Saturday, May 30, 2009

Friday's Miscellany 05-29-2009

Arms Control Association
· Strategic Missile Defense: A Reality Check

· To Curtail the Iranian Nuclear Threat, Change Tehran's Threat Perceptions

Association of the United States Army(AUSA)
· Emerging Global Trends and Potential Implications for National Security

· Expanding and Improving the Army's Contracting Oversight

· The Future of Army Aviation Requirements
· Key Issues Relevant to Taking Care of Soldiers and Families
· Russia: A Problematic Partner?


Brookings Institution
· 'Guatemalastan': How to Prevent a Failed State in our Midst

· North Korea’s Nuclear Paradox

· Tracking the Global Financial Crisis: An Analysis of the IMF's World Economic Outlook
· The United States and Canada: Toward a Better Border


Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP)
· A Guide to U.S.-China Climate Cooperation

· The Taming of the Great Nuclear Powers


CATO Institute
· Broadcast Localism and the Lessons of the Fairness Doctrine


Center for American Progress
· Meeting the Challenges in Pakistan


Center for Defense Information (CDI)
· New Updated Timeline of North Korea's Missile Flight Tests


James Martin Center For Nonproliferation Studies
· North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test


Center for Security Policy
· Ollanta Humala, Peru's Worst Nightmare


Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
· Gulf Threats, Risks and Vulnerabilities: Terrorism and Asymmetric Warfare

· Issues & Insights v. 9, no. 7, 2009

*Continuity and Change in Japan-U.S. Relations
· Issues & Insights v. 9, no. 8, May 2009

*Tipping Point for the Six-Party Talks?
· Winning in Afghanistan: Creating Effective Afghan Security Forces


Center for National Policy
· The Accidental Guerilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One


Century Foundation
· U.S.-Russian Relations and the Islamist Challenge


Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
· Canadian Oil Sands Energy Security

· From AfPak to PakAf: A Response to the New U.S. Strategy for South Asia
· Global Imbalances and the Financial Crisis
· If the U.S. Dollar Plummets
· Lessons of the Financial Crisis
· Nourishing Afghanistan's Agricultural Sector
· Reversal in Iraq
· U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy


Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG)
· D-2009-083 Logistics Support Contracting for the United States Special Operations Command

· D-2009-6-005 Report on Review of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Single Audit for the Audit Period October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2007

Department of Homeland Security
· Canada-United States Framework for the movement of goods and people across the border during and following an emergency

· Framework Agreement on Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations Between the Government of the United States and the Government of Canada
· Protected Critical Infrastructure Information Program Procedures Manual


Department of Homeland Security Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA)
· Privacy Impact Assessment for the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program Comprehensive Exit Program: Air Exit Pilot


Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
· 2009 National Intelligence: A Consumer's Guide


Foreign Policy Research Institute
· The Anatomy of the Long War’s Failings

· The Gathering Storm: From World War I to World War II
· International Intervention in Sri Lanka

· Reflections on Memorial Day
· Ten Things Every American Student Should Know About Our Army in WWII
· Understanding the Surge in Iraq and What’s Ahead
· What Students Need to Know About the Vietnam War

Government Accountability Office (GAO)
· Defense Management: Observations on DOD's Analysis of Options for Improving Corrosion Prevention and Control through Earlier Planning in the Requirements and Acquisition Processes GAO-09-694R

· Federal Reserve Banks: Areas for Improvement in Information Security Controls GAO-09-722R
· Financial Management: DOD Needs to Clarify Its General Gift Fund Policies to Provide for Effective Oversight GAO-09-486R
· National Preparedness: FEMA Has Made Progress, but Needs to Complete and Integrate Planning, Exercise, and Assessment Efforts GAO-09-369
· Sponsored Noncitizens and Public Benefits: More Clarity in Federal Guidance and Better Access to Federal Information Could Improve Implementation of Income Eligibility Rules GAO-09-375
· U.S. Public Diplomacy: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight GAO-09-679SP

Heritage Foundation
· China Global Investment Tracker

· Contracting Out in Defense: Lessons from the British Experience for the U.S. and Great Britain

· Japan's Economic Failure and America's Economic Risk

· Maintaining the Superiority of America's Defense Industrial Base
· North Korea's Nuclear Defiance

· President Obama's Visit to Germany: Mythologies of Dresden Must Be Rejected


Homeland Security Today
· Public Role and Engagement in Counterterrorism Efforts: Implications of Israeli Practices for the U.S.


Hudson Institute, Center on Islam, Democracy and the Future of the Muslim World
· The Arab Reception of Vilayat-e-Faqih: The Counter-Model of Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din

· Hezbollah's Agenda in Lebanon
· Hezbollah: The State Within a State
· The Paradoxes of Shiism
· The Return of Political Mahdism

Human Rights Watch
· Guests of the Governor: Administrative Detention Undermines the Rule of Law in Jordan

· Perilous Plight: Burma’s Rohingya Take to the Seas

Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS)
· Satellite Imagery of the Yongbyon Nuclear Site in North Korea

· Satellite Imagery of the 2009 Nuclear Test Site in North Korea
· ISIS Statement on Washington Post Report from May 28, 2009

Institute for the Study of War
· Ethno-Linguistic Map of Afghanistan (updated May 19, 2009)

· Forces Available for Deployment to Afghanistan (updated March 2009)

· Map of Afghanistan and Surrounding Regions (Updated April 16, 2009)

· Order of Battle in Afghanistan (Updated May 12, 2009)

· Political Map of Afghanistan (Updated April 23, 2009)

International Crisis Group
· Yemen: Defusing the Saada Time Bomb

· The Virtuous Twins: Protecting Human Rights and Improving Security in Colombia


International Relations and Security Network
· Afghanistan: Bible Blitzkrieg

· Assessing the Czech EU Presidency
· Backing Ahmadinejad
· Paradigmatic Progress in Israel-Palestine?
· Partnership 'Against' Russia


Jamestown Foundation
· China Brief, May 27, 2009, v. 9, no. 11

*In a Fortnight
*International Monetary Reform and the Future of the Renminbi
*China’s Strategy toward Central America: The Costa Rican Nexus
*Cross-Strait Matrix: The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement
*Food Security in Africa: China's New Rice Bowl
· Terrorism Monitor, May 26, 2009, v. 7, no. 14

*Iraq's Muqtada al-Sadr Seeks Regional Influence with Visit to Ankara
*Jihadis Discuss Plans to Seize Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal
*Europe's Oldest Terrorist Organization: The Basque ETA Marks 50 Years of Operations
*The FM Mullahs and the Taliban's Propaganda War in Pakistan

Lexington Institute
· E-2D and Maritime Security

· Obama is Right: The F-35 Doesn't Need Another Engine
· Will the Pentagon Remember to Defend American Skies?


National Academies Press
· Beyond 'Fortress America': National Security Controls on Science and Technology in a Globalized World
· Countering Biological Threats: Challenges for the Department of Defense's Nonproliferation Program Beyond the Former Soviet Union
· Global Security Engagement: A New Model for Cooperative Threat Reduction

· Technology, Policy, Law, and Ethics Regarding U.S. Acquisition and Use of Cyberattack Capabilities
· Toward a Sustainable and Secure Water Future: A Leadership Role for the U.S. Geological Survey
[Free download but registration is required]
· The U.S. Commitment to Global Health: Recommendations for the Public and Private Sectors


National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
· Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools, Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2007-08
· Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2008

National Priorities Project (NPP)
· The President's Budget: Bush to Obama [provides a comparison of the Bush and Obama budgets]


National Security Archive
· The Diary of Anatoly Chernyaev 1989


Open Society Justice Institute
· Addressing Ethnic Profiling by Police

· Ethnic Profiling in the European Union: Pervasive, Ineffective, and Discriminatory


Oregon State University Libraries
· Middle East Water Collection


Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism
· Politics Punctuate the Terrorism Debate

· Swine Flu Coverage Around the World

RAND
· Emerging Threats and Security Planning: How Should We Decide What Hypothetical Threats to Worry About?

· The Evolving Terrorist Threat to Southeast Asia: A Net Assessment
· Helping Each Other in Times of Need: Financial Help as a Means of Coping with the Economic Crisis · The Long March: Building an Afghan National Army

Small Wars Journal
· Countering Terrorism from the Second Foreign Fighter Glut

· Perspective on the Systems Perspective: How Army Special Forces Can Use Existing Systems within the Operational Environment

Henry L. Stimson Center
· North Korea’s Second Nuclear Test: A Test Also for China and the United States


Strategic Studies Institute
· State and Nonstate Associated Gangs: Credible "Midwives of New Social Orders"


UN Secretary General
· The UN Secretary-General's Database on Violence Against Women


US Coast Guard (USCG)
· U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement With 2010 Budget in Brief

· U.S. Coast Guard: America's Maritime Guardian

US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)
· Defense Industrial Base Assessment: U.S. Integrated Circuit Design and Fabrication Capability


US Institute of Peace (USIP)
· North Korea's Weapons Testing

· Policing Afghanistan: A Meeting of the Security Sector Reform Working Group
· What to do about Bosnia and Herzegovina?: The Case for Accelerated NATO Membership and OSCE Coordination of Constitutional Reform


USA.gov
· Data.gov


Washington Institute for Near East Policy
· Engaging Iran: Lessons from the Past


White House
· Cyberspace Policy Review: Assuring a Trusted and Resilient Information and Communications Infrastructure


World Water Council
· Main Page

Friday, May 29, 2009

Cyberspace Policy Review

The Obama Administration released the results of its cyberspace policy review today - Cyberspace Policy Review: Assuring a Trusted and Resilient Information and Communications Infrastructure.

Additional items of interest:

Thursday, May 28, 2009

National Intelligence: A Consumer's Guide (2009)

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has just posted its latest update to the Consumer's Guide to Intelligence. The new version is the National Intelligence: A Consumer's Guide

This gives a nice overview of the Intelligence Community and intelligence process. Other DNI reports are available from their reports page

Monday, May 25, 2009

Friday's Miscellany 05-22-2009

BASIC
· Iran Update, no. 134, 20 May 2009


Brookings Institution
· The 2009 Arab Public Opinion Poll: A View from the Middle East

· Afghanistan Index: Tracking Progress and Security in Post-9/11 Afghanistan [May 19, 2009]
· Civilian Humanitarian Action Needed in Pakistan
· Comparing the U.S. and Soviet Experiences in Afghanistan
· Iraq Index: Tracking Variables of Reconstruction & Security in Post-Saddam Iraq [May 14, 2009]
· A Guide to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
· The Political Implications of the Economic Crisis for the European Union
· Restoring Leadership in the Middle East: A Regional Approach to Peace
· Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America
· Thresholds in the Process of International Financial Integration

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP)
· Examining Saudi Arabia’s 85 Most Wanted List

· Prospects for Peace: Two-State Solution Q&A
· The Taming of the Great Nuclear Powers

CATO Institute
· The Cost of Zimbabwe's Continuing Farm Invasions


Center for a New American Security
· The Impact of China’s Economic and Security Interests in Continental Asia on the United States


Center for American Progress
· Back on Track to Close Guantánamo

· Beyond the "Reset Button": A Strategy for U.S. Russia Policy
· Interactive Map: As General Motors Goes, So Goes the Nation
· A National Strategy for Global Development
· The Obama Administration and Colombia in 2010: Assessing the Upcoming Presidential Election
· A Renewable Energy Standard: The Proof Is in the States

Center for Defense Information (CDI)
· Overview of the Fiscal Year 2010 Ballistic Missile Defense Budget Request


Center for Naval Analyses
· Powering America's Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security


Center for Security Policy
· Doomed to Repeat History? Listening to James Woolsey, 'Speaker of Truth'

· The Growing Afghanization of Latin America

Center for Security Studies (CSS)
· No. 55: "Making Waves: Piracy Floods the Horn of Africa" (by Matthew Hulbert)

· No. 54: "Alliance of Contradictions: After NATO's Anniversary Summit" (by Victor Mauer)
· No. 53: "Nuclear Disarmament: US and Russia Resume Negotiations" (by Oliver Thränert)
· No. 52: "Strategic Foresight: Anticipation and Capacity to Act" (by Beat Habegger)

The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA)
· Directed Energy Discussion

· High Energy Laser and High Power Microwave
· Solid-State Laser Weapon Systems: Bridging the Gap -- or Bridge Too Far?

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
· Afghanistan-Pakistan Resources

· The Afghan-Pakistan War
· The Air War in Afghanistan: The Broader Issue
· An Opportune Moment for a Shared Euro-Atlantic Security Strategy

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
· Securitisation of Islam in Europe


Combating Terrorism
· CTC Sentinel, May 2009, v. 2, no. 5

*Comparing the U.S. and Soviet Experiences in Iraq” by Bruce Riedel
*Quetta: The Headquarters of the Afghan Taliban” by Mukhtar A. Khan
*Examining Saudi Arabia’s 85 Most Wanted List” by Christopher Boucek
*Revisiting Al-Qa`ida’s Anthrax Program” by Rene Pita and Rohan Gunaratna
*The Limits of Iranian Influence Among Gulf Shi`a” by Laurence Louer
*The Funding Methods of Bangladeshi Terrorist Groups” by Paul Cochrane
*Avoiding Suicide Terrorism in Bangladesh” by Ryan Clark and Shafqat Munir

Congress. House. Armed Services Committee
· Hearings

*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request on Military Personnel Overview [May 21, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for National Security Space and Missile Defense Programs [May 21, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act Budget Request for Army Acquisition, Reset, and Modernization Programs [May 21, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act Budget Request for Air Force Modernization Programs [May 20, 2009]
*Another Crossroads? Professional Military Education Twenty Years after the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the Skelton Panel [May 20, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for Department of Defense Science and Technology Programs [May 20, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for the Military Services’ Operation and Maintenance Funding [May 20, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for Department of the Navy Aviation Programs [May 19, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of the Air Force [May 19, 2009]
*Measuring Performance: Developing Good Acquisition Metrics [May 19, 2009]

Congress. House. Foreign Affairs Committee
· H.R. 1886: Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009; and H.R. 2410: Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 [May 20, 2009]


Congress. House. Homeland Security
· Markup of H.Res. 404 [March 19, 2009]


Congress. House. Oversight and Government Reform
· State and Local Pandemic Preparedness [May 20, 2009]


Congress. House. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
· Still Post-Katrina: How FEMA Decides When Housing Responsibilities End [May 22, 2009]

· Piracy Against U.S.-Flagged Vessels: Lessons Learned [May 20, 2009]
· Aviation Consumer Issues: Emergency Contingency Planning and Outlook for Summer Travel [May 20, 2009] http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearingDetail.aspx?NewsID=907
· Recommendation of the National Committee on Levee Safety [May 19, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Armed Services Committee
· Department of the Army in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2010 and the Future Years Defense Program [May 19, 2009]

· Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2010 and the Future Years Defense Program [May 20, 2009]
· Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2010 and the Future Years Defense Program [May 20, 2009]
· Department of the Air Force in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2010 and the Future Years Defense Program [May 21, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Foreign Relations Committee
· A New Strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan [May 21, 2009]

· Foreign Policy Priorities in the President's FY10 International Affairs Budget [May 20, 2009]
· Developing a Coordinated and Sustainable Strategy for Somalia [May 20, 2009]
· Pathways to a "Green" Global Economic Recovery [May 19, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee
· Public Health Challenges in Our Nation's Capital [May 19, 2009]

· The Role of the Community Development Block Grant Program in Disaster Recovery [May 20, 2009] · Where Were the Watchdogs? Financial Regulatory Lessons from Abroad [May 21, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Judiciary Committee
· Securing the Borders and America's Points of Entry, What Remains to Be Done [May 20, 2009]


Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
· Alternatives for Modernizing U.S. Fighter Forces

· Appropriation Request for Fiscal Year 2010
· Preliminary Information on the Budgetary Impact of Distributing Carbon Emission Allowances
· The State of the Economy

Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
· Economic Challenges for Climate Change Policy

· Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (aka Tamil Tigers)

Defense Science Board (DSB)
· Department of Defense Biological Safety and Security Program


Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG)
· D-2009-075 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund Phase III-Accountability for Weapons Distributed to the Afghanistan National Army, May 21, 2009

· D-2009-076 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund Phase III-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Real Property Accountability, April 14, 2009

Department of Homeland Security Inspector General
· OIG-09-50 - Information Technology Management Letter for the FY 2008 DHS Financial Statement Audit (Redacted)


Department of the Navy (DON)
· SECNAV 5430.80D Command Relationships When the Coast Guard is Operating as a Service in the Navy


Government Accountability Office (GAO)
· Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Coordinated Federal Decisions and Additional Data Are Needed to Manage Potential Economic Impact of Applying U.S. Immigration Law GAO-09-426T [Testimony]

· Designated Federal Entities: Survey of Governance Practices and the Inspector General Role GAO-09-270
· DOD Business Systems Modernization: Recent Slowdown in Institutionalizing Key Management Controls Needs to Be Addressed GAO-09-586
· DOD Personnel Clearances: Comprehensive Timeliness Reporting, Complete Clearance Documentation, and Quality Measures Are Needed to Further Improve the Clearance Process GAO-09-400
· Federal Contractors: Better Performance Information Needed to Support Agency Contract Award Decisions GAO-09-374
· Foreign Assistance: Measures to Prevent Inadvertent Payments to Terrorists under Palestinian Aid Programs Have Been Strengthened, but Some Weaknesses Remain GAO-09-622
· Freight Rail Security: Actions Have Been Taken to Enhance Security, but the Federal Strategy Can Be Strengthened and Security Efforts Better Monitored GAO-09-243
· Information Security: Agencies Make Progress in Implementation of Requirements, but Significant Weaknesses Persist GAO-09-701T [Testimony]
· Joint Strike Fighter: Strong Risk Management Essential as Program Enters Most Challenging Phase GAO-09-711T [Testimony]
· Military Operations: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight and Interagency Coordination for the Commander's Emergency Response Program in Afghanistan GAO-09-615
· Questions for the Record Related to the Implementation of the Department of Defense's National Security Personnel System GAO-09-669R
· Responses to Questions for the Record: March 18, 2009, Hearing on ATC Modernization: Near-Term Achievable Goals GAO-09-718R
· Sovereign Wealth Funds: Laws Limiting Foreign Investment Affect Certain U.S. Assets and Agencies Have Various Enforcement Processes GAO-09-608
· Space Acquisitions: DOD Faces Substantial Challenges in Developing New Space Systems GAO-09-705T [Testimony]

Heritage Foundation
· 20 Years Later: Professional Military Education

· Amnesty as an Economic Stimulus: Not the Answer to the Illegal Immigration Problem
· Bailouts, Abusive Bankruptcies, And the Rule of Law
· Cuba Solidarity Day 2009: Supporting Cuba's Democratic Movement
· Japan's Economic Weakness: A Security Problem for America
· Maintaining the Superiority of America's Defense Industrial Base
· Social Networking and National Security: How to Harness Web 2.0 to Protect the Country
· Son of Waxman-Markey: More Politics Makes for a More Costly Bill
· Who Will Pay for President Obama's Tax Increases?
· Winston Churchill's Constitutionalism: A Critique of Socialism in America

Hudson Institute
· Hudson Economic Report, May 15, 2009


Human Rights Watch
· Ignoring Executions and Torture: Impunity for Bangladesh’s Security Forces

· “The Island of Happiness”: Exploitation of Migrant Workers on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS)
· Iran’s Procurement of U.S. Military Aircraft Parts: Two Case Studies in Illicit Trade

· ISIS Imagery Brief: “Pakistan Expanding Dera Ghazi Khan Nuclear Site—Time for U.S. to Call for Limits · ISIS Imagery Brief: “Pakistan Expanding Plutonium Separation Facility Near Rawalpindi

Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
· Monograph No 157: To Spy or not to Spy? Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

· ISS Paper 186: A Bridge Too Far? Considering Security Sector Reform in Africa

International Crisis Group
· Indonesia: Radicalisation of the “Palembang Group”


International Relations and Security Network
· Ahmadinejad Courts Diplomacy

· Costs of War: Ailing Pakistan
· Safeguarding Security in Turbulent Times
· Sri Lanka After the Tigers

Jamestown Foundation
· Terrorism Monitor, May 18, 2009, v. 7, no. 13

*Hizb-ut Towhid Adds to the Jihadi Conundrum in Bangladesh
*British Hostage Threatened with Death Unless Abu Qatada is Released from British Prison
*Morocco's Multi-Pronged Counterterrorism Strategy
*The Swat Conflict: An Arc of Instability Spreading from Afghanistan to Central Asia and Xinjiang

Lexington Institute
· Saudi Fleet Modernization Bolsters Global Partnering


Markle Foundation and Center on Law and Security, NYU School of Law
· Reforming the Culture of National Security: Vision, Clarity, and Accountability


Migration Policy Institute
· Harnessing the Advantages of Immigration for a 21st-Century Economy


National Academies Press
· Beyond 'Fortress America': National Security Controls on Science and Technology in a Globalized World
· Evaluation of Safety and Environmental Metrics for Potential Application at Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities [Free download but registration is required]
· Managing Food Safety Practices from Farm to Table: Workshop Summary
[Free download but registration is required]
· Mapping the Zone: Improving Flood Map Accuracy

· Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications
· Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report - Extended Summary [Free download but registration is required]

New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
· Gangland Behind Bars: How and Why Organized Criminal Street Gangs Thrive in New Jersey's Prisons . . . And What Can Be Done About It


Palm Center
· How to End “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: A Roadmap of Political, Legal, Regulatory, and Organizational Steps to Equal Treatment


Police Foundation
· Role of Local Police: Striking a Balance Between Immigration Enforcement and Civil Liberties [large file]


RAND
· Dangerous But Not Omnipotent: Exploring the Reach and Limitations of Iranian Power in the Middle East

· The RAND Palestine Initiative
· The RAND Palestine Initiative - Arabic Translation
· The RAND Palestine Initiative - English Translation
· The RAND Palestine Initiative - Hebrew Translation
· Review of the European Data Protection Directive
· Social Science for Counterterrorism: Putting the Pieces Together

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)
· Comprehensive Oversight Plan for Southwest Asia

· SIGAR-Audit-09-1 Contract Oversight Capabilities of the Defense Department’s Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan Need Strengthening
· SIGAR April 30, 2009 Quarterly Report to Congress

Henry L. Stimson Center
· The Global Challenge of Securing Cyberspace

· The Indian Ocean: Resource and Governance Challenges
· Iraqi Refugees and Regional Stability How Its Arab Neighbours Can Help to Build the New Iraq

Strategic Studies Institute
· Cultural Dimensions of Strategy and Policy

· State Supported and State Associated Gangs: Credible "Midwives of New Social Orders"

UK Parliament
· The Defence Contribution to UK National Security and Resilience


UK Security Service MI5
· Could 7/7 Have Been Prevented? Review of the Intelligence on the London Terrorist Attacks on 7 July 2005


Union of Concerned Scientists
· Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy


United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)
· 2009 Global Assessment Report of Disaster Risk Reduction: Risk and Poverty in a Changing Climate


United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
· Haiti: Is Economic Security Possible if Diplomats and Donors Do Their Part?

· In the Field: A New Day for Sri Lanka
· In the Field: USIP/State Department Partnership Achieves Success in Iraq: Window On Diyala Province
· The Interior Ministry's Role in Security Sector Reform
· The Limits of Institutional Engineering: Lessons from Iraq
· North Korea, Inc.: Gaining Insights into North Korean Regime Stability from Recent Commercial Activities
· The Real Bridge to Nowhere: China’s Foiled North Korea Strategy
· Unfinished Business in Bosnia and Herzegovina: What Is To Be Done?
· US-Iranian Engagement: Toward A Grand Agenda?

Washington Institute for Near East Policy
· Intelligence Transformation: Meeting New Challenges in the Middle East and Beyond

· The Obama-Netanyahu Meeting: Analysis and Assessment

Friday, May 22, 2009

DSB report - Biological Safety and Security

New report from the Defense Science Board

Department of Defense Biological Safety and Security Program

"This report examines the biological safety, security, and personnel reliability programs of DoD's biological labs, compares these labs with other similar operations in academia, industry and the federal government. The report offers recommendations for improvements in the DoD program based on this comparison. The task force found that safety and security of the DoD facilities that they assessed are as good or better than those in comparably sized facilities in other government, industry and academic sectors and that DoD regulations exceeded those imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Other reports available from
http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports.htm

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Friday's Miscellany 05-14-2009

American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
· Is Courage a Masculine Virtue?

· Polls on the Environment and Global Warming

American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS)
· The German Model of Labor Relations at Sixty: Ready for Retirement?

· The German Republic Turns Sixty: Second Spring or Time for the Old People's Home?
· German Unification: Myth or Reality?
· Governing Global Oil: Trends, Challenges and Policy Implications for the Transatlantic Alliance

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
· Learning Under Fire: The US Military, Dissent and Organizational Learning Post-9/11


Brookings Institution
· Assessing Counterinsurgency and Stabilization Missions

· Beyond START: Negotiating the Next Step in U.S. and Russian Strategic Nuclear Arms Reductions
· Democracy Promotion Under Obama: Lessons from the Middle East Partnership Initiative
· Missed by the Boom, Hurt by the Bust: Making Markets Work for Young People in the Middle East
· Strengthening America's Global Development Partnerships: A Policy Blueprint for Better Collaboration Between the U.S. Government, Business and Civil Society
· Taiwan in the World Health Assembly: A Victory, With Limits

Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute (CDFAI)
· Pirates Have Rights, Bring in the Police


Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
· Arab Countries Stumble in the Face of Growing Economic Crisis

· Developments in the Global Economy

Center for American Progress
· Funding War Through the Backdoor


Center for Infrastructure Protection
· CIP Report, May 2009 [focus on the water sector]


Center for Security Policy
· Department of Insecurity: Making America Less Safe from 'Man-Caused Disasters'


Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
· The Dynamics of the "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics and Status Report [Updated May 12 2009]

· Obama, Netanyahu, and the Future of U.S.-Israeli Relations
· Violence in the North Caucasus - Focus: Winter/Spring 2009

Congress. House. Armed Services Committee
· Hearings

*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for Department of the Navy Shipbuilding Acquisition Programs [May 15, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request on Defense Health Program Overview [May 15, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of the Army [May 14, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of the Navy [May 14, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for Department of Energy National Security Programs [May 13, 2009]
*Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense [May 13, 2009]

Congress. House. Foreign Affairs Committee
· Building Capacity to Protect U.S. National Security: The Fiscal Year 2010 International Affairs Budget [May 13, 2009]

· UN Office on Drugs and Crime's Role in Combating Piracy [May 14, 2009]
· The United States and Turkey: A Model Partnership [May 14, 2009]

Congress. House. Homeland Security
· Markup - H.R. 2200: Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act [May 14, 2009]

· The President’s FY 2010 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security [May 13, 2009]

Congress. House. Transportation and Infrastructure
· The Economic Viability of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) Program [May 13, 2009]

· FY 2010 Budget Requests of the Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, and Federal Maritime Commission [May 13, 2009]
· 'An Independent FEMA: Restoring the Nation's Capabilities for Effective Emergency Management and Disaster Response [May 14, 2009]
· Reauthorization of the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Materials Safety Program [May 14, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Armed Services Committee
· Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2010 and the Future Years Defense Program [May 14, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Energy & Natural Resources Committee
· Full Committee Hearing: to receive testimony on S. 967 and S. 283 [Strategic Petroleum Reserve]


Congress. Senate. Foreign Relations Committee
· Iran: Where We are Today [committee print]
· NATO Post-60: Institutional Challenges Moving Forward [May 6, 2009]
· U.S. Strategy Towards Pakistan [May 12, 2009]
· Energy Security: Historical Perspectives and Modern Challenges [May 12, 2009]
· Confronting Rape and Other Forms of Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones Spotlight: DRC and Sudan [May 13, 2009]
· The Middle East: The Road to Peace [May 14, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Judiciary Committee
· What Went Wrong: Torture and the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration [May 13, 2009]
· Helping State and Local Law Enforcement [May 12, 2009]

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
· Alternatives for Modernizing U.S. Fighter Forces


Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
· Assessing the New Command in Afghanistan

· Countering the Taliban's Message in Afghanistan and Pakistan
· China’s $1.5 Trillion Bet: Understanding China’s External Portfolio
· Reversal in Iraq
· Winning the Information War in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Democratic Leadership Council (DLC)
· Moving Houses: How Sparking a Housing Recovery Is the Key to America's Economic Recovery


Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG)
· D-2009-079 Controls Over the Department of the Navy Military Payroll Disbursed in Support of the Global War on Terror, May 7, 2009


Department of the Army
· FM 3-07.1 Security Force Assistance

· FM 1-04 Legal Support to the Operational Army
· FM 6-02.40 Visual Information Operations

Dialogue
· Mexico: A Safe Vessel or a Risky Wreck in Turbulent Waters?


Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)
· How Somali Pirates Could Take Obama Hostage


Government Accountability Office (GAO)
· Aviation Security: TSA Has Completed Key Activities Associated with Implementing Secure Flight, but Additional Actions Are Needed to Mitigate Risks GAO-09-292

· Best Practices: High Levels of Knowledge at Key Points Differentiate Commercial Shipbuilding from Navy Shipbuilding GAO-09-322
· Depot Maintenance: Actions Needed to Identify and Establish Core Capability at Military Depots GAO-09-83
· IRS Management: IRS Practices Contribute to Its Resilience, but It Would Benefit from Additional Emergency Planning Efforts GAO-09-418
· Military Housing Privatization: DOD Faces New Challenges Due to Significant Growth at Some Installations and Recent Turmoil in the Financial Markets GAO-09-352
· Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Issues Regarding the Inclusion of Refined Petroleum Products as Part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve GAO-09-695T [testimony]

Heritage Foundation
· The Obama Administration Will Not Make the U.N. Human Rights Council Effective

· Restricting H-1B Visas Is Bad for Business and the Economy
· Strategic Posture Commission's Report Provides Necessary Guidance to Congress

Human Rights Watch
· “You Can Die Any Time”: Death Squad Killings in Mindanao

· War on the Displaced: Sri Lankan Army and LTTE Abuses Against Civilians in the Vanni

International Crisis Group
· Congo: Five Priorities for a Peacebuilding Strategy

· Serb Integration in Kosovo: Taking the Plunge

International Relations and Security Network
· Addressing Hamas

· Al-Qaida at the Crossroads
· Arms: Weathering the Crisis
· Hints of Failure in Guatemala
· Nepal: The Maoist Farce
· Safeguarding Security in Turbulent Times
· Suu Kyi: Against the Tide

Jamestown Foundation
· China Brief, May 15, 2009, v. 9, no. 10

*Hu Jintao Picks Core Sixth-Generation Leaders
*The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue: Continuity and Change in Obama’s China Policy
*The Panda Hugs the Tucano: China’s Relations with Brazil
*The Shanxi Coal Mine Blast and the Failure of Safety Governance in China

Lexington Institute
· Pentagon Needs Clear Plan for Electronic Warfare

· Secretary Gates is Dead Wrong on KEI

National Academies Press
· The 2nd International Forum on Biosecurity: Summary of an International Meeting, Budapest, Hungary, March 30 to April 2, 2008 [free download but registration required]

· Technology, Policy, Law, and Ethics Regarding U.S. Acquisition and Use of Cyberattack Capabilities

National Counterproliferation Center
· Counter WMD website


New America Foundation
· Nuclear Bailout


RAND
· Cross-Cultural Skills for Deployed Air Force Personnel: Defining Cross-Cultural Performance

· Imported Oil and U.S. National Security
· Improving Mental Health Care for Returning Veterans
· Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority
· The RAND Palestine Initiative
· U.S. Combat Commands' Participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative: A Training Manual
· Value of Pharmaceutical Innovation: The Access Effects, Diffusion Process, and Health Effects of New Drugs

Simon Wiesenthal Center
· Facebook, YouTube +: How Social Media Outlets Impact Digital Terrorism and Hate


Small Wars Journal
· The Pope

· The Taliban Can Be Stopped
· Riskless War
· On Pirates and Strategies
· A Model for Population-Centered Warfare: A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing and Understanding the Theory and Practice of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency

Henry L. Stimson Center
· Pakistan and Israel

· A 21st Century Science and Technology Hedge
· The US Government’s Global Health Policy Architecture: Structure, Programs, and Funding

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
· SIPRI Arms Transfer Data, 2008


Washington Institute for Near East Policy
· Assessing Progress Against the Global Jihadist Threat
· Populism, Authoritarianism, and National Security in al-Maliki's Iraq
· Will Russia Help the United States with Iran?

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Friday's Miscellany 05-08-2009

American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
· The Jidahist International: Al Qaeda's Advance in the Levant


Amnesty
· Lebanon: A Human Rights Agenda for the Elections


Army War College
· Parameters, Spring 2009, v. 39, no. 1

*“Winning in Afghanistan” by Ali A. Jalali
*“Enhancing the Footprint: Stakeholders in Afghan Reconstruction” by Bas Rietjens, Myriame Bollen, Masood Khalil, and Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi
*“Responsibility and Proportionality in State and Nonstate Wars” by Michael Walzer
*“The End of Proportionality” by Jonathan F. Keiler
*“Russia’s Conventional Armed Forces and the Georgian War” by Roger N. McDermott
* “Deterrence in the Israeli-Iranian Strategic Standoff” by W. Andrew Terrill

Australia Department of Defence
· Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030


Brookings Institution
· Assessing Counterinsurgency and Stabilization Missions

· Governance, Growth and Development in Afghanistan [Transcript and video]
· Pandemic Disease

· The Scouting Report: Afghanistan and Pakistan

· The Swine Flu Outbreak and Its Global Economic Impact
· Syria and Turkey Deepen Bilateral Relations
· Thinking Big on Nuclear Non-Proliferation

Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute (CDFAI)
· Getting it Done in Foreign Policy


Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP)
· The G20 Meetings: No Common Framework, No Consensus

· Infrasound Detection of North Korea's Launch


CATO
· Drug Decriminalization in Portugal: Lessons for Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policies


Center for American Progress
· Idea of the Day: Ending Unneeded Weapons Programs


Center for Defense Information (CDI)
· The Defense Monitor, v. 38 - April/May/June 2009


Center for Security Policy
· Banking 101 with Chavez and Ahmadinejad

· Collateral Damage, DoD Budget Style
· The Denuclearizers' Bridge-jump
· Ecuador's Correa until 2017?


Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA)
· Budget Request Begins Shift Toward Balanced Defense Posture

· Gates Submits Reform Budget for FY2010


Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
· The Dynamics of the "AfPak" Conflict: Metrics and Status Report [Updated May 09 2009]

· An Expanded Mandate for Peace Building

· Foreign Assistance for Peace

· Iraq: Trends in Violence and Civilian Casualties: 2005-2009


Central Intelligence Agency Center for the Study of Intelligence
· A Tradecraft Primer: Structured Analytic Techniques for Improving Intelligence Analysis


Centre for European Reform
· Will Spain Remain a Small Country?


Century Foundation
· Fighting Off Fatigue: The UN Cornerstone of Antiterrorism Action


Congress. House. Agriculture Committee
· Hearings

*National Animal Identification System [May 5, 2009]

Congress. House. Appropriations Committee
· Fact Sheet: Afghanistan and Pakistan

· Fact Sheet: Compensating our Troops for Stop-Loss
· Fact Sheet: Preparing for Pandemic Flu
· Summary Update 2009 Supplemental for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Pandemic Flu


Congress. House. Armed Services Committee
· Hearings

*H.R. 2101 – Weapons Acquisition System Reform Through Enhancing Technical Knowledge and Oversight Act of 2009 [May 7, 2009]
*Counterinsurgency and Irregular Warfare: Issues and Lessons Learned [May 7, 2009]
*Report of The Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States [May 6, 2009]
*Department of Defense at High Risk: The Chief Management Officer’s Recommendations for Acquisition Reform and Related High Risk Areas. [May 6, 2009]
*Cyberspace as a Warfighting Domain: Policy, Management and Technical challenges to Mission Assurance [May 5, 2009]
*Army National Guard and Air National Guard Equipment Programs [May 5, 2009]

Congress. House. Foreign Affairs Committee
· Zimbabwe: Opportunities for a New Way Forward [May 7, 2009]

· Global Health Emergencies Hit Home: The “Swine Flu” Outbreak [May 6, 2009]
· From Strategy to Implementation: The Future of the U.S.-Pakistan Relationship [May 6, 2009]

Congress. House. Homeland Security
· Implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative at Land and Sea Ports: Are We Ready? [May 7, 2009]

· Markup - H.R. 2200: Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act [May 6, 2007]

· Review of the National Animal Identification System [May 5, 2009]

Congress. House. Judiciary Committee
· Escalating Violence in Mexico and the Southwest Border as a Result of the Illicit Drug Trade [May 6, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Armed Services Committee
· Ongoing Efforts to Combat Piracy on the High Seas [May 5, 2009]

· Report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States [May 7, 2009]

Congress. Senate. Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee
· Piracy on the High Seas: Protecting our Ships, Crews, and Passengers [May 5, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Foreign Relations Committee
· Engaging Iran: Obstacles and Opportunities [May 6, 2009]

· Global Implications of a Warming Arctic [May 5, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee
· Uncle Sam Wants You! Recruitment in the Federal Government [May 7, 2009]


Congress. Senate. Judiciary Committee
· The Passport Issuance Process: Closing the Door to Fraud [May 5, 2009]

· Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security [May 6, 2009]

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
· Monthly Budget Review

· Potential Impacts of Climate Change in the United States


Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States
· America's Strategic Posture: The Final Report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United


Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
· The National Interest and the Law of the Sea


Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DODIG)
· D-2009-082 SeaPort Enhanced Program, May 6, 2009

· D-2009-078 Health Care Provided by Military Treatment Facilities to Contractors in Southwest Asia, May 4, 2009

Department of Homeland Security Inspector General
· OIG-09-56 - Progress in Addressing Secure Border Initiative Operational Requirements and Constructing the Southwest Border

· OIG-09-55 - Better Monitoring and Enhanced Technical Controls Are Needed to Effectively Manage LAN-A (Redacted)
· OIG-09-53 - DHS Efforts to Address Lessons Learned in the Aftermath of Top Officials Exercises
http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_09-53_Apr09.pdf
· OIG-09-52 - Immigration and Custom Enforcement Detention Bedspace Management


Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
· The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terrorist Watchlist Nomination Practices


Department of the Army
· FM 3-24.2 Tactics in Counterinsurgency (April 2009)


Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
· An Algerian Nuclear Bibliography


Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI)
· Does Nuclear Deterrence Apply in the Age of Terrorism?

· International Intervention in Sri Lanka
· The Role of Nuclear Weapons in International Politics: A Strategic Perspective

Government Accountability Office (GAO)
· Financial Management: Achieving Financial Statement Auditability in the Department of Defense GAO-09-373

· Information Security: Cyber Threats and Vulnerabilities Place Federal Systems at Risk GAO-09-661T [testimony]

· Hedge Funds: Overview of Regulatory Oversight, Counterparty Risks, and Investment Challenges GAO-09-677T [testimony]

· Global Positioning System: Significant Challenges in Sustaining and Upgrading Widely Used Capabilities GAO-09-325
· Global Positioning System: Significant Challenges in Sustaining and Upgrading Widely Used Capabilities GAO-09-670T [testimony]
· Military Personnel: Army Needs to Focus on Cost-Effective Use of Financial Incentives and Quality Standards in Managing Force Growth GAO-09-256
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09256.pdf
· Recovery Act: GAO's Efforts to Work with the Accountability Community to Help Ensure Effective and Efficient Oversight GAO-09-672T [testimony]

· State Department: Significant Vulnerabilities in the Passport Issuance Process GAO-09-681T [testimony]

Heritage Foundation
· Independent Panel Needed for Alternative Views to the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review

· North Korean Human Rights: Recommendations for the Obama Administration and the U.S. Congress

· Panama Bucks Latin America's Left: New President Favors U.S.

· Reviving Pakistan's Pluralist Traditions to Fight Extremism

· Strategic Nuclear Arms Control for the Protect and Defend Strategy

· A Tribute to Margaret Thatcher--30 Years On

Human Rights Watch
· Not Yet a Workers’ Paradise: Vietnam’s Suppression of the Independent Workers’ Movement


Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA)
· Realigning Priorities: The U.S.-Japan Alliance and the Future of Extended Deterrence

· Updating U.S. Deterrence Concepts and Operational Planning

Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD)
· Diplomacy and Security in the Twenty-first Century


International Relations and Security Network
· Costs of War: The Fear Virus

· Cutting for Counterinsurgency
· Nuclear Disarmament: US and Russia Resume Negotiations
· The ‘Other’ Pirates
· Prosecutor Without Borders
· Slow Dancing With Sudan

Jamestown Foundation
· Terrorism Monitor, May 8, 2009, v. 7, no. 12

*Latest Surge of Violence in Iraq Tests al-Maliki’s Government
*Taliban Leader Mullah Nazir Defends Jihad in South Waziristan
*Europol Report Describes Afghanistan-Pakistan Connection to Trends in European Terrorism
*Mokhtar Belmokhtar: The Algerian Jihad’s Southern Amir

Lexington Institute
· Defense Market Drivers & Trends Through 2012

· Quadrennial Review Skirts Biggest Management Challenge


National Priorities Project (NPP)
· The Cost of War in Afghanistan


New America Foundation
· A New American Trade Consensus


Pew Research Center
· Search: "Swine Flu": Where Americans Are Turning for Flu Facts


Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
· 59% - Most Favor Gays Serving Openly in the Military

· Virus Goes Viral Online: Local TV Top Spot for Learning About Disease


RAND
· International Cooperation with Partner Air Forces

· Participatory Health Research: International Observatory on Health Research Systems


Small Wars Journal
· A Backyard Challenge

· Garbage, Lies, and Uncertainties: Deception vs. Risk in War
· Why Civilian Integration is Essential in Post-Stability Operations

Special Inspector General Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR)
· Security Forces Logistics Contract Experienced Certain Cost, Outcome, and Oversight Problems


Stimson Center
· Don’t Feed the Bioterrorism Threat


Strategic Studies Institute
· Mexico's Narco-Insurgency and U.S. Counterdrug Policy


Washington Institute for Near East Policy
· Pakistan on the Brink: Implications for U.S. Policies


White House. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
· 2010 Budget

· 2010 Budget - Terminations, Reductions, and Savings
· President's Comments on Budget Release http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Ending-Bad-Habits/
· Internal Review Concerning April 27, 2009 Air Force One Flight [over the Statute of Liberty]