Climate Change

THE GEOPOLITCS OF ARCTIC MELT. Charles K. Ebinger and Evie Zambetakis, International Affairs, November 2009, pp. 1215-1232. "Global climate change has catapulted the Arctic into the centre of geopolitics, as melting Arctic ice transforms the region from one of primarily scientific interest into a maelstrom of competing commercial, national security and environmental concerns, with profound implications for the international legal and political system. The significance of an Arctic rendered increasingly accessible by the melting of ice as a result of rising global temperatures should not be underestimated. As the region opens to increased human activity such as traffic from commercial shipping, tourism, and oil and gas exploration, soot emitted by maritime vessels and operations will land on the ice. Greying of the icecap, as black carbon from incomplete hydrocarbon combustion lodges itself in snow and ice, causes what was once a reflective surface to absorb more sunlight, melt, and warm the water. The resulting dangerous feedback loop is part of an alarming phenomenon that is pushing the current drive for policies to slow down climate change." READ MORE

CLIMATE CHANGE AND COPENHAGEN: MANY PATHS FORWARD. Paula J. Dobriansky and Vaughan C. Turekian, Survival, December 2009, pp. 21-28.  "As talks get under way in December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark to negotiate a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, few believe that the nearly 190 countries taking part will have an easy time finalising a global climate treaty under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Fortunately, the 12 years since the conclusion of Kyoto have provided an
abundance of ideas and experiences that can contribute to effective global action to address climate change. The ultimate issue for Copenhagen is whether a critical mass of major greenhouse-gas-emitting nations, particularly rapidly developing countries and the United States, is willing to sign on to a legally binding international treaty on climate change that identifies targets and timetables for greenhouse-gas reductions. Without this critical mass, Copenhagen is unlikely to produce results of historic significance." READ MORE

DEPLOYING OUR CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. Eileen Claussen, Pew Center on Global Climate Change article in Innovations, Fall 2009, pp. 41-48.  "Transitioning to a low-carbon economy in the time frame required will not be easy. If we remain on our current path without significant changes to the way we generate and use energy, global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are projected to increase 39 percent by 2030. Over the next two decades, U.S. emissions, which currently account for about 20 percent of the world’s total, will continue to grow.Meanwhile, emissions from developing countries are projected to increase by 40 percent. So, how do we create the impetus for broad, across-the-board emissions cuts while still meeting our goals for development and economic growth?" READ MORE

Troubled regions

FORUM: PROGRESS, DISSENT AND COUNTER-INSURGENCY: AN EXCHANGE. Gian Gentile, Thomas Rid, et al. Survival, December 2009, pp. 189–202. "In the August-September 2009 issue of Survival (vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 31-48), Philipp Rotmann, David Tohn and Jaron Wharton argued that the US military's change to a counterinsurgency posture in the on-going conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq was catalysed by two products of an institutional culture that strove to be self-learning: the response of junior leadership to tactical problems and senior institutional dissidents driving deep, controversial changes in doctrine and culture. In this Survival Exchange two experts offer US and European perspectives on the authors' argument and recommendations to preserve and advance this dynamic in anticipation of future requirements for rapid change. A response from Rotmann, Tohn and Wharton concludes the debate." READ MORE

TROTSKY IN BALUCHISTAN. Ahmed Rashid, National Interest, Nov/Dec 2009, var. pages. "Afghanistan is in crisis. Unless we redouble our efforts, the Taliban will take Kabul and throw the entire region into chaos. The group has already spread its influence throughout Pakistan and central Asia, inspiring Islamic militants to wage war against autocratic, corrupt and unstable regimes. For the Taliban believes that if jihad is to succeed in Afghanistan, Kabul can only be the first of many victories." READ MORE

PAKISTAN'S WAR WITHIN. C. Christine Fair and Seth G. Jones, Survival, December 2009, pp. 161-188. "Prior to 2001, Pakistan had limited experience countering domestic militants. Today, the Pakistani army still prefers to focus on a potential war with India rather than against sub-state actors. Nonetheless, there have been noted improvements since 2001, and throughout 2009 Islamabad has demonstrated increasing resolve to defeat militants challenging the writ of the state. Earlier operations such as Al Mizan revealed serious deficiencies in the ability to conduct cordon-and-search operations and to hold territory. In the later operations in Bajaur and Swat, however, the Frontier Corps and army forces showed an improved capability to clear territory and integrate operations with local tribes. But Pakistani doctrine remains inconsistent with recent population-centric innovations in counter-insurgency warfare. Pakistan's commitment to a conventional orientation and the hardware most appropriate for fighting India has poorly equipped it to deal with the burgeoning domestic threat." READ MORE

STABILIZATION & RECONSTRUCTION OF NATIONS AFTER MILITARY CONFLICT: AFGHANISTAN AND CHECHNYA CASE STUDIES. Major Dan Fayutkin, Comparative Strategy, Fall 2009, pp. 367-372. "This article focuses on an analysis of two very different approaches for stabilization and reconstruction (S&R) used by the United States in Afghanistan and the Russian Federation in Chechnya. The article discusses 'Stabilization and Reconstruction' (S&R) according to military doctrines, the possibility of the S&R of the nation, the doctrinal framework for S&R processes. The Russian Federation focused its S&R policy on rebuilding the security structures in Chechnya in order to guarantee a stable security situation in the Chechen Republic. The U.S. S&R effort revolved around the reconstruction of all the security, social and financial structures of a society based on democratic principles The significant lesson from the Afghanistan and Chechnya experiences is that it is necessary to build-up the legitimate local security and social structures, which will control the situation." READ MORE

BEHIND IRAN'S CRAKDOWN, AN ECONOMIC COUP. Fariborz Ghadar Current History, December 2009, pp. 424-428."A dramatic shift of economic power has taken place—away from traditional private sector groupings and toward select religious foundations and Revolutionary Guards entities." READ MORE

THE MIDDLE EAST'S NEW POWER DYNAMICS. Anoushiravan Ehteshami, Current History, December 2009, pp. 395-401. "But among the key non-Arab actors in the Middle East, it is Iran that has gained the most leverage in recent years. This has created a region-wide sense of apprehension compounded by concerns over that country’s nuclear program and the aggressive posture of Iran’s neoconservative president. Iran’s rise has alarmed Israel, Turkey, and the core Arab states in equal measure, encouraging a further reworking of the regional balance of power. Although it is far too early to talk of a joint Arab-Israeli position on Iran, the two sides share enough strategic concerns about Iran’s rise to be tempted by some stealth 'bandwagoning.'" READ MORE

Defense Issues

CYBERDETTERENCE AND CYBERWAR. Martin C. LibiCki, RAND. 2009, var. pp.
"The protection of cyberspace, the information medium, has become a vital national interest because of its importance both to the economy and to military power. An attacker may tamper with networks to steal information for the money or to disrupt operations. Future wars are likely to be carried out, in part or perhaps entirely, in cyberspace. It might therefore seem obvious that maneuvering in cyberspace is like maneuvering in other media, but nothing would be more misleading. Cyberspace has its own laws; for instance, it is easy to hide identities and difficult to predict or even understand battle damage, and attacks deplete themselves quickly. Cyberwar is nothing so much as the manipulation of ambiguity. The author explores these in detail and uses the results to address such issues as the pros and cons of counterattack, the value of deterrence and vigilance, and other actions the United States and the U.S. Air Force can take to protect itself in the face of deliberate cyberattack." READ MORE

WAR FROM CYBERSPACE. Richard Clarke, The National Interest, Nov/Dec 2009, pp. 31-37. "It has not take long to become used to the idea of war as PlayStation. Pilots of Predator drones return home to their wives and children after working all day on the "battlefield". Cyber war promises a sanitized version of conflict, but it can take down power lines, poison water supplies and destroy financial markets. Battle by keystroke holds its own very real dangers." READ MORE

OBAMA'S NEW MISSILE-DEFENCE STRATEGY. Strategic Comments, October 2009 , var. pages. "The United States has scrapped plans to locate missile interceptors in Poland and an advanced radar in the Czech Republic. Instead, it will seek to protect itself and allies against Iranian missiles by expanding existing regional ballistic-missile defence systems. Technological developments and intelligence about Iran were cited as the reasons for the change in strategy." READ MORE

EU Issues

Asia/China

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND US POLICY IN ASIA. Robert Sutter. Contemporary Southeast Asia, August 2009, var. pp. "American preoccupation with the global economic recession and conflicts in Southwest Asia and the Middle East indicated that US relations with the rest of the Asia-Pacific region were likely to be of generally secondary importance at the start of the Obama administration. In Asia, the economic crisis put a premium on close US collaboration with the major economies, China and Japan, and on avoiding egregiously self-serving economic practices that could prompt protectionism and curb world growth. Apart from the Middle East-Southwest Asian region, the other major area of US security concern in Asia was North Korea. North Korea's escalating provocations created a major international crisis in 2009 that forced the Obama government to change priorities and give top-level attention to dealing with Pyongyang. The provocations included a long range ballistic missile test, a nuclear weapons test (North Korea's second), withdrawal from the Six-Party Talks and resumption of nuclear weapons development. Longstanding US concern with the security situation in the Taiwan Straits declined as President Ma Ying-jeou reversed the pro-independence agenda of his predecessor and reassured China. The Obama government seemed poised to build on and make a few needed adjustments to Bush administration policies towards regional allies and emerging powers, China and India. Early indicators suggest that enhanced US activism and flexibility in Southeast Asia may represent a significant change in US policy in Asia under an Obama administration that otherwise seems generally inclined to adhere fairly closely to pragmatic and constructive US approaches to key Asia issues in recent years." READ MORE

CHINA, NUCLEAR SECURITY AND TERRORISM: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES, Steven Grogan, Orbis, Fall 2009, pp. 685-704. "Grogan, with the Defense Intelligence Agency, describes Chinese strategic nuclear forces and the Chinese approach to nuclear security. He then focuses on the domestic conditions in China which could result in vulnerabilities to its nuclear forces. Based on these threats, Grogan outlines several scenarios involving a variety of terrorist or terrorist related events. These notional scenarios include overrun or attack, diversion, cyber terrorism and sabotage. He covers what these scenarios and the possible Chinese reaction to them may mean for the security, military and diplomatic strategies of the U.S." READ MORE

THE UNITED STATES IN THE NEW ASIA. Evan A. Feigenbaum and Robert A. Manning, Council on Foreign Relations, November 2009, var. pp. "[The authors] examine Asia’s regional architecture and consider what it means for the United States. They identify shortcomings in the region’s existing multilateral mix and contend that the United States must increase its involvement in shaping Asian institutions in order to advance U.S. strategic interests and protect the competitiveness of American firms. The authors outline six principles for U.S. policy toward Asia as a whole and recommend particular policies toward Northeast and Southeast Asia. Among other steps, they urge the United States to maintain a strong presence at Asian meetings; avoid intractable security issues and focus instead on topics ripe for cooperation; make use of ad hoc groupings as well as formal ones; vigorously pursue regional and global trade liberalization efforts; and view some Asian institutions that exclude the United States as acceptable, just as with the European Union. The report also presents thoughtful recommendations for how Washington can influence the multilateral landscape in ways beneficial to American interests. The result is a document with important implications for U.S. policy toward a region that promises to play a central role in shaping the coming era of history." READ MORE

Economy & Financial Markets

THE DOLLAR AND THE DEFICITS: HOW WASHINGTON CAN PREVENT THE NEXT CRISIS. C. Fred Bergsten, Peterson Institute for International Economics, article in Foreign Affairs, Nov/Dec 2009, var. pp.  "Even as efforts to recover from the current crisis go forward, the United States should launch new policies to avoid large external deficits, balance the budget, and adapt to a global currency system less centered on the dollar. Although it will take a number of years to fully implement these measures, they should be initiated promptly both to bolster confidence in the recovery and to build the foundation for a sustainable US economy over the long haul. This is not just an economic imperative but a foreign policy and national security one as well." READ MORE

Politics & Government

OBAMA FACES SKEPTICAL PUBLIC.  Victor Kirk. National Journal, November 13, 2009, pp.

The deep distrust toward the federal government that was evident when Barack Obama was elected president a year ago persists today -- a sour disposition that complicates White House efforts to enact a sweeping agenda. A recent NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll found that only 23 percent of the public trusts Washington most of the time.  READ MORE

ELECTION SPENDING: REFORMERS ON FLOOD WATCH. Sara Jerome. National Journal. November 6, 2009, n.p.  A pending Supreme Court decision, advocates say, could "open the floodgates to unlimited corporate and union spending during elections and undermine election laws across the country," as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., recently phrased it on the Senate floor. [...] not even Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig, a founder of the advocacy group Change Congress and a leading voice on how the Internet can foster small-donor participation, believes that small donations alone can effectively check heightened corporate spending. A legislative option along those lines might be to amend securities law to emulate United Kingdom rules, which force British corporations to get their shareholders' approval before making political expenditures and to report the spending annually, according to Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, an attorney at New York University's Brennan Center for Justice. READ MORE

Society & Values

AMERICA'S PRISON SPREE HAS BRUTAL IMPACT.  Stuart Taylor Jr. National Journal. November 13, 2009, pp. 

The impact on black communities is especially dramatic. * Blacks are imprisoned at a rate eight times as high as whites. * Nearly 60 percent of black male high school dropouts, and nearly 30 percent of all black men (if current trends continue), will spend time behind bars -- far more than in the worst days of segregation. Blacks do commit highly disproportionate percentages of violent as well as nonviolent crimes. [...] some rich white men also get savagely severe prison terms, such as the 25 and 24 years -- more than most murderers -- imposed on former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers and former Enron executive Jeffrey Skilling, whose appeal is now before the Supreme Court, respectively. READ MORE

WOMEN IN THE MILITARY.  SHOULD COMBAT ROLES BE FULLY OPENED TO WOMEN?  By Marcia Clemmitt.  CQ Researcher, November 13, 2009, pp. 959-979.  The number of women serving in the military has reached historic highs in the past decade, with women now representing more than 14 percent of the total force. In 2008, Ann E. Dunwoody, the Army's top supply officer, became the first female four-star general. This fall the Army tapped Sgt. Maj. Teresa L. King to head its ultra-tough drill-sergeant training program, the first woman to hold the post. At the same time, controversy swirls around the under-the-table recruitment of Army and Marine women into some ground-combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan — which is contrary to official military policy — as well as the Navy's plans to add women to submarine crews. Advocates of continuing to bar women from those jobs argue that sexual tensions and mistrust harmful to the military mission inevitably accompany gender-integration of combat teams. Meanwhile, women vets are suffering high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder and homelessness.  READ MORE

Education USA

ACADEME AND THE DECLINE OF NEWS MEDIA.  Dave Plunkert, The Chronicle of Higher Education Online Edition, [n.p.]. Newspapers, newsmagazines, and broadcast-news outlets are drastically cutting staff members, bureaus, page counts, and news holes—that is, when they're not simply going out of business. The Chronicle Review asked some prominent thinkers on issues of education, communications, and news and cultural literacy how the decline of those news media will affect higher education. Here are excerpts from their answers.  READ MORE

JOURNALISM’S FUTURE.  Chronicle of Higher Education, November 15, 2009.
Chronicle’s Review section features several articles on the future of journalism. In “Academe and the Decline of News Media,” 18 experts discuss what some lament as the decline of news media and others see as a Renaissance for journalism, although the new opportunities bring with them new responsibilities for the university. In “University-Based Reporting Could Keep Journalism Alive,” Michael Schudson and Leonard Downie Jr. argue that, with printing and distribution moved from major barriers to trivial expenses, today’s young journalism students are in a position to create something new, vital and as yet impossible to foresee because the pace of change is so rapid. According to Nicholas Lemann (“Journalism Schools Can Push Coverage Beyond Breaking News”), university journalism schools are thriving even as mainstream media are in crisis because many young people see the turmoil as an opportunity to get in on something new, rather than as a threat. Journalism professor Ben Yagoda (“I've Read the News Today, Oh Boy”) says neither he “nor anyone else has a clue about how the years ahead will play out” in terms of the fall of print, or the rise of the Web, or the viability of any particular economic model. Yagoda predicts the survival, however, of watchdog journalism, “what-the-people-want stuff” from ranging from opinion pieces to sports and “excellent narrative about human beings.” Other articles into “We Need 'Philosophy of Journalism'” and “Let's Strengthen the Supply Side of Serious Journalism.” READ MORE