Water Conflicts Move Up on U.S. Security Agenda

On Wednesday, the United States intelligence community unveiled a first-ever assessment of global water-security issues. A declassified version of the document, which looks forward through 2040, suggests that "during the next 10 years, water problems will contribute to instability in states important to U.S. national security interests." According to one of the assessment's lead authors, Major General Richard Engel, water-stressed countries, being forced to focus on pressing internal issues, are increasingly unable to support U.S. policies and strategic interests. While the assessment does not foresee water being a main instigator of state-to-state violence or state failure in the next decade, beyond that "water in shared basins will increasingly be used as leverage." In addition, "water shortages and pollution probably will harm the economic performance of important (U.S.) trading partners." The Global Water Security assessment is the result of a request made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011. Clinton has previously stated that water and sanitation constitute the two most basic of development priorities...

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