Photo, left:  During the three-month-long demonstrations in Paris, a demonstrator takes a selfie with a formidable array of constabulary behind him. (Photo credit: Nat London.)
Protests in Paris over a French labour reform bill have turned violent, with at least 40 people injured, including 29 police officers, and 58 arrests. At least 75,000 demonstrators had convened in the capital as the upper house of parliament debated changes to employment laws. One of the city's best-known attractions, the Eiffel Tower, was closed due to strike action by staff. The labour reform makes it easier for employers to hire and fire workers.
It would also relax the limit on working hours. The government forced the changes through the National Assembly last month without a vote. Police said the clashes in Paris involved "several hundred masked people", who threw chunks of paving, set bins ablaze and smashed some shop windows. Police responded with tear gas and water cannon.  In the evening two "Autolib" electric cars were set ablaze, as were four other vehicles elsewhere in Paris, police said.
 
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Co-hosts: Mary Kissel, Wall Street Journal Editorial Board & host of Opinion Journal on WSJ Video.  Captain Jerry Hendrix, USN (retired), CNAS, in re:
 Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents.
 
Hour One
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 1, Block A: Captain David Adams, US Naval Institute; experienced CO who commanded the Los Angeles-class San Antonio and the Ohio class Georgia, fast attack boats; in re:  . . . North Korean reactions when a Virginia-class shows up.  . . .  Our subs are welcome throughout the region, esp South Korea. We do a lot of intell, recon, walk the battlefields and send the picture back, from electromagnetic spectrum and the rest. We can go in and take out what we need to in order to prepare for the others coming in. Stealth is moving to the Ohio-class replacement: will  be quieter than the current.  . . . We have an agreement w Britain on deterrence, and they’ll have their craft ahead of us. What we need:  Attack boat fleets, to protect the US and allies – first, we must really study the problem; the Navy doesn't do this enough, last was in 1998, when we thought ewe needed 72 attack subs.   Ergo, at least 55; better, 72.  However, we’ve waited much too long and it’ll dip ‘way below 55.  We need other aircraft and sensors.   ‪http://www.stripes.com/news/n-korea-calls-arrival-of-nuclear-powered-us-submarine-a-direct-threat-1.415057‪
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 1, Block B:  Scott Shipman, Shipman Federal Services, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in the application of John Boyd’s leadership strategies in the workplace; in re: diesel submarines.  Swedes and others build highly desirable subs.  Nuclear and Diesel: the distinction is the propulsion plant. Nuclear: much faster and longer travels.   Diesel electric – hull shapes are similar; $500 to 600mil a copy; Germans have a great one, and Saab is making the A26, probably to become the best in thee world. There’s some water where diesel is better: underwater mountainous terrain needs a smaller, diesel boat – Baltic and S/E China Seas. Avg water depths in Baltic is 180 feet; in the Yellow Sea, 144, Persian Gulf, 164 feet.    Not risk a very expensive boat in crowded and contested littorals.   We can contest Iran w our nuclear boats, but at what cost? Iran has a sizable fleet  of boats that are smaller, cheaper, running closer to home. Run on batteries: then, invisible to sonar.   Question: compatibility of these boats with our allies’?  Similar – we operate routinely with allies, e.g., Gotland class, which stayed in San Diego for years, acted as a target. Out boats could not find it while it was running on a battery.   The High-low mix approach: one VA class and 2 or 3 diesel to cover our requirements; then we could rapidly grow our sub force.  Currently we can launch missiles, torpedoes, others.  AIP – air independent propulsion – operates independent of the atmosphere, can run for two weeks without snorkeling.  We need at least 20 of them
The ocean is not flat. The strength of these designs, and underwater topography in key regions that favors smaller diesel designs.
‪http://www.naval-technology.com/news/newssaab-begins-construction-of-swedish-navys-first-a26-submarine-4672317‪
http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/japan-commissions-new-stealth-atttack-submarine/
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 1, Block C: Paul Scharre,  , in re:  unmanned underwater vehicles: UUVs or drone sub. Comms are so challenging underwater that  . . .  Power is a limiting factor.  For torpedo-shaped UUVs, could be hours or a few days. People have thought of networks of charging statins undersea; there are glider UUVs that tap into thermoclines energy, can stay underwater for years at a time, doing oceanographic missions.  DARPA: continuous trailed unmanned vessel  ___ (ACP); in the underwater envt:  torpedo-sized to very small ones (size of a  baseball bat) to mini subs.  Operating in network with manned stealthy aircraft to augment the attack profile (manned/unmanned teaming); think of the sub as a mother ship with a swarm of undersea drones – cd come from land, the sub, or pods; sub is C2 (command and control) craft.   This technology is a lot ore accessible than huge subs; many smaller and middle powers are working on this.  Recall 1929 to 1941:we thought the Big Gun Club made us safe, then Japan invented the Kido Butai.   We can't afford to have a Navy the size we want; but these technologies can monitor, provide queuing to manned platforms, How they’re networks, knotted together:  1. Lay fiberoptic cables w docking statins for both comms and power. A challenge will be: pace of comms will be slower in view of the time delay.    2. Multidomain swarms: surface unmanned ships and air drones all operating together, UUVs pass data to surface vessels that pass data to drones in air. Skynet.  Naval post grad school is doing interesting research in air swarms that can
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 1, Block D:  Jerry Hendrix, in re:  Submarines. Taylor’s win over Forbes could put the 2nd District within reach for Democrats for the first time since 2008.   Randy Forbes, current chair of House Seapower Subcommittee, created a separate fund in budget for an Ohio-class replacement submarine; now has been redistricted; ran in an adjacent district and was defeated in primary.  No one in the House has paid more attention to the Navy and Marine Corps –mastered the details of construction of ships and enormous amount of data. Hos departure is especially mourned because he had seniority.  Question: China will swamp us in 20years; but  mist people in Congress don't take the time to go deeply into these critical issues.  In fact, almost none does.  Forbes wrote legislation to fund this constrictions; he invited people with whom he disagreed to discuss and hash out al the data; open door to analyst around the Navy.  He’d be a good Secretary of the Navy. If Senator Clinton becomes president I think she’ll move both to reform and to amplify the Navy.  We need more frigates, littoral boats. 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/with-forbes-defeat-virginias-delegation-to-congress-grows-less-experienced/2016/06/15/12bd23fe-331b-11e6-95c0-2a6873031302_story.html
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Excerpts from the ‘Robotics on the Battlefield’ part I & II series from 2014:
Part I: http://www.cnas.org/sites/default/files/publications-pdf/CNAS_RoboticsOnTheBattlefield_Scharre.pdf
Part II: http://www.cnas.org/sites/default/files/publications-pdf/CNAS_TheComingSwarm_Scharre.pdf
Uninhabited undersea vehicles, working together in concert with undersea pods, could form a reconnaissance network to cooperatively identify and track submarines.
 
SEA SURFACE AND UNDERSEA VEHICLES ENABLE PERSISTENT UNDERSEA SURVEILLANCE 
Long-endurance sea surface and undersea vehicles have tremendous potential for persistent surveillance of the world’s oceans, undersea infrastructure and enemy ships and submarines. For example, DARPA is working to develop a long-endurance uninhabited surface vessel, the Anti-submarine warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV), to track enemy submarines. While surface vessels such as ACTUV can use long-endurance air-breathing diesel electric engines, power is a significant limiting factor for the endurance of undersea vehicles. 
A number of potential novel power methods could dramatically expand endurance, however. Advanced fuel cells could enable undersea vehicle operations of 30 to 60 days. More novel methods could enable operations for years at a time. Undersea gliders with thermal engines, which draw energy from temperature differentials in the ocean, exist today and can operate at sea for up to five years without ceasing or refueling. When near the surface, thermal gliders communicate by satellite, passing along information and receiving new instructions. Wave-powered surface drones and robotic jellyfish that draw power directly from the water could operate until mechanical failure and have already been demonstrated. The Navy has been investing heavily in uninhabited undersea vehicles, seeing this as a potential game-changer if power limitations can be overcome. Communications with undersea vessels is also a significant challenge, forcing a greater reliance on autonomy. 
One area the Navy has been reluctant to explore is radioisotope power, because of safety and environmental concerns regarding radioactive material. Radioisotope thermoelectric power draws heat energy from decaying radioactive material, which provides a reliable source of ultralong-endurance power. Radioisotope thermoelectric power is not without risks, but it has been safely used in spacecraft since the late 1960s. Protective “casks” have prevented contamination, even when radioisotope-powered spacecraft have crashed into the ocean. Because of the extreme longevity and game-changing potential, the Navy should launch an independent study of the policy and safety issues associated with radioisotope thermoelectric power to determine the conditions under which it could be used safely. 
 
CLANDESTINE RECONNAISSANCE AND SABOTAGE 
Because of their ability to take more risk, robots could be sent deep behind enemy lines, not just as scouts but also for intrusive intelligence-gathering and sabotage. … Such systems could also be used to seed the battlefield before an attack. On order, they could spring into action, delivering kinetic or nonkinetic electronic warfare or cyber payloads to sabotage enemy systems. DARPA’s Upward Falling Payloads program aims to exploit just such a concept undersea, seeding the ocean floor with clandestine payloads that, on order, would release from the ocean floor and “fall upward,” rising to the sea surface.
Specific recommendations in the reports:
THE NAVY SHOULD:
•       Build a proof-of-concept demonstration of an undersea payload module to exploit U.S. sanctuary undersea.
•       Study the benefits and risks associated with ultralong-endurance radioisotope thermoelectric power for uninhabited undersea vehicles. 
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Hour Two
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 2, Block A:  Robert Satloff, Washington Institute; in re: F35 wings made in Israel; Leon Panetta’s comments substantiating Mr Goldberg:  The WI awarded Leon Panetta with our Scholar Statesman Award; Goldberg ascribed to Panetta the questioning of Israel’s QME.        
Context was a US arms sale to Saudis, where US had to work hard to be sure that he sale and contents of the planes didn't threaten Israel’s edge by falling in the wrong hands. Pres Obama kept asking, what's the delay?  “The QME [qualitative mil edge].”  “Why do we need this QME?”  “It's both a moral commitment and a legal requirement.”
Long-term agreement on provisioning by the US of arms to Israel: was over $3 bil for mil assistance; US may take up to 26% for offshore procurement – investment by Israel’s own defense sector. Many of Israel’s inventions find their way back to the US; synthesis.  Under discussion: overall dollar figure, and Obama Administration desire to cut offshore procurement – US firms think they’re losing money to Israeli firms (mercantilist). What’s lost: how much US troops and airmen and sailors benefit from this investment. Also, many tens of thousands of jobs created in the US: 60 to 80,0000 jobs remain here.  Ballistic missile defense under the overall umbrella?  Congress – GOP or Dem  - is very supportive overall of Israelis.
         http://www.timesofisrael.com/liberman-says-israel-us-close-to-finalizing-deal-on-defense-aid/
         http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Analysis-Money-is-not-what-makes-US-Israel-aid-deal-important-457373
         http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/In-anger-Obama-questioned-necessity-of-Israels-qualitative-military-edge-457323
         http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-22/obama-wants-to-stop-subsidizing-israel-s-defense-industry
Robert Satloff has served since 1993 as executive director of The Washington Institute. In that capacity, he oversees all Institute operations and leads the organization's unparalleled team of Middle East scholars, experts and policy practitioners. He also holds the Institute's Howard P. Berkowitz Chair in U.S. Middle East Policy.
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 2, Block B:  Walter Russell Mead, Bard College & Hudson Inst; in re: peace talks.   Uranium traces at the Parchin complex n Iran:. Discovered by the IAEA. A troubling find, suggest mil activity at the Parchin reactor and that the IAEA will not be able to get the information it requires. This is critical information, yet the report was issued in December This Administration has decided it simply will not engage with this issue – the deal is over, the WH doesn't want people asking unpleasant questions.  Goes to the core of what we've discussed: the ability to monitor the JCPOA.  No pressure or reaction – why?  Iran can break out earlier.
Boeing sells 100aircraft to Iran:  Thos Pickering is a shill for the deal and works for Boeing.    Five billion-dollar deal for 100 planes: a lot of American jobs, It deliberately works to create as large a constituency in the West as possible to quash future sanctions, A lot more deals signed than planes delivered.  It grabs headlines.   Iranian airlines still under sanctions because it uses its “civilian” planes to fly mil missions.  / The apparent conflict between State and Treasury: Treasury says that the sanctions on Iran not connected to nuclear drive but to terrorism, money laundering and a nest of issues: these are still in place. What Kerry has been telling people about this is inaccurate! I f you’re a bank, you care a lot more about what Treasury says than what State Says.   High-profile cases where the US govt goes after foreign banks – and the banks remember.
         http://www.wsj.com/articles/uranium-provides-new-clue-on-irans-past-nuclear-arms-work-1466380760
         http://freebeacon.com/national-security/obama-admin-battling-internal-war-giving-iran-access-u-s-dollars/
         http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/284269-the-risks-of-the-iran-boeing-deal
         http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-iran-salaries-20160622-snap-story.html
         http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/22/boeing-s-man-pushed-for-the-iran-nuclear-deal-and-now-the-company-is-selling-25-billion-worth-of-planes-to-tehran.html
         http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-sanctions-idUSKCN0Z82NF
         http://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/06/22/are-the-palestinians-thinking-the-unthinkable/
Walter Russell Mead is the Distinguished Scholar in American Strategy and Statesmanship at the Hudson Institute, the James Clarke Chace Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities at Bard College, and Editor-at-Large of The American Interest. New book: The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People.
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 2, Block C:  Tzachi Hanegbi, in re:  Hamas boasted of its sinister Tel Aviv attack – Israeli security for the Hamas predators?   Security is excellent; TLV is back to having its restaurants full.  We’re aware of the monsters, but will not be paralyzed by them.   We've had six months of terrorism, from October 1, and it’s diminishing very noticeably. Hamas is desperate: invested years and years of bldg. rocket and missiles to make Israel surrender, in the July/Aug 2014 war the genius defense system Iron Dome intercepted 99% of these attacks; they failed. Then they tried another way to harm us from underground; suddenly appear and kill; we’ve now got an underground Iron Dome – track down and destroy the tunnels. What will they do next?  Maybe surrender and become good citizens?
Rollout of the F35 in Texas – if it’s stealth, how’d you know it was there?  I saw the balloons.  . . . Lockheed Martin - fifth gen of test fighter; will help us first and foremost to deter our enemies from adventurism; and if they won’t be deterred, this plane lets us have missions very far away from Israel. First two planes will arrive in Israel on  Dec 12; over five years, we’ll get 33 planes. Israelis pilots are already training in the US and everyone is excited.
The rogue state of Sinai reports of widespread ISIS training camps – battalions – true?  We have a lot of focus on that.   Almost every day there’s some kind of terrorist attack in Egypt. Bedouin groups that for years fought against Israel, then two years ago swore allegiance to al Baghdadi and currently are fighting against Egypt, but one day will turn against Israel again.
The 66-seat coalition in the Knesset: good news for Israel. A 61 vs 59 coalition creates an extremely fragile govt.  Thank God we now have 66 vs 54, a Parliamentary majority that allows the PM to work on real issues rather than on maintenance of coalition or survival of govt. The way to peace is direct negotiation with our neighbors, without preconditions – everything on the table, plainly. This is how we achieved peace with Egypt, and then with Jordan – both are working,   overwhelming majority of Israelis see that this is the only way.  I hope the intl community will also help the Palestinians to see this.
         http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Analysis-Hezbollah-powerful-but-more-stretched-than-ever-457035
         http://www.timesofisrael.com/gaza-factions-vow-response-to-underground-border-wall/
         http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/brand-connect/the-f-35-how-it-works/
Yitzhak "Tzachi" Hanegbi is a prominent Israeli politician and security expert. A member of Likud, Hanegbi is currently Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, in charge of National Security and Foreign Affairs. He served as Minister of Justice, Minister of Internal Security, Minister of Intelligence and Nuclear Affairs, and Minister in the Prime Minister's office supervising Israel's intelligence agencies - Mossad and Shin Bet. He was also responsible for overseeing Israel's Atomic Energy Agency, and served as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Hanegbi also served as the Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Majority Leader of the Knesset.
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 2, Block D:  Joseph Humire, International Freedom Educational Center, in re:  Latin America Report  . . . Iran is extremely powerful in Venezuela, has operations that even the Venezuelans aren't allowed to know about.
SecureFreeSociety.org: new and explosive report.  1. Nisman warned the world that Iran is bldg. its capability in Latin American, and the same people who ran the AMIA attacks are still there and active, esp in Peru.   2. The way they get cover is through commerce: use legit commercial links to infiltrate their ops, above all in the beef industry.  Use this to set up IRGC businesses and finance terror.   Transferred this to Brazil, which now is Iran’s largest trading partner in Latin America.  Nisman was murdered in Jan 2014, said to be a suicide and clearly not.  What’s  in the report that Argentines needs to know:  need to know how infiltrated their country is and how powerful Iran is there.  Longevity and seriousness of the invasion.   http://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-infiltration-of-latin-america-1466374190
While serving as the Director of Institute Relations at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Joseph Humire began developing the SFS network by running programs around the world focused on promoting security and defense issues to the classical liberal community.  In 2012, SFS spun off from Atlas into its new home at the International Freedom Educational Center, where Mr. Humire currently serves as the Executive Director. As a global security expert specializing in asymmetric warfare, Mr. Humire has produced leading research and investigations on Islamic extremism and Iran’s influence in the Western Hemisphere, as well as other topics. Moreover, Mr. Humire is an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps having served combat tours in Iraq and Liberia, as well as taking part in the multinational training exercise in Latin America and the Caribbean: UNITAS 45-04.
 
Hour Three
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 3, Block A:  Malcolm Hoenlein, in re: French foreign minister rebuffs discussion of  French endorsement of [jaw-droppingly fraudulent] UNESCO resolution. Several years ago began using hyphenated Israeli-Palestinian names; openly [lie] to say that Israel is damaging ancient site.  Christian sites becoming forever unavailable to Christians as UNESCO resolution openly [lies].  Amazing. / Turkey: in bad odor with the EU; attacked Israel, then had to back off for politico-economic reasons.  Despite Erdogan’s bizarre conduct, Turkish-Israeli trade has increased each year.  Turkey sees the trade with Greece and Cyprus and doesn't want to be left out.  Ergdogan is untrustworthy; said he wants no conflict on his borders but has created conflict on all his borders.  His PM resigned, has domestic fights incl with PKK.  / Israel has opened an office in the EU.  / The French initiative on “peacemaking.”  Abbas/PA supposed to meet Rivlin (Israeli president) today, and yet refused to. 
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 3, Block B: Dan Diker, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, in re:  BDS = boycott, divestment and sanctions. A uniquely punitive program against Israel to totally isolate it internationally on ht model of South African Apartheid.. Qatar and Iran are financing Hamas and Fatah to press for BDS globally. This goes back the 1947 Arab boycott and the Zionism is racism resolution.  This refers to the heart o f Israel’s existence; many are not aware of this.  In 1974, Arafat stood up in the U with a pistol at his side and cast Israel as similar to Apartheid South Africa.  The goal of BDS is the same as of Fatah and Hamas: to rid the world of the one and only Jewish state.  On college campuses, BDS is being labeled a nonviolent movement; supposed to be for a nonviolent peace-loving Palestinians state to live next to Israel – this is upside down and backwards, These in fact are for Hamas: anti-West, anti-US, and seeks to create  a Muslim caliphate – same long-term goals as ISISI and Muslim Brotherhood.  New York State Gov Cuomo bravely signed a bill: if you boycott Israel, New York will boycott you. Eight states have passed similar legislation, and ten more have bills pending.  Paris City Council has just passed a resolution, but we have a long way to go in Europe.   http://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-infiltration-of-latin-america-1466374190
Dan Diker is Director of the Political Warfare Project at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. A former director general of the World Jewish Congress, he is also a Research Fellow, International Institute for Counter Terrorism at IDC, Herzliya.
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 3, Block C: Richard A Epstein, Hoover Institution, Chicago Law, NYU Law, in re:    In addition to the Utah v Strife exclusionary dissent by Sotomayor, we can speak of the immigration decision and the affirmative action decision, to your sense of proportion:  http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/president-obama-immigration-actions-programs-blocked-supreme-court-deadlocked-scalia-dapa-daca-crushing-blow  ;  http://thehill.com/regulation/supreme-court-ruling-decision-affirmative-action-university-of-texas-race-admissions-justice-antonin-scalia  (1 of 2)
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 3, Block D:  Richard A Epstein, Hoover Institution, Chicago Law, NYU Law, in re:    In addition to the Utah v Strife exclusionary dissent by Sotomayor, we can speak of the immigration decision and the affirmative action decision, to your sense of proportion: http://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/president-obama-immigration-actions-programs-blocked-supreme-court-deadlocked-scalia-dapa-daca-crushing-blow  ;  http://thehill.com/regulation/supreme-court-ruling-decision-affirmative-action-university-of-texas-race-admissions-justice-antonin-scalia  (2 of 2)
  
Hour Four
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 4, Block A: Edward Hayes, Esq., and  , in re: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nypd-corruption-charges-allege-lavish-bribes-for-cops-on-call "NYPD corruption charges allege lavish bribes for "cops on call”"
https://www.mintpressnews.com/nyp-officials-prominent-jewish-business-man-charged-bribery-corruption-scandal/217385/    "NYPD Officials, Prominent Jewish Business Men Charged in Bribery Corruption Scandal”
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/nyregion/nypd-arrests.html?_r=0  "3 N.Y.P.D. Commanders Are Arrested in Vast Corruption Case"
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 4, Block B:  Mary O’Grady, WSJ, in re: http://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-infiltration-of-latin-america-1466374190?tesla=y
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 4, Block C:  Robert Zimmerman, behind the black, in re:  The Think Tank Culture of Washington  On Monday I attended and gave a presentation at the one-day annual conference of the Center for New American Security (CNAS) in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the space policy paper I am writing for them, Exploring Space in the 21st Century.  CNAS was founded ten years ago by two political Washington insiders, one a Democrat and the other a Republican, with a focus on foreign policy and defense issues and the central goal of encouraging bi-partisan discussion. For this reason their policy papers cover a wide range of foreign policy subjects, written by authors from both political parties. The conference itself probably had about 1,000 attendees from across the political spectrum, most of whom seemed to me to be part of the Washington establishment of policy makers, either working for elected officials, for various executive agencies, or for one of the capital’s many think tanks, including CNAS.
I myself was definitely not a major presenter at this conference, with speakers like Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and Senator Joe Reed (D-Rhode Island). I was part of a panel during one of the lunch breakout sessions, where approximately one third of the attendees came to have lunch while we spoke about space. I only had ten minutes to speak, and used that time to outline (1) the influence SpaceX is having on the entire launch industry and (2) the vast differences in cost, development time, and results between the Orion/SLS program and commercial space. Not surprisingly, the aerospace people from the big established companies appeared to be somewhat uncomfortable with what I had to say, though the Airbus people liked it when I made it clear I thought that the U.S. should allow foreign companies to compete for American business, including government launches.  (1 of 2)
Thursday  23 June  2016 / Hour 4, Block D:   Robert Zimmerman, behind the black, in re:  The Think Tank Culture of Washington  On Monday I attended and gave a presentation at the one-day annual conference of the Center for New American Security (CNAS) in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the space policy paper I am writing for them, Exploring Space in the 21st Century.  CNAS was founded ten years ago by two political Washington insiders, one a Democrat and the other a Republican, with a focus on foreign policy and defense issues and the central goal of encouraging bi-partisan discussion. For this reason their policy papers cover a wide range of foreign policy subjects, written by authors from both political parties. The conference itself probably had about 1,000 attendees from across the political spectrum, most of whom seemed to me to be part of the Washington establishment of policy makers, either working for elected officials, for various executive agencies, or for one of the capital’s many think tanks, including CNAS.
I myself was definitely not a major presenter at this conference, with speakers like Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and Senator Joe Reed (D-Rhode Island). I was part of a panel during one of the lunch breakout sessions, where approximately one third of the attendees came to have lunch while we spoke about space. I only had ten minutes to speak, and used that time to outline (1) the influence SpaceX is having on the entire launch industry and (2) the vast differences in cost, development time, and results between the Orion/SLS program and commercial space. Not surprisingly, the aerospace people from the big established companies appeared to be somewhat uncomfortable with what I had to say, though the Airbus people liked it when I made it clear I thought that the U.S. should allow foreign companies to compete for American business, including government launches.  (2 of 2)
 
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