New military doctrine from the Joint Chiefs of Staff “narrows the definition of counterterrorism” to focus on activities designed to neutralize terrorist networks. It excludes actions to “counter root causes” of terrorism, which have now been removed from the definition. The new publication also “describes the activities of the global special operations network as it […]
The National Archives is seeking a new Director of the Federal Register program, a position that requires a Top Secret security clearance. The Federal Register is sometimes described as the “daily newspaper” of the executive branch. Each weekday, it “provides citizens access to proposed and final regulations, rules, and other administrative actions of the Federal […]
New and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from public distribution include the following. Executive Discretion as to Immigration: Legal Overview, November 10, 2014 FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process: A Primer, November 12, 2014 A New Authorization for Use of Military Force Against the Islamic State: Comparison of Current Proposals in […]
Less than a decade after the Pentagon conducted a major review to fix problems in the nuclear management of U.S. nuclear forces, the Pentagon today announced the results of yet another review. The new review identifies more than 100 fixes that are needed to correct management and personnel issues. The fixes “will cost several billion […]
Less than a decade after the Pentagon conducted a major review to fix problems in the nuclear management of U.S. nuclear forces, the Pentagon today announced the results of yet another review. The new review identifies more than 100 fixes that are needed to correct management and personnel issues. The fixes “will cost several billion […]
Energy Policy and National Security: The Need for a Nonpartisan Plan by Charles D. Ferguson Once the global decline starts to take effect, price shocks could devastate the world’s economy. Moreover, as the world’s population is projected to increase from seven billion people today to about nine billion by mid-century, the demand for oil will […]
In the past several months, various news stories have raised the possibility that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also commonly referred to as ISIS) could pose a radioactive threat. Headlines such as “Dirty bomb fears after ISIS rebels seize uranium stash,”1 “Stolen uranium compounds not only dirty bomb ingredients within ISIS’ grasp, […]
Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S. Army equipment and supplies in Afghanistan have been lost or are unaccounted for, a report from the Department of Defense Inspector General said. “Since 2010, 309 forward operating bases [in Afghanistan] have closed and only a fraction of lost items from previous [inventory loss investigations] have been […]
As I write this president’s message, the U.S. election has just resulted in a resounding victory for the Republican Party, which will have control of both the Senate and House of Representatives when the new Congress convenes in January. While some may despair that these results portend an even more divided federal government with a […]
The destructive potential of nuclear weapons is so great that decisions impacting them should be made in a fully conscious, objective manner. Unfortunately, there is significant evidence that this is not the case. One of my Stanford course handouts1 lists almost two dozen assumptions which underlie our nuclear posture, but warrant critical re-examination. This column applies […]
New and updated publications from the Congressional Research Service that Congress has withheld from online public access include the following. Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in House Member Offices, 2009-2013, November 3, 2014 Staff Pay Levels for Selected Positions in Senators’ Offices, FY2009-FY2013, November 3, 2014 Congressional Action on FY2015 Appropriations Measures, November 5, […]
Nearly two years into Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s second stint at governing Japan, his tenure has been characterized by three primary themes. The first two themes include his major legislative priorities: enabling Japan’s economic revival and bringing Japan closer to the status of a “normal” country that takes on a greater share of its own […]