Calling All Hawks

Calling All Hawks 4

New report says climate change is a threat to U.S. security

A government-funded report issued today by a group of retired U.S. generals and admirals says global warming is a security risk. The Military Advisory Board says climate change "can act as a threat multiplier," with severe weather and drought leading to mass migrations, battles over food and water, and the spread of disease. Noting that conflicts in places like Darfur and Somalia began with drought and other resource shortages, the report urges the U.S. to "commit to a stronger national and international role to help stabilize climate changes at levels that will avoid significant disruption to global security and stability." It also says military bases in some areas are vulnerable to rising seas. Former Army chief of staff Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan says he has moved from skeptic to believer: "The trends are not good, and if I just sat around in my former life as a soldier, if I just waited around for someone to walk in and say, 'This is with 100 percent certainty,' I'd be waiting forever."

straight to the source: The New York Times, Andrew C. Revkin and Timothy Williams, 15 Apr 2007

straight to the source: The Washington Post, Juliet Eilperin, 15 Apr 2007

see also, in Grist: The Warm on Terror

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  1. Geoff Dabelko's avatar

    Geoff Dabelko Posted 4:43 am
    16 Apr 2007

    small correctionThis CNA Corp report on climate and security was done with support of the bipartisan Policy Center and the Rockefeller Family Fund, not the US government as your summary and Andy Revkin's article suggests.

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  2. danielbarker123 Posted 7:19 am
    16 Apr 2007

    Darfur and droughtI find it sad that Africans in America do not care about their brethren in Africa.  The wars in Darfur started with drought.
    Already we are seeing the first signs here.  Communities are running out of water.
    What can we do?  I have made the commitment of family planning.  I have no children, and plan on one child and adoption from a poor nation such as Darfur.

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  3. MikeLou Posted 9:10 am
    16 Apr 2007

    Cause of Warming and Effect on SecurityInterestingly, Thomas Freidman's article in the Sunday NYTimes illustrates how American's instiable appetite for oil from totalitarian states (and our willingness to pay high oil prices) has only increased the radicallization of those country's populations.  By providing an influx of cash to those nation-states, we have provided the funding needed for these regimes to endear themselves to the most radical elements in society and thereby keeping themselves in power minimizing threat to themselves from revolution.    
    See:  http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/magazine/15green.t.html ...

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  4. Liara Covert Posted 8:44 pm
    21 Apr 2007

    Join the clubThe U.S. economy and its policies on climate change are not the only threats to security. Consider films like Blood Diamond, Hotel Rawanda, and Lord of War, which all reveal a rather disconcerting picture. You could always add the transborder drug trade, human smuggling, already airborn diseases and forced migrants from existing conflicts as other results of current U.S. protectionist policy, that all threaten security.  Once all the cards are laid on the table, what do you do about it?  

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