Saturday, April 15, 2017
Friday, April 14, 2017
When “incidental” intel collection—isn’t incidental
I’ve spoken to a small group of reliable, formerly high-placed intelligence officials who have dropped a few interesting tidbits on me of late. Here’s my understanding, based on the discussions:
- It’s not true that wiretaps and/or electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens can “only” be done with a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) court order.
- Besides the FISA court, “wiretapping” or electronic surveillance can also be done under Title III authority. The government used this authority, for example, in the Justice Department’s secret Fast and Furious “gunwalking” case.
- Additionally, U.S. Presidents have the power to issue secret presidential directives that can authorize otherwise illegal acts (theoretically in the country’s best interests). These directives may come with pre-planned cover stories to be used in the event the operation is exposed, and they come with indemnity for those involved, giving them permission to lie about the operation or their involvement without fear of prosecution.
- The public will rarely know about such presidential directives since most who see them must sign agreements that promise nondisclosure and consent to polygraphs.
- Computer surveillance is a grey area in the intelligence community where many insiders argue the traditional privacy restrictions and surveillance rules don’t necessarily apply.
- The term “wiretapping” is used in a general sense to refer to electronic eavesdropping, even though the actual “tapping” of “wires” is not routinely necessary with today’s technology and tradecraft.
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Flagship carrier Air China to suspend flights to Pyongyang from Beijing
Air China, the only Chinese carrier with regular services to North Korea, will suspend flights between Beijing and Pyongyang from Monday, China Central Television reported on Friday.
No reason was given for the suspension but flights between the two countries have been put on hold in the past due to lack of passengers.
The announcement came hours after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that a conflict over North Korea could break out “at any moment”.
“Lately, tensions have risen ... and one has the feeling that a conflict could break out at any moment,” Wang said. “If a war occurs, the result is a situation in which everybody loses and there can be no winner.”
Wang’s pointed assessment followed US President Donald Trump’s statement that the North Korea problem “will be taken care of”, as speculation mounts that...
1st video released of US mega-bomb strike against ISIS
The footage shows the devastation of the 11-ton yield bomb, which was dropped from a MC-130 aircraft. A large mushroom cloud of smoke can be seen over the region, with a massive crater left in its wake.
The MOAB, known officially as the GBU-43/B, was first tested in 2003 but had not been used by the US since, due to concerns over possible civilian casualties. The bomb has a blast radius of 1-mile (1.6 km) and costs $16 million to produce just one.
WATCH: Lockheed’s Sikorsky Touts Coaxial Attack Helo Concept
Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Sikorsky unit is out out with a new video touting its concept for a coaxial attack helicopter for the U.S. Army.
The three-and-a-half-minute animated video was released Monday and features the company’s idea for an assault and attack variant of the SB>1 Defiant, a large coaxial design it’s pitching for the U.S. Army‘s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) technology demonstrator and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programs.
The attack version will cruise at more than 250 knots — nearly double the speed of the average helo, perform a hover out of ground effect (HOGE) at 6,000 feet and 95 degrees Fahrenheit — which at standard temperature is almost the equivalent of flying at 14,000 feet, and hold a crew of four and up to 12 combat-equipped troops or room for up to eight litters, according to the commercial.
With increased range and payload, the choppers could be refueled by KC-130J and next-generation Air Force tankers, according to the advertisement.
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