Issues and Insights Vol. 09 – No. 22: High Seas and Rising Tides – US-Japan Maritime Cooperation
CSIS, December 29, 2009
“For trading nations like Japan and the United States, the high seas have a special significance. Oceans do not just provide “moats” that protect the homeland from foreign enemies, but are vital highways for the commerce upon which their prosperity depends. It is not surprising that these two nations have made securing and protecting the maritime domain a top priority in their national security strategies and in their alliance. The growing interconnectedness of the global economy has triggered a shift in thinking about the oceans in other nations. While they acknowledge the increasing significance of the maritime domain to their national interest, they have been less quick to see the high seas as a “global commons.” Too often, national maritime policies are all too national and parochial in their approach.”
http://csis.org/files/publication/issuesinsights_v09n22.pdf
Issues and Insights Vol. 09 – No. 21: Dynamics of the US-Japan Alliance – Next Generation Perspectives
CSIS, December 29, 2009
“For more than a decade, the Pacific Forum CSIS, in conjunction with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) and the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, has hosted a bilateral security seminar. The 15th annual Japan-U.S. Security Seminar, held March 27-28, 2009, brought together a select group of experts to explore the prospects and problems that this partnership faces in coming years. Participants are united in their belief that this alliance is vital to the security interests of both nations and serves as a cornerstone of regional stability and prosperity. That by no means guarantees its survival, but it does provide a firm foundation for action.”
http://csis.org/files/publication/issuesinsights_v09n21.pdf
China Security Vol.5 No.3: A Journal of China’s Strategic Development
China Security, December, 2009
“This peer-reviewed journal published by the World Security Institute (WSI) expresses diverse Chinese views on a range of security issues of importance to China, Asia, Sino-American relations and the world. China Security is published quarterly in English.”
Articles include:
1 A More Powerful China on Parade -Zhang Xiaoming
2 Times Change, the Parade Stays the Same -Matt Durnin
3 China’s Response to the Myanmar Refugee Crisis -Drew Thompson
4 Climate Change, Water and China’s National Interest -Scott Moore
5 The Rio Tinto Case and China’s Drive to Guard Secrets -Jiang Ruqin
6 Secrets, Spies and Steel: the Rio Tinto Case -Peter Yuan Cai
7 Superficial, Arrogant Nationalism -Xiao Gongqin
8 Indian Ocean: Oil, Sea Lanes and the Security Dilemma -Jason J. Blazevic
9 True Motives for China’s Manned Space Program -Fiona Cunningham
http://www.chinasecurity.us/index.php?option=com_csissues&secid=13&catid=906&task=catetory&Itemid=8
Iran’s Latest Protests
CSIS, December 29, 2009
“The latest events in Iran (the death of Grand Ayatollah Montazeri, whom many considered the reformists’ spiritual leader; the unrest and brutal behavior of the regime’s thugs; the show trials; and the revelations about rape, torture, and executions) are symptoms of a tectonic shift in Iran’s political environment. Despite repeated warnings by the regime’s leaders, the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij, and even the police that demonstrations would be sternly confronted and that many would be arrested, the latest reformist and opposition demonstrations have been extensive and even more daring than those following the June elections. The longer these demonstrations go on in the face of demands by hardliners and even the speaker of the Majlis to arrest and mercilessly handle the opposition, the clearer it is that the focus of the opposition is no longer on Ahmadinejad but the system itself and Supreme Leader Khamenei.”
http://csis.org/publication/irans-latest-protests
Data Collection Methods: Semi-Structured Interviews and Focus Groups
RAND Corp, December, 2009
“The authors developed an introductory short course on qualitative research methods. This document provides an annotated version of the course material, which includes an overview of semi-structured interviews and focus groups, two techniques that are commonly used in policy research and applicable to many research questions.”
http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/2009/RAND_TR718.pdf
Preparing and Training for the Full Spectrum of Military Challenges: Insights from the Experiences of China, France, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel
RAND Corp, December, 2009
“The U.S. military training system is the envy of many countries around the world, so what can the United States learn from other militaries about how better to prepare for full-spectrum operations and deployments? The authors examine the militaries of China, France, the UK, India, and Israel to identify different approaches to readiness, adaptability, and operational issues, including: using subject-matter experts to improve training for specific deployments, using staff training to prepare forces for multiple contingencies, allowing combat training centers to focus on foundational skills, and preparing units for a specific operational environment prior to deployment. The authors also examine how the United States, France, and the UK prepare for and conduct train, advise, and assist (TAA) missions, finding that the three countries employ significantly different approaches to staff selection, TAA deployments, staff training, and career progression.”
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG836.pdf
Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES): Manpower, Personnel, and Training Implications
RAND Corp, December, 2009
“The computer networks, systems, and applications used on Navy ships are an amalgam of disparate hardware and software systems that were developed and introduced onboard largely independent from one another. The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) initiative is designed to consolidate and improve the networks on tactical platforms, largely through a common computing environment. The conversion to CANES could reduce requirements for manpower and alter the demand for training. This report provides a review of current Navy manpower, personnel, and training practices; the implications of the conversion to CANES; and resulting recommendations.”
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG896.pdf
Justice Department Bulletin Details Declining Juvenile Arrests in 2008
Office of Justice Programs (OJP), December 15, 2009
“Drawing on the latest available data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Crime in the United States report, the bulletin summarizes juvenile crimes known to the police and arrests made during 2008. Published annually by OJP's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, these data characterize the extent and nature of juvenile crime that comes to the attention of the justice system. In 2008, U.S. law enforcement agencies arrested an estimated 2.11 million persons younger than age 18, a 3-percent decline over 2007. Also, in 2008, the rate of juvenile arrests for violent offenses—murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault—decreased 2 percent over 2007, continuing a recent decline.”
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/228479.pdf
Managing Sensitive Information: Actions Needed to Prevent Unintended Public Disclosures of US Nuclear Sites and Activities
GAO, December, 2009
“GAO recommends, among other things, that Commerce, DOE, State, and NRC enter into an interagency agreement concerning the designation, marking, and handling of sensitive information in future draft declarations and make any policy or regulatory changes necessary to reach such an agreement. DOE, State, and GPO agreed, while NRC neither agreed nor disagreed, with the recommendations. Commerce, White House Counsel, and the House Offices of the Clerk, Security, and Paliamentarian did not comment on GAO’s recommendations.”
http://www.fas.org/sgp/gao/iaea.pdf
The Stockholm Programme: Europe’s Next Step on its Quest to be an “Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice”
ISN Publication, December 15, 2009
“This brief examines the Stockholm Programme, a key component of the Justice and Home Affairs pillar of the EU, and the agenda for future action on this front. In addition to analyzing the plan on a general level, the author looks at migration policy in more detail. He argues that it is one of the most politically difficult areas within the program.”
http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/110670/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/70267294-E76F-43C3-BD7F-7D8BDB180383/en/UPI_Briefing_Paper_49_2009.pdf
From Virtual to European Democracy: The Origins and Consequences of the Political Breakthrough in Moldova
ISN Publication, December 15, 2009
“This paper describes the political crisis which emerged in Moldova over the spring and summer of 2009 against the background of the deeper political and social processes which have been occurring since 2001. The first part of the study describes the evolution of the Moldovan political system under former president Vladimir Voronin, characterized as an autocracy with a democratic façade. The second part examines Moldova's relations with three key external actors: the EU, Russia and Romania. It shows how Voronin's tactical moves led to a division between the regime and society.”
http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/110686/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/EA41212E-FB1F-4F25-ABBA-D0FBC535389F/en/PRACE_32.pdf
Changing Paradigm in Somalia
ISN Publication, December 14, 2009
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