National Security Advisor Susan Rice warns of 'advancing menace'; Could it be climate change?

National security advisor and esteemed climate scientist Susan Rice spoke at Stanford University today, where she addressed the biggest threat to the planet: climate change. She made two points clear in her anticipation of the speech: the science of climate change isn’t up for debate, and there’s no question that it’s a challenge to our national security.

Will stress @Stanford science of climate change isn’t up 4 debate. Some choose to ignore it but no denying it’s a nat sec challenge.

— Susan Rice -Archived (@AmbRice44) October 11, 2015

It’s not up for debate, and there’s no denying it’s a national security challenge. So why bother with a speech when one tweet covers it?

@AmbassadorRice: "Today we face no greater threat than #climate change; the science is not up for debate." pic.twitter.com/Cmgo6pAixr

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 12, 2015

@AmbassadorRice @Stanford what about ISIS and islamic terror? or did you think the iran deal stopped that?

— Ryan (@chasinghumility) October 12, 2015

The administration has explained this before. It was exactly one year ago tomorrow, in fact, when then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel testified that climate change was a “threat multiplier” to every national security challenge, including terrorism. Slate backed up that assessment by drawing “a very credible climate connection to this disaster we call ISIS right now,” as well as the Syrian conflict. Not to mention:

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.@AmbassadorRice: Climate change impacts nat. defense. Military installations imperiled by same rising seas as our civilian infrastructure

— Obama NSC- Archived (@NSC44) October 12, 2015

https://twitter.com/michaelcrowley/status/653728296027340800

.@AmbassadorRice at Stanford: "We're on a collision course w/ climate impacts that have inescapable implications for our national security"

— David S. Joachim (@davidjoachim) October 13, 2015

@POTUS has elevated #climate change to an imperative, says @AmbassadorRice: "There is such a thing as being too late; we have to act now."

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 13, 2015

"I’m not here to preach doom and gloom; I’m here because we’re at an inflection point. Attitudes are in fact shifting," @AmbassadorRice.

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 12, 2015

@NSCPress @AmbassadorRice We have more pressing national security issues than "climate change". ISIS, Russia, Iran, etc. Prioritize & focus!

— Race Bannon (@RaceBannon18Z) October 13, 2015

Never!

@AmbassadorRice to @Stanford students: @POTUS & I have a responsibility to you; you have a responsibility to those that will come after you.

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 13, 2015

@AmbassadorRice to @Stanford students #ClimateAndSecurity talk: "Put the last internal combustion engine in museum." pic.twitter.com/90PHl9Wyj9

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 13, 2015

@AmbassadorRice at #ClimateAndSecurity says #nuclear power will be in the mix for future energies that combat #climate change.

— FSI Stanford (@FSIStanford) October 13, 2015

Rice then concluded her presentation and was driven back to Washington in her prototype nuclear-powered Prius.