A recent article in the Army’s Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin argued that Document and Media Exploitation, or DOMEX — which refers to the analysis of captured enemy documents — should be recognized and designated as an independent intelligence discipline. “Without question, our DOMEX capabilities have evolved into an increasingly specialized full-time mission that requires a […]
With its overwhelming emphasis on technical collection, U.S. military intelligence is poorly equipped to meet the requirements of the counterinsurgency mission, according to a recent study (pdf) by the Defense Science Board. “Many, if not most, specific COIN [counterinsurgency] ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] requirements are population-centric and are not exclusively solvable with hardware or […]
Updated below Prosecutors in the case of Jeffrey A. Sterling, a former CIA officer who is accused of leaking classified information to the press, asked a court (pdf) this week to provide 50 blank subpoenas requiring testimony at a September 12 hearing in the case. The intended recipients were not identified. “50 subpoenas seems like […]
“Increasing awareness of the power of DNA to solve crimes has resulted in increased demand for DNA analysis,” according to a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service, “which has resulted in a backlog of casework.” “Some jurisdictions have started to use their DNA databases for familial searching, which involves using offender profiles to […]
Government attorneys this week asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by author Anthony Shaffer who claimed that his freedom to publish a memoir of his military service in Afghanistan had been violated. The government said that Mr. Shaffer’s book, “Operation Dark Heart,” which appeared last September in censored form, contained properly classified information […]
The Public Interest Declassification Board, a White House advisory body, was asked by President Obama to develop recommendations for a “fundamental transformation” of the national security classification system. The Board developed several proposals of its own and solicited others from interested members of the public. All of those, including one from the Federation of American […]
Ambassador Brooks, Secretary Perry and Ambassador Matlock join FAS in call for continuing nuclear transparency under New START treaty .By Hans M. Kristensen, Three former U.S. officials have joined FAS in urging the United States and Russia to continue to declassify the same degree of information about their strategic nuclear forces under the New START […]
Pakistan’s military describes its new short-range nuclear NASR missile as a “shoot and scoot…quick response system.” Image: ISPR . […]
An expanded role for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in oversight of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) may soon become a reality as the result of an official directive that requires intelligence agencies to work with auditors from the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress. “It is IC policy to cooperate with the Comptroller General, […]
An insightful account of the pending prosecution under the Espionage Act of former National Security Agency official Thomas A. Drake appears this week in The New Yorker. Author Jane Mayer delves deeply into the origins of the case stemming from Drake’s critical view of NSA management and surveillance practices. She explores the unfolding consequences of […]
Secrecy News provides original reporting on national security secrecy policy, and offers direct public access to government records of public policy significance that are otherwise hard to obtain. It is part of a larger Federation of American Scientists project to reduce government secrecy, to help build responsive and accountable government institutions, and to engage the […]
The government is seeking to limit the disclosure of unclassified information as well as classified information about the National Security Agency at the upcoming trial of former NSA official Thomas A. Drake, who is accused of unlawful retention of classified documents that were allegedly provided to a reporter. Under the provisions (pdf) of the Classified […]