References: NATO Transformation Process Documents — and Gaps + Peace from Above RECAP

Connected Forces Initiative (latest NATO HQ initiative, should prioritize future ACT work, currently under initial study) After 2014, NATO is expected to shift its emphasis from operational engagement to operational preparedness. This means NATO will need to remain capable of performing its core tasks – described in its Strategic Concept¹ – and of maintaining its …

NIGHTWATCH: Iraq, Destabilized Further by Syria, Update

Iraq: Bombs exploded in Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad and in surrounding towns on Friday, killing at least 76 people. Two staggered explosions were used in the deadliest attack which targeted Muslims as they were leaving the main Sunni mosque in Baqubah, 35 miles north-east of Baghdad. The second explosion targeted people who gathered to help …

Stephen E. Arnold: A Fresh Look at Big Data & Big Data (-) Human Factor (+) Transformation (+) RECAP

A Fresh Look at Big Data May 8, 2013 Next week I am doing an invited talk in London. My subject is search and Big Data. I will be digging into this notion in this month’s Honk newsletter and adding some business intelligence related comments at an Information Today conference in New York later this …

Search: tactical versus strategic intelligence + Meta-RECAP

An important question — the USA no longer does strategic intelligence and it has never done Whole of Government operational or tactical intelligence.  The $60B secret world is largely worthless at all four levels of analysis: STRATEGIC:  Next Generation near, 100 years our far OPERATIONAL:  Whole of Government regional and threat/topic based campaign plans, harmonized …

Daniel Ellsberg: On Secrecy & Whistleblowing with Comment by Robert Steele

Secrecy and National Security Whistleblowing Daniel Ellsberg on January 8, 2013 [Originally published in Social Research] I) Reflections on Secret-keeping and Identity In the “national security” area of the government–the White House, the departments of state and defense, the armed services and the “intelligence community,” along with their contractors–there is less whistleblowing than in other …