Last week the National Archives announced the release of the final report to Congress (pdf) on implementation of the Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act, which is said to be the largest single-subject declassification program ever performed by the U.S. government. Millions of pages of records from World War II and the early Cold War years […]
There are significant uncertainties associated with the design of the Reliable Replacement Warhead, the proposed new nuclear weapon, according to the JASON defense science advisory panel. The unclassified executive summary (pdf) of the new JASON report, first reported by Walter Pincus in the Washington Post on September 30, is here. Related background is available in […]
U.S. Army intelligence has issued an updated version of its handbook on terrorism in the 21st century. “The handbook is a high level terrorism primer that includes an overview of the history of terrorism, descriptions of terrorist behaviors and motivations, a review of terrorist group organizations, and the threat posed to our forces, both in […]
Noteworthy new reports from the Congressional Research Service obtained by Secrecy News include the following (all pdf). “Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2007,” updated September 12, 2007. “The Military Commissions Act of 2006: Analysis of Procedural Rules and Comparison with Previous DOD Rules and the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” updated […]
J. William Leonard, the director of the Information Security Oversight Office, is resigning from that position effective January 2008, leaving a significant void in the fragile mechanism for overseeing the government’s national security classification system. The move was announced today in a National Archives news release. Mr. Leonard’s letter of resignation is here (pdf). Since […]
Recent publications of the Congressional Research Service on defense policy and related topics include these (all pdf). “Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress,” September 20, 2007. “The FY2008 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Policy Issues,” updated September 17, 2007. “Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and Office of […]
If you have a bold new idea for improving the production and delivery of news and information, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation wants to hear about it. The Knight Foundation, a backbone of American philanthropy in journalism and First Amendment causes (and a supporter of Secrecy News), has millions of dollars to […]
Updated below After a congressional committee requested a copy of an unclassified internal State Department report on corruption in the Iraqi government (pdf), the Department classified the report and declined to provide it. But the document is in the public domain and widely accessible. “The State Department initially informed Committee staff that the reports were […]
In his new book “Enemies of Intelligence,” Columbia University political scientist Richard K. Betts warns that ambitious attempts to correct failures in U.S. intelligence may cause more damage than they repair. “The awful truth is that the best of intelligence systems will have big failures,” he writes. Eliminating failure altogether is therefore not a reasonable […]
A newly updated bibliography (pdf) of published Syrian research in nuclear science and technology shows that country’s limited but persistent activity in various aspects of the field. Along with reactor technology, nuclear physics and nuclear safety studies, the open literature also shows traces of Syrian interest in the use of lasers for isotope separation. The […]
Noteworthy new products of the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available to the public include the following (all pdf). “Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations,” updated September 17, 2007. “Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice and Recent Developments,” updated September 17, 2007. “Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process,” updated September 12, […]
They are tearing down our building, so we’re moving. Effective Monday, September 24, 2007, the Federation of American Scientists’ new address is: 1725 DeSales St. NW, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C., 20036 (same phone/fax: 202-546-3300/202-675-1010) No more noisy K Street, around the block to quiet DeSales – a small side street to Connecticut Avenue, one block […]