American Competitiveness Report – An Issue of National Security
Our ability to compete in a global economy, attract the world’s brightest workers and enhance our competitiveness is slipping - this is a national security challenge
The 2012 Climate Security Report
The Climate Security Report details the link between our changing climate, instability and our national security - both globally and in the homeland.
Need to Know in National Security
ASP was formed to help Americans understand how national security issues relate directly to them, and to explain challenges and threats in a way that spurs constructive action. Here is a collection of our fact-sheets and other related papers to assist in “what you need to know in national security”.
The New Public Diplomacy Imperative
ASP releases White Paper on public diplomacy, and recommends best practices for policy makers and public diplomacy practitioners. The paper provides insight and guidance to strengthen the effectiveness American of messaging overseas
The National Security Need for Bio Fuels
ASP examines the overwhelming national security case of DOD's biofuel program
Energy: Check out our mini-site on the next steps for fusion power in the U.S.
FUSIONIn the News
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12/11/2012
ASP Board Member Chuck Hagel Speaks at Atlantic Council
Yesterday, ASP board member Senator Chuck Hagel spoke at the Atlantic Council spoke yesterday at the Atlantic Council for the release of their Global Trends 2030 Report. Kate Brannen at Politico reported on the event.
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12/03/2012
Nov. 28th ASP Event: Raj Fernando’s Speech on American Competitiveness
On November 28th, ASP held an event launching its new report entitled: “American Competitiveness Report-An Issue of National Security”. At the event, Raj Fernando, ASP Board Member and CEO of Chopper Trading, gave a great speech focusing upon pushing America to be as successful in the 21st century as it was in the 20th through proper investments in America’s infrastructure, educational system, and immigration system.
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12/03/2012
ASP’s Cole Quoted in the Washington Post
The article by Marjorie Censer, discussed the upcoming possible purchase of the new presidencial helicopter. “Any time you build something for the president, the stakes are higher,” said August Cole, an adjunct fellow at the American Security Project. “That includes the politics, the requirements and the scrutiny.”
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12/02/2012
ASP’s Andrew Holland Featured in The Christian Science Monitor
On December 2nd, ASP’s Andrew Holland wrote an OpEd that was featured in The Christian Science Monitor. The article discusses the importance of energy availability to America’s military and the recent Senate amendment restoring the military’s ability to purchase biofuels.
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11/30/2012
Andrew Holland Quoted in National Defense Magazine
National Defense Magazine quoted ASP’s Andrew Holland in an article discussing the link between U.S. energy policy and food prices.
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11/29/2012
Cole: Losing our competitiveness jeopardizes national security
America’s competitive position is slipping, and it’s time to acknowledge this decline as a national security issue. Current policies and objectives in the public and private sector, taken together, dangerously undercut America’s current and future global position through instability, inefficiency and risk. America’s political and business leaders must understand that improving our nation’s competitiveness is an urgent priority with much higher stakes than is acknowledged today
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11/28/2012
Gov. Whitman Interviewed on CNN: American Competitiveness is National Security Issue
Former New Jersey Governor and EPA Administrator, Christine Todd Whitman, an ASP Board Member, was interviewed this morning on CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien where she discussed American competitiveness.
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11/28/2012
American Competitiveness – A matter of national security
The American Security Project released a new report analyzing the issues of our national competitiveness. The report clearly lays out urgent social, political and economic challenges and links these with our national security. The report details the issues with: business climate; infrastructure; national debt; labor market and immigration; defense industrial base; and, education and healthcare.
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11/27/2012
A Conversation with Ellen Tauscher: Missile Defense and Strategic Stability
Making progress on the missile defense issue could be the key to promoting strategic stability between the U.S. and Russia. Join us for a conversation with the Honorable Ellen Tauscher on the current state and future prospects of missile defense and strategic stability.
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11/20/2012
Remembering Warren B. Rudman
The American Security Project (ASP) passes on its condolences to the family and friends of Senator Warren Rudman on news of his passing last night. Senator Rudman was a pillar of leadership while in government service and for years following, and he was a founding father of ASP.
Our Reports
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12/05/2012
National Security Challenges
As the United States looks toward the next four years of foreign policy, there are critical issues that the country must grapple with. All of these challenges are also opportunities to push ahead and think of new solutions.They are not insurmountable.
Here is an overview of the issues we at the American Security Project believe are critical challenges to our national security. -
12/04/2012
Threat Finance and Financial Intelligence
Threat finance is an enabling factor of crime and terrorism, and therefore, a challenge to both national and international security. The integration of global financial systems, as well as technological innovation and proliferation, has reduced barriers to threat finance and money laundering while making it difficult for authorities to detect or disrupt these illicit operations. The American Security Project has compiled this fact sheet to provide an overview of threat finance and the methods used to launder money, as well as measures aimed at countering these activities.
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11/28/2012
American Competitiveness Report – An Issue of National Security
This report examines interrelated elements of American present vulnerabilities: business climate, infrastructure, national debt, labor market and immigration, defense industrial base, as well as education and healthcare. And turning these to the strengths they once were. In keeping with ASP’s core mission of examining more than military might when assessing national security, the report also reframes one of the recurring questions of international relations: What factors really make us strong and safe?
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11/26/2012
Fact Sheet – Iran’s Nuclear Facilities
Iran’s nuclear facilities pose several unique challenges. Many of the facilities are under IAEA inspections, which contribute significantly to our understanding of Iran’s nuclear progress. However, Iran’s refusal to take steps to increase transparency remains a serious concern.
Understanding the details of Iran’s nuclear program, from basic location and capabilities to tactical considerations, is key to the ongoing debate over policy options. -
11/19/2012
Fact Sheet – Intelligence Assessments of Iran’s Nuclear Program
A nuclear-armed Iran presents a significant security challenge to the United States. Therefore, it is imperative that the U.S. continues to implement an effective, fact-based policy to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
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11/15/2012
Mali – Timeline and Factsheet
Mali’s North is now under the control of Islamist extremists, generating concerns for further instability and violence. This instability carries serious security implications on the regional and global scales, from the probability of a new ground war in Africa, to the potential for increased terrorist activity. The American Security Project has compiled this factsheet to trace the development of the crisis in Mali and understand the implications of the potential military intervention.
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11/14/2012
Essay Collection – National Security Challenges
With the election behind us, it’s time to look toward the future. The American Security Project is dedicated to fostering fact-driven, non-partisan debate about critical national security issues. To that end, we asked our friends and colleagues both within ASP and associated with the Consensus for American Security to answer the question: what is the biggest issue facing us in the next four years that isn’t on anyone’s radar?
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11/08/2012
Fact Sheet – The United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency (USIA) ran America’s public diplomacy efforts from 1953 until it was disbanded in 1999. This fact sheet takes a look at some of these issues, telling a brief history of the program and how public diplomacy is operated today.
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11/05/2012
Fact Sheet – Science and America’s National Security
Scientific innovation bolsters America’s national security. While this sentence is simple, it belittles a long and crucial relationship. Through scientific advancements, the United States government has developed technology and tools that have bettered American lives, spurred economic growth, and strengthened our military. Science and national security have intertwined since the very first days of the American Republic, with both sides driving the other towards greatness.
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11/01/2012
Climate Security Report
Climate change poses a clear and present danger to the United States through its effects on our global allies as well as its direct effects on our agriculture, infrastructure, economy and public health.
This report aims to move past the current debate about climate change and towards a real, informed discussion about its security implications—both global and domestic.
On Our Blog
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12/11/2012
U.S. to Begin Exporting Natural Gas?
A recently released DOE report suggests U.S. to receive modest benefits from natural gas exports. The report may prove pivotal in whether or not the federal government approves new LNG export facilities.
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12/10/2012
The Nuke Review, December 3 – December 10
Read about the latest Iran Project report, the Iranian economy experiencing a recession, the delayed North Korean rocket launch, and much more!
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12/10/2012
A Breakdown of EIA’s new Annual Energy Outlook Report
In November, the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook report announced positive prospects for U.S. energy, specifically the U.S. overtaking Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer before 2017. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Agency (EIA) added to the good news this week with their Annual Energy Outlook 2013 Early Release Overview…
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12/07/2012
Event recap: The FIIS Working Group Winter Symposium
On December 4th, the Financial Intelligence and Information Sharing (FIIS) Working Group hosted its winter symposium at the American Bar Association in Washington, DC. Six speakers presented on a broad range of counter-threat finance and anti-money laundering (CTF/AML) topics to a packed room of experts and practitioners.
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12/06/2012
Weighing the Benefits and Costs of International Sanctions Against Iran
The “report is not an advocacy document, for or against sanctions.” Rather, this report is supposed to help inform an ongoing discussion about the viability of the current sanctions regime, and the role of sanctions in the overall US policy towards Iran.
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12/06/2012
Fusion Leaders Meet for Annual Conference
The 33rd Annual Fusion Power Associates meeting took place in Washington this week. The fusion community is optimistic about fusion energy, but concerned over looming budget cuts.
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12/06/2012
“Red Team” Exercise: The Insurgency/Crime Nexus
How might insurgents, terrorists, or other non-state actors seek to maximize their gains in the globalized environment? It is plausible that by leveraging their overlapping specializations, they could initiate enduring and expensive “hybrid wars” against America.
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12/05/2012
National Security in an Era of Global Upheaval
American Security Project hosted James Kitfield, Senior Correspondent for the National Journal. Mr. Kitfield came to ASP to talk about National Security in an Era of Global Upheval. The challenge has become about having enough strategic foresight to properly identify where our security interests lie and how to balance risks with resources.
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12/05/2012
A chaotic intelligence community
The Washington Post reported over the weekend that the Pentagon is sending hundreds of spies overseas as part of its rapid expansion into espionage- an endeavor rivaling the CIA. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) will oversee this effort, expected to top the deployment of 1,600 agents worldwide. And it is the wrong approach.
