“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.... When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” —Sun Tzu The Art of War “One has to understand the Chinese intellectual game, which is what we call ‘Go’ [and] they call ‘weiqi’. …it’s a game of strategic encirclement…our intellectual game is chess. Chess is about victory or defeat. Somebody wins.” —Former Secretary of State…
by The Honorable Alan R. Shaffer; Moriah Locklear, PhD; and Tim Welter, PhD
Introduction Recent events starkly highlighted the importance of semiconductors to the US economy and the fragility of the US semiconductor supply chain. These shortages were estimated to have cost over a full percentage point of 2021 US GDP, prompting Congress to pass the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act to level the playing field for onshore semiconductor manufacturing after decades of decline. However, unrelated tax code changes are threatening to unravel any benefit from the CHIPS…
Introducing the National Security Innovation Base (NSIB) The United States has a long tradition of innovative research and development (R&D). Innovation has been particularly important for national security, with the development of advanced weapons systems, superior reconnaissance and surveillance systems, and sensors and detectors intended to help the military defend the nation. Many innovations for national security purposes spill over into benefits for the commercial sector. Sometimes, commercial innovations and products spill over into benefits…
Introduction The US enjoyed the benefits of a relatively unmatched monopolar position on the global stage in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War. That position has been challenged in recent years by rivals, such as China and Russia, working to shift the geopolitical and global economic environment in their favor.[i] To do so, both nations have employed asymmetric “gray zone” tactics, actions below the threshold of war, but which still vitally threaten the economic and…
The US national security and economy depend on reliable and long-term access to abundant energy sources. Historically, the US has benefited from easy access to energy resources, including coal, oil, gas, wind, solar, and hydro power. Access to energy resources includes oil importation. Events in the 1970s demonstrated that a lack of self-reliance could lead to vulnerabilities. As a result, the US endeavored to achieve “energy independence,” to become a net exporter of energy resources.…
On June 3, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015 (H.R. 2576), which would provide new regulatory guidelines for commercial chemical management, was passed through the House of Representatives Energy & Com- merce Committee with near unanimity. An attempt to improve upon the ineffective Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976, the proposed legislation would provide the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the tools necessary to guarantee that chemicals used in every-day products are safe to consume. The bill lays out precise scientific standards by which a chemical’s risk-level will be determined, and sets strict deadlines for the EPA to take action when a chemical is deemed hazardous. The House is set to vote on the bill prior to the July 4th recess. http://www.gop.gov/bill/h-r-2576-tsca-modernization-act-of-2015-as-amended/
