International Crisis Group: “The risks of a direct, indirect, deliberate or inadvertent clash between Iran and the U.S. are rising to new highs. Our Iran-U.S. Trigger List is a unique interactive map and early warning tool that monitors and analyses the many flashpoints between the two countries, and shows how they are linked to the… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Defense
Face Scans at Airport Departure Gates: An Investigation
A new investigative report by the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy & Technology – Not Ready for Takeoff Face Scans at Airport Departure Gates Executive Summary [snipped]: “At Boston’s Logan International Airport, travelers at one international boarding gate will be surprised that they are being told to stop before what looks like a sophisticated camera.… Continue Reading
The Database on Nuclear Power Reactors
International Atomic Energy Commission: “The Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), developed and maintained by the IAEA for over four decades, is a comprehensive database focusing on nuclear power plants worldwide. PRIS contains information on power reactors in operation, under construction, or those being decommissioned. All information and data items are collected by the IAEA via… Continue Reading
Court case documents more than decade long litigation over Texas property seized for border wall
United States of America v. 15.919 Acres of Land (More or Less) by Susie Cagle, Special to ProPublica. December 20, 2017. This story was co-published with the Texas Tribune. [A fine example of a graphic narrative – well done – succinct – direct – and understandable.] “In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security began building… Continue Reading
CRS – Cluster Munitions: Background and Issues for Congress
Documents are via FAS: Cluster Munitions: Background and Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service, December 13, 2017 Summary – Cluster munitions are air-dropped or ground-launched weapons that release a number of smaller submunitions intended to kill enemy personnel or destroy vehicles. Cluster munitions were developed in World War II and are part of many nations’… Continue Reading
National Security Strategy of the United States of America December 2017
National Security Strategy of the United States of America December 2017 – full text – This is a congressionally mandated report. President Donald J. Trump Announces a National Security Strategy to Advance America’s Interests Summary of the Strategy Announcement of the Strategy The New York Times – Trump National Security Strategy Sees U.S. Confronting China… Continue Reading
Iraq Study Group Papers of former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton are now available in digital format
Indiana University Bloomington: “The Iraq Study Group Papers of former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton are now available in digital format from Indiana University Libraries, providing researchers and the public with a behind-the-scenes look at a bipartisan panel that influenced U.S. policy in Iraq. Hamilton, now a distinguished scholar in the IU School of Global and International Studies… Continue Reading
CRS Reports – Negotiating with North Korea
Steven Aftergood, Secrecy News: “The alternative to military conflict with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program is to advance some kind of negotiated settlement. But what would that be? And how could it be achieved? A new report from the Congressional Research Service summarizes the limited successes of past nuclear negotiations between the US… Continue Reading
FBI Policy on Unofficial Contact With Foreign Nationals or Suspected Criminals & Terrorists
Russ Kick, AltGov2: “Via a FOIA request, I obtained the FBI’s previously unreleased policy directive “Unofficial Contacts and Reporting Requirements.” The purpose: “This policy sets forth guidance and procedures for all FBI personnel to report unofficial contacts with foreign nationals or individuals who are or suspected of engaging in criminal or terrorist activities.” Continue Reading
Analysis of the Long-Term Costs of the Administration’s Goals for the Military
CBO estimates that inflation-adjusted costs for the Department of Defense would climb from the $575 billion requested in 2018 to $688 billion in 2027 if DoD pursued goals that Administration officials have articulated for the military. “This report describes CBO’s analysis of the costs and budgetary consequences through 2027 of the current Administration’s goals for… Continue Reading
GAO – DOD Needs to Address Cyber Incident Training Requirements
Defense Civil Support: DOD Needs to Address Cyber Incident Training Requirements, GAO-18-47: Published: Nov 30, 2017. Publicly Released: Nov 30, 2017. “The Department of Defense (DOD) did not develop a comprehensive plan for U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM); instead, the department submitted a report consisting of a collection of documents that fully addressed two of the… Continue Reading
AI Can Help Hunt Down Missile Sites in China
Wired – AI Can Help Hunt Down Missile Sites in China “Intelligence agencies have a limited number of trained human analysts looking for undeclared nuclear facilities, or secret military sites, hidden among terabytes of satellite images. But the same sort of deep learning artificial intelligence that enables Google and Facebook to automatically filter images of… Continue Reading
