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China Becoming a Maritime Power

/analyses/2016/china-becoming-a-maritime-power

In November 2012, then president Hu Jintao declared that China’s objective was to become a strong or great maritime power. This report, based on papers written by China experts for this CNA project, explores that decision and the implications it has for the United States. It analyzes Chinese thinking on what a maritime power is, why Beijing wants to become a maritime power, what shortfalls it believes it must address in order to become a maritime power, and when it believes it will become a maritime power (as it defines the term). The report then explores the component pieces of China’s maritime power—its navy, coast guard, maritime militia, merchant marine, and shipbuilding and fishing industries. It also addresses some policy options available to the U.S. government to prepare for—and, if deemed necessary, mitigate—the impact that China’s becoming a maritime power would have for U.S. interests.

Cumulative Land Cover Impacts of Proposed Transmission Pipelines in the Delaware River Basin

/analyses/2016/cumulative-land-cover-impacts-of-proposed-transmission-pipelines-in-the-delaware-river-basin

Transmission pipelines function to transport petroleum products over long distances to connect locations where these products are produced or refined to demand centers. The development of Marcellus shale gas with hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania has been accompanied by several proposals for new transmission pipelines. At least eight of these proposed transmission pipeline projects will cross the Delaware River Basin (DRB) to bring natural gas produced from the Marcellus shale play to demand centers on the East Coast, or otherwise connect to the larger petroleum products pipeline network. Each proposed interstate pipeline must undergo a review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which includes an environmental impact analysis. The potential environmental impacts of pipeline construction include land cover change, deforestation, sedimentation and erosion, water quality degradation, stream degradation, wetland loss, and air emissions, among others. In this report, we investigate the cumulative land cover change impacts for eight proposed transmission pipelines within the DRB, which total 322 miles in length. Specifically, using geographic information systems (GIS) methods, we investigated total land cover change, loss of forest and wetland area, and stream crossings for the eight proposed projects. We found that during construction, the pipelines’ rights-of-way will impact 2,977 acres, including roughly 1,060 acres of forest, and 41 acres of wetlands. The pipelines’ permanent rights-ofway will impact 1,328 acres, including roughly 450 acres of forest, and 22 acres of wetlands. In addition, we identified 175 likely stream crossings where a proposed pipeline route will cross a perennial stream.

The-Impact-of-the-CNOs-Strategic-Studies-Group-1981-1995

/analyses/2016/the-impact-of-the-cnos-strategic-studies-group-1981-1995

Condensed version of Making Captains of War summarizes the impact of the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group in its first 15 years from 1981.

Improving Lethal Action: Learning and Adapting in U.S. Counterterrorism Operations

/analyses/2014/improving-lethal-action-learning-and-adapting-in-u.s.-counterterrorism-operations

This paper presents a process for the US government to improve the effectiveness of lethal force counterterrorism operations and reduce civilian casualties.

Assessing How Delayed Entry Program Physical Fitness is Related to In-Service Attrition

/analyses/2014/assessing-how-delayed-entry-program-physical-fitness-is-related-to-in-service-attrition

In support of the Marine Corps initiative to expand opportunities for women, CNA analysts examine how the relationships between the Initial Strength Test given to recruits and early attrition, training injury rates and scores on Physical and Combat Fitness tests; and how these relationships vary by gender..

Integration of Female Marine Pilots and Naval Flight Officers 1990-2000

/analyses/2014/integration-of-female-marine-pilots-and-naval-flight-officers-1990-2000

CNA research on the integration of female Marine aviators offers some insights that senior service leaders should consider as they evaluate the expansion of assignments and MOSs for female Marines.

North Korean Leadership Dynamics

/analyses/2014/north-korean-leadership-dynamics

Kim Jong-il’s death in December 2011 brought about the hereditary transition of power to a third generation. Kim Jong-un assumed the mantle of Supreme Leader.

Drone Strikes in Pakistan Reasons to Assess Civilian Casualties

/analyses/2014/drone-strikes-in-pakistan-reasons-to-assess-civilian-casualties

CNA analyzed publically available data to determine the likelihood of civilian harm per strike in the drone campaign in Pakistan. From this data, we see that the U.S. has improved its ability to reduce civilian casualties during drone strikes in Pakistan over the past several years, as measured in the percentage of strikes causing civilian casualties and the number of civilian casualties occurring per incident.

Bone Dry and Flooding Soon

/analyses/2014/bone-dry-and-flooding-soon

CNA Corporation, sponsored by the Skoll Global Threats Fund, executed two instances of a political decision-making game designed to explore information-sharing and cooperation over water on the Indian subcontinent. The game explored how Bangladesh, China, India, and Pakistan manage water resources between the Brahmaputra, Indus, and Ganges rivers. The first instance of the game took place in January 2014 in the Washington, DC area, and was played primarily by American subject matter experts. The second instance of the game was held in June 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was played by retired senior officials with policy and military backgrounds, and water experts from all four South Asian countries. This document summarizes the second (regional) instance of the game, identifies strategic insights from the regional instance, and compares the two instances deriving further insights based on that comparison.

Improving US India Cooperation in Indian Ocean

/analyses/2014/improving-us-india-cooperation-in-indian-ocean

The CNA Corporation conducted this study to determine how the United States can best deepen coordination with India on humanitar- ian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) in the Indian Ocean. This study builds on the findings of a 2012 CNA Corporation study, U.S.- India Security Burden-Sharing?, which identified HA/DR as a functional area in which the United States could advance naval relations with India. This is due to the frequency with which natural disasters strike the region, especially the Bay of Bengal, and, for India, the relative domestic political palatability of working with the United States in the aftermath of natural disasters. The United States is increasingly looking to India to contribute to se- curity in the Indian Ocean. Deepening U.S.-Indian economic con- nections, shared democratic identities, declining U.S. defense budgets, and the rise of China have drawn the United States closer to India as a security partner in the region.