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December 2005 Intelligence News

• US intelligence service bugged website visitors despite ban by Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian, December 30. "The intelligence service at the centre of the row over eavesdropping tracked visitors to its website, despite US government regulations."
• Washington Prepares Close Allies for Air Raid on Iran by Udo Ulfkotte, DDP News Agency, December 23 (US Government translation). "The administration of US President George W. Bush is obviously holding secret talks with its most important allies in the Middle East at the moment, preparing them for a potential air raid on targets in Iran next year."
• Landsat Data Continuity Strategy Adjustment, memo from John H. Marburger III, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, December 23. "This memorandum is to inform you of the outcome of interagency discussions regarding the Landsat program near-term and long-term strategies to ensure the continuity of Landsat-type data observations."
• Designation of ODNI Officers to Act as DNI, White House Memorandum, Federal Register, December 23. "...during any period in which the DNI and the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence have died, resigned, or otherwise become unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of the DNI."
• Establishment of DNI National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC), news release, December 21. "The NCPC will coordinate strategic planning within the Intelligence Community (IC) to enhance intelligence support to United States efforts to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related delivery systems."
• House Intelligence Committee to Conduct Cunningham Inquiry, news release, December 21. "The inquiry will strive to determine whether Mr. Cunningham improperly used Committee staff or resources to further the conspiracy identified in his plea agreement and whether staff furthered the conspiracy in any way."
• Experts ponder Bush's rationale: Some wonder why law wasn't changed instead of circumvented by administration by Matthew B. Stannard, San Francisco Chronicle, December 20. "While wartime necessity has historically granted presidents enormous leeway even in the face of congressional and legal obstacles, Sofaer warned that the rationale is open to abuse."
• Bush, administration defend domestic spying by Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, December 19. "The president argues that since 9/11, spying on Americans who may have contacts with terrorists is not only necessary but legal."
• White House Press Conference on NSA Surveillance, Etc., December 19. "As President and Commander-in-Chief, I have the constitutional responsibility and the constitutional authority to protect our country. Article II of the Constitution gives me that responsibility and the authority necessary to fulfill it."
• Attorney General Gonzales and DDNI Hayden Brief the Press on NSA Surveillance Operation, December 19. "I've got with me the Attorney General and General Hayden here this morning to brief you on the legal issues surrounding the NSA authorization and take whatever questions you have for them on that."
• Letter from Senator Rockefeller to VP Cheney on NSA Surveillance, July 17, 2003. "I am writing to reiterate my concern regarding the sensitive intelligence issues we discussed today with the DCI, DIRNSA, and Chairman Roberts and our House Intelligence Committee counterparts."
• U.S. sees softening in Hezbollah TV, United Press International, December 19. "Al-Manar continues its negative treatment of the United States but has dropped the more incendiary anti-U.S. material seen in the past," states a report on the TV station from the U.S. Open Source Intelligence Center, obtained and posted on the Web by the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy.
• President's Message to the Congress of the United States on Information Sharing, White House release, December 16. "The robust and effective sharing of terrorism information is vital to protecting Americans and the Homeland from terrorist attacks. To ensure that we succeed in this mission, my Administration is working to implement the Information Sharing Environment (ISE)."
• Watchdogs Protest Pentagon's "Mission Creep" by William Fisher, Inter Press Service News Agency, December 15. "At a time when domestic intelligence collection by the military is surging, the nation desperately needs an independent oversight body to exercise checks and balances."
• Pentagon Statement on Domestic Intelligence Surveillance, December 14. "There is nothing more important to the U.S. military than the trust and good will of the American people. The Department of Defense values that trust and goodwill and consequently views with the greatest concern any potential violation of the strict DoD policy governing authorized counter-intelligence efforts and support to law enforcement."
• Firms get scrutiny over CIA captures by Farah Stockman, Boston Globe, December 11. "Private American contractors who help the CIA capture terrorism suspects abroad and transfer them to secret jails are increasingly becoming the target of investigations in Europe and at home."
• OSC Analysis: Al-Manar Promotes 'Resistance,' Tones Down Anti-US Material, Open Source Center, December 8. "Al-Manar uses its newscasts, talk shows on political, social, and cultural issues, and educational and religious programming to push Hizballah's pro-Palestinian agenda and to educate its viewers in line with its Shiite principles."
• How the CIA Blew Its Prisons Cover by Josh Gerstein, New York Sun, December 8. "While Secretary of State Rice fends off questioning in Europe over CIA-run air flights of prisoners in the war on terror, some analysts outside the CIA are asking how the flights were exposed so easily."
• Director of National Intelligence Announces Senior Leadership Positions, news release, December 7. DNI names Assistant Deputy Director for Open Source, and Civil Liberties Protection Officer.
• Pentagon's 'Black Budget' Veils Contracting Shenanigans by David Wood, Newhouse News, December 1. "The super-secret part of the defense budget -- the classified, or 'black' budget -- hides some $28 billion in spending. Government auditors and even senators have to get special clearance to see the details."

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