Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
Contention One is Inherency—

The DOE is delaying decisions until 2013 on applications to export natural gas to non-FTA countries—this creates uncertainty which prevents investment, causing natural gas production to decrease and allows other countries to gain an advantage
Petroleum Economist, September 20, 2012
(“US delays decision on LNG exports”, p. http://www.petroleum-economist.com/Article/3091888/Natural-Gas-and-LNG/US-delays-decision-on-LNG-exports.html)
“A decision to withhold approvals” and “increase energy security.”

Plan Text: The United States Department of Energy (DOE) should approve pending applications for natural gas exports. 

Advantage One is Trade—

The US has challenged China’s restrictions on rare earth elements at the WTO but restricting LNG exports will prevent the US from winning the case  
Levi, Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment at CFR, 2012
(Michael, “A Strategy for U.S. Natural Gas Exports”, June, p. http://www.hamiltonproject.org/files/downloads_and_links/06_exports_levi.pdf)
“Conversely, if the United States” and “rare earth metals.”

A loss or a draw in the WTO would severely hurt US access to heavy rare earth elements
Green, founder of the Strategic Material Advisory Council and an adjunct scholar with the National Center for Policy Analysis, 2012
(Jeffery A., “The Defense Implications of Rare Earth Shortages”, The National Center for Policy Analysis, August 2, p. http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ib112)
“On the other hand,” and “heavy rare earths.”

Even though other production is inevitable and the WTO case takes a while, a win is crucial for access to heavy rare earths which China will dominate for years
Inside US-China Trade, 2012
(“Obama, Congress Urged To Go Beyond Trade Case To Secure Critical Inputs”, 12.3, January 18, p. http://www.cascadiacapital.com/PDF/Inside_US_China_trade.pdf)
“The highly imbalanced nature” and “and quotas,” he said.”

The US is reliant on China for heavy rare earths which are critical to advanced military technologies
Green, founder of the Strategic Material Advisory Council and an adjunct scholar with the National Center for Policy Analysis, 2012
(Jeffery A., “The Defense Implications of Rare Earth Shortages”, The National Center for Policy Analysis, August 2, p. http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ib112)
“Furthermore, a range of” and “but limited solution.”

US military superiority is critical to maintain hegemony
Kagan, 2012, The World America Made, Brookings Institution, Robert, p. 90-91
“One of the main causes” and “more likely again.”

Decline of US hegemony risks great power wars
Zhang and Shi, 2011, East Asia Forum, America’s decline: A harbinger of conflict and rivalry, January 22, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,Yuhan;  Columbia University, Lin, p. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/01/22/americas-decline-a-harbinger-of-conflict-and-rivalry/ (accessed: 9-6-2011)
“Over the past two decades,” and “unrivalled US primacy.”

Advantage Two is Japan—

Increasing global energy demand makes energy security the central question for the future state of the US-Japan alliance – a consensus is needed on bilateral energy strategy
Cronin et al., Senior Advisor @ CNAS, April 2012 Center for New American Security, Patrick, Paul Fiarra, and Zachary Hosford, “The China Challenge: Military, Economic and Energy Choices Facing the US-Japan Alliance,” accessed 9/17/12 SM
“Although energy security has” and “a viable alternative.”

Allowing LNG exports to Japan is critical to revitalize the alliance through bilateral trade and relations
Armitage and Nye, president of Armitage International and dean emeritus of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, August 15, 2012
(Richard and Joseph Jr., “The U.S.-Japan Alliance anchoring stability in asia”, CSIS, p. http://csis.org/publication/us-japan-alliance-1)
“Recent positive developments” and “for U.S. natural gas.”

Japan’s energy needs are forcing the country to increase ties with other countries which hamstrings Japan’s ability to be an effective ally   
Mazza and Schmidt, American Enterprise Institute, 2012
(Michael and Gary, “Turn Gas Into Geostrategy; Japan is eager to buy Alaskan LNG. The decision ought to be a no brainer.”, The Wall Street Journal, June 10, p. Factiva)
“After the Fukushima disaster,” and “this fortuitous development.”

US Japan alliance key to prevent war over Taiwan—it's the key deterrent
Xinbo, professor at the Center for American Studies and associate dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University in Shanghai, 2005 Project Muse – Wu, “The End of the Silver Lining: A Chinese View of the U.S.-Japanese Alliance,” Washington Quarterly, 29.1, 119-130, accessed 9/18/12 SM
“To Washington and Tokyo,” and “active and capable Japan.”

U.S. China war over Taiwan leads to World War III
Hunkovic, American Military University, 09 Lee J, 2009, “The Chinese-Taiwanese Conflict: Possible Futures of a Confrontation between China, Taiwan and the United States of America”, http://www.lamp-method.org/eCommons/Hunkovic.pdf SM
“A war between China,” and “considered in this study.”

Contention Three is Solvency

DOE should approve applications to export natural gas —this solves and does not involve money or Congress
Levi, Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment at CFR, 2012
(Michael, “A Strategy for U.S. Natural Gas Exports”, June, p. http://www.hamiltonproject.org/files/downloads_and_links/06_exports_levi.pdf
“I thus propose that,” and “restrictions on LNG exports.”

Exporting natural gas will not drastically increase prices, cause volatility or destroy competitiveness of US industries – producers will increase production to limit price spikes
Ebinger et al., director of the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings, 2012
(Charles, “Liquid Markets: Assessing the Case for U.S. Exports of Liquefied Natural Gas”, Policy Brief 12-01, May, p. http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2012/05/02-lng-exports-ebinger)
“While LNG exports may be” and “prices of —natural gas.”