The American Defense Council is a national nonprofit lobbying and educational organization that advocates a simple message: peace through strength.

"We encourage citizens to be informed about our security interests as well as where our elected officials stand, and to communicate with them regularly on these issues." American Defense Council

The single greatest strength of the United States of America is our Constitution. Specifically, the Bill of Rights and the Separation of Powers doctrine that the Founders designed to keep the three branches of government -- the Executive, the Judicial and the Legislative -- separate but equal are the real twin pillars of American power.

The American Defense Council takes a very dim view of any efforts to weaken the separation of powers doctrine or with any efforts to dilute any single part of the Bill of Rights. It is these principles that millions of Americans have fought, bled, and died for -- and these are principles that American Defense Council will fiercely defend.

American Defense Council Feature Article Scary Russian elections  new! by Dan Perrin, President, American Defense Council Scary Russian Election Results Demand A Re-evaluation Of U.S-Russian Relations. For those who had their hopes pinned on Vladimir Putin, the returns are in: Your hopes were in vain and were misplaced. The scary results of Russia's recent elections can be directly attributed to Mr. Putin's crackdown on the free media, and on the decapitation and de-funding of Russia's Western-leaning, pro-democracy political parties — and his jailing, investigating and exiling of the strongest members of Russia's budding private sector. ... Taking Back the Panama Canal new! An Alternative Solution to the Neutrality Treaty and Military Intervention Under the facts presented, there are several theoretical avenues available to Panama to terminate its contract with PPC. First, like all sovereigns, Panama possesses the right and power to terminate contracts that contravene its national interests. Accordingly, if PL-5 is seen to harm Panama – i.e., security, environmental, etc. – then Panama has the right to terminate the contract. Second, PL-5 may be vulnerable because the circumstances of its creation may, in fact, have violated Panama’s laws. And, if PPC has violated any of its significant obligations, such as maintenance and repairs... The Sino-Russian strategic partnership new! The Sino-Russian strategic partnership is a clear example of balance-of-power realism, and will be a fact of international politics as long as both nations determine that it serves their individual interests. It is not a formal military alliance, nor is it likely to become one in the near future, barring unforeseeable events. In several respects, it acts as a warning to the United States. Its practical effect, however, will be to hedge American... Who are you, Mr.Putin? At a press conference during Putin's campaign to consolidate power one western correspondent asked Putin a question: "Who are you, Mr. Putin?" This question has yet to be answered. The recent arrest of Mr. Khodorkovsky ...   "China’s Growing Maritime Power - Geopolitical Strategic Assasment" Li Ka-shing, the leader of Hutchison Port Holdings, (China ’s primary shipping line), has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and to the China International Trust and Investment Corp.... Download Adobe Reader -   See the map of China's Maritime Global Projection Since more than 80%of global trade moves by sea and the U.S.moves 95% of its foreign trade by weight via the world ’s oceans,it is equally obvious that Chinese naval strategy holds in high regard control of these global chokepoints. See the map....

Globe & Mail: Bird Flu's 'Patient Zero' BEIJING -- An unnamed 31-year-old man in northern Vietnam has emerged as "patient zero" in the first suspected human-to-human transmission of the deadly bird-flu virus that is sweeping through Asia....

Wired: Mood Ring Measured in Megahertz Your computer -- that auxiliary brain that lives outside your skull -- soon may be issuing public updates on what's happening inside your body....

LA Times: Dirty Bomb a Fear in Scrubbed Flights PARIS — The terror alert that caused the cancellation of several transatlantic flights this weekend was based partly on intelligence that Al Qaeda might use chemical, biological or radiological weapons in an aviation attack, a U.S. official familiar with ...

SpaceWar: NATO Speeds Eastern Expansion BRUSSELS (AFP) Feb 02, 2004 NATO is bringing forward its enlargement into ex-communist eastern Europe as incoming member states push to come under the alliance's air-protection umbrella as soon as possible, diplomats say....

ScienceDaily: Measuring Perchlorate Levels in Lettuce A leak from a rocket fuel plant into the groundwater near Henderson, Nev., near Las Vegas, has led to perchlorate contamination in the lower Colorado River. As the river moves from Nevada to Mexico the water is redirected for urban, industrial and agricul...

WP: Diehl: Speaking the Truth to Putin Considering that she is a marginal challenger to a powerful Russian president embraced by President Bush, Irina Khakamada got quite a reception during a 36-hour visit to Washington last week. The congressional Russian democracy caucus, chaired by Rep. Chr...

Japan Times: Thailand Paying the Price for Bird Flu Coverup BANGKOK -- Thai politicians belatedly ceded center stage to the public health experts as a strategy was mapped out to curb and contain the rapidly spreading avian flu. Until Jan. 23, the Thai government emphatically and continuously denied, in the face of...

Tech Central Station: Milton Friedman & Rx Reimportation Friedman: My initial reaction when I first was asked this question was to say yes. But the more I've thought about it, the more I've come to the belief that it's not an issue of free trade at all, and that the right answer is not re-importation....