The theory and practice of no-fly zones, including questions of their legal authorization and financial cost, are reviewed in a newly reissued report from the Congressional Research Service. The report does not reference the current conflict in Syria. See No-Fly Zones: Strategic, Operational, and Legal Considerations for Congress, May 3, 2013.
Some of the other most recent CRS products (all of which are updates today) are these:
Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2013, May 3, 2013
Military Funeral Honors and Military Cemeteries: Frequently Asked Questions, May 3, 2013
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): An Overview, May 3, 2013
Child Support Enforcement Program Incentive Payments: Background and Policy Issues, May 2, 2013
Energy and Water Development: FY2013 Appropriations, April 25, 2013
Nuclear Energy: Overview of Congressional Issues, April 29, 2013
Satellite imagery of RAF Lakenheath reveals new construction of a security perimeter around ten protective aircraft shelters in the designated nuclear area, the latest measure in a series of upgrades as the base prepares for the ability to store U.S. nuclear weapons.
It will take consistent leadership and action to navigate the complex dangers in the region and to avoid what many analysts considered to be an increasingly possible outcome, a nuclear conflict in East Asia.
Getting into a shutdown is the easy part, getting out is much harder. Both sides will be looking to pin responsibility on each other, and the court of public opinion will have a major role to play as to who has the most leverage for getting us out.
How the United States responds to China’s nuclear buildup will shape the global nuclear balance for the rest of the century.