Last year, U.S. intelligence analysts prepared a report on how climate change could pose a threat to global security, especially as "floods and droughts [trigger] mass migrations and political upheaval in many parts of the developing world." So, in response, the CIA set up a small unit called the Center on Climate Change to study more carefully the potential national-security implications of a warming planet. Seems innocuous enough. Whatever you may think of cap-and-trade, this stuff is at least worth studying, right?
Apparently not. According to Greenwire, Wyoming Republican John Barrasso is now floating a Senate amendment to defund the CIA unit entirely, because—and these are his words—"I do not believe a Center on Climate Change is going to prevent one terrorist attack." That's... really special. Though at least he's consistent. If you're going to plop your head in the sand, you may as well go all in.