The Islamic State and U.S. Policy. Christopher M. Blanchard, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs; Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern and African Affairs. February 9, 2016. “The Islamic State (IS, aka the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL/ISIS, or the Arabic acronym Da’esh) is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Defense
Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations
CRS report – Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations, Christopher M. Blanchard Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, February 5, 2016. “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant global influence through its administration of the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its… Continue Reading
Iran’s Nuclear Program: Tehran’s Compliance with International Obligations
CRS Report – Iran’s Nuclear Program: Tehran’s Compliance with International Obligations. Paul K. Kerr, Analyst in Nonproliferation. February 8, 2016. “Several U.N. Security Council resolutions required Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) investigation of its nuclear activities, suspend its uranium enrichment program, suspend its construction of a heavy-water reactor and… Continue Reading
Women Also Know Stuff
Women Also Know Stuff: “So often while planning a conference, brainstorming a list of speakers, or searching for experts to cite or interview, it can be difficult to think of any scholars who aren’t male. We’ve all been there… you just know that a woman has got to be studying that topic… but who? This site is… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Biosurveillance, FDIC Audit, GAO Performance, Immigrant Investor Program, Rare Earth Materials, Veterans’ Health Care
Biosurveillance: Ongoing Challenges and Future Considerations for DHS Biosurveillance Efforts, GAO-16-413T: Published: Feb 11, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 2016. Financial Audit: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Funds’ 2015 and 2014 Financial Statements, GAO-16-300: Published: Feb 11, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 2016. GAO: Summary of Performance and Financial Information, Fiscal Year 2015, GAO-16-4SP: Published: Feb… Continue Reading
Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community
Statement for the Record Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community. Senate Armed Services Committee, James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence. February 9, 2016. Global threats include: Cyber and Technology; Terrorism; Weapons of Mass Destruction and Proliferation; Space and Counterspace; Counterintelligence; Transnational Organized Crime; Economics and Natural Resources; Human Security. “..The consequences of… Continue Reading
By the Numbers: The Costs of War and Peace in the Middle East
World Bank – By the Numbers: The Costs of War and Peace in the Middle East – Five years of war in Syria and spillovers to neighboring countries have cost an estimated $35 billion in output, equivalent to Syria’s GDP in 2007. A new report examines how civil wars are affecting the economies of the… Continue Reading
Report – Workers threw out U.S. nuclear secrets with common rubbish for 20 years
Center for Public Integrity – A persistent problem in nuclear weapons work crops up again “…In June 2014, a worker at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee was surprised to find U.S. nuclear secrets inside a trash bag marked for disposal along with standard rubbish. Taking a closer look, the worker found 19 more… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Coast Guard Acquisitions, High Speed Internet, Counter-Firearms Trafficking Efforts
Coast Guard Acquisitions: Enhanced Oversight of Testing Could Benefit National Security Cutter Program and Future DHS Acquisitions, GAO-16-314T: Published: Feb 3, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2016. Telecommunications: Additional Coordination and Performance Measurement Needed for High-Speed Internet Access Programs on Tribal Lands, GAO-16-222: Published: Jan 29, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 2016 Building Partner Capacity:… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – DATA Act, Defense Infrastructure, DOD Excess Personal Property
DATA Act: Data Standards Established, but More Complete and Timely Guidance Is Needed to Ensure Effective Implementation, GAO-16-261: Published: Jan 29, 2015. Publicly Released: Jan 29, 2016: “The DATA Act directed OMB and Treasury to establish government-wide data standards by May 2015 to improve the transparency and quality of federal spending data. Agencies must begin… Continue Reading
Report to the President, Congress by National Commission on the Future of the Army
National Commission on the Future of the Army – Report to the President and the Congress, January 28, 2016. “The American people expect their Army to be trained and ready whenever called upon to achieve national objectives. In an increasingly complex world with an increasing array of diverse threats at home and abroad, America’s Army… Continue Reading
GAO Reports – Army Contracting, Info Security, US Border Security
Army Contracting: Training and Guidance Needed to Ensure Appropriate Use of the Option to Extend Services Clause, GAO-16-262R: Published: Jan 28, 2016. Publicly Released: Jan 28, 2016. Information Security: DHS Needs to Enhance Capabilities, Improve Planning, and Support Greater Adoption of Its National Cybersecurity Protection System, GAO-16-294: Published: Jan 28, 2016. Publicly Released: Jan 28,… Continue Reading
