FAS

CIA Can’t Confirm or Deny Much At All

02.09.06 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The Central Intelligence Agency continues to make a mockery of its legal obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and the national security classification system.

The Project on Government Oversight recently asked the CIA to undertake a declassification review of the Iraqi declaration on weapons of mass destruction that was presented to the United Nations Security Council in December 2002.

Incredibly, CIA official Scott Koch rejected the request by claiming that “the CIA can neither confirm nor deny the existence or nonexistence of records responsive to your request.”

See “We Know That You Know” on the POGO blog.

A copy of the Table of Contents from the 12,000 page Iraqi declaration, which plainly does exist, was obtained by Secrecy News.

publications
See all publications
Government Capacity
Report
Solutions for an Efficient and Effective Federal Permitting Workforce

The United States faces urgent challenges related to aging infrastructure, vulnerable energy systems, and economic competitiveness. But the permitting workforce is unprepared to implement changes. Here’s how they can improve.

02.04.25 | 14 min read
read more
Environment
Press release
Position on S.325 – establishing the National Integrated Heat Health Information System

S.325 would establish a clear, sustained federal governance structure for extreme heat by bringing all responsible agencies together to coordinate planning, preparedness, and response, a key recommendation of FAS’ 2025 Heat Policy Agenda.

02.04.25 | 1 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Using Targeted Industrial Policy to Address National Security Implications of Chinese Chips

In an industry with such high fixed costs, the Chinese state’s subsidization gives such firms a great advantage and imperils U.S. competitiveness and national security. To curtail Chinese legacy chip dominance, the United States should weaponize its monopoly on electronic design automation software.

02.04.25 | 17 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Report
Technology and NEPA: A Roadmap for Innovation

Improving American competitiveness, security, and prosperity depends on private and public stakeholders’ ability to responsibly site, build, and deploy proposed critical energy, infrastructure, and environmental restoration projects.

02.03.25 | 15 min read
read more