Click on image to download document. . By Nickolas Roth, Hans M. Kristensen and Stephen Young Note: This is the third of four posts analyzing the FY 2012 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan, each jointly produced by the Federation of American Scientists and Union of Concerned Scientists. See previous posts: 1, 2, 4. Since the 1950s, the performance […]
The U.S. military says it is taking a more assertive stance against the proliferation or use of weapons of mass destruction. Newly updated tactical military doctrine “represents a major shift from the former, passive defense nature against nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons to a broader, active, and preventive approach toward a wider range of CBRN […]
The authority of the President to use military force without congressional authorization and the ability of Congress to limit or regulate such use are discussed in a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service. At issue are the scope and priority of basic constitutional terms, including the definition of the President’s role as commander […]
A government “motion for clarification and reconsideration” of a court order that limited the obligation of reporter James Risen to testify at the upcoming trial of former CIA officer and accused leaker Jeffrey Sterling should be rejected, Risen’s attorneys argued (pdf) yesterday. There is no need for “clarification” of the court’s July 29 order (pdf), […]
Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC) paid tribute to military intelligence officer Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer in a statement entered into the Congressional Record yesterday. “Col. Shaffer’s storied career has been distinguished by his willingness and ability to work at the cutting edge of our nation’s intelligence community,” Rep. Jones said. Though it was not mentioned […]
Click on image to download document. . By Nickolas Roth, Hans M. Kristensen and Stephen Young Note: This is the second of four posts analyzing the FY 2012 Stockpile Stewardship Management Plan, each jointly produced by the Federation of American Scientists and Union of Concerned Scientists. See the other posts: 1, 3, 4. According to the […]
The growing use of social media — such as Twitter and Facebook — in responding to emergency situations is examined in a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service. “In the last five years social media have played an increasing role in emergencies and disasters,” the report notes. “Social media sites rank as the […]
A newly updated doctrinal publication from the Joint Chiefs of Staff describes the infrastructure of legal review and support to all phases of military operations. “It is DoD policy that members of the DoD components comply with the law of war during all armed conflicts, however such conflicts are characterized, and in all other military […]
The legal and constitutional framework for military operations, intelligence collection and other national security activities is explored in depth in the new edition of “National Security Law,” the preeminent casebook on <the subject for law students. It presents concise treatments of dozens of topics — from secrecy to rendition and interrogation — with case studies […]
Click on image to download document. . By Nickolas Roth, Hans M. Kristensen and Stephen Young Note: This is the first of four posts analyzing the FY 2012 Stockpile Stewardship Management Plan, each jointly produced by the Federation of American Scientists and Union of Concerned Scientists. See the other posts here: 2, 3, 4. A […]
A draft resolution (pdf) prepared for the inter-parliamentary Council of Europe bluntly criticized the “cult of secrecy” in the United States and other nations and it praised the role of whistleblowers in helping to challenge the abuse of secrecy authority. “In some countries, in particular the United States, the notion of state secrecy is used […]
Stewart Nozette, a space scientist who was deeply involved in many of the nation’s most highly classified technology programs, pleaded guilty to attempted espionage for providing classified information to an undercover FBI agent posing as an Israeli intelligence officer. According to a “factual proffer” (pdf) presented by the government in court yesterday, “The defendant [Nozette] […]