocide, the Darfur crisis, and Yemens instability were indirectly caused by unsustainable Goodbye Discovery water management. As riparian states states that border rivers search Matthew Wallin for abundant freshwater supplies, it is possible we Flashpoint Blog will see rivalries for scarce water sources arise, but we are also likely to see cooperation. Research by Aaron April 17, 2012 T. Wolf shows that from 1945-1999, cooperative events between riparian states outnumbered conflicts As onlookers crowded the grounds of the National by more than two to one. As an aside, the degree to Mall this morning, eyes across Washington turned to which our lives are reliant upon freshwater from river the skies for perhaps their first, and definitely their last systems is interestingly highlighted when noting that glimpse of Space Shuttle Discovery perched majestithe concept of rivalry derives from the Latin word cally atop a modified Boeing 747. The awe-inspiring rivalis, literally meaning to use anothers river. presence of this mated pair soaring over the skies of the nations capital served as a final goodbye to one Although we do not have a crystal ball to predict of Americas greatest engineering feats. Yet the sight what will occur should we not take steps to combat of these well-used birds brought with them a slew of this issue effectively, we do have existing barometers. emotions, ranging from proud to disappointed, and from hopeful to sad. Possibly the most worrying trend is that of melting glaciers in the Himalayas, which have the potential Proud because the space shuttle program has been a to cause flooding followed by severe drought for mil- technological feat unmatched by any other nation, lions in China India, and Pakistan: three key states and transported on the back of another example with nuclear capabilities and a history of geopolitical of American engineering at its best: the 747. It is a rivalry. Chinese water shortages alone are extremely testament to the ability of Americans to build and problematic. Already water shortages in more than do things that inspire people worldwide: a shining 300 of Chinas 640 major cities costs China an esti- emblem of American soft power. It has served as a mated $11.2 billion in annual industrial output. vehicle for international cooperation, ferrying scores of astronauts from various nations in a prime exAs American foreign policy continues to shift toward ample of science diplomacy. Discovery served for Asia, it is important that we understand how long- 27 years and launched 31 satellites in a world where term water security in the region will impact future most spacecraft are used only once. Even the famed conflict and cooperation. Russian Soyuz capsules have a limited life-span of 6 Watch this space for future discussions on how to months in space. build long-term water and environmental security Disappointed, because the Shuttle Program has also throughout this key region. seen its share of problems. Two of the 5 Shuttles were
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tragically lost with all hands. The Shuttles were also originally intended to serve for 100 missions each. None of them got close to that goal. While providing us with a method for manned space missions, the Shuttles were tied to low-earth orbit, and their cost restricted our financial ability to venture beyond earths gravity.
We had Space ShuttlesSpace Shuttles mounted to the backs of little plastic 747s. This is gone now. Who will be our future astronauts?
While there is a great deal of debate about the cost and utility of manned space exploration and the role of commercialization, its important to understand that is something that Americans do well. It is someFor the entirety of the Shuttle program, we went nothing that Americans can be proud of. It is something where. Instead, we sent robots in our place. America that America does that demonstrates that life has to put men on the moon less than 9 years after putting be about more than simply fulfilling our needsit our first man in space, and we did it with slide-rules. has to be about expanding our capabilities. Think of the sheer enormity of that accomplishment. Though robotic exploration as a whole has been wildly Goodbye Discovery, Ill see you soon in your new successful, looking at pictures of faraway lands simply home. does not have the same profound effect as going there in person. Postcards from Paris, or vacation to Paris? Hopeful because the end of the Shuttle program represents the closing of this chapter of human space flight, and hopefully represents a new era in space exploration. While the Shuttle has been key in helping us to understand more about our own planet, our own physiology, and indeed the universe (the Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard Discovery), it also represented stagnancy in our will to expand. Our last human mission beyond low earth orbit was in 1979.
Energy Development in the Arctic: Threats and Opportunities

Andrew Holland Consumer Energy Report June 28, 2012 One of the most contentious domestic political issues in the debate between energy development and environmental policy for over 20 years has been how to develop Americas energy resources in the Arctic. As Shell makes preparations to send offshore drilling rigs into the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas north of Alaska, I thought it would be important to walk through the history of energy exploration in Alaska.
The premise of human space exploration deserves better. The United States is a leader in space exploration, and we should continue to lead, partnering with other countries to develop the technologies that will lead us beyond our own planet, and to a greater understanding of our role in this massive universe. We should not need a competing power such as the Soviet Union Two weeks ago, I spoke as a part of a lecture series to serve as the impetus behind our space endeavors. by the Massachusetts-based Manomet Center about Other powers must now be partners. energy development and ecosystems in the Arctic. is a conservation sciences organization Sad because as hopeful as I may be, I am also worried Manometfounded to study migratory shorebirds; I that was about the immediate future of human space flight. As was paired in the lecture with Stephen Brown, one of a child growing up in Los Angeles, I would occasion- Manomets foremost experts on Alaskan shorebirds. ally hear the famed double-sonic booms of a Space The event was very interesting because it allowed a Shuttle landing at Edwards Air Force Base. It was frank and open discussion of the threats and opporunmistakable, and amazingly cool to realize a space tunities in the Arctic. The discussion below is adapted shuttle had just flown over my head. It was inspiring. from my presentation. The entire Space Shuttle Program was inspiringit inspired interest in science, technology, and space in Long History of Arctic Energy Exploration the hearts of countless numbers of kids who believed that one day, they too could become astronauts and Since the 1920s, Americans have known that there venture into space. Kids of my generation did not were vast reserves of oil in the North Slope of Alaska, grow up playing with Apollo-era command modules. when the Navy was given the territory now known as
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Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. However, unlike other Wilderness areas that are protected from development in perpetuity, under this act, a 1.5 million acre sector of ANWR, the so-called 1002 Area, was designated for study of its hydrocarbon reserves. The Act left it up to a later Congress to open the Area In 1968, a vast reserve of oil, the largest single field in to exploration. the U.S., was discovered in Prudhoe Bay. However, the oil field could not begin commercial production A 1998 report by the U.S. Geological Survey estiuntil there was a way to deliver the oil to markets mated that there was between 5.7 billion barrels and in the Continental U.S. or around the world. First, 16.0 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil in an icebreaking oil tanker, the Manhattan was sent the 1002 Area. However, we simply cannot know the through the Northwest Passage to test the feasibility actual production potential of the area because exof such a commercial route. When that proved too ploration wells have never been drilled. The USGS difficult, it was decided that the only possible route to estimates are based on the geologic formations of admarket for Alaskas oil was a pipeline from the North jacent lands, not actual exploration within ANWR. Slope. In 1989, Congress was preparing legislation that This was a contentious debate, as landowners and na- would open the 1002 Area of ANWR to oil explorative people wrestled with the environmental impact tion, and it was predicted to sail through. However, of such a pipeline. However, with the onset of the the Exxon Valdez disaster in March of that year quickfirst Arab oil crisis in 1973, Congress authorized the ly stopped consideration of the legislation. The return expedited building of the Trans Alaska Pipeline Sys- of Republicans to power in Congress after the 1994 tem (TAPS). Completed in 1977 at a cost of $8 bil- election saw the issue return in Congress. President lion (about $32 billion in todays dollars), the pipe- Clinton vetoed an effort to open ANWR to drilling line marked a significant infrastructure investment. It in 1996, and the early years of the Bush Administratransports crude oil from Alaskas North Slope, across tion saw several close votes on opening the refuge to 800 miles of tundra, rugged mountains and rivers to drilling. Ultimately, however, the environmentalists Valdez, North Americas northernmost ice-free port. won the argument, and ANWR has remained closed. the National Petroleum Reserve as reserve for oil production to supply the fleet as it transformed from coal to oil. The reserve was never tapped, however, because of new finds in more accessible areas like Texas, California, and Oklahoma. By the time I was working on staff in the Senate, in 2006, the issue had become ritualized. Everyone knew how each Senator was going to vote on an annual vote, Senator Ted Stevens would get very angry, but the legislation would ultimately fail. Since the 2010 mid-term elections, House Republicans have included an opening of ANWR in their drilling bills, In 2011, Alaskas North Slope oil production was but the Democratic Senate has not even taken them 562,000 barrels of oil per day. That means that the up, and President Obama would veto them. pipeline is only operating at about capacity. At its peak production in 1989, Prudhoe Bay was produc- Offshore Drilling in Alaskas North Slope ing about 2 million barrels per day almost at the TAPS capacity. I dont know exactly why the field Since 2007, a warming Arctic sea has seen dramatic has seen a 71% drop in production over the last 22 reductions in summer sea ice. This has allowed energy years, but I would suspect that it can be attributed to companies like Shell to contemplate how to extract some of the 22% of the worlds undiscovered energy a natural declining field. resources that the US Geological Survey estimates are ANWR: Trying to Find New Oil Production to Fill under the Arctic Sea. the Pipeline Shell is preparing to send exploration ships to the The Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) is the Chuckchi and Beaufort Seas this summer to explore largest protected wilderness in the United States and for oil. They have received permission from the EPA was created by Congress under the Alaska National and Department of Interior, and are awaiting permits TAPS carries approximately 15 percent of the nations domestic oil production and has transported more than 15 billion barrels of crude oil in its lifetime. Importantly, it has a maximum daily capacity of 2.136 million barrels of oil, although it has never transported its full capacity.
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from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service. While these are expected to go through, we should expect to see some significant litigation between now and then. Shell plans to bring about 30 ships and over 500 people to handle the exploration operations. The U.S. Coast Guard, too, will operate a full-time presence in the Arctic this summer for the first time, with a Cutter on patrol at each of the drilling sites. There will be more people off that stretch of beachfront over 1000 miles from the nearest deepwater port than probably has ever been there.
US Must Ratify Law of the Sea Convention

Robert Gardner Flashpoint Blog June 13, 2012
Tensions over resource claims in the Arctic have come a long way since Russia planted a flag on the North Poles seabed to claim the entire region in 2007, but challenges remain especially to United States interests. Five out of six nations bordering the Arctic are I understand that the sea floor in this area is fairly settling their claims to the Arctic seabed while the US shallow, so the technical problems of drilling at high is stuck on the sidelines depth that we all became familiar with during the The US could be left out of valuable Arctic resources Deepwater Horizon disaster will not be there. In- if it does not ratify the United Nations Convention stead, we will see entirely different threats, like surface on the Law of the Sea Treaty (UNCLOS), the legal ice and severe storms. Shell has experience operating authority on the status of Arctic resources. 162 nain Russias Sea of Okhotsk, but this will remain an tions, including all nations bordering the Arctic, exextreme environment. cept the US, are party to the treaty. If all goes well, Shell anticipates that the first produc- Nations are claiming portions of the Arctic seabed tion of oil will begin in less than ten years, and peak based on the extension of the continental shelves they production will be about 1.7 million barrels of oil per lie on and existing territorial agreements. day. The UNCLOS Commission on the Limits of the ConBlocking ANWR Production led to Offshore Drilling tinental Shelf is currently considering states territoNotably, that production figure for offshore oil will be rial claims to Arctic seabed, where resources could be just enough to bring the TAPS back up to full capac- recovered. Canada, Denmark (for Greenland), Nority. I believe that if exploration in ANWR had not way, Iceland, and Russia have all put fourth claims for been blocked, there would not be a push to drill off- Arctic seabed on their extended continental shelves. shore. With new oil pumping through the pipeline, Without being party to the treaty, the US cannot there would not have been enough capacity to accom- make claims to Arctic seabed beyond 200 miles off its modate offshore drilling as well. However, as it is now, coast, as designated by the treaty. offshore drilling is the only way to increase capacity The US is literally on the outside looking in as nations to meet the capacity limits of the pipeline. So long as divide valuable resources it could be legally claiming. this already existing infrastructure is not fully utilized, there will be pressure, both from oil companies and The US continental shelf is estimated to extend at from Alaskas politicians, to fill the pipeline. least 600 miles into the Arctic Sea off the coast of Alaska. This region, called the Arctic Alaska Province, is an incredibly recourse richest area, estimated by the USGS to hold 29.96 billion barrels of oil and 72 billion barrels of natural gas (about 33% of technically recoverable oil and 18% of technically recoverable gas in the Arctic). Supporters of the treaty assert that through acquiring resource rights, the US could substantially increase its domestic oil and natural gas production in the long term. Such production would lead to greater US ener-
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gy security and greater investment and employment in the energy sector. With the US now having so much to lose and a great deal to gain, supporters of the treaty have been pushing congress to ratify UNCLOS. The treaty has been overwhelming backed by US industries, military officials, previous presidential administrations and the Obama administration as a way to confirm US sovereignty in Arctic.
Its Time for Magnetic Fusion to Have a Seat at the Energy Table
Matthew Baker Flashpoint Blog June 25, 2012
What if there was a source of energy that had the potential to supply almost infinite amounts of clean enYet, a small opposition to the treaty remains. The ergy, making our reliance on foreign oil and concerns opposition asserts that US should be advancing its surrounding fossil fuel emissions obsolete? Public enresource claims without ratifying what they believe thusiasm behind this technology would be immense, to be a constraining international agreement. Oppo- right? sition leaders claim that US territorial disputes over the Arctic (with Canada) should be settled through Unfortunately for magnetic fusion energy, this is not the case. We can see this lack of support through bilateral treaties, not UNCLOS. funding cuts proposed by the Obama AdministraSecretary of State Clinton attempted to debunk this tion, which could force some of the leading fusion argument in a recent Senate Foreign Relations Com- programs in the country to close. A systematic efmittee hearing. Clinton asserted that companies have fort using public and private partnerships over the expressed their need for the maximum level of in- next few decades could make fusion the solution to ternational legal certainty before they will or could some of the greatest challenges of the 21st century make the substantial investments in expensive and such as climate change and energy security. Thererisky Arctic exploration. In addition Clinton stated fore, it is vital that we make fusion part of the public our ability to challenge other countries behavior discourse surrounding our inevitable transition away should stand on the firmest and most persuasive legal from harmful fossil fuels. footing available. What is fusion? Supporting Clinton, the chairman of Lockheed Martin (along with other business leaders) has written to Fusion energy is a process that facilitates our very exthe senate supporting the treaty, saying investment istence. By fusing hydrogen atoms to produce vast in the region is only going to be secured for rights amounts of energy, the sun and the stars are examples clearly recognized and protected within the estab- of the fusion process at work. Based on Einsteins forlished treaty-based framework. In sum, companies mula of E=MC2, the process can be replicated by wont drill in the Arctic until they are backed by the physicists here on earth through magnetic fusion. legal framework of UNCLOS. UNCLOS provides Magnetic fusion uses hydrogen isotopes commonly the legal certainty companies need; bi-lateral treaties found in nature: deuterium, found in seawater; and wont cut it. tritium, which can be bred from lithium. UnimaginTreaty critics and supporters will continue to de- ably hot plasma (the fourth state of matter) is then bate UNCLOS in a second round of hearings this used to circulate these atoms through a tokamak a Thursday. Congressional supporters hope to stomp doughnut-shaped magnetic casing with superconout critics claims before holding a vote on legislation ducting coils to help fuse them together and release that could change the course of US energy develop- vast amounts of energy. ment and international resource management. Some of magnetic fusions benefits can help solve the Further explanation of UNCLOS can be found in biggest issues we face in the 21st century. Andrew Hollands Race for Arctic Energy Resources Americas energy needs are expanding rapidly, and by Shows Need for U.S. to Ratify Law of the Sea Treaty. 2035 we will need a further 25% in energy output to meet demands. The world will still need more. Our
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the energy policy debate. Making the public aware of fusion is an important first step. A total investment of $30-40 billion over 15 years would be required to develop a fusion power demonstration. This sum is less than one-third of the Apollo programs cost and Fusion is clean. only about 10% of the cost of bank bailouts after the global financial crisis; short-term expenses would be It would provide almost unlimited amounts of clean dwarfed by the long-term ancillary benefits of feasible energy. This means zero harmful emissions which fusion. would greatly reduce our impact on climate change. A world powered by fusion would be significantly more Fusion should be a regular fixture in future discussustainable. sions on energy policy. transition away from fossil fuels will be the largest energy decision we will make since the Industrial Revolution, so it is essential that we consider all options available. Fusion should be one of those options. Fusion would be accessible to all This is important because we are already seeing conflicts across the globe arise over scarce resources. The civil war that led to the partitioning of Sudan last year is on example of a conflict exacerbated by resource control. All states would have access to an almost inexhaustible amount of energy, reducing the likelihood of these types of conflicts. Fusion is safe Aside from the benefits of zero emissions, fusion does not require uranium which can then be enriched to make nuclear weapons. The risk nuclear proliferation would be significantly reduced and states like Iran would no longer be able to use nuclear fission energy programs to veil the acquisition of nuclear weapons. Fusion would boost the economy
Race for Arctic Energy Resources Shows Need for U.S. to Ratify Law of the Sea Treaty
Andrew Holland Flashpoint Blog May 17, 2012 As I have been researching and writing about Arctic energy development recently, theres one important and easy policy prescription that often comes up: joining the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). As I mentioned in my article, Energy Development in the Arctic: Threats and Opportunities the USGS estimates that the Arctic region has 22% of the worlds undiscovered energy resources and 84% of those resources are expected to occur offshore (so 18.5% of the undiscovered resources are on or under the Arctic seabed).
Job creation is at the forefront of most voters minds and fusion would help alleviate unemployment. Fusion will create a sophisticated supply chain of jobs, particularly in construction and manufacturing. In the Arctic Sea, where there has been very little economic, social, or military activity, borders are not What needs to be done? clearly defined and tested by international law. That is changing swiftly, as Shell prepares to move significant The United States is falling behind in fusion at a time personnel and drilling equipment to the Chukchi and when it is being developed rapidly in the rest of the Beaufort Seas north of Alaska this summer for the world, particularly in East Asia. The Fusion White first time. Other countries to are joining a Race for Paper released by ASP highlights our need to push the Arctic as countries and companies seek access to forward with fusion, noting that China already has newly available oil and gas. As countries compete for looked to fast-track development with a goal of pos- these resources, the U.S. needs to become a party to sible net power demonstrations in its facilities in the the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to next decade. Relative U.S. decline in fusion, an area it define American exclusive rights. has historically dominated, is also being exacerbated by internal pressures such as budget cuts. Under customary maritime law, the U.S. has access to its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) out to 200 nautiThe ASP is currently working diligently with some of cal miles from shore. That means that the U.S. can the worlds best fusion experts to make fusion part of allow, regulate, tax, or prohibit any economic activ26
ity in this area. The most obvious economic activities are offshore drilling and fishing. The EEZ is different from territorial waters in that the EEZ is considered international waters, but territorial waters through which states must still allow innocent passage of ships are considered fully part of sovereign territory. Under UNCLOS, the EEZ for resources on or under the seabed can be extended a further 150 nautical miles (for a total of 350 nautical miles from shore) if it can be proved that the continental shelf extends that far. In the Arctic, all the other littoral states Canada, Denmark (for Greenland), Norway, Iceland, and Russia have put their claim for extended seabed EEZs into the UNCLOS secretariat for the purposes of claiming the seabed rights to the undiscovered resources, but because the U.S. is not a party to UNCLOS, the U.S. has not submitted any claim. The map, provided in the IISS (my former employer) 2012 Military Balance, shows how some of those claims overlap. Because the U.S. has not ratified the Convention, American diplomats are not at the table when those territorial claims are arbitrated.
ASYMMETRIC OPERATIONS
What We Misunderstand About Drones

Joshua Foust The Atlantic June 8, 2012
The New York Times blockbuster article on President Obamas counterterrorism policies has sparked wide discussion of his evolution into a president focused very strongly on killing terrorists. Americans are also debating the effectiveness and morality of drones. These are important conversations to be having, to This past Wednesday, I attended a forum hosted by which Id add some of the common misconceptions the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Atlantic Council about drones. The first is that drones are cheap, and which brought together some of the nations most the second is that theyre replacing other forms of important business and national security leaders to military operations. call for a ratification of the Law of the Sea. Secretary of Defense Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Drones might seem like a cheap and easy way to wage Dempsey, former Senators Lott, Warner, and Hagel, war, but thats not always the case. They require a suband former Director of National Intelligence Negro- stantial base of operations and support staff to funcponte all expressed their strong support for passage of tion, which means they can actually cost more than the treaty. Pew has founded a group called the Ameri- traditional aircraft to purchase and function. And can Sovereignty Campaign (www.ratifythetreatynow. public anger over drones in the targeted countries org) to call for a ratification of the UNCLOS in the has created severe political blowback, adding chalSenate. Not surprisingly, two of the most supportive lenges for U.S. diplomacy and influence in parts of Senators are Alaskas Senators Begich and Murkowski. the world that are already tough enough to manage. Ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty is a tool to Theres also a common assumption that defeating terexpand and confirm American sovereignty without rorism requires a fundamentally kinetic approach. resorting to military force. The Arctic Ocean is the re- Obviously, thats often true, but the point is that its gion in which American sovereignty is most in doubt. not categorically true. And sometimes the kinetic apThe Navy and Coast Guard can unilaterally protect proach can be costly. In Yemen, there is very little and extend American sovereignty in that region, but evidence that the growing use of drones has actually joining the UNCLOS would be a better way to con- reduced the threat posed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In Pakistan, while drones have reduced the firm that sovereignty in law. presence and reach of al-Qaeda Central, they have not necessarily diminished the global challenge posed by
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the groups ideology. Furthermore, this drone-associated political turmoil has had disastrous consequences for that countrys internal politics and economy -- meaning there is some risk that our drones might contribute to further destabilizing a country armed with a hundred nuclear weapons. There are other ways of addressing the problem of terrorism. Current U.S. strategy is primarily about violence: hunt down and kill suspected terrorists. But allowing the Defense Department and the CIA to target people they cannot identify -- to kill people who behave suspiciously without knowing who they are or what their intentions are -- doesnt really seem like self-defense. And it risks creating more instability, more state failure, and thus bigger problems in the future. Yemen is a perfect example of what can go wrong. In 2007, AQAP was a worrying presence in the countrys hinterlands, but not yet a major force in national politics. The U.S. lavished the regime of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh with hundreds of millions of dollars in training, equipment, and U.S. personnel. The U.S. also made Yemen its second most active battlefield for surgical strikes and drone operations, after Pakistan. However, after years of increasingly violent actions against AQAP, there are more al Qaeda terrorists in Yemen than ever before. The Saleh government lied to the U.S. about targets, possibly exploiting them to take out his rival. The U.S. has said that it treats opponents to the current government in Yemen as part of the same larger threat as al-Qaeda terrorists. Talk about mission creep. The policy of thwacking terrorists with drones (or even with small special forces teams or aircraft) has not, so far, been hugely successful at changing the targeted environments such that terrorism is neither growing nor a major threat to the U.S. It has killed a lot of people associated with al-Qaeda (in addition to people not associated with al-Qaeda). But the movement and potentially affiliated branches are on the march in Northern Africa, in Nigeria, in Mali, in Somalia, and in Yemen. A broader approach could, for example, place more emphasis on affecting social and political currents that presently support the terrorist movements and ideologies. One interesting project is the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, an inter-agency shop created last September and run out of
the State Department. The group recently posted, to a jihadi forum, Photoshoped images meant to reverse al-Qaedas online propaganda -- and, in the process, created a lot of nervous responses from al-Qaeda posters about the unreliability of the internet. The Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communicationss gambit was a small victory, but one that could presage a more creative, less invasive approach to countering terrorists; using their own tools against them. Creativity, agility, and innovation -- things the U.S. is actually quite good at -- seem more promising as a long-term counterterrorism strategy than throwing drones at every country with a security problem. The problem with drones is not the drones themselves, but the trend of killing first and asking questions later.
How Strong Is al Qaeda Today, Really?

Joshua Foust The Atlantic May 1, 2012 This week marks one year since Osama bin Ladens death. Were hearing a lot about what the anniversary means for the larger struggle against Islamist violence around the world. Most assessments of the War on Terror fall into one of two categories: al-Qaeda is stronger than ever or al-Qaeda is dead or dying. Whatever you think about al-Qaeda specifically, the global movement of violent Islamism is more complicated. Analyst Seth Jones is leading the argument that alQaeda is doing better than we realize, that the obituaries are premature (Jones also has a book coming out soon taking a similar position). This argument is based in part on the idea that al-Qaedas affiliates are part of the same larger collective as the and Pakistanbased group that Osama bin Laden helped lead. Mary Habeck says that al-Qaeda in Pakistan commands its subordinate groups in Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, and the Sahel through broad strategic guidance and resources as needed, but not specific daily orders with daily reportage back up the chain of command. This control is not perfect, she concedes, but the arguments rests on the assumption that the groups are so similar, and so interlinked, that they can all be accurately referred
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to as al-Qaeda. Of course, lots of groups take on the role of advisers and mentors. The U.S. is fond of using proxies in many wars -- the mujahidin who defeated the Soviet Army in Afghanistan in the 1980s, for example -- but we dont assume that mujahidin and American forces are analytically interchangeable. Their goals and interests aligned for a time and thus they joined forces; they did not, however, become the same force. The relationship between Pakistan-based al-Qaeda Central (AQC) and its many affiliates is similar: they came into being separately, and only later did they reach out to the central group in Pakistan for legitimacy and support. Terrorism is not getting worse. According to data released by the National Counter Terrorism Center on worldwide terrorist attacks, current levels of violence, though high, are far below their peak in 2006. The most recent year for which the NCTC has data, 2011, shows only a moderate reduction in violence from 2010, but it is still a reduction in violence. While AQAP in Yemen is gaining some territory (by essentially usurping the southern secessionist movement, which is itself an interesting political move), in Somalia the local al-Qaeda affiliate (which only became official two months ago) is actually losing territory. In Iraq, the al-Qaeda in Iraq group never held any to begin with. At this point, no one can say for certain whether the Sahel affiliates will be able to consolidate and control their very modest gains in Mali. In November 2001, Vice President Dick Cheney articulated the one percent doctrine. If theres a one percent chance that Pakistani scientists are helping alQaeda build or develop a nuclear weapon, we have to treat it as a certainty in terms of our response. Its not about our analysis, he said. Its about our response. That idea is still informing our understanding of alQaedas strength. It only takes one attack to be successful, Jones warns in his piece. On the other end of the spectrum, some analysts, many of them working for the Obama administration, say weve got al-Qaeda on the run. National Journal reporter Michael Hirsch quoted a State Department official last week as saying The war on terror is over, in part because the core elements of al-Qaeda -- its vast network and logistics trail for planning and launching attacks -- are essentially destroyed. Its true
that the primary elements of al-Qaeda that attacked us on September 11 are gone, but its not yet time to declare victory against the broader movement. The last successful attack by Islamist terrorists on a Western country took place in 2005 in London. But that doesnt mean the threat is gone; rather, the threat has changed. Probably the most difficult challenge facing the U.S. right now is not so much al-Qaeda itself but the growing number of insurgencies reaching out to al-Qaeda for legitimacy and support. These groups are spread across the Middle East and North Africa -- coincidentally, perhaps, along the periphery of the Arab Spring, in countries that did not experience a rapturous collapse of their tyrannical regimes. They confound easy attempts at labeling, too, since they combine elements of insurgencies, terrorist movements, local concerns (and local names -- al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and so on), and global allies. Those local affiliate groups do not pose the same threat that al-Qaeda once did. Despite the danger and chaos al-Shabab can sow in Somalia, it is not blowing up embassies, punching holes in U.S. Navy vessels, or flying airplanes into American buildings. And even the most virulent, violent of these groups -- al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the Yemen-based group, seems to be the analysts choice -- couldnt even manage to pull off a tiny underwear bomb that wouldnt have destroyed the airplane it was on anyway. The many successes in the fight against al-Qaeda have also come with substantial costs. In Pakistan and Yemen, an obsession with kinetic activities -- killing the bad guys -- has worsened political chaos and entrenched anti-Americanism. Some other countries now deny the U.S. permission to fly drones over their territory because they fear the political backlash that Obamas favorite weapon could bring. We dont know yet if these political consequences can be overcome, though its a safe bet that continuing the same terror policies wont lessen them. The struggle isnt hopeless, but it does require some new thinking. I edited a collection of essays published this week, asking some new questions on how the conflict between violent Islamism and the rest of the world is progressing -- the writers identify some good things about the last ten years of policy but also
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try to see where we could be doing this better. This is not always an easy discussion, especially after over a decade of politicization of how and when and where and why we fight terrorism. But it is a discussion that we nevertheless very much need to have.
would not happen right away. Retaliation was just one of many facets of this tremendous story covered by the press. Accounts of the events, details of the raid, political fallout, the role of Pakistan, U.S. and global reaction and the life of Osama bin Laden were also examined over the days of coverage. garnered public opinion on the events at the compound in Pakistan and the resulting death of bin Laden. Perhaps not surprising, most Americans felt that killing the al Qaeda leader instead of capturing him was the right thing to do. A Gallup poll showed that 93 percent approved of the military action that killed him.
Ambiguous public opinion of the War on In the days immediately following, polling companies Terror
Carolyn Deady San Antonio Express-News May 1, 2012 Americans were taken by surprise May 1 one year ago with the news that Osama bin Laden was dead. Over the course of many hours, details of the U.S. military action would begin to unfold. This would be one of the biggest news stories of 2011.
Pollsters also looked for public opinion on the overall threat of terrorism. Were people afraid that the threat had increased because the U.S. had killed bin Laden? Or did they think that there was less of a threat now An overwhelming majority of Americans would ap- that the al Qaeda leader was gone? It turns out that prove of the killing of the al Qaeda leader. Justice had neither answer held a majority. been served in the eyes of many. Yet when considering In fact, over half of Americans felt that there was no what the demise of bin Laden meant for the broad- change in the threat level as a result of bin Ladens er issue of the war on terrorism, public opinion was death. However, when asked if the death of bin Laden much more reserved. makes the U.S. safer or less safe, 54 percent said safer About half of all Americans first heard the news of Bin and 28 percent said less so. Ladens death from television. As the story developed, The polling questions seem very similar in scope yet television would be the primary source of information the wording (threat,safer) clearly has an impact on for three-quarters of the public. Interest in this story the response. was initially very high, yet for the week overall (May 1- 8, 2011) many Americans felt that the Osama bin The ambiguity of these responses the country is Laden story had been overcovered. safer, but the threat is not diminished is puzzling. A Pew Research poll revealed that 69 percent of news coverage that week was on the al Qaeda leader but actual interest in the story was at only 42 percent. The mainstream media was covering the same themes what lead up to the raid, what happened during the raid and national and international reaction to it over and over in the first few days and people became saturated. Fear of retaliation was one of the main points of interest in the news coverage. One poll found that 57 percent of Americans were concerned about a terrorist attack on the U.S. in retribution for the killing of bin Laden. Another reported a much higher 71 percent were concerned although they felt that an attack Americans dont seem to know whether they are winning or losing the struggle against Islamist terrorism. When asked in a CBS poll given last November, Who do you think is currently winning the war against terrorism? 42 percent of those polled said the U.S. and its allies, 42 percent said neither the U.S. and its allies nor terrorists. A CNN/ORC poll taken the day after bin Ladens death posed the same question with similar results: 44 percent said that the U.S. and its allies were winning the war on terrorism and 45 percent said neither was winning. In both polls, just 9 percent thought that terrorists were winning.
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The effect on the war on terrorism by the U.S. military and intelligence communities success in tracking down and killing Osama bin Laden has been met with a measured response rather than exuberance. The death of bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world, had the approval of a majority of Americans and was considered a victory for the U.S. It would be expected that more Americans would perceive the U.S. and its allies as winning the war on terror.
manitarian Forum, a consortium of NGOs that work in Pakistan, submitted an official request to the U.S. government to re-brand their aid. The American label had become a liability. So while USAID is very good at quickly mobilizing assistance to disaster-afflicted communities, it carries a lot of political baggage -- so much so in places like Pakistan that the U.S might be better off in the long run by downsizing USAIDs direct activities there and working through alternative programs.
Yet Americans were more guarded, realizing that removing the leader would wound but not eradicate al One good model might be the Rural Support ProQaeda therefore the threat of terrorism is still very grammes Network. A sprawling collection of local NGOs, the RSPN was founded by the Agha Khan real. Network in 1982, and has since become its own, It remains to be seen how much longer the public separate program. While the stats about its reach are will tolerate a war it cant say our side is winning. impressive -- reaching millions of the poorest homes Now that bin Laden is off the scene, it will probably across a vast swath of Pakistan -- whats especially fasbecome more difficult for the government to justify cinating about RSPN are its methods. the enormous scope of the war over the past 10 years. Put simply, RSPN has a different focus than normal So, the real question is how long the publics patience aid programs. They emphasize the development of inwill last. stitutions first, and only after that institution is established do they worry about its output or performance. The NGO also heavily invests in the smallest scale of A Radically Different Way of Bringing U.S. the community, from conceptualization to execution, hiring mostly locals to administer projects. Lastly, Aid to Pakistan they have extraordinarily long project timelines -sometimes as long as 15 years from start to finish. Joshua Foust Focusing on short term projects is a critical weakness The Atlantic of how the U.S. conducts both warfare and aid. Put simply, you make very different decisions if you have April 30, 2012 to show progress next year than if you have to show In July 2010, heavy rains and devastating flooding progress next decade. RSPNs longer term focus lets in Pakistan displaced upwards of 20 million people. it work on more difficult goals, such as creating instiAs part of the relief effort, the United States Agency tutional capacity that can exist without foreign input. for International Development (USAID) swung into It also means RSPN can build out micro-infrastrucaction, distributing millions of dollars worth in tem- ture projects like micro-hydro power plants that alporary shelters, food, fresh water, and medical help. low communities to finance their own development It was a stunning display of how quickly the U.S. can -- again, without foreign input. mobilize humanitarian relief when disaster strikes. But the most interesting project RSPN has done in There was just one problem: a number of the affected rural Pakistan is a collaborative micro-healthcare inPakistanis didnt seem to want American help. Some surance system. For very little money -- $3.50 a year expressed being upset at getting huge bags of char- in some cases -- poor people can get access to basic ity labeled USA. American aid to Pakistan has been medical care (especially maternity care) and assistance fraught with problems for many years, facing charges if they face hospitalization. of politicization, corruption, and ulterior motives. It was so bad that, by October 2010, the Pakistan Hu- A hyper-local focus on poor, isolated communities
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has created an unexpected way to provide previously Keeping the lights on in Pakistan unfathomable sorts of services to the poor at very low cost. The RSPN affiliates who provide microinsur- Ashley Boyle ance reach almost a million people, and at very little cost, by employing local community members for ex- Flashpoint Blog pertise, services, and administration. May 30, 2012 This structure applies to much of what RSPN does: local projects, run by locals. It is a sharp contrast to US relations with Pakistan are being jeopardized by even the ostensibly locally focused aid projects ad- Pakistans economic conditions, which have recently ministered by U.S. and European NGOs and aid worsened on account of the nations first sovereign agencies, which focus on establishing a strong pres- default on payments to Independent Power Producence in capital cities and rely on expensive expatriate ers (IPPs). This new economic crisis is being cited as administrators. RSPNs local focus carries significant a greater threat to Pakistans stability than the ongospillover effects in its communities as well: providing ing Islamist insurgency in the northern Federally Adopportunities and improving the quality of life makes ministered Tribal Area (FATA) and could be a tipping those communities significantly better off as a conse- point in the nations security environment. quence. The brain drain of young people leaving to In early May, the government of Pakistan failed to pay find opportunity elsewhere is diminished, and with IPPs approximately Rs45 billion out of an outstandbetter health and finances they can develop them- ing Rs232 billion. The sovereign default is the result selves, without the distorting effect of foreign money. of the governments inability to resolve a circular debt The Agha Khan Rural Support Programme, which in its power sector, estimated to be in excess of Rs400 birthed RSPN, has been operating in India for 25 billion (approximately US$4.3 billion). The default years and sees similar success -- sometimes in col- may have significant ramifications for Pakistans sovlaboration with Pakistani organizations. Te president ereign credit ratings, a B-minus/stable from S&P and of Pakistans Rural Support Programme Network, B-3/stable from Moodys as of February 28, 2012. Shoaib Sultan Khan, routinely visits Indian com- The default has prompted power providers to begin munities implementing this model, and it has led to load shedding via daily 5-10 hour rolling blackouts a flowering of rural institutions developing Indias in urban areas and 18-20 hour blackouts in rural arcountryside. eas. In FATA, the poorest region of Pakistan and the If anything, what the RSPN shows is that focusing one most affected by the insurgency, blackouts lasting on the small scale, and on the hyper-local, is actually 22 hours per day are not uncommon. Massive proa more effective way of developing isolated, poor, ru- tests have targeted utility companies and government ral communities. It makes for a jarring contrast with offices, and it is estimated that the energy crisis has how USAID operates, with its love of budget-busting resulted in a 4% loss of GDP compared to the 2% showcase projects that are tough to make work and loss attributed to the insurgency. especially to maintain in the long term. Aid agencies Pakistan is the recipient of the second-largest USAID would do well to focus on the small, on the achiev- program valued at US$865 million in 2012, of which able, and on the local -- and leave the enormous sym- US$112 million is earmarked for improvements in bol construction to the local governments. energy supply and infrastructure. With an estimated US$24 billion in aid sent to Pakistan over the last ten years and few positive results to show for it, the US is quickly losing patience with its Major non-NATO Ally. Pakistans sovereign default presents the US with several concerns. First, the inability of the government to provide a constant power supply has increased resentment amongst citizens who are unable to go about their daily routines. The increasingly restive populace
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Continuing drone strikes with the understanding that the US may reconsider the program when Pakistan no longer provides a safe haven for terrorist activity. The contentious practice of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to target and kill suspected al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan is unlikely to end in the short-term. Though the strikes are allowed by the Zardari regime, they are widely criticized by the international community and unpopular amongst Pakistanis. If Pakistan cooperates with US efforts, regains control over its restive tribal areas and military forces, Pakistans first sovereign default in the energy sector and proves itself capable of securing the entirety of its hints at the shape of things to come. The government territory, then the US might consider ending lethal has been facing a balance-of-payments crisis and run- strikes within its borders. This offer appeals to Pakiaway inflation rates since 2008. A sovereign default is stan in that it would lead to an end to US presence possible if the country does not figure out how to pay in the nation, and create a sense of Pakistani ownerdown its approximately US$1.4 billion in commer- ship of the process of regaining control over its own cial debt and other foreign obligations. It is also an security situation. opportunity for the US to achieve certain objectives Over the last decade, the US has provided Pakistan in its complicated partnership with Pakistan by: with a significant opportunity to cooperate on securiFurther reducing military aid. Pakistan is reliant on ty and development initiatives; now Pakistan must do foreign assistance to prop up its military operations, its part. Cooling relations over the last several weeks with the US providing nearly US$2.4 billion in 2010. have impeded progress on cooperative efforts and furThe US recently cut aid to Pakistan by US$800 mil- ther revealed the fragility of the Pakistani state. The lion over its unwillingness to reopen ground trans- US is growing impatient with Pakistans inability to port routes to Afghanistan and for the 33-year jail honor its commitments to reopen supply routes to sentence leveled against Dr. Shakil Afridi. Reduc- Afghanistan, gain control over its restive territories, tion in military aid by an additional US$800 million and consolidate power in its weakening government. would convey the message that until Pakistan agrees With the exit of most US forces present in Afghanito reopen transport routes and cooperate on other stan set for 2014, Pakistan may never have a better matters, the US will not be complicit in funding mili- opportunity to secure its future than it does now. tary oversight in the country. provides insurgents and terror cells with an opportunity to manipulate public opinion for their own purposes. Secondly, the energy crisis illustrates the fragility of President Zardaris administration and its inability to manage its finances, policies, and military. This makes for a weak Pakistani state and therefore, weak US ally in the fight against terrorism rooted in the countrys tribal areas. Finally, it sheds light on the ineffectiveness of many US foreign assistance programs in building a stronger, more secure Pakistan. Increasing development assistance only if coupled with capacity building. Cutting military aid to Pakistan allows for the funds to be reallocated towards improving aid efficacy through technical assistance in capacity building. Pakistan receives huge influxes of aid from the US, but its use returns few results because it has not been coupled with the necessary tools to administer the funds. While technical assistance and institution building requires a long-term commitment, it will increase the absorptive capacity of Pakistani institutions and ensure judicious use foreign assistance. Continuing development assistance will support Pakistan in recovering from the economic crises it faces in meeting its financial obligations and reduce the opportunity for insurgents to capitalize on public outrage.
The Annals of Chicken Diplomacy

Joshua Foust The Atlantic April 12, 2012 The government of Uzbekistan -- no stranger to the bizarre and upsetting -- recently made a truly headscratching decision. A new voluntary service, according to a report in RFE/RL, now allows teachers and even some doctors to receive part of their salary in Serbian chickens.
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Of course, like most voluntary programs in Uzbekistan, it is nothing of the sort -- and RFE/RL quotes plenty of people saying they were given the live animals against their will. The Uzbek government has distributed tens of thousands of chickens: 10 chicks per public sector employee. These civil servants are then expected to fulfill a February decree by cabinet ministers to increase the domestic production of milk, eggs, dairy, poultry, and vegetables. How teachers and doctors, who are most certainly not farmers, will succeed in raising these animals remains unclear. Its not even a cost-saving measure: the Serbian chicks appear to cost a bit more than their domestic Uzbek counterparts. So what on earth is happening? Chickens are a surprising bellwether for international economic and political issues. Sounding for all the world like some modern-day Khrushchevian Red Plenty economic master plan, the Uzbek government has demanded that not only agriculture do more, but that industry reduce costs and increase production -just like that. More more more for less less less. So why the chicken handouts?
was complaining about the Americans use of antibiotics, hormones, and sterilization in U.S. chicken. Russia may have accounted for 22% of American chicken exports, but the fears over the quality of U.S. chicken prompted a drastic curtailment of its production in 2010. Did it matter that this explosion of concern in the quality of chicken -- which first saw widespread public expression in 2002 or so -- just happened to coincide with the rise in Russian oil-driven economic vitality and a souring of relations with the U.S. over missile defense? Or that Vladimir Putins 2010 ban on Bushs Legs also took place right when there was a souring of relations (again) over missile defense negotiations and the New Start de-nuclearization treaty?
It certainly couldnt be because Russian chicken is any better. The Russian Consumer Rights Protection Society found in a June 2010 survey that 8 in 10 domestic Russian chickens sold at the supermarket tested positive for salmonella. Even so, Russians prefer fresh Russian chickens to frozen U.S. chickens, and buy them accordingly (China is following a similar trend -- leading to an incredible oversupply in the U.S. of dark meat chicken). But Moscow isnt above giving One indication might be in the dramatic increase this their own chicken farmers a little boost. year in remittances back to Uzbekistan. The Central Bank of Russia recently released a report that sug- The U.S. has engaged in its own odd chicken diplogests a nearly 50% increase in remittances from Rus- macy as well. Peter van Buren, a career Foreign Sersia to Uzbekistan in 2011, which indicates a flagging vice Officer with the State Department, published a economy in the Central Asian nation. Uzbekistan, memoir last year of his time serving in Iraq. One of a gas-exporting country, has also been experiencing the the most memorable chapters in his book, approgas shortages and is globally ranked as poorly on eco- priately titled Chicken Sh*t, is about efforts to renomic freedom as it is on human rights or political vive the Iraqi chicken industry. Van Buren describes the lavish funding a nearby chicken factory received liberties. to get new equipment and to hire people. But Uzbekistan is hardly the only country to react to a changing political climate through chickens. In the The factory, it turned out, was worthless. Brazil domiearly 1990s, a collapsing Gorbachev-era Russia was nated the the global market for frozen whole chickexperiencing food shortages and hunger. President ens and Iraq just couldnt produce poultry cheaply George H.W. Bush came up with a win-win solution: enough to compete (Brazil defends this domination give surplus U.S. chicken meat to Russia. The U.S. has zealously). Worse still, van Buren recounted for NPR, an insatiable appetite for white chicken breast meat, the factory didnt have refrigeration because it did not but in the process produces far more dark chicken leg have electricity -- which makes the idea of a frozen meat than it could possibly consume. President Bush chicken factory rather moot. But rather than admittook that excess and sent it to Russia. The Russians ting failure, van Buren and his team actually created devoured it, proclaiming the beauty of such enor- a false factory for when touring VIPs came by, hiring mous drumsticks, and to this day chicken hindquar- random people to sit on the production line while it processed worthless chickens they could never sell, ters in Russian are often called Bushs Legs. all to impress a Congressional delegation or adminisOf course, good will and chicken gratitude did not tration official into thinking the Iraqi economy was last. By the 2000s, Russian President Vladimir Putin
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thriving under U.S. leadership. Even in Afghanistan, chickens can ignite the most bizarre behavior. Last summer, the Taliban tried to ban the sale of frozen chickens in Ghazni province because they thought the chickens were not killed in accordance to Halal food rituals (which are similar to Kosher rules). When I was in Afghanistan in 2009, we would read reports that the Taliban were telling locals that it was their Islamic duty to support local Muslim farmers instead of foreign non-Muslim factory workers, so they should buy locally produced meats.
NUCLEAR SECURITY
The Taliban are locavores, in other words. Theyre also protectionists and, to an extent, mercantilists. But New START is working to enhance US natheyre also in good company, at least when it comes tional security to chickens. Around the world, frozen chickens can tell us much about how an economy is doing and Terri Lodge what its leadership thinks of it. The Hill June 20, 2012 The New START Treaty is one year old, and the results are in. This Treaty, the result of years of negotiations between the United States and Russia, works. New START enhances U.S. national security, bringing U.S. nuclear policies in line with the security challenges of the 21st century. Yet there are rumblings that some Senators are unhappy with nuclear weapons funding provisions and will seek to halt New START implementation as a result. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a New START hearing this week. The hearing will show that the Treaty, regardless of funding issues, deserves support. There are five key benefits to the New START Treaty. First, New START enhances US nuclear force planning. Without the treaty, the U.S. would be flying blind, with no way of understanding Russias nuclear plans. The U.S. military would have to plan for a worst case scenario and spend more money on nuclear capabilities than necessary. With the Treaty, the U.S. military can avoid wasting money on unneeded nuclear weapons at a time when military resources are stretched thin. Second, New START verification measures enhance transparency regarding our U.S. and Russian deployed strategic systems. Data exchanges provide
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each side with information on numbers, locations, and other details of nuclear forces. On-site inspections and dates exchanges allow the U.S. to verify the size and composition of the Russian nuclear arsenal. The Treaty also guarantees that U.S. national technical means of surveillance, such as satellites, are not subject to Russian interference, and the United States will have a variety of tools at its disposal for monitoring Russian compliance. Since the treaty entered into force over one year ago, the U.S. and Russia have each conducted 23 on-site inspections and exchanged thousands of data notifications. These verification measures provide critical insight into Russian nuclear forces. Our relationship with Russia has its ups and downs. The treatys transparency means both nations can understand each others strategic forces activities, no matter the state of U.S.-Russia relations.
tached a provision in the New START resolution of ratification directing the Administration to pursue reductions in U.S. tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. The Treaty also sets the stage for a new treaty further reducing the strategic nuclear forces of both sides. Many agree that further reductions are desirable and practical, considering the success of New START, our excess strategic forces and their waning utility in the face of more urgent threats.
Former defense and national security officials, including former STRATCOM commanders, have endorsed this approach to updating U.S. nuclear policy. The recent Global Zero Commission brought some of these officials together, from General James Cartwright to Senator Chuck Hagel to Ambassador Thomas Pickering. The Commission Report highlighted the strategic irrelevance of nuclear weapons and called for steep Third, U.S. nuclear modernization is preserved un- nuclear reductions, using the New START treaty as a der New START. Much has been made of nuclear starting point. modernization funding, or lack thereof, but the New START Treaty itself does not stipulate the right level The New START Treaty still has its critics. But the of modernization funding. Indeed, one of the benefits charges leveled at the treaty are based partly political of the treaty is that it provides for strategic stability rhetoric and partly in misunderstanding of the treaty between the U.S. and Russia, without impacting U.S. provisions. An impartial look at the evidence sets the or Russian force modernization programs or limiting record straight. One year of New START implementation has enhanced U.S. interests. And it will confunding for nuclear infrastructure upgrades. tinue to benefit U.S. national security as policymakUnder the New START Treaty, Congress is free to ers build on the treatys success to bring U.S. nuclear fund necessary modernization efforts to keep the nu- policy into the 21st century. clear enterprise safe and secure, while policymakers are free to plan nuclear weapons reductions and adjust the nuclear force structure to reflect 21st century Is There Light at the End of the Nuclear priorities. Fourth, the Treaty does not limit U.S. missile defense programs. Claims of a secret missile defense deal in the treaty are the stuff of fantasy, not reality. There is no secret missile defense deal as part of New START. U.S. negotiators understood that no treaty can limit U.S. missile defense programs. Since the ratification of New START the U.S. has advanced its missile defense plans while pursuing a missile defense cooperation agreement with Russia. A possible cooperation agreement would allay Russian concerns about U.S. missile defense initiatives but not limit U.S. plans.
Tunnel?
Bryan Gold Flashpoint Blog May 8, 2012
Over the past two weeks there have been a series of amazing and promising developments with the Iranian nuclear program and its situation. Beginning with the P5+1-Iran meeting two weeks ago, the American view on Irans intractability for dealing with its nuclear program has begun to soften. Now, experts beFinally, the success of New START provides a sounds lieve that the threat of conflict with Iran is less likely basis for future nuclear negotiations. Reductions in and that the revival of negotiations has tempered the tactical nuclear weapons, where Russia has a large rhetoric on both sides. advantage, could be the next step. The Congress at36
The effects of recent sanctions has created an economic crisis in Iran, causing the Rial to lose half its value since the sanctions were stepped up in two years ago and forcing Iran to pay for imports with gold or accept foreign currency to pay for Iranian exports. This makes it appear that the affects of enhanced sanctions from the United States and the EU along with the specter of additional sanctions beginning in July has made the Iranians more flexible in their dealings with the United States. Whatever the reason, the negotiations that occurred two weeks ago were more successful than either the American or European negotiators envisioned. Iranian leaders as well have worked to portray the negotiations as a success raising the possibility that Iran is preparing for a deal with the west.
affect PM Netanyahu, who still views the Iranian nuclear program and enrichment capability as an existential threat to Israel. Therefore, there are still major obstacles in the way of a deal on the Iranian nuclear program. At the core of the problem is crafting an agreement that will satisfy the all three parties who have vastly different threat perceptions and political challenges. The divergent views and demands for each side are summed up by James Fallows of the Atlantic: - the Iranians, who insist on the right to some uranium-enriching capacity within their borders, for peaceful purposes, as in principle they can do under the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty;
- the United States (and a slew of other countries), Furthermore, Iran is considering a proposal by Rus- who insist on for-real, intrusive inspections to make sia to halt the expansion of its nuclear program in sure that the enrichment stays within those peaceful order to avert new sanctions. Under this proposal, terms; and Iran would stop building centrifuges and mothball the ones that have not yet been installed. However - the Israeli government, which is so skeptical of any this does not halt Iranian enrichment, a key demand guarantees, commitments, or even inspections inof the United States and the EU, and only stops the volving the Iranians that it believes it cannot safely live with any Iranian enrichment capacity at all. expansion of the program. Another major development is the stinging retribu- Reconciling all three countries will be a monumentions of Benjamin Netanyahus leadership and deal- tally difficult task and it is not clear yet whether or ings with Iran. Two former Israeli government of- not these negotiations that will take place on the 23rd ficials, Yuval Diskin, the former head of Shin Bet, the will do much to achieve this goal. Whether this is the Israeli internal security service and Ehud Olmert, a light at the end of the tunnel or just the headlight of former Prime Minister, have taken shots at Mr. Ne- another crisis is yet to been seen. tanyahus handling of the situation in the past week. Mr. Diskin accused the Prime Minister of misleading the public about the effectiveness of Israeli strikes Time to Ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty against Iranian nuclear facilities. And Mr. Olmert Stephen A. Cheney cautioned the Netanyahu-led government against rushing into attacking Iran. Flashpoint Blog Another Israeli official, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz the IDF Chief of Staff, told Haaretz that he believes that not only is Iran rational but has not decided to make a nuclear weapon. This view is consistent with the US and Israeli military and intelligence services that Iran has not yet made a decision to build a bomb. April 19, 2012 During the course of the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union developed the nuclear capacity to destroy each other several times over. Before the Berlin Wall fell these countries possessed more than 65,000 nuclear weapons combined. Some strategists What affect if any, these recent statements will have even promoted a war fighting strategy where both are not yet clear but it is interesting that retired and powers would launch nuclear weapons as if they were active members of Israels security services and mili- artillery in first, second, or limited strikes. tary are breaking with the Israeli government. But the views of former Israeli leadership will not greatly Today, the post-Cold War, post-9/11 threat requires
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us to rethink our nuclear strategy and stockpiles, and review what is required for modern deterrence. These threats means we need strategies to fight nuclear terrorism rather than actual large-scale nuclear war.
but these states do in order to bridge their knowledge gaps.
Therefore, part of our post cold war nuclear strategy should include the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Our greatest threat is not that of a nuclear attack from (CTBT). By ratifying the CTBT the United States an enemy country, but homemade dirty bombs, would gain yet another tool to shrink Iran and North powered by conventional explosives but designed to Koreas nuclear programs and prevent future nuclear contaminate a wide area with radioactive material. weapons programs. By preventing nuclear testing Money spent on military advanced technology and the CTBT limits countries abilities to advance their training aimed at combating low technology threats nuclear weapons program. such as dirty bombs, have proven more effective in protecting the lives of our troops and that of our allies Technological advances and new science has made it possible to pinpoint and accurately determine the size than any of our large nuclear assets. and scope of a nuclear explosion. The international There is still a role for a small United States nuclear community and the United States were able to show force while other nations maintain their own strate- the accuracy of this technology when it determined gic nuclear forces. It would be unsafe and imprudent the size and scope of North Koreas 2006 and 2009 to retire or drastically reduce our nuclear forces while nuclear tests. The CTBTs network of sensors can deothers maintain a larger force. Thus, the United States tect even the smallest of nuclear tests and is a vital should continue to maintain a safe and reliable nu- tool that the United States can use against rogue states clear deterrent. Our triad of missiles, bombers, and that arent deterred by our triad of strategic nuclear submarines is still effective at providing deterrence to weapons. our enemies; though we no longer need a Cold War Over a decade ago the Senate rejected the CTBT in sized force nor require actual nuclear testing. a rush, never having the time to consider the comAfter conducting more than 1,000 nuclear test explo- plicated science and verification elements that is the sions, the United States maintains a nuclear test mor- basis for understanding the treaty. We know more atoriuma policy of no nuclear weapons testing. We than ever about maintaining a safe, secure and relihave not explosively tested a nuclear weapon in nearly able deterrent and our ability to verify the Treaty has 20 years, instead we maintain a robust stockpile stew- been well established. Now is the time has come for ardship program to ensure the reliability of our nu- the Senate to learn how much progress has been made clear arsenal. A recent National Academy of Sciences and to ratify a treaty that will only increase the secustudy found that our nuclear stewardship program is rity of the United States while pressuring our adverworking better than ever and we know more about saries. the health of our nuclear stockpile than ever before. In order for the United States to gain greater advantage for our no testing policy we should ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). This would institute a worldwide ban on nuclear tests and the use of networks to apply pressure against states like Iran and North Korea. These networks of pressure are exactly what we need against rogue states that arent deterred from our triad of thousands of strategic nuclear weapons. But we can only use them if the United States were to ratify the CTBT. By ratifying the CTBT, at no consequence to our own nuclear capabilities, the United States further establishes an international norm and technological processes that pressures Iran and North Korea to ratify the treaty as well. We no longer need to test,
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Further Reading American Security Quarterly

2nd Edition: April 2012 1st Edition: January 2012
One Year On
One year ago, Osama bin Laden was killed in a daring nighttime raid by Navy SEALs on his compound in a small military garrison town in Pakistan. Since then, how has the war on terror changed? Should we be looking at it more critically than we are? In this essay collection, we examine the war on terror from several angles not often found in the popular discourse.
20 Years After the Fall: The U.S. and Russia in the post-Soviet World
A collection of essays from our fellows, board members, and adjunct fellows analyzing the evolution of U.S. foreign policy in the 20 years after the collapse of the USSR. Published in partnership with The Atlantic Monthly. These essays examine the last two decades of change in nuclear security, energy policy, the defense industry, regional and bilateral politics, and U.S. posture and geostrategy. You can find a pamphlet containing the whole series here:
ASP Major Reports:

Climate and Energy Security Nuclear Security Initiative Climate and Energy Security Terrorism Americas Energy Choices Nuclear Security Index Fusion Energy: An Opportunity for American Leadership and Security Measuring Success: Are We Winning? 10 Years in Afghanistan
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ASP Fact sheets and Perspectives

Fact Sheet: Law of the Sea separating fact from fiction U.S. Missile Defense and European Security American Security Enhanced: The Benefits of the New START Treaty Cause and Effect: U.S. Gasoline Prices FACT SHEET: Bio Fuels and National Security Abu Sayyaf: The Father of the Swordsman
connect to ASp
Web: www.americansecurityproject.com twitter: @amsecproject Facebook: www.facebook.com / americansecurityproject email: info @americansecurityproject.org
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Building a new American Arsenal The American Security Project (ASP) is a nonpartisan initiative to educate the American public about the changing nature of national security in the 21st century. Gone are the days when a nations strength could be measured by bombers and battleships. Security in this new era requires a New American Arsenal harnessing all of Americas strengths: the force of our diplomacy; the might of our military; the vigor of our economy; and the power of our ideals. We believe that America must lead other nations in the pursuit of our common goals and shared security. We must confront international challenges with all the tools at our disposal. We must address emerging problems before they become security crises. And to do this, we must forge a new bipartisan consensus at home. ASP brings together prominent American leaders, current and former members of Congress, retired military officers, and former government officials. Staff direct research on a broad range of issues and engages and empowers the American public by taking its findings directly to them. We live in a time when the threats to our security are as complex and diverse as terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, climate change, failed and failing states, disease, and pandemics. The same-old solutions and partisan bickering wont do. America needs an honest dialogue about security that is as robust as it is realistic. ASP exists to promote that dialogue, to forge consensus, and to spur constructive action so that America meets the challenges to its security while seizing the opportunities the new century offers.
www.americansecurityproject.org

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Gary Hart: TIME TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT SECURITY

1100 New York Avenue, NW Suite 710W Washington, DC

AmericAn Security proJect

page 5 page 6 page 7 page 8

page 9 page 10 page 12 page 13

CLIMATE AND ENERGY SECURITY

page 14 page 15 page 16 page 17 page 18 page 19 page 20 page 20

Energy Development in the Arctic: Threats and Opportunities Andrew Holland

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page 24 page 25 page 26

page 27 page 28 page 30 page 31 page 32 page 33

page 35 page 36 page 37

NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY

Time for a Fresh Take on Security

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NATOs Many Challenges

AmericAn Security proJect

Limitations of Hard Power in the Pacific

AmericAn Security proJect

Watching the Horizon from Chicago

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The Challenge of Chinese Soft Power

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CLIMATE AND ENERGY SECURITY

Increasing our national security with new technology

AmericAn Security proJect

house gases on new power plants further enraged the industry.

AmericAn Security proJect

preparing for the potential hazards of a changing climate.

World Oil Market Oversupplied?

AmericAn Security proJect

AmericAn Security proJect

Energy Development in the Arctic: Threats and Opportunities

AmericAn Security proJect

US Must Ratify Law of the Sea Convention

AmericAn Security proJect

What We Misunderstand About Drones

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How Strong Is al Qaeda Today, Really?

AmericAn Security proJect

AmericAn Security proJect

The Annals of Chicken Diplomacy

AmericAn Security proJect

AmericAn Security proJect

Bryan Gold Flashpoint Blog May 8, 2012

AmericAn Security proJect

but these states do in order to bridge their knowledge gaps.

Further Reading American Security Quarterly

ASP Major Reports:

AmericAn Security proJect

ASP Fact sheets and Perspectives

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