The truth at any cost lowers all other costs — curated by former US spy Robert David Steele.
** GAO ACCESS TO INTEL OBSTRUCTED BY 1988 OLC OPINION ** ETHICS OFFICE PUTS LIMITS ON CIA LOBBYING (2006) ** REPORT SEES SUCCESSES AND GAPS IN INFO SHARING Secrecy News Home (each item above linked directly) Phi Beta Iota: From an objective third-party stand-point, the US intelligence community appears to believe that it is above …
Continue reading “Secrecy News Headlines — Three Strikes & Out”
Russians in Spy Exchange Include Hanssen Case Figure (July 9) — A former Russian intelligence officer who may have provided information that helped uncover two of the worst spies in U.S. history — Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames — is among the four Russians swapped for 10 sleeper agents in an elaborate Cold War-style spy …
Continue reading “Journal: Spy Games, Clapper on a Time Out”
COMMENTS: 1. The “fact of” PDB distribution is well known; Administrations influence who is on the distro list. 2. Of the principals showcased here, some are (at least sort of) competent patriotic and some…well… 3. This article is, perhaps unknowingly, deceptive in that it creates an impression that USG is postured to continue mission 24/7 from …
Phi Beta Iota: The next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) should be required by Congress, as conditions for confirmation, to agree to open the entire Intelligence Community, every single one of the 953 codeword compartments (and the other 200+ that “don’t exist”); and to immediately and without further ado declassify all documents as required by …
Continue reading “Journal: DECLASSIFICATION AND THE “CRISIS” IN INTEL HISTORY”
Phi Beta Iota: With a tip of the hat to Marcus Aurelius, this document is provided for information. On balance it is rich with insights that are not available elsewhere and consequently must be very highly regarded as a baseline for where US intelligence reform (and US intelligence) are today: dead, with a $75 billion …
Continue reading “Reference: Intelligence Reform Death Notice”
Admin Threatens Veto Over GAO Role in Intel Oversight March 17th, 2010 by Steven Aftergood One of the simplest, most effective ways to strengthen congressional oversight of intelligence would be for Congress to make increased use of specially cleared investigators from the Government Accountability Office. This is such a straightforward step towards improving oversight that …
Continue reading “Journal: OUT OF CONTROL–The Demise of Responsible Government “Intelligence” II”
One of Two “Best” on China in Africa February 22, 2010 Robert I. Rotberg, contributing editor Of the modest number of books focused on China in Africa, this is one of the two best, and both are unique–if you buy only one, at least read my summary of the other, China Safari: On the Trail …
Continue reading “Review: China into Africa–Trade, Aid, and Influence”
