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Keystone XL Pipeline Legal Issues, and More from CRS

Some noteworthy new reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following (all pdf): Legal Issues Associated with the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, December 16, 2011 Contemporary Developments in Presidential Elections, January 9, 2012 “Surge Recovery” and Next Steps in the War in Afghanistan: In Brief, January 6, 2011 U.S. Assistance Programs in China, January […]

01.15.12 | 1 min read
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Global Risk
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A New Defense Strategy: A New Nuclear Strategy?

By Hans M. Kristensen The Obama administration today presented a new defense strategy that it says is needed to realign U.S. military forces and doctrine with the reductions in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the new fiscal constraints created by the financial crisis. There are few details in the new strategy for how […]

01.05.12 | 3 min read
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FAS
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Periods of War, and More from CRS

With the formal ending of the U.S. war in Iraq on December 15, 2011, the Congressional Research Service has produced an updated report on U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Current Conflicts (pdf). “Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for ‘periods of war’ in many nonofficial sources are often different from those […]

01.05.12 | 2 min read
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FAS
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Director of National Intelligence Cut Jobs and Secrets in 2011

In a portent of spending cuts that are still to come, the number of employees at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) dropped significantly over the past year. Interestingly, one of the first visible signs of the reduction in the workforce was a decline in the level of ODNI classification activity, which […]

01.03.12 | 1 min read
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FAS
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Growing Income Inequality Examined by CRS

The inequality of income among American taxpayers has grown markedly in recent years, the Congressional Research Service confirmed in a new study of U.S. tax records. Even as total income grew between 1996 and 2006 (the last year for which individual tax data are available), many Americans were losing ground. “Inflation-adjusted income actually fell for […]

01.02.12 | 1 min read
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FAS
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JASON on Producing Tritium for Fusion Reactors

If nuclear fusion were ever to become a practical method of generating electrical  energy, there would be a continuing requirement to produce significant quantities of tritium for fusion reactor fuel.  The JASON scientific advisory panel was asked by the Department of Energy to assess the feasibility of large scale tritium production.  Its findings were presented […]

01.02.12 | 1 min read
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FAS
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Army Red Teams Test Communications Security

A newly revised Army regulation prescribes the use of “red teams” that are assigned to try and penetrate the security of military communications, as if they were hackers or opposition forces. “Red Team operations expose vulnerabilities by challenging an organization’s readiness and ability to protect information. Red Team activities focus on identifying an organization’s critical […]

12.29.11 | 1 min read
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FAS
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JASON on Severe Space Weather and the Electric Grid

Updated below The U.S. electric power grid is vulnerable to damage from severe electromagnetic solar storms and remedial measures should be taken to reduce that vulnerability, a new study (large pdf) from the JASON scientific advisory panel concluded. On the other hand, the JASONs said, catastrophic worst-case scenarios advanced by some are not plausible, and […]

12.20.11 | 2 min read
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FAS
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Congress Approves 2012 Intelligence Authorization

Congress last week enacted the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. “The legislation we are approving today keeps funding for intelligence essentially flat from fiscal year 2011, representing the a meaningful reduction from the President’s request,” said Senate Intelligence Committee chair Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on December 14. Curiously, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), the […]

12.20.11 | 1 min read
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FAS
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Libya and War Powers

The U.S. government acknowledges that U.S. military forces were involved in “armed conflict” this year in Libya, but it does not acknowledge that they were engaged in “hostilities.” Earlier this year, State Department legal advisor Harold H. Koh attempted to parse these distinctions, which have significant legal consequences, and to deflect some pointed questions from […]

12.20.11 | 1 min read
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FAS
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U.S. Arms Sales and More from CRS

New reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include these (both pdf): “U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 2003-2010,” December 16, 2011. “Pakistan: U.S. Foreign Aid Conditions, Restrictions, and Reporting Requirements,” December 15, 2011.

12.20.11 | 1 min read
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FAS
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Congress Authorizes Offensive Military Action in Cyberspace

Congress has given the U.S. military a green light to conduct offensive military activities in cyberspace. “Congress affirms that the Department of Defense has the capability, and upon direction by the President may conduct offensive operations in cyberspace to defend our Nation, allies and interests,” said the FY 2012 defense authorization act that was adopted […]

12.14.11 | 2 min read
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