Comments on Building Peace: The Pentagon Looks at Climate Change & Africa

Yes,it is critical that the generals appreciate th...

2008-12-29T21:57:00.000+02:00

Yes,it is critical that the generals appreciate the broader plate of threats, and what the uniformed military should not be doing. It is the responsibility of the civilian agencies to do this work. That's where the expertise is, not in the Pentagon. That's why there is a National Security Council -- to coordinate.

It doesn't do your argument much good to cite AFRICOM, which in fact is encountering precisely the problems of taking on a portfolio beyond that of its expertise. Just as in the case of climate change, it ends up privatizing what it cannot do -- funneling cash to Booz, Allen and other non-USG organizations.

Of course, non-Defense civilian agencies can, will do, and often have already done these tasks and provide this information, when consulted and -- as necessary -- given the sufficient resources.

My point isn't that the Pentagon should "do" clima...

2008-12-29T18:02:00.000+02:00

My point isn't that the Pentagon should "do" climate change. But to quote Paul Yingling, "Failing to visualize future battlefields represents a lapse in professional competence." The Pentagon has a responsibility not just to anticipate conventional future wars, but to anticipate state instability and failure based on economic, political, cultural and environmental factors.

You're right that Defense should not be the lead on malaria, aid and development, or fighting climate change. We have civilian institutions that should do that. But it's critical for today's generals that understand that all of those are vital security issues. The US and the world will be far more secure with an economically stable, prosperous Africa than with an anarchic, failing continent where our military is used to put out fires.

Achieving any sort of positive change will require close coordination between military and civil agencies. AFRICOM has a closely integrated staff of Defense, State and USAID leaders for exactly that reason.

Why should the Pentagon be doing climate change? ...

2008-12-29T15:27:00.000+02:00

Why should the Pentagon be doing climate change? Why not shove the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and his malaria program over the the generals as well? And USAID. Not to mention the Peace Corps. Do that, and we can totally rebrand AFRICOM -- call it the New Peace Corps!

Doctor Zubrin addresses all of those issues and mo...

2008-12-28T05:18:00.000+02:00

Doctor Zubrin addresses all of those issues and more in his wonderful book "Energy Victory". In it, he tackles climate change and how to combat it with the (slightly-tweaked) free market, how to cut off funding to non-state aggressors by minimizing the income of their state sponsors, and how these actions can empower third-world nations through trade. I'm not aware if he has anything to do with the Minerva folks.