Slowly and unevenly, the Obama Administration’s open government message is filtering down to the agency level. We have entered “a new era of open government,” Army officials informed a government audience recently. There will be “increased emphasis on the Freedom of Information Act… Agency FOIA programs must be improved… Commanders need to direct all agency […]
New Congressional Research Service reports obtained by Secrecy News that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf). “Visa Security Policy: Roles of the Departments of State and Homeland Security,” March 8, 2010. “Legislative Options After Citizens United v. FEC: Constitutional and Legal Issues,” March 8, 2010. “FY2011 Budget […]
The transition of U.S. military forces in Iraq to post-major combat operations in 2003 was marred by failures in leadership and planning, according to an internal report (pdf) prepared for the Pentagon that was partially declassified and released this month under the Freedom of Information Act. “The transition that occurred was not the one that […]
The U.S. Navy has released some new guidance pertaining to intelligence programs, including the following items (both pdf). “Oversight of the Department of the Navy Military Intelligence Program,” SECNAV Instruction 5000.38A, February 5, 2010. “Required Operational Capabilities and Projected Operational Environment for Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command Forces,” OPNAV Instruction 3501.382, March 1, 2010. The Department […]
One of the few unclassified discussions of official U.S. policy on the use of “cover stories” to conceal classified activities and operations advised that “Cover stories must be believable.” (1992 draft SAP Supplement [pdf], at p. 3-1-5). But such pedestrian guidance would not have been needed by British military and intelligence officials during the past […]
The White House yesterday released a newly declassified description (pdf) of the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI), a highly classified program that is intended to protect U.S. government computer networks against intrusion and disruption. The cybersecurity initiative was established in January 2008 by President Bush’s classified National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD) 54, and quickly became […]
U.S. Army doctrine (pdf) published last week anticipates an increasingly unstable information environment that may challenge Army operations and test national capabilities. “Unprecedented levels of adverse activity in and through cyberspace threaten the integrity of United States critical infrastructure, financial systems, and elements of national power. These threats range from unwitting hackers to nation-states, each […]
Noteworthy new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf). “Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2009,” January 27, 2010. “Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians,” February 26, 2010. “China-North Korea Relations,” January 22, 2010. “Honduran Political […]
The House of Representatives last week approved two secrecy-related amendments to the pending FY 2010 intelligence authorization act (HR 2701). The amendments and the bill itself await further action in a House-Senate conference. An amendment by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) would require the Director of National Intelligence to identify records held by U.S. intelligence agencies […]
A study (pdf) of the news media in 15 Arab countries shows some new signs of vigor and creativity in the Arab press, despite familiar financial constraints and structural changes affecting news organizations. Overall daily circulation and the number of news publications continue to rise. “We are confident that the fundamentals of the media in […]
Noteworthy new volumes of congressional hearings on national security-related topics include the following (all pdf). “War Powers in the 21st Century,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee, April 28, 2009 (published January 2010). “Voice of Veterans of the Afghan War,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee, April 23, 2009 (published February 2010). “Strategic Importance of the Arctic in U.S. […]
Executive branch agencies have spent more than a billion dollars on declassification of government records in recent years, but the results have been unsatisfactory, requiring a change in declassification policy and procedure. “Between 1997 and 2007 the Federal Government acknowledges spending $1.343 billion on declassification,” reported Michael J. Kurtz, Assistant Archivist at the National Archives, […]