U.S. military commanders “are responsible for the maintenance of the health of their commands to ensure mission accomplishment in the event of CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear] attacks,” a new Army Field Manual advises, while noting that “medical planners can expect, as a minimum, 10 to 20 percent casualties within a division-sized force that has experienced a nuclear strike.” See “Multiservice Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Health Service Support in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Environment” (pdf), U.S. Army Field Manual 4-02.7, July 2009.
Among those countries that are “known to possess” nuclear weapons, the new Field Manual lists Israel (at page I-4), although neither Israel nor the United States formally acknowledge such possession. This is the second time in ten months that a Pentagon publication has cited Israel as a nuclear weapons state, observed Amir Oren in Haaretz on September 13. A similar reference appeared in the 2008 Joint Operational Environment study. (“Israel as a Nuclear Power,” Secrecy News, March 17, 2009).
Iranian scientists have published a prodigious amount of research in nuclear science and technology in the open literature. A bibliography of such publications is available in a newly updated 195-page compilation (pdf) prepared by Mark Gorwitz.
The Congressional Research Service has prepared an updated summary report on “U.S. Arms Sales to Pakistan,” with background on recent weapons transactions and their rationale.
Investing in interventions behind the walls is not just a matter of improving conditions for incarcerated individuals—it is a public safety and economic imperative. By reducing recidivism through education and family contact, we can improve reentry outcomes and save billions in taxpayer dollars.
The U.S. government should establish a public-private National Exposome Project (NEP) to generate benchmark human exposure levels for the ~80,000 chemicals to which Americans are regularly exposed.
The federal government spends billions every year on wildfire suppression and recovery. Despite this, the size and intensity of fires continues to grow, increasing costs to human health, property, and the economy as a whole.
To respond and maintain U.S. global leadership, USAID should transition to heavily favor a Fixed-Price model to enhance the United States’ ability to compete globally and deliver impact at scale.