The House Intelligence Committee critically reviewed the U.S. intelligence satellite program in a rare unclassified report on the subject. See “Report on Challenges and Recommendations for United States Overhead Architecture,” House Intelligence Committee, House Report 110-914, October 3, 2008.
“All counterterrorism programs that collect and mine data should be evaluated for their effectiveness and privacy impacts,” according to a new report on data mining from the National Academy of Sciences.
A new doctrinal publication from the Joint Chiefs of Staff considers “Meteorological and Oceanographic Operations” (pdf), Joint Publication 3-59, September 24, 2008.
A somewhat older Army Field Manual addresses nuclear warfighting in “Nuclear Operations” (pdf), U.S. Army Field Manual 100-30, October 29, 1996.
Satellite imagery of RAF Lakenheath reveals new construction of a security perimeter around ten protective aircraft shelters in the designated nuclear area, the latest measure in a series of upgrades as the base prepares for the ability to store U.S. nuclear weapons.
It will take consistent leadership and action to navigate the complex dangers in the region and to avoid what many analysts considered to be an increasingly possible outcome, a nuclear conflict in East Asia.
Getting into a shutdown is the easy part, getting out is much harder. Both sides will be looking to pin responsibility on each other, and the court of public opinion will have a major role to play as to who has the most leverage for getting us out.
How the United States responds to China’s nuclear buildup will shape the global nuclear balance for the rest of the century.