New Report From Top Military Leaders Finds Current US Energy Policy Poses Serious...

New Report From Top Military Leaders Finds Current US Energy Policy Poses
Serious Threat to National Security

Study Finds Fossil Fuels & National Grid Threaten Military, Economic, Climate
Security

Identifies Critical Opportunities for DoD Leadership & Innovation

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- America's energy posture constitutes a
serious and urgent threat to national security -- militarily, diplomatically
and economically, according to a blue-ribbon panel of top-ranking retired
admirals and generals. In a report released today entitled "Powering
America's Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security" the military
leaders warn that continuing business as usual is perilous and recommend
immediate action to address the nation's long-term energy profile. By
addressing its own security needs, the Department of Defense can help lead the
transformation of U.S. energy use as an innovation incubator for new energy
technologies.

Moving beyond recent studies on the dangers of imported oil, this new report
finds that fossil fuels, as well as the nation's fragile electric grid, pose
significant security threats to military mission and the country, and are
"exploitable by those who wish to do us harm." Issued by the Military
Advisory Board (MAB) of CNA, a nonprofit research organization, the report
identifies a series of "converging risks" associated with future energy
choices, and concludes "diversifying our energy sources and moving away from
fossil fuels where possible is critical to our future energy security."

"It's a sobering but honest, and necessary assessment," said MAB chairman
General Charles F. "Chuck" Wald, USAF (Ret.). "As military planners and as
responsible public servants we cannot turn a blind eye to the dangerous
realities of our energy situation. The current recession is no excuse for
inaction. If we don't address the fossil fuel issue now, we will see more
price volatility, with steeper spikes and shorter cycles between spikes. We
are already paying a penalty for not looking into the future."

"There is a relationship between the major challenges we're facing. Energy,
security, economics, climate change - these things are connected," former U.S.
Army Chief of Staff Gordon R. Sullivan said in the report.

Due to the destabilizing nature of increasingly scarce resources, the impacts
of energy demand and climate change are likely to increasingly drive military
missions in this century, according to the report. The first priority for the
new Administration, the MAB recommends, is to clearly and fully integrate
energy security and climate change goals into national security and military
planning.

"Increasing demand for, and dwindling supplies of, fossil fuels will lead to
instability. In addition, the effects of global climate change will pose
serious threats to water supplies and agricultural production, leading to
intense competition for essentials," said MAB member Vice Admiral (ret.)
Dennis McGinn, former commander of the U.S. Third Fleet, and deputy chief of
Naval Operations, Warfare Requirements and Programs. "The U.S. cannot assume
that we will be untouched by these conflicts. We have to understand how these
conflicts could play out, and prepare for them."

The MAB, which produced the landmark 2007 report "National Security and the
Threat of Climate Change" is comprised of retired 2, 3- and 4-star flag and
general officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The board
includes a former Army Chief of Staff, commanders of U.S. forces in global
regions, a former shuttle astronaut and NASA administrator, and experts in
energy, planning, deployment, procurement and logistics.

The 2007 report found that climate change constitutes a "threat multiplier"
because projected impacts will exacerbate existing security risks. Building
on the 2007 report, the new report states, "Our approach to energy and our
approach to climate change have profound impacts on each other - and both have
impacts on our national security."

National security risks resulting from the current U.S. energy posture
identified in the report include:

-- U.S. dependence on oil - not just foreign oil - weakens international
leverage, undermines foreign policy and leaves us vulnerable to
unstable
or hostile regimes.
-- Inefficient use of and over reliance on oil burdens the military,
reduces combat effectiveness, and exacts a huge price tag - in dollars
and lives.
-- U.S. dependency on fossil fuels undermines economic stability critical
to national security.
-- A fragile domestic electric grid makes US military installations, and
their critical infrastructure, unnecessarily vulnerable to incident,
whether deliberate or accidental.

Looking forward, the report identifies the following converging risks
associated with future energy choices:

-- The market for fossil fuels will be shaped by finite supplies and
increasing demand. Continuing our heavy reliance on these fuels is a
security risk.
-- Regulatory frameworks driven by climate change concerns will increase
the costs - both economic and geopolitical - of using carbon-based
fuels.
-- Insecurity driven by ongoing climate change has the potential to add
significantly to the mission burden of the U.S. military in fragile
regions of the world.

"In our view, confronting these converging risks is critical to ensuring
America's secure energy future," the report states. "Consistency with our
emerging climate policies should shape our energy and national security
planning; we should not pursue energy options inconsistent with our national
response to climate change."

The Military Advisory Board calls on the Department of Defense (DoD) to take a
leadership role - for government and the nation - in transforming America's
energy posture. "By addressing its own energy security needs," the report
finds "DoD can stimulate the market for new energy technologies and vehicle
efficiencies."

The Military Advisory Board outlines "A Roadmap for Energy Security" to help
focus DoD's investments in a strategic manner in order to mitigate its highest
energy-related risks and optimize fiscal resources through a series of
priorities.

-- Priority 1: Energy security and climate change goals should be clearly
integrated into national security and military planning processes.
-- Priority 2: DoD should design and deploy systems to reduce the burden
that inefficient energy use places on our troops as they engage
overseas.
-- Priority 3: DoD should understand its use of energy at all levels of
operations. DoD should know its carbon bootprint.
-- Priority 4: DoD should transform its use of energy at installations
through aggressive pursuit of energy efficiency, smart grid
technologies, and electrification of its vehicle fleet.
-- Priority 5: DoD should expand the adoption of distributed and
renewable
energy generation at its installations.

-- Priority 6: DoD should transform its long-term operational energy
posture through investments in low-carbon liquid fuels that satisfy
military performance requirements.

"Confronting this challenge is paramount for the military; to achieve the
endstate, we must have a national approach," the report states. Securing
America's energy future will require the active and consistent participation
of governments at all levels, as well as that of all Americans, according to
the report.

Writing and research support for the report came from CNA, a not-for-profit
research organization which serves the public interest by providing in-depth
analysis and results-oriented solutions to help government leaders choose the
best course of action in setting policy and managing operations. The full
report and additional information is available at
www.PoweringAmericasDefense.org

SOURCE CNA Military Advisory Board

Connie Custer of CNA Military Advisory Board, cell, +1-703-585-6827,
custerc@cna.org; or Cater Communications, +1-415-453-0430, for CNA Military
Advisory Board