SaddleBrooke Republican Club » Foreign Policy and National Security

After-Action Report on Cato’s Panel on the Future of the Navy Surface Fleet

Christopher Preble — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:16:51 +0000

By Christopher Preble

Yesterday’s event on the U.S. Navy was a big success and generated a vigorous discussion. Ben Freeman from POGO spelled out his concerns about the littoral combat ship, specifically the Freedom (LCS-1) (documented here and here) and CBO’s Eric Labs raised a few additional ones pertaining to the program as whole. Under Secretary of the [...]

After-Action Report on Cato’s Panel on the Future of the Navy Surface Fleet is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Negotiations with Iran: What Has Changed?

Justin Logan — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:33:23 +0000

By Justin Logan

May 23, the permanent five members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany (P5+1) will enter into talks with the Iranian leadership about the latter’s nuclear program. The Baghdad talks come on the heels of talks last month in Istanbul. A number of observers have raised expectations for the talks in Baghdad. The latest hopeful [...]

Negotiations with Iran: What Has Changed? is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Should International Bureaucracies Get Taxing Powers or Direct Funding?

Daniel J. Mitchell — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:19:00 +0000

By Daniel J. Mitchell

Over the years, I’ve strenuously objected to schemes that would enable international bureaucracies to levy taxes. That’s why I’ve criticized “direct funding” proposals, most of which seem to emanate from the United Nations. A scheme to let the United Nations tax services such as air travel. A proposal, pushed by George Soros and other statists, [...]

Should International Bureaucracies Get Taxing Powers or Direct Funding? is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

NATO Summit Will Reaffirm Afghanistan’s Weakness

Malou Innocent — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:03:53 +0000

By Malou Innocent

The focus of the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago will be Afghanistan. President Obama is expected to speak of the need for solidarity from the international community. His only major success will be a pledge from NATO members to commit funds to Afghanistan well beyond 2014. Difficult questions surrounding the mission’s long-term sustainability will remain [...]

NATO Summit Will Reaffirm Afghanistan’s Weakness is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

NATO Has Become a Form of U.S. Foreign Aid

Doug Bandow — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:40:39 +0000

By Doug Bandow

The NATO summit starts Sunday in Chicago and will be the largest gathering ever held by the alliance. This is fitting given NATO’s desire to act around the globe. While U.S. officials say no decisions on further expanding membership will be made at the meeting, they explain that the door remains open. Adding additional security commitments in this way would be a [...]

NATO Has Become a Form of U.S. Foreign Aid is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Ignatius on Pakistan: Actually, We May Have Only Had One Year

Malou Innocent — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:51:28 +0000

By Malou Innocent

In today’s Washington Post, David Ignatius writes that Pakistan is reaping the whirlwind of homegrown terrorism by having “squandered the opportunity presented” with a large-scale U.S. troop presence next door and for refusing to work with Washington to stabilize its mountainous tribal region. Recent history suggests a more complex reality. Mr. Ignatius is correct when [...]

Ignatius on Pakistan: Actually, We May Have Only Had One Year is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Cato to Host Navy Under Secretary to Discuss Surface Fleet

Christopher Preble — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:16:48 +0000

By Christopher Preble

In its markup of the National Defense Authorization Act, the House Armed Services Committee proposed a number of changes to the Obama administration’s plans for the U.S. Navy. The NDAA rescinds the retirement of three cruisers and restricts retirement of ballistic missile submarines (so as not to fall below a minimum of 12). The bill [...]

Cato to Host Navy Under Secretary to Discuss Surface Fleet is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

New Paper Argues for Immediate, Practical Cuts in Military Spending

Christopher Preble — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:02:12 +0000

By Christopher Preble

A new report published today by the Project on Defense Alternatives argues for $17-$20 billion in immediate savings to the Fiscal Year 2013 defense budget. I co-authored the report along with Benjamin Friedman of Cato, and PDA’s Carl Conetta, Charles Knight, and Ethan Rosenkranz. Those savings come from 18 line items—personnel, weapons systems, and programs—that [...]

New Paper Argues for Immediate, Practical Cuts in Military Spending is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Classification Follies

Julian Sanchez — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:02:04 +0000

By Julian Sanchez

An amusing anecdote about the absurd excesses of our system for classifying “sensitive” documents comes by way of the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy. It seems a researcher had been trying to get access to a 1993 article published in a classified NSA journal, discussing the “SIGINT” (or signals intelligence) surrounding the [...]

Classification Follies is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog

Law of the Sea Treaty: A Tool to Combat Iran, China, and Russia?

Doug Bandow — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:41:04 +0000

By Doug Bandow

Every few years, the Law of the Sea Treaty rears its head as a one-size-fits-all solution to a host of current maritime problems. This time, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, are urging the Senate to ratify the treaty. The officials claim it will act [...]

Law of the Sea Treaty: A Tool to Combat Iran, China, and Russia? is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog