Thursday’s global agenda: Naval warfare on the Potomac

{mosads}On the business side of the debate, 12 leading U.S. business associations — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute — signed a letter to senators on Tuesday calling for Law of the Sea Treaty ratification. 

“Now that new technologies and changed conditions have made it cheaper and easier to access the potential wealth beneath the oceans, the business community simply cannot afford to have the U.S. remain on the sidelines,” they write. “Energy companies need the certainty the Convention provides in order to explore beyond 200 miles and to place experts on international bodies that will delineate claims in the Arctic.”

Iraq withdrawal: Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are urging President Obama to withdraw his nominee for ambassador to Iraq over questions about his experience and judgment. The panel is slated to vote on Brett McGurk’s nomination next Tuesday. [Washington Free Beacon]

Easterly wind: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing on competitiveness and collaboration between the United States and China on clean energy.

In other news: 

Russian helicopters provided to Syria might not have been new but rather had undergone repairs and refurbishment in Russia before being sent back, the Department of Defense said. [The New York Times]

The U.S. military is expanding its secret intelligence operations across Africa with a network of small air bases to spy on terrorist hideouts. [The Washington Post]

Israeli probe slams Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for deadly raid against Turkish flotilla to Gaza in 2010. [The Wall Street Journal]

What you might have missed on Global Affairs: 

Weapons sales to Syria endanger US-Russia trade deal

Former defense chief Gates joins foreign-aid advocacy group

Rubio to help Obama on confirmation