“Today our adversaries perceive that space is a weak-link in our deterrence calculus” . . . “Our strategy is to strengthen that link, to assure it never breaks, and to disabuse our adversaries of the idea that our space capabilities make tempting targets.” ~ Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Doug Loverro — Testimony to the House Armed Service Strategic forces Subcommittee, March 15, 2016 Read Full Story
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. ~ Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859 Read Full Story
The Islamic State “has an apocalyptic ideology and believes there is going to be a final war with the United States,” expects to win that war and “would need very powerful weapons to do so . . . if they ever did turn to nuclear weapons, they have more people, more money and more territory under their control and more ability to recruit experts globally than Al Qaeda at its best ever had.” Professor Matthew Bunn of Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Read Full Story
“Adversaries are developing kinetic, directed-energy, and cyber tools to deny, degrade, and destroy our space capabilities.~ General John Hyten, Commander of Air Force Space Command, from his prepared March 15, 2016 testimony to the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee Read Full Story
“. . . Many of our potential adversaries are pursuing advanced weapons development not seen in decades. Individually, they pose serious concerns to our national security and the international community. Collectively, they represent a vast spectrum of complex and volatile threats that I believe will only continue to grow and threaten the homeland if we hesitate to act decisively.” Admiral William E. Gortney ~ March 10, 2016 Read Full Story
“We need to innovate. We need to do it — do it together for the future because that’s the way to make sure that we have the finest fighting force in the world tomorrow, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now . . .” ~ Defense Secretary Ashton Carter speaking to technology leaders in Seattle, March 3, 2016 Read Full Story
Seven-and-a-half years of the Obama administration’s “Leading from Behind,” “Strategic Patience” and whatever is its label for its current failing policies have created a leadership vacuum in international affairs that are regressing into more dangerous postures than those that characterized the “Cold War” that dominated the second half of the 20th century. And we have no countervailing strategy, worth the name, for dealing with today’s existential threats to Western Civilization. Read Full Story
Intelligence agencies are closely watching preparations in Iran to test a Simorgh space launch vehicle that U.S. officials say is the base for Tehran’s covert program to develop long-range nuclear missiles. Bill Gertz, February 18, 2016 Read Full Story
ISIS “has become the preeminent terrorist threat because of its self-described caliphate in Syria and Iraq, its branches and emerging branches in other countries, and its increasing ability to direct and inspire attacks against a wide range of targets around the world.” ~ James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Read Full Story
“It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more difficult of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones.” Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli in The Prince, 1513. Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.