A new publication from the Joint Chiefs of Staff presents military doctrine on joint interdiction operations (pdf). “Interdiction operations are actions to divert, disrupt, delay, or destroy an enemy’s surface capabilities before they can be used effectively against friendly forces, or to otherwise achieve objectives.” “In support of law enforcement, interdiction includes activities conducted to […]
Some recently updated reports from the Congressional Research Service now available on the Federation of American Scientists web site include the following (all pdf). “Stem Cell Research: Federal Research Funding and Oversight,” updated April 18, 2007. “Israeli-Arab Negotiations: Background, Conflicts, and U.S. Policy,” updated April 10, 2007. “Nuclear Weapons: Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,” updated April […]
U.S. Army intelligence has published a new field manual (pdf) on how to structure an opposing force (OPFOR) for U.S. military training purposes. “As a training tool, the OPFOR must be a challenging, uncooperative sparring partner capable of stressing any or all warfighting functions and mission-essential tasks of the U.S. force,” the manual states. See […]
Shaheen 2 launch By Hans M. Kristensen Pakistan is preparing its next-generation of nuclear-capable ballistic missile for deployment. A satellite image taken on June 5, 2005, shows what appears to be 15 Transporter Erector Launchers (TELs) for the medium-range Shaheen 2 fitting out at the National Defense Complex near Fatehjang approximately 30 kilometers southwest of […]
The Federation of American Scientists has added a fifth Case Study to our Dual-Use Research education series. This new case study focuses on the work of Dr. Stuart Levy of Tufts University School of Medicine in antibiotic resistance. Dr. Levy is also a member of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB). Dr. Levy’s […]
A U.S. Army official told the Federation of American Scientists that Army documents on the FAS web site had been published by FAS “illegally” and must be removed. “There are only 5 Official Army Publications Sites,” wrote Cheryl Clark of the U.S. Army Publications Directorate in a May 4 email message. “You are not one […]
The recent evolution of Army operations security (OPSEC) policy can be traced from the 1995 regulation (pdf) on the subject to the 2005 revision (pdf) to the latest iteration of April 2007 (pdf). In response to reporting by Noah Shachtman of Wired News and the Danger Room blog, the Army issued a Fact Sheet (pdf) […]
The U.S. Army issued an updated regulation (pdf) governing its conduct of intelligence activities, including domestic surveillance policy and practice. The new regulation makes several technical changes and rescinds the “For Official Use Only” status of the prior edition. See “U.S. Army Intelligence Activities,” Army Regulation 381-10, May 3, 2007. For comparison, the prior edition, […]
Some noteworthy new (or newly updated) publications of the Congressional Research Service that have not otherwise been made available to the public online include the following (all pdf). “FY2007 Supplemental Appropriations for Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Other Purposes,” updated May 2, 2007. “Congressional Authority To Limit U.S. Military Operations in Iraq,” updated April 24, 2007. […]
In a recent article on the resurgence of Islamic rebels in Somalia, Associated Press reporter Chris Tomlinson provides new information on the shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles allegedly supplied to Somali Islamists last year. Tomlinson claims that the Shabab – the military wing of the Council of Islamic Courts – received 200 shoulder-fired missiles from Eritrea, one […]
Updated Below Los Alamos National Laboratory will no longer permit historians and other researchers to have access to its archival records because Los Alamos National Security (LANS), the private contractor that now operates the Lab, says it has “no policy in place” that would allow such access. “Policies that had previously applied to the University […]
A major new report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) describes government secrecy and public access policies in dozens of countries from Albania to Uzbekistan. The report surveyed freedom of information (FOI) laws, national security classification policies, penalties for unauthorized disclosures of information, and provisions for protecting journalists’ sources. There is […]