The organization and management of nuclear weapons research in nine countries — the United States, China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, and the United Kingdom — are examined in a new report from the Congressional Research Service obtained by Secrecy News. See “Nuclear Weapons R&D Organizations in Nine Nations” (pdf), March 16, 2009.
Other noteworthy new CRS reports that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf).
“Cuba: Issues for the 111th Congress,” updated March 18, 2009.
“The Constitutionality of Federal Contracting Programs for Minority-Owned and Other Small Businesses,” March 16, 2009.
“Ongoing Government Assistance for American International Group (AIG),” March 16, 2009.
The clearinghouse will also neutrally mediate the assignment of auditors to audits—strengthening independence, trust, and ethical governance across the AI ecosystem.
The potential implication of these evidence gaps becomes more consequential when you look at how institutions actually make decisions day to day.
Every new institution inherits something – existing incentives, existing staff, decades of prior investment that shaped what’s possible.
This is not the first time Google has agreed to censor imagery at the behest of governments, but be warned: obfuscation at this broad level poses a direct threat to the public’s ability to monitor and scrutinize government operations.