One of the simplest, most effective ways to strengthen congressional oversight of intelligence would be for Congress to make increased use of specially cleared investigators from the Government Accountability Office. This is such a straightforward step towards improving oversight that it was even championed by CIA Director Leon Panetta when he was a Congressman. But […]
A government website (USAspending.gov) that is intended to provide transparency on government contracts and awards currently presents incomplete, inconsistent and sometimes invalid data, the Government Accountability Office said last week. See “Electronic Government: Implementation of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006” (pdf), GAO-10-365, March 2010. “Improving Transparency and Accessibility of Federal Contracting […]
The U.S. Joint Forces Command has updated its assessment of emerging geopolitical and technological trends and estimated their potential impact on future military operations in the new Joint Operating Environment (JOE) 2010 report (pdf). “We will find ourselves caught off guard by changes in the political, economic, technological, strategic, and operational environments,” the report states. […]
Nearly two dozen reports from the JASON defense advisory panel have just been added to the archive of JASON reports on the Federation of American Scientists website. New additions (all pdf) include a 2004 report on “DNA Barcodes and Watermarks,” a 2001 report on “Moletronics” or molecular electronics, and a 1998 report on “Insonification for […]
Executive branch agencies should “increase the use of prizes and challenges as tools for promoting open government,” the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a memorandum to agency heads (pdf) this week. “It is Administration policy to strongly encourage agencies to utilize prizes and challenges as tools for advancing open government, innovation, […]
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 Air Force is considering a replacement for the nuclear air-launched cruise missile. Will the NPR agree or adhere to Barack Obama’s no-new-nuclear-weapons pledge? . By Hans M. Kristensen [updated March 18, 2010] One of the important tests of Obama Administration’s nuclear nonproliferation policy will be whether the long-delayed Nuclear Posture Review will approve new […]
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 […]
By: Alicia Godsberg On Friday, February 5 the EastWest Institute (EWI) held a seminar at their office in New York to discuss its recently released report on the CTBT, entitled, “The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty: New Technology, New Prospects?” Speaking at the event for the pro-CTBT ratification camp was Ambassador Robert T. Grey, Jr. (Director, […]