Can Japan Remain Committed to Nonproliferation by The Washington Quarterly
This academic article, from the Spring 2013 edition of the Washington Quarterly, provides an interesting overview of whether Japan can afford to not have a nuclear weapons program. However, the authors conclude that Japan could provide a model for other nation-states that merely use nuclear power for domestic energy and avoid militarizing it.

U.S. Support for Euthanasia Hinges on How It’s Described from Gallup
This month Vermont became the fourth state in the nation to legalize physician-assisted suicide. This poll provides evidence that if the word “suicide” is used in asking a question about the practice then support plummets from 70% to 51%.

Unprotected: How Legalizing Prostitution Has Failed from Der Spiegel
This enlightening article from the German magazine Der Spiegel describes how attempts at legalizing prostitution within Germany have not succeeded in reducing exploitation and human trafficking. It provides an indictment of libertarian policies towards prostitution.

The Folly of Waiting for a More Perfect Syrian Opposition from The Brookings Institute
This opinion piece by the Brookings Institute, which was also published in the Atlantic, argues that America is wasting time by hoping that a more acceptable and less radical Syrian opposition forms. It indicts American policymakers for betraying the Syrian opposition with promises that it has never been able to keep in light of changing diplomatic circumstances.

Shaming Chinese hackers won’t work because cyber-espionage is here to stay from The Guardian
The Guardian argues that if President Obama merely criticizes Chinese President Xi Jinping over recent cyber attacks it will go nowhere. The article provides a good overview of the gray area that cyber attacks occupy in defense and homeland security strategy.

Kenya attacks raise worries Somalia’s Al Shabab are reorganizing from The Christian Science Monitor
The Al Shabab militant group, which has links to al-Qaeda and is located in Somalia, has taken responsibility for attacking two police camps in neighboring Kenya. While analysts had hoped that an African Union military campaign would weaken the group, these recent attacks should that the group can still destabalize East Africa.

Obama’s FBI pick likely to have easy confirmation from USA Today
It is expected that President Obama will nominate James Comey to succeed Robert Mueller as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Comey is liked by both parties and is expected to ease through the confirmation process.

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