FROM THE EDITOR

March 27, 2006

Intelligence, Policy,and the War in Iraq

Paul R. Pillar
A DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP
The most serious problem with U.S. intelligence today is that its relationship with the policymaking process is broken and badly needs repair. In the wake of the Iraq war, it has become clear that official intelligence analysis was not relied on in making even the most significant national security decisions, that intelligence was misused publicly to justify decisions already made, that damaging ill will developed between policymakers and intelligence officers, and that the intelligence community's own work was politicized. As the national intelligence officer responsible for the Middle East from 2000 to 2005, I witnessed all of these disturbing developments.
Public discussion of prewar intelligence on Iraq has focused on the errors made in assessing Saddam Hussein's unconventional weapons programs. A commission chaired by Judge Laurence Silberman and former Senator Charles Robb usefully documented the intelligence community's mistakes in a solid and comprehensive report released in March 2005. Corrections were indeed in order, and the intelligence community has begun to make them.
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060301faessay85202/paul-r-pillar/intelligence-policy-and-the-war-in-iraq.html

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
--Galileo Galilei

PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS

TRC White Paper: Utilizing Terrorism Early Warning Groups to Meet the National Preparedness Goal

From our friends at the Terrorism Research Center (http://www.terrorism.com)

The Terrorism Early Warning Group concept fulfills the intelligence requirements outlined in Homeland Security Directive 8: Interim National Preparedness Goal. Existing and emerging TEWs can serve as a foundation for a national intelligence sharing and analysis network bringing critical information and capabilities to local jurisdictions. This paper articulates a vision for expanding the Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEW) network that meets the local and national requirements as specified in, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8: Interim National Preparedness Goal (HSPD-8). Download White Paper (free)
http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Documents&file=get&download=143

Counterterrorism, Central Asian style

In the spring of 2005, two upheavals -- the "Tulip Revolution" in Kyrgyzstan and the outbreak of violent revolts in Uzbekistan -- profoundly altered the political landscape of Central Asia. Though different in location and intensity, both were fueled by popular discontent with the ruling government. And in both, largely unnoticed by the international media, radical Islamist organizations succeeded in harnessed that discontent against the respective regimes. In the Fall 2005 edition of The Journal of International Security Affairs, AFPC Visiting Fellow in Islamic Studies Evgueni Novikov details the rising Islamist threat confronting the countries of the "post-Soviet space" -- and details what those governments, some of them major partners in the U.S.-led War on Terror, are doing about it. http://www.afpc.org/novikov.PDF

Darfur, Sudan: Humanitarian Crisis or Genocide?

As the Arab Janjawid armed militias continue to destroy village after village in Darfur, a region of western Sudan, thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) congregate in camps away from the violence. The IDPs, who have either had their villages burned down or fear that their villages will be next have fled ahead of the militias, as local and governmental authorities pressure them to return home. With a severe man-made famine looming, humanitarian organizations in the area and the U.N. are saying that they are desperately in need of relief assistance. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will soon make a trip to the region in order to lobby the Sudanese government for freer access throughout the region. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the U.S. government is also looking into whether the massive killings constitute “genocide.” Is the Sudanese government doing all that it can to prevent the killings? What will it take for the international community to come together and quickly resolve this dangerously escalating situation? http://www.fpa.org/newsletter_info2482/newsletter_info.htm

BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Defenseless Decision

n the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ residents got an idea of what life is like without the rule of law. They had no telephones, no way to call 911. Even if they had, the police who reported for duty were busy with rescue missions, not fighting crime. Citizens had to protect themselves. This was made rather difficult by the city’s confiscation of guns, even from law-abiding citizens.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/lott200603210744.asp

L.A. braces for protest, as Bush addresses 'emotional debate'

California (CNN) -- As thousands of people were expected to protest legislation cracking down on illegal immigrants on Saturday, President Bush said he planned to toughen enforcement of immigration laws.
"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
"When illegal immigrants know they will be caught and sent home, they will be less likely to break the rules, and our immigration system will be more orderly and secure."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/25/immigration/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Pentagon stays the course with laser weapon

The threat of cancellation no longer looms over the Pentagon's Airborne Laser effort, but senior program officials say they are taking nothing for granted as they prepare for a missile-intercept demonstration in 2008.
Several clear test milestones have been laid out for the Airborne Laser in 2006 so that senior Missile Defense Agency officials will be able to measure its progress, according to Air Force Col. John Daniels, the effort's program director.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11961673/

Federal Agencies to Probe Safety at O'Hare

Two federal agencies plan to investigate how commercial planes nearly collided twice in two days on runways at O'Hare International Airport.
Pilots aborted takeoffs on Tuesday and Thursday to avoid colliding with other aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said. No one was injured.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060326/D8GJ1TN80.html

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If Only...The lessons of our Iraqi bungles.

A question worth mulling, on this third anniversary of the war that President Bush told us was over and won two years and 10 months ago, is this: Were the fiascos inevitable—built-in products of the nature of the war itself—or could they have been avoided, or at least might their impact have been minimized, if President Bush and his top advisers had made smarter decisions?
http://www.slate.com/id/2138351/nav/tap2/

Terrorist 007, Exposed

For almost two years, intelligence services around the world tried to uncover the identity of an Internet hacker who had become a key conduit for al-Qaeda. The savvy, English-speaking, presumably young webmaster taunted his pursuers, calling himself Irhabi -- Terrorist -- 007. He hacked into American university computers, propagandized for the Iraq insurgents led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and taught other online jihadists how to wield their computers for the cause.
Suddenly last fall, Irhabi 007 disappeared from the message boards. The postings ended after Scotland Yard arrested a 22-year-old West Londoner, Younis Tsouli, suspected of participating in an alleged bomb plot. In November, British authorities brought a range of charges against him related to that plot. Only later, according to our sources familiar with the British probe, was Tsouli's other suspected identity revealed. British investigators eventually confirmed to us that they believe he is Irhabi 007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/25/AR2006032500020_pf.html

Russia to use drones for G8 summit security: report

Russia said on Friday it will use new unmanned drones to help provide security during a summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in July.
RIA news agency quoted Deputy Interior Minister Mikhail Sukhodolsky as saying the ministry had already tried out the gadgets but said he gave few details about the drones.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-03-24T145733Z_01_L2422469_RTRUKOC_0_US-GROUP-RUSSIA-DRONES.xml&rpc=22

Moussaoui says he will testify at trial

Prosecutors rested their death-penalty case against Zacarias Moussaoui on Thursday and the confessed al-Qaida terrorist said he intended to take the stand in his own defense at his death penalty trial.
“I will testify, Zerkin, whether you want it or not,” he said, referring to one of his lawyers, Gerald Zerkin. Moussaoui has consistently refused to cooperate with his lawyers.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11959203/

FRANKS REVIEW

Service Equipment Review:

Rock Island Armory .45ACP One Year Later

Almost exactly one year ago, I did a review of the Rock Island Armory "Officer's Model" .45ACP pistol. Now, obviously that's not the model name because Colt would pitch a fit. But the gun is the same size and holds 6+1 rounds of .45ACP ammo. Initial testing a year ago showed a few flaws with feeding - some pickiness in types of ammo - and I've been shooting it throughout that year to see what it did or didn't like. What I found was that ammunition feeding performance for this weapon depended not only on the ammo, but most definitely on the magazines.

Given that I also own a Springfield Armory full-size 1911 .45ACP pistol, it should go without saying that I have plenty of magazines to fit these weapons. While the Rock Island gun did come with one 6-round magazine that I can't use in the SA 1911, all other magazines I have are for full-size 1911 style pistols, or they are even longer to hold extra rounds (I've got a couple of 10-round mags). The collection of magazines, ammunition, holsters, etc that I have was mixed and matched across the past year with every visit to the range, so that I could determine what was reliable in the gun. It seems a shame to have it and not be able to carry it for wont of reliability. The past year has shown that this can be a reliable weapon if the right ammo / magazine partnership is used.

The rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/guns/ri451yr.htm

Recreational Equipment Review:

Folding Lock Blade Knives For The Field

Last week I introduced the first part of this two part recreational equipment review: an overview of several fixed blade knives I have tested that I consider worthy of taking out to use and abuse in the field. This week, we'll look at the second part: Folding knives that have proven themselves just as worthy.

While recently discussing pros and cons of knives with my oldest son while inventorying my collection, we talked about knives, their use in the field, desirable features, etc. After reminding him that I'm far from being an edged weapons expert, we discussed the different strengths and weaknesses of fixed blade knives versus locking folders. The end result was that we came up with a selection of knives - currently "in inventory" that we would be comfortable taking into the field with us, recognizing that the knives had better be able to perform as required or we may suffer in the long run. The list of "acceptable" folding knives (that I have on hand) is below with our observations.

The rest of the story: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/toolknife/fieldfolders.htm

CHAPLAINS CORNER

JOY...

Good things still happen. Pleasant surprises still take place. Joy - which is a
jubilant, spiritual, personal security inside you - is still available... no matter where
you might be... and no matter what the circumstances. Joseph, in the Bible, served
three years in a prison of the times for a crime he did not commit. He was a slave
at the time and falsely imprisoned because he would not lay with his master's wife
when she tried to entice him into her bosom.

Paul, the Apostle, and Silas, his companion were scourged - beaten with lashes -
and imprisoned in the depths of a dungeon with their feet in stocks. These men
were wrongly treated, mistreated, manhandled and wrongly imprisoned because of
false accusations...yet in each case joy prevailed in their lives.

Joseph interpreted dreams in prison for the prisoners. One prisoner was from the
King's house... was released and restored to the King's service. When the King
needed a dream interpreted and his wisemen and advisors could not do it, the
servant told the King about Joseph. Joseph was brought out of prison to the King
and gave the interpretation... Joseph ultimately became the King's vice Regent -
2nd in charge under the King himself. Joseph had maintained his faith and his joy...
and was able to save and minister to his whole family with food and shelter in time
of famine. It was Joseph's brothers that sold him into slavery and told their father
that he was dead.

http://blackwaterusa.com/btw2006/articles/013006chaplain.html

Be Blessed(a condition to be envied by the world).
Be Successful. Be SAFE.
VSP ALUMNI 757-431-2190
Chaplain D.R.Staton, VBPD (Don, C1)
chpln1@verizon.net

BUMPER STICKER

If all else fails, stop using all else

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