Top U.S. Security and Foreign Policy Trends to Track in 2013

Natural resource and environmental issues have gained more attention
from the national security and foreign policy communities in recent years– from
concerns related to the U.S. rare earth supply chain to opportunities that
might accrue from America’s growing abundance of natural gas. Which ones might
get pressing attention in 2013? Here’s a list of the top U.S. policy trends I’ll
be watching in 2013, in no particular order.  

1. Growing interest in understanding water
   security at the regional and state level in U.S. intelligence and security
   assessments. Water security took on a more prominent role in national
   security and foreign policy discussions in 2012. Some of this is owed to Secretary
   of State Hillary Clinton, who has helped elevate water security issues during
   President Obama’s first term. After all, it was the State Department that commissioned
   an intelligence community assessment on water security that was released in
   March 2012 (Global
   Water Security). And Secretary Clinton elevated the issue at
   the 2012 UN General Assembly meeting last September when she participated
   in a roundtable discussion on water security.

   But I suspect that water security will continue to gain attention from the
   administration, even as Secretary Clinton steps down from the State Department.
   The National Intelligence Council’s recent Global
   Trends 2030 report specifically
   pointed to water scarcity as a part of a broader megatrend referred to as
   the “food, water and energy nexus” that will impact U.S. security interests – a
   good indicator that the intelligence community is examining the issue closely.
   And if he’s confirmed as Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry would likely bring
   a fresh perspective on water security, which
   has received some attention from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee under
   his leadership as chairman. 

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