Steven Aftergood
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saftergood.bsky.social
Steven Aftergood
@saftergood.bsky.social
@banditelli.org @joshuaeaton.bsky.social I don't know if PPAs are readily available but I doubt it (though it would be worth trying!). Acc to this 2016 CRS report, at least six nuclear power plants were believed to have PPAs but they "were not made available to CRS" www.congress.gov/crs-product/...
www.congress.gov
August 18, 2025 at 8:33 PM
"Corruption is... enabled by a political system with... a lack of independent checks on public officials," says a new report from the Director of National Intelligence. irp.fas.org/eprint/china...
March 22, 2025 at 11:18 PM
And a 2024 directive on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the intelligence community has also gone missing from the ODNI website. irp.fas.org/dni/icd/icd-...
January 27, 2025 at 3:36 PM
A 2023 intelligence community directive on Gender Identity (ICD 125) has just been *withdrawn* from the DNI website. irp.fas.org/dni/icd/icd-...
January 27, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Artificial intelligence could indirectly pose a challenge to the security of classified information, according to another new IC directive, since "AI can potentially be changed or influenced by data that it has been exposed to, including classified data." irp.fas.org/dni/icd/icd-...
January 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
DNI Haines issued another new directive that would promote Intelligence Community work with "non-state entities" including US and foreign NGOs and academic institutions. "These partners are essential to maintaining a US advantage in the context of strategic competition." irp.fas.org/dni/icd/icd-...
January 27, 2025 at 3:15 PM
A new directive on "Intelligence Diplomacy" -- which involves sharing intelligence with foreign governments in order to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives -- was one of several Intelligence Community Directives issued by outgoing DNI Avril Haines earlier this month. irp.fas.org/dni/icd/icd-...
January 27, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Richard Garwin recalled his encounters with Edward Teller in this 2009 reminiscence rlg.fas.org/judging-tell...
January 8, 2025 at 2:09 AM
In a new memoir "Frank N. von Hippel shares his remarkable journey as a key figure in the history of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy, illuminating the far-reaching consequences of nuclear accidents and the devastating impact of 'limited' nuclear war." www.rienner.com/title/Ending...
Lynne Rienner Publishers | Ending the Nuclear Arms Race A Physicist s Quest
Lynne Rienner Publishers, celebrating 35 years of independent publishing, is known for its cutting-edge, high quality scholarly and academic books and journals in politics, social sciences, and the hu...
www.rienner.com
January 3, 2025 at 7:27 PM
CRS: "Contrary to a number of news reports, U.S. policy does not prohibit the development or employment of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems." sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/I...
January 2, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Whistleblower protections for federal government employees in America date back as early as the Revolutionary War. The scope of those protections has expanded over time but still has exceptions and limitations. sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R48...
December 31, 2024 at 7:48 PM
The late Anne Cahn wrote important critiques of U.S. intelligence -- notably the Team B exercise -- and arms control policy. www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...
Anne Cahn Obituary (2024) - Washington, DC - The Washington Post
View Anne Hessing Cahn's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.
www.legacy.com
December 29, 2024 at 11:27 PM
The Pentagon has updated its "insider threat" detection policy to encompass, e.g., "reporting that indicates an individual has an affiliation with foreign entities, including organizations, persons, or agents" irp.fas.org/doddir/dod/i...
December 23, 2024 at 10:39 PM
"The President, as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, is the sole authority for the employment of U.S. nuclear weapons." irp.fas.org/doddir/dod/i...
December 17, 2024 at 9:06 PM
CRS notes today that "34 countries currently have a female chief of state and/or head of government who won an election or was selected by elected bodies" sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R45...
December 10, 2024 at 9:20 PM
A new US Intelligence Community policy aims "to elevate the analysis of Publicly Available Information, Commercially Available Information, and Open Source Intelligence" irp.fas.org/dni/icd/ics-...
December 9, 2024 at 2:23 AM
A new CRS overview of US Space Command notes that in January 2024, following complaints of over-classification of information, DoD "removed some of the classification barriers" affecting acquisition and information sharing. Further changes are under review. sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/I...
December 4, 2024 at 9:35 PM
New US Army poster promotes awareness of Chinese military gear, insignia, weapons irp.fas.org/doddir/army/...
December 4, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Access to classified information has long been predicated by law or policy on security clearances including FBI background investigations. It is uncertain how much of this security clearance apparatus could be jettisoned by a President. A new overview by CRS: sgp.fas.org/crs/secrecy/...
December 3, 2024 at 2:32 PM
CRS: "The PRC government responds aggressively to signs of autonomous social organization, independent political activity, and social unrest. Authorities severely restrict unsanctioned collective activity among religious groups, ethnic minorities, and industrial workers" sgp.fas.org/crs/row/R482...
December 3, 2024 at 12:32 AM
The highest monthly number of tornadoes on record (>550 of them) occurred in May 2024. The reasons for the surge are uncertain (better detection and reporting? climate change?). An update from CRS. sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/IF1...
November 26, 2024 at 7:56 PM
US arms sales abroad are restricted by human rights considerations. At least in theory. CRS provides a newly updated overview. sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/...
November 26, 2024 at 12:33 PM
Current and former Dept of Defense employees must submit even *unclassified* material for prepublication review by DoD if it relates to national security, according to a newly formalized DoD policy.

But "Lack of response does not constitute a public release clearance." irp.fas.org/doddir/dod/d...
November 19, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Russian use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have negative consequences for the global economy, the National Intelligence Council said in an oddly tone deaf 2022 assessment declassified in September and published last week irp.fas.org/nic/nuclear-...
November 18, 2024 at 2:24 AM