Climatologists involved have been cleared of most accusations according to the results of an investigation into ‘Climategate.’  Though the findings of two other investigations are outstanding,  the UK’s House of Commons Science and Technology Committee found no indication of the scientists tampering with the evidence or the peer-review process, reports the Associated Press.
Admittedly, Committee Chairman [...]

Terrorist violence in Russia has increased dramatically over the past two year, so the attacks in Moscow yesterday are just a reflection of that broader trend:
Subway Blasts Kill Dozens in Moscow – NYTimes.com
Female suicide bombers set off huge explosions in two subway stations in central Moscow during the Monday morning rush hour, Russian officials said, [...]

Results from a recent George Mason University poll show that over 60 percent of weathercasters on television are interested in taking on the role of climate change educator, reports Science Daily.  And already, a large number are doing just this.  Using a variety of forums – blogs, presentations, and newspaper columns to name a few [...]

I think it is pretty obvious that if you pump a ton of money into a country’s economy from outside, it creates massive incentives for corruption.  I am surprised by how often people push back on this.  It isn’t as if the empirical evidence on this score is unclear.  Large development projects have always fed [...]

There are some who insist that only a few publicity-seeking generals and admirals believe climate change is a national security threat.  Tell that to the Russians. 
Last week, the Russian Security Council met to discuss how changes in the Earth’s climate would directly impact the security of Russia and its relations with its neighbors.  Domestically, Russia [...]

Climate change has just resolved one potential flashpoint between India and Bangladesh: a disputed island in the Bay of Bengal slipped beneath the waves.
New Moore Island (to the Indians) or South Talpatti (to the Bangladeshis) was not inhabited, but at least 10 inhabited islands in the Sunderbans are at risk of being swamped.
Sugata Hazra, an oceanographer [...]

U.S. Turns a Blind Eye to Opium in Afghan Town – New York Times
From Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal on down, the military’s position is clear: ‘U.S. forces no longer eradicate’ as one NATO official put it.
From Cmdr. Jeffrey Eggers, a member of McChrystal’s Strategic Advisory Group,
Marja is a special case right now. We don’t trample [...]

As we have discussed on several occasions, American dependence on foreign oil is an impediment to our national security for a multitude of reasons.  But our dependence is also economically detrimental.  This is particularly true we work to recover from the current economic downturn.
A recently released white paper from the Natural Resources Defense Council details [...]

CIA director says secret attacks in Pakistan have hobbled al-Qaeda – Washington Post
Those operations are seriously disrupting al-Qaeda. It’s pretty clear from all the intelligence we are getting that they are having a very difficult time putting together any kind of command and control, that they are scrambling. And that we really do have them [...]

Soaring IED attacks in Afghanistan stymie U.S. counteroffensive – washingtonpost.com
Taliban fighters more than doubled the number of homemade bombs they used against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan last year, relying on explosives that are often far more primitive than the ones used in Iraq.
This is a reminder of the poor information environment we’re [...]