The Department of Defense last week issued a new directive (pdf) that regulates the conduct of its intelligence activities. It replaces a prior directive from 1988, and reflects the structural changes in national and military intelligence that have occurred since then.
“All DoD intelligence and CI [counterintelligence] activities shall be carried out pursuant to the authorities and restrictions of the U.S. Constitution, applicable law, [Executive Order 12333], the policies and procedures authorized herein, and other relevant DoD policies…,” the new directive reaffirms.
“Special emphasis shall be given to the protection of the constitutional rights and privacy of U.S. persons.”
“No Defense Intelligence or CI Component shall request any person or entity to undertake unauthorized activities on behalf of the Defense Intelligence or CI Component.”
“Under no circumstances shall any DoD Component or DoD employee engage in, or conspire to engage in, assassination.”
See “DoD Intelligence Activities,” Department of Defense Directive 5240.01, August 27, 2007.
The new directive renews the authorization of a 1982 DoD Regulation on “Procedures Governing the Activities of DoD Intelligence Components that Affect United States Persons” (pdf), DoD 5240.1-R, December 11, 1982.
Without trusted mechanisms to ensure privacy while enabling secure data access, essential R&D stalls, educational innovation stalls, and U.S. global competitiveness suffers.
Satellite imagery has long served as a tool for observing on-the-ground activity worldwide, and offers especially valuable insights into the operation, development, and physical features related to nuclear technology.
This year’s Red Sky Summit was an opportunity to further consider what the role of fire tech can and should be – and how public policy can support its development, scaling, and application.
The new alignment signals a clear shift in priorities: offices dedicated to clean energy and energy efficiency have been renamed, consolidated, or eliminated, while new divisions elevate hydrocarbons, fusion, and a combined Office of AI & Quantum.