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Sierra Rayne

Sierra Rayne holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and writes regularly on environment, energy, and national security topics. He can be found on Twitter at @srayne_ca

Most Recent Articles by Sierra Rayne:

Trump's campaign enters dangerous territory

Donald Trump's campaign is now nearing the event horizon of a political black hole, or more crudely, beginning to circle the toilet bowl. If Trump thinks he can win the general election by continuing to go forward with what has gone on over the past week, the Hillary Clinton machine is about to teach him a lesson of epic proportions.
- Monday, June 27, 2016


Time to take the F-35 program by the horns

When the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition was awarded to Lockheed Martin in late 2001, there was much excitement. The time was right to begin with a next generation fighter program to replace aging fleets in the U.S. and among its allies abroad, and -- of equal importance -- to keep the defense advanced technology base moving forward and avoid the risk of an international brain drain and military-industrial complex atrophy.
- Tuesday, April 5, 2016








Time to Trade Turkey for Russia in NATO

When Turkey joined NATO in February 1952, there seemed to be a purpose to the expansion into traditionally Islamic territory. Proponents of Turkey's membership argued that the West needed this country as an ally to prevent Soviet expansion in the region. But this was a deal with the devil.
- Tuesday, November 24, 2015




Venezuela's Economic Troubles Leading to False U.S. Asylum Applications

A report from El Universal documents skyrocketing asylum applications from Venezuelans seeking to enter the United States in recent years. According to American immigration authorities, the number of applications from this South American country tripled between 2013 and 2014. The U.S. government is becoming increasingly concerned about immigration fraud from this region, likely linked -- at least in part -- to Venezuela's economic decline.
- Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Mexico Straddles the Fence Between the West and Russia

As the United States and Canada struggle with geopolitical challenges abroad, the potential weak link in continental defense sits at the U.S. southern border. For too long has Mexico forged a political path that often acts at cross-purposes to the goals of its democratic northern neighbors. And the problems run far deeper than just Mexico's internal difficulties with the drug cartels. The nation's true allegiances remain undefined.
- Monday, June 22, 2015


RAND Expert: American Ground Forces Needed Against the Islamic State

"This article explains why US ground forces are not just a better option than the ISF [Iraqi Security Forces], but absolutely necessary for achieving US policy objectives against the Islamic State," argues David Johnson (US Army, Ret.) -- a senior historian at the RAND Corporation -- in a special commentary article from the current issue of US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters.
- Friday, June 19, 2015

Poll: Only One-Third of Republicans Support Same-Sex Marriage

New polling data from the Pew Research Center shows very low levels of support for same-sex marriage among Republicans. The Pew Research Center survey, conducted May 12 to 18 among 2,002 adults, found just one-third of Republicans support same-sex marriage, in contrast to 65 percent of Democrats and Independents.
- Thursday, June 18, 2015

Pegida Exceeds Expectations in Dresden Mayoral Contest

The German anti-Islamification party PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West) -- founded in October 2014 over growing concerns about the increasing presence and influence of Muslims in Europe -- has received a surprisingly high 10 percent of the vote share in the Dresden mayoral election.
- Thursday, June 18, 2015

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