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Secrecy and Security News

Newer News: March 2012

February 2012

• Judge issues rare order to release classified document by Josh Gerstein, Politico, February 29. "A federal judge issued a highly unusual order Wednesday requiring the government to disclose a document that the Obama administration insists is classified."
• Wikileaks, Government Prosecutions, Secrecy by Jack Goldsmith, Lawfare, February 20. "Yes, the government is bigger than ever. Yes, it classifies more information than ever. And yes, it is pursuing leakers more aggressively than ever. But the government by many other measures is losing the war against leaks."
• WikiLeaks, a Postscript by Bill Keller, New York Times, February 20. "The most palpable legacy of the WikiLeaks campaign for transparency is that the U.S. government is more secretive than ever."
• Department of Defense on Status of Updated Classification Guidance, answer to question for the record from Sen. Lieberman, published February 2012. "The good news is that this new DoD manual is in final comment adjudication. It will require DoD components to complete a Fundamental Classification Guidance Review and to take into account all relevant guidance from the new E.O., President's memo, and implementing directive."
• CIA OK'd accused leaker to disclose training, assignments by Josh Gerstein, Politico, February 15. "A former Central Intelligence Agency officer charged with leaking classified information was authorized to publicly disclose his training in Farsi and at least one of his assignments abroad, although the CIA now appears to consider those same facts classified, according to a court filing made public last week.
• DNI Releases Budget Figure for FY 2013 National Intelligence Program Request, February 13. "The aggregate amount of appropriations requested for the National Intelligence Program is $52.6 billion."
• DOD Releases Military Intelligence Program Requested Top Line Budget for Fiscal 2013, news release, February 13. "The total request, which includes both the base budget and Overseas Contingency Operations appropriations, is $19.2 billion."
• A High-Tech War on Leaks by Adam Liptak, New York Times, February 12. "Today, advances in surveillance technology allow the government to keep a perpetual eye on those with security clearances, and give prosecutors the ability to punish officials for disclosing secrets without provoking a clash with the press."
• IG reviewing overclassification at DoD by Sean Reilly, Federal Times, February 8. "The Defense Department's handling of classified information is getting a wide-ranging review from the DoD inspector general. The review will look at efforts to decrease overclassification and promote information-sharing and transparency, Deputy IG Patricia Brannin wrote in a memo to top officials last October."
• Among Liberties Advocates, Outrage Over Expanded Use of Drones by Channing Joseph, New York Times The Lede, February 7. "A measure passed by the Senate on Monday that would require the Federal Aviation Administration to give unmanned aerial vehicles, known as drones, expanded access to airways in the United States has civil liberties organizations fuming."
• Drones over U.S. get OK by Congress by Shaun Waterman, Washington Times, February 7. "Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's... a drone, and it's watching you. That's what privacy advocates fear from a bill Congress passed this week to make it easier for the government to fly unmanned spy planes in U.S. airspace."
• Congress Is Demanding That The FAA Make Room For The US Drone Fleet by Robert Johnson, Business Insider, February 5. "Now, with ground operations concluded in Iraq and scheduled to end in Afghanistan by 2014, those new drones will be coming home and their pilots will need a place to fly them and train. Which could be why Congress is calling for the accelerated use of unmanned drones in U.S. air space."
• Conference Report on FAA Reauthorization: Excerpts on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, February 1. "Federal agencies that employ unmanned aircraft systems technology in the national airspace system, and the unmanned aircraft systems industry, shall develop a comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system."

Older News: January 2012

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Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated March 2, 2012