The Invention Secrecy Act of 1951 has been used for more than half a century to restrict disclosure of patent applications that could be “detrimental to national security.” At the end of the last fiscal year, no fewer than 5,321 secrecy orders were in effect. These secrecy orders have been difficult to penetrate and the […]
The latest issue of the Journal of National Security Law & Policy has just been published. Titles of likely interest include Free Speech Aboard the Leaky Ship of State: Calibrating First Amendment Protections for Leakers of Classified Information by Heidi Kitrosser, and Unknotting the Tangled Threads of Watergate Lore, a review of Max Holland’s book […]
In last Friday’s Federal Register the Department of Defense published a final rule on Defense Support of Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies. The rule specifies and defines the support that DoD may provide to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, “including responses to civil disturbances.” “The President is authorized by the Constitution and laws of […]
Researchers from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) asked seven individuals who are experts in East Asia about the the recent escalation in tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Is North Korea serious about their threats and are we on the brink of war? What influence does China exert over DPRK, and what influence is China wiling to exert over the DPRK? How does the increase in tension affect South Korean President Park Guen-he’s political agenda?
This is the first part of the Q&A featuring Dr. Ted Galen Carpenter, Dr. Balbina Hwang, Ms. Duyeon Kim and Dr. Leon Sigal.
The number of people who are cleared for access to classified information continued to rise in 2012 to more than 4.9 million, according to a new annual report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This is only the third official tally of government-wide security clearance activity ever prepared, and it is the […]
Some lightly updated reports produced lately by the Congressional Research Service include the following. Direct Overt U.S. Aid Appropriations for and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2014, April 11, 2013 Sensitive Covert Action Notifications: Oversight Options for Congress, April 10, 2013 Covert Action: Legislative Background and Possible Policy Questions, April 10, 2013 Navy Ship Names: Background […]
The U.S. Air Force plans to spend more than $1 billion on developing a guided tailkit to increase the accuracy of the B61 nuclear bomb. The cost is detailed (to some extent) in the Air Force’s budget request for FY2014, which shows development and engineering through FY2014 and full-scaled production starting in FY2015. The annual […]
Some $4 billion is being cut from the National Intelligence Program this year as a result of sequestration, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told the House Intelligence Committee at a hearing today. He said that the consequences will be severe. Acquisition programs will be “wounded,” ongoing programs will have to be curtailed, and the […]
New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following. Foreign Ownership of U.S. Financial Assets: Implications of a Withdrawal, April 8, 2013 Foreign Investment and National Security: Economic Considerations, April 4, 2013 Financial Market Supervision: Canada’s Perspective, April 4, 2013 The European Union: Foreign and Security Policy, April 8, 2013 The Berne […]
The Department of Defense is not particularly concerned with “openness” in the abstract, but it is strongly motivated to conserve resources and reduce discretionary expenditures. That imperative dictates the discriminating use of national security secrecy — at least in theory — because of the costs incurred by classification. “Precise classification guidance is prerequisite to effective […]
Last month, attorneys for Navy linguist James Hitselberger, who was charged under the Espionage Act with unlawful retention of classified documents, filed a motion arguing that the Espionage Act is unconstitutionally vague and unenforceable. Last week, prosecutors replied and said that’s not so. “Prosecuting Mr. Hitselberger under this statute violates the fair notice requirements of […]
An updated summary of open source reporting on the North Korean nuclear weapons program was produced this week by the Congressional Research Service. See North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons: Technical Issues, April 3, 2013 Other new or newly updated CRS reports include the following. Integration of Drones into Domestic Airspace: Selected Legal Issues, April 4, 2013 […]