From: Steven Aftergood <saftergood.nul>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:10:44 -0500
Fwd Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:15:30 -0500
Subject: Secrecy News -- 02/14/07



SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2007, Issue No. 18
February 14, 2007

Secrecy News Blog: http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/

Support Secrecy News:
http://www.fas.org/static/contrib_sec.jsp


**	TEMPO OF CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT INCREASES
**	COUNTERING AIR AND MISSILE THREATS


TEMPO OF CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT INCREASES

Though it is still too early to identify concrete results, the
pace of Congressional oversight activity on secrecy and
intelligence matters has already increased markedly in the new
Congress.

The House Intelligence Subcommittee on Intelligence Community
Management said it "will monitor trends in classification of
executive branch material, the costs of over-classification, the
practice of selective declassification, and the exclusive
reliance on a variety of 'sensitive but unclassified'
designations by U.S. government agencies and departments,"
according to a new Committee work plan. "The Subcommittee will
also examine the issue of unauthorized disclosure of classified
information."

See "Oversight Plan for the 110th Congress," House Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence, February 7:

http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2007_cr/hpsci2007.pdf

Rep. Henry Waxman's House Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform held a February 13 hearing on the Whistleblower
Protection Enhancement Act that would extend protections to
whistleblowers in intelligence and national security agencies.
Prepared testimony from that hearing, including several
informative statements on current issues in whistleblower
protection policy, may be found here:

http://www.fas.org/sgp/congress/2007/index.html

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) introduced the Intelligence
Community Audit Act (H.R. 978), a bill that would "reaffirm the
authority of the [Government Accountability Office] to audit and
evaluate the programs, activities, and financial transactions of
the intelligence community." It is a companion measure to S. 82,
introduced by Sen. Akaka last month. See:

http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2007_cr/hr978.html

Senator Christopher Dodd introduced the Restoring the
Constitution Act (S. 576) that would amend the much-criticized
Military Commissions Act of 2006, which curtailed habeas corpus
claims by suspected enemy combatants. Co-sponsor Sen. Russ
Feingold said the new bill would "restore basic due process
rights and ensure that no person is subject to indefinite
detention without charge based on the sole discretion of the
President." See:

http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2007_cr/s576.html


COUNTERING AIR AND MISSILE THREATS

Military doctrine on maintaining air superiority against enemy
aircraft and missiles is presented in a newly updated
publication from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Counterair operations include both offensive counterair (OCA) to
destroy enemy aircraft, missiles or other weapons before they
can be used, and defensive counterair (DCA) to detect, intercept
and destroy enemy weapons in use.

Military planners "should expect MANPADS [shoulder-fired
missiles] and AAA [anti-aircraft artillery] coverage wherever
enemy forces are encountered," the new doctrine states.

Seven U.S. helicopters have been shot down in Iraq in the last
month, the Associated Press noted today.

See "Countering Air and Missile Threats," Joint Publication JP
3-01, February 5, 2007:

http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/dod/jp3_01.pdf



_______________________________________________
Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the
Federation of American Scientists.

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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web:  www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email: saftergood.nul
voice: (202) 454-4691