The presidential campaigns have been largely silent so far regarding the post-9/11 changes in the character of American government. But those changes, documented by constitutional scholar Louis Fisher in a new book, have been profound and far-reaching, and they remain to be addressed. “Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States abandoned […]
Noteworthy new doctrinal publications from the Department of Defense include the following (all pdf). “Operations in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Environments,” Joint Publication 3-11, August 26, 2008. “Homeland Defense Activities Conducted by the National Guard,” DoD Directive 3160.01, August 25, 2008. “Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release,” DoD Directive 5230.09, August 22, […]
In an earlier blog post, arguments were discussed from a 12 June 08 meeting of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for and against the signing of a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement (123 Agreement) with Russia. At the time, the most salient issues were our ability to influence Russia’s position vis-à-vis Iran’s nuclear ambitions and […]
A secure identification badge holder that was issued to NASA employees could pose a threat to sensitive NASA operations or personnel, the agency warned. The badge holders were issued to comply with President Bush’s Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12, which requires all government personnel to possess a secure, tamper-proof form of identification. But the NASA badge […]
Numerous congressional records on national security policy have been published in the last couple of weeks, including those listed below (mostly pdf). Some of them may have continuing reference value. “Department of Justice to Guantanamo Bay: Administration Lawyers and Administration Interrogation Rules (Part I),” House Judiciary Committee, May 6, 2008. “Diplomatic Assurances and Rendition to […]
The easy availability of high-resolution imagery of much of the Earth’s surface through Google Earth has presented a significant challenge to longstanding secrecy and national security policies, and has produced several distinct types of reactions from concerned governments, according to a recent report (pdf) from the DNI Open Source Center (OSC). “As the initial shock […]
Chinese military authorities are paying increased attention to foreign satellite reconnaissance of Chinese forces and operations, and are pursuing countermeasures such as camouflage and deception to conceal sensitive material and activities, according to a newly-disclosed analysis (pdf) performed in 2007 by the DNI Open Source Center. “A variety of Chinese open source reporting suggests that […]
Scientific research in Pakistan on laser isotope separation is the subject of a new open source bibliography (pdf) compiled by independent researcher Mark Gorwitz. “It should be noted that they are using this technology to separate Lithium-6 which can be used in advanced nuclear weapons designs,” Mr. Gorwitz said. “They have also done research on […]
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the FAS, the Defense Department has released its contribution to the Fiscal Year 2007 edition of the Annual Military Assistance Report required by Section 655 of the Foreign Assistance Act. The “Section 655” report, as it is known, contains information on five major security […]
Updated below By resisting congressional requests for documents, the Bush Administration has effectively diminished Congress’s oversight power, as the review of government policy is often replaced by lengthy contests over access to records. In the final six months of the current Administration, for example, the Senate Judiciary Committee still finds itself unable to gain access […]
The Bush Administration’s use of presidential signing statements to indicate disapproval of enacted legislation has generated confusion and has undermined congressional oversight of national defense policy, the House Armed Services Committee said in a report this week (pdf). One problem is that the Bush White House often fails to articulate the basis of its objections […]
The Government of Iraq yesterday signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which prohibits all nuclear explosive testing. “We welcome the decision by Iraq to sign the CTBT,” Tibor Toth, the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) said in a statement. “This is particularly significant given the multitude of […]