http://stevena.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Steve A, Federation of American Scientists en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:29:15 GMT 2009-12-31T00:29:15Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392108 By classifying some recent Presidential directives on homeland security and restricting their disclosure, the Bush Administration has impeded their effective implementation, the Senate Appropriations . . . Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:02:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977392108 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-07-07T21:02:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977384161 Monday, June 30 marks the 100th anniversary of the Tunguska incident in 1908, in which a meteor or comet fragment entered the atmosphere over Tunguska in Siberia producing an enormous explosion. . . . Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:42:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977384161 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-06-27T21:42:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977325016   Some unauthorized disclosures of classified information in the press can serve a constructive purpose, Sen. John McCain allowed. And so he expressed support for a pending press "shield" . . . Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:42:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977325016 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-04-16T15:42:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977324596 SENATE MULLS CHANGES IN INTELLIGENCE OVERSIGHT The Senate Intelligence Committee has recommended creation of a new Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Intelligence to prepare the annual intelligence . . . Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:14:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977324596 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-04-16T01:14:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977324592 U.S. intelligence agencies have embarked upon a process to develop a uniform classification policy and a single classification guide that could be used by the entire U.S. intelligence community, . . . Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:09:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977324592 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-04-16T01:09:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977300834   The Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel memo on interrogation of enemy combatants that was declassified this week "exemplifies the political abuse of classification authority," . . . Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:45:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977300834 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-04-03T16:45:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977271345 "The disdain and uncooperative nature that this administration has shown toward Congress... is so egregious that I can no longer assume that it is simply bureaucratic incompetence or isolated . . . Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:19:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977271345 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-02-29T01:19:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977271019 "The disdain and uncooperative nature that this administration has shown toward Congress... is so egregious that I can no longer assume that it is simply bureaucratic incompetence or isolated mistakes. . . . Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:13:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977271019 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-02-28T19:13:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977264389 The U.S. Army said today that it would restore public access to the online Reimer Digital Library of Army publications, after having blocked the site on February 6. Last week, the Federation of American . . . Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:44:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977264389 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-02-21T20:44:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977257860 The Department of Defense has released the final version of its controversial doctrine on "detainee operations " (pdf) which defines the class of unlawful enemy combatants and prescribes their . . . Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:13:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977257860 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-02-13T21:13:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977257854 Public access to the Reimer Digital Library , which is the largest online collection of U.S. Army doctrinal publications, has been blocked by the Army, which last week moved the collection behind a password-protected . . . Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:02:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977257854 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-02-13T21:02:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977219366 DOJ ATTORNEYS DAMAGED SECRECY OVERSIGHT, FAS COMPLAINT SAYS Attorneys at the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel violated the executive order on classification and damaged oversight of . . . Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:59:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977219366 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2008-01-03T18:59:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196433   When the Central Intelligence Agency released several declassified histories of its clandestine services program this week, it seemed like a solid indication of progress towards opening . . . Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:54:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977196433 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-12-06T20:54:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977177534 An Iranian religious leader reiterated last week that not only is Iran not pursuing nuclear weapons, but that to do so would be a violation of Islamic law. "Production of nuclear bomb and . . . Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:00:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977177534 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-11-15T03:00:43Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977151974 In a remarkable episode from the Civil War that is not as widely known as it might be, General Ulysses S. Grant issued Order No. 11 on December 17, 1862 expelling all Jews from Kentucky, Tennessee, . . . Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:05:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977151974 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-10-19T14:05:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977148082 IMPLEMENTING DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE Upon lawful request and for a thousand dollars, Comcast, one of the nation's leading telecommunications companies, will intercept its customers' . . . Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:38:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977148082 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-10-15T16:38:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977142216 BILL ON CONTRACTOR LIABILITY RAISES INTEL AGENCY CONCERNS Last week the House of Representatives passed a bill to extend federal legal jurisdiction to crimes committed abroad by U.S. contractors in war . . . Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:07:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977142216 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-10-09T17:07:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129021 SYRIAN NUCLEAR SCIENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY A newly updated bibliography of published Syrian research in nuclear science and technology shows that country's limited but persistent activity in various aspects . . . Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:50:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129021 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-26T20:50:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129008 IN PRINT: ENEMIES OF INTELLIGENCE In his new book "Enemies of Intelligence," Columbia University political scientist Richard K. Betts warns that ambitious attempts to correct failures in U.S. . . . Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:42:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129008 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-26T20:42:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129005 STATE DEPT CLASSIFIES REPORT ON IRAQI CORRUPTION After a congressional committee requested a copy of an unclassified internal State Department report on corruption in the Iraqi government, the Department . . . Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:40:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977129005 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-26T20:40:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977123076 US EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD SEES WIDESPREAD IRAQI CORRUPTION "Currently, Iraq is not capable of even rudimentary enforcement of anticorruption laws," according to a confidential draft assessment prepared . . . Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:09:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977123076 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-20T19:09:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977122059 US EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD SEES WIDESPREAD IRAQI CORRUPTION "Currently, Iraq is not capable of even rudimentary enforcement of anticorruption laws," according to a confidential draft assessment prepared . . . Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:42:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977122059 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-19T19:42:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977115119 DoJ: NEW SURVEILLANCE LAW COULD BE "MISCONSTRUED" Critics of the new Protect America Act who wonder if it will be used to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans have misunderstood the . . . Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:41:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977115119 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-09-12T19:41:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977079709 On August 1, the Pacific island nation of Palau became the 139th country to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty that would ban all nuclear explosions. Among states that possess nuclear weapons, only . . . Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:15:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977079709 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-08-08T14:15:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977077708 A federal court last week accepted a Central Intelligence Agency argument that the date on which former covert officer Valerie Plame Wilson's employment at the CIA began should remain classified even . . . Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:34:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977077708 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-08-06T17:34:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977077706 One day after President Bush signed into law a bill that requires public disclosure of the national intelligence budget, the House of Representatives adopted an amendment to prevent that requirement from . . . Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:33:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977077706 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-08-06T17:33:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977073167 The espionage statutes concerning classified information could be employed against journalists who publish such information without authorization, a Justice Department official told Congress recently, . . . Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:37:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977073167 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-08-01T19:37:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977068427 9/11 BILL REQUIRES INTELLIGENCE BUDGET DISCLOSURE For the first time since it began debating the issue more than three decades ago, Congress is now poised to adopt legislation that will require -- not . . . Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:22:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977068427 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-07-27T17:22:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977066156 The U.S. Senate is placing increased emphasis on exposing corruption and profiteering in military contracting in Iraq.   Last week, Sen. James Webb (D-VA) introduced a bill with twenty co-sponsors . . . Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:39:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977066156 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-07-25T16:39:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977064348 Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has put forward an agenda to increase transparency in government that includes "publishing budgets for every government agency."     . . . Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:29:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977064348 Steve A, Federation of American Scientists 2007-07-23T20:29:50Z