[net-gold] Secrecy News -- 03/30/12
- From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@xxxxxxxxxx>
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- Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:42:13 -0400 (EDT)
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Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:45:26 -0400
From: Steven Aftergood <saftergood@xxxxxxx>
To: saftergood@xxxxxxx
Subject: Secrecy News -- 03/30/12
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SECRECY NEWS
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from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy Volume 2012, Issue No. 29 March
30, 2012
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Secrecy News Blog:
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/
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** THE PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC, AND MORE FROM CRS
** NEW POLICY ON MITIGATING RISKS OF BIO RESEARCH
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THE PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC, AND MORE FROM CRS
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The growing emphasis on Asia as a focus of U.S. national security planning,
known as the "pivot to the Pacific," is discussed in a new report from the
Congressional Research Service.
"Underlying the 'pivot' is a conviction that the center of gravity for U.S.
foreign policy, national security, and economic interests is being realigned
and shifting towards Asia, and that U.S. strategy and priorities need to be
adjusted accordingly," the CRS report says. "For many observers, it is
imperative that the United States give more emphasis to the Asia-Pacific.
Indeed, for years, many countries in the region have encouraged the United
States to step up its activity to provide a balance to China's rising
influence."
"There are a number of risks to the 'pivot,' however. In an era of
constrained U.S. defense resources, an increased U.S. military emphasis on
the Asia-Pacific region might result in a reduction in U.S. military
capacity in other parts of the world. Another budgetary consideration is
that plans to restructure U.S. military deployments in Asia and minimize
cuts in the Navy may run up against more restrictive funding constraints
than plans yet assume."
"Additionally," the report says, "the perception among many that the
'rebalancing' is targeted against China could strengthen the hand of Chinese
hard-liners. Such an impression could also potentially make it more
difficult for the United States to gain China's cooperation on a range of
issues. Additionally, the prominence the Obama Administration has given to
the initiative has raised the costs to the United States if it or successor
administrations fail to follow through on public pledges made, particularly
in the military realm."
Congress is fully entitled to review the emerging policy, which is
predicated on congressional action and cooperation, the CRS report said.
"Given that one purpose of the 'pivot' or 'rebalancing' toward the
Asia-Pacific is to deepen U.S. credibility in the region at a time of fiscal
constraint, Congress's oversight and appropriations roles, as well as its
approval authority over free trade agreements, will help determine to what
extent the Administration's plans are implemented and how various trade-offs
are managed."
A copy of the report was obtained by Secrecy News. See "Pivot to the
Pacific? The Obama Administration's 'Rebalancing' Toward Asia," March 28,
2012:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42448.pdf
Other new and updated CRS reports that Congress has declined to make
directly available to the public include the following.
Burma's April Parliamentary By-Elections, March 28, 2012:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42438.pdf
Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments, March 29, 2012:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS22570.pdf
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations,
March 26, 2012:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42440.pdf
NEW POLICY ON MITIGATING RISKS OF BIO RESEARCH
Certain types of life science research involving "high consequence pathogens
and toxins" would be subject to new review and risk mitigation procedures
which might include classification of the research or termination of the
funding, according to a U.S. government policy issued yesterday by the
National Institutes of Health.
The policy applies to research involving 15 specified biological agents and
toxins which "pose the greatest risks of deliberate misuse with most
significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the
economy, critical infrastructure or public confidence."
Research that increases the lethality or transmissibility of the agent or
toxin, or otherwise enhances its harmful consequences, will be subject to
the new review procedures.
Based on the outcome of the review, a risk mitigation plan may be developed.
If less restrictive measures were deemed inadequate, the new policy would
allow for national security classification of the research or termination of
government funding.
See "United States Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use
Research of Concern," March 29, 2012:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/eprint/dualuse.pdf
See also "U.S. Requires New Dual-Use Biological Research Reviews" by David
Malakoff, Science Insider, March 29:
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/03/
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_______________________________________________
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Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the Federation
of American Scientists.
The Secrecy News Blog is at:
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/
To SUBSCRIBE to Secrecy News, go to:
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Secrecy News is archived at:
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Support the FAS Project on Government Secrecy with a donation:
http://www.fas.org/member/donate_today.html
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_______________________
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Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web: www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email: saftergood@xxxxxxx
voice: (202) 454-4691
twitter: @saftergood
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