[NYTr] FAS Secrecy News - 12/04/2007

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2007, Issue No. 117
December 4, 2007

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

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

**	DEFENSE CONTRACTING IN IRAQ, AND MORE FROM CRS
**	NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM: NO SLAM DUNK

DEFENSE CONTRACTING IN IRAQ, AND MORE FROM CRS

The complexities of U.S. defense contracting in Iraq and some of the
resulting irregularities are reviewed in a newly updated report from
the Congressional Research Service.

"Given the size and scope of the contracts in Iraq, and the challenge
of managing billions of DOD-appropriated dollars, many have suggested
it appropriate to inquire whether these types of contracts can be
managed better," the CRS report delicately stated.

See "Defense Contracting in Iraq: Issues and Options for Congress,"
updated November 15, 2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33834.pdf

Other noteworthy new CRS reports obtained by Secrecy News include the
following:

"North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Latest Developments," November 21,
2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/nuke/RL34256.pdf

"Russian Energy Policy toward Neighboring Countries," November 27,
2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34261.pdf

"Foreign Aid Reform: Issues for Congress and Policy Options," November
7, 2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34243.pdf

"Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations," updated November
28, 2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33999.pdf

"Botnets, Cybercrime, and Cyberterrorism: Vulnerabilities and Policy
Issues for Congress," updated November 15, 2007:

     http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL32114.pdf

NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM: NO SLAM DUNK

In an unusual policy pirouette, the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence yesterday published the key judgments of a National
Intelligence Estimate on Iran's nuclear weapons program little more
than a month after the DNI issued guidance declaring that "It is the
policy of the Director of National Intelligence that KJs [key
judgments] should not be declassified." (Secrecy News 11/01/07).

"We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its
nuclear weapons program," the new Estimate states dramatically.

     http://www.fas.org/irp/dni/iran120307.pdf

Although it goes on to assert "moderate-to-high confidence that Tehran
at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons,"
the new Estimate effectively distances the U.S. intelligence community
from those who insist that Iran is irrevocably bent on acquiring
nuclear weapons.

By challenging the prejudices of the Administration rather than
reinforcing them, the NIE on Iran does what earlier estimates on Iraq
notoriously failed to do.

It also departs from the judgments of the 2005 NIE on Iran, which is
why it has now been publicly disclosed, according to Deputy DNI Donald
Kerr.

"Since our understanding of Iran's capabilities has changed, we felt it
was important to release this information to ensure that an accurate
presentation is available," he said.

     http://www.fas.org/irp/news/2007/12/ddni120307.pdf

In fact, however, Congress directed the DNI in the FY 2007 defense
authorization act to prepare an unclassified summary of the Estimate.

"Consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods, an
unclassified summary of the key judgments of the National Intelligence
Estimate should be submitted."  (House Report 109-702, section 1213,
Intelligence on Iran).

_______________________________________________
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
1725 DeSales St NW, 6th floor
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