Terry,
ATTEMPTS at continuing BAU are clearly supported by this report. But, as OLN indicated, Peak Oil is real and the dynamics of limited resources will eventually override foolish policies. Climate Change is not going to take any prisoners.
I did not post the report with a desire to inflame passions regarding the likelihood of the US pursuing a BAU approach. I think most, at least subconsciously, know that BAU will dominate US policy for quite a number of years yet. What I am trying to show is how integrated industry, defense, government and politics actually is. Here is an organization which the public, as little as they even know of its existence, would assume is providing the policy makers with clear reasoned objective analysis (after all that is part of their mission statement). This is most definitely NOT the case however and, at least in my experience, never has been case. At the individual level there are a host of experts in the Intelligence Community who know and understand the situation. That, in and of itself, does not mean in any way that those opinions are going to float up to the level where they will be allowed to stand in opposition to the accepted direction of flow and strategic intent of current government policy.
I know it is hard reading, but I do urge folks to at least skim the entire report as it really brings home the extent of change required before the US decides that a BAU approach is failing and serious change occurs.
Many posters in blogs such as this one struggle mightily when they attempt to understand why US government policy seems so divorced from the needs of reality. This report provides a window into the thinking that is helping drive that policy. I think it fair to say that that sea change in thinking needed is a LONG Way off still. Years. A decade? Maybe 2030?