The agreement reached at Doha in May 2008 paved the way for the election of a new president and the formation of a new national unity government, which was sworn in on July 11, 2008. The government’s principal task is now to prepare for the legislative elections of May 2009. In parallel, the country’s main political forces have resumed their national dialogue under the auspices of President Suleiman, with a view to finding a solution to the contentious political issues that have fueled internal strife and dissent.
Author Archive for Public Intelligence
Archistrategos.
Corporate
AIG: Is the Risk Systemic?
Systemic risk is the risk imposed by inter-linkages and interdependencies in a system or market, which could potentially bankrupt or bring down the entire system or market if one player is eliminated, or a cluster of failures occurs at once. Systemic financial risk occurs when contingency plans that are developed individually to address selected risks are collectively incompatible. It is the quintessential “knee bone is connected to the thigh bone…” where every element that once appeared independent is connected with every other element.
Bilderberg
Official List of Participants for the 2009 Bilderberg Meeting
The 57’h Bilderberg Meeting will be held in Vouliagmeni, Greece 14 – 17 May 2009. The Conference will deal mainly with the financial crisis, governments and markets, role of institutions, market economies and democracies, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, US and the World, cyberterrorism, new imperialisms, protectionism, post-Kyoto challenges.
Securities and Exchange Commission
SEC Litigation Release for Hazem Khalid Al-Braikan
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it filed today an enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charging Hazem Khalid Al-Braikan, a resident of Kuwait, and three related foreign entities for engaging in an illicit scheme through which they reaped millions of dollars in profits from trading around hoax offers to acquire U.S. companies. The SEC obtained an emergency court order to freeze more than $5 million in trading profits that it has located in various accounts in their names.
G8, International Monetary Fund
The Global Economy and Oil Markets: Developments and Prospects
After sharp price run-ups through mid-2008, the commodity price boom ended abruptly with the financial crisis and the onset of the global downturn. The collapse of commodity prices largely reflected much weaker demand prospects, with financial factors playing a secondary role.
Department of Defense
Information Operations Condition (INFOCON)
Information Operations Condition (INFOCON) is a threat level system in the United States similar to that of DEFCON or FPCON. INFOCON is a defense system based primarily on the status of information systems and is a method used by the military to defend against a computer network attack.
U.S. Strategic Command
Strategic Command Directive (SD) 527-1
The INFOCON system provides a framework within which the Commander USSTRATCOM (CDRUSSTRATCOM), regional commanders, service chiefs, base/post/camp/station/vessel commanders, or agency directors can increase the measurable readiness of their networks to match operational priorities.
Centers for Disease Control
CDC Director’s Update Brief July 21, 2009
– novel 2009-H1N1 Declarations
• WHO: Pandemic Phase 6(11 JUN 2009 1600 EDT)
• USG: Public Health Emergency declared (26 Apr 2009)
• HHS: Downgraded to Phase 1 Awareness (9 May 2009)
Only hospitalizations and deaths of cases will be reported as of 23 July 2009.
Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program
SIGTARP Quarterly Report
By itself, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) is a huge program at $700 billion. As discussed in SIGTARP’s April Quarterly Report, the total financial exposure of TARP and TARP-related programs may reach approximately $3 trillion. Although large in its own right, TARP is only a part of the combined efforts of the Federal Government to address the financial crisis.
Government Accountability Office
Project Bioshield: HHS Can Improve Agency Internal Controls for Its New Contracting Authorities
Since 2004, HHS has awarded nine contracts using its Special Reserve Fund (Fund) purchasing authority under the BioShield Act to procure countermeasures that address anthrax, botulism, smallpox, and radiation poisoning. HHS may procure countermeasures that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and ones that are unapproved, but are within 8 years of approval.
Department of Homeland Security
Oral Testimony of Secretary Napolitano Regarding “Identification Security”
Pass ID is a bill that I support. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) worked with governors and other stakeholders to provide technical assistance in its drafting and—so the approach that Pass ID takes to fix REAL ID is one that I support. I think it makes sense. This is an important piece of national security legislation that is designed to help fulfill the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government set security standards for driver’s licenses.
U.S. District Court
Robert Allen Stanford Indictment
Stanford Financial Group (SFG) was the parent company of Stanford International Bank, Ltd. and a web of other affiliated financial services entities, including Stanford Group Company. SFG maintained offices in several locations, including Houston, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Miami, Florida.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Second Amended Complaint in SEC v. Stanford International Bank, Ltd., et al.
For at least a decade, R. Allen Stanford and James M. Davis executed a massive Ponzi scheme through entities under their control, including Stanford International Bank, Ltd. (“SIB”) and its affiliated Houston-based broker-dealers and investment advisers, Stanford Group Company (“SGC”) and Stanford Capital Management (“SCM”). Stanford and Davis, acting in concert with the other defendants, misappropriated billions of dollars of investor funds and falsified SIB’s financial statements in an effort to conceal their fraudulent conduct.
Centers for Disease Control
CDC Director’s H1N1 Update Brief July 17, 2009
Novel 2009-H1 N1 Declarations
* WHO: Pandemic Phase 6(11 JUN 2009 1600 EDT)
* Outbreaks in at least one country in > two WHO regions
* USG: Public Health Emergency declared (26 Apr 2009)
* HHS: Downgraded to Phase 1 Awareness (9 May 2009)
Congressional Budget Office
Preliminary Analysis of the Insurance Coverage Specifications Provided by the House Tri-Committee Group
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) have completed a preliminary analysis of the major provisions related to health insurance coverage that are contained in title I of draft legislation called the Affordable Health Choices Act, which was released by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) on June 9, 2009. Among other things, that draft legislation would establish insurance exchanges (called “gateways”) through which individuals and families could purchase coverage and would provide federal subsidies to substantially reduce the cost of that coverage for some enrollees.
U.S. Air Force
Air Force Advanced Technical Exploitation Contract
Rapid and generally automated exploitation and reporting with adequate human intervention to produce actionable intelligence. This activity ranges from data processing to initial data interpretation to data posting for rapid dissemination/access across the community. It supports current intelligence issues and threats, warning/combat/crisis operations, and cueing other intelligence collectors.
Documents
Soldiers’ Testimonies from Operation Cast Lead, Gaza 2009
Several months have passed since the end of Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, and many Israelis are still not aware of what really happened there. For lack of basic facts, we are forced to accept unconditionally the positions of the official bodies, which assure us that in spite of any doubts, the IDF’s conduct was faultless and public accountability is uncalled for.
U.S. Army
FMI 2-22.9: Open Source Intelligence
OSINT operations are integral to Army intelligence operations. Directly or indirectly, publicly available information forms the basis of all intelligence operations and intelligence products. The availability, depth, and range of publicly available information enable intelligence organizations to satisfy many intelligence requirements without the use of specialized human or technical means of collection.
United Kingdom
MI6 Headquarters, Vauxhall Cross
The headquarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service, also known as Military Intelligence, Section 6, is located at 85, Albert Embankment in the south western part of central London, on the bank of the River Thames beside Vauxhall Bridge. Designed by Terry Farrell and built by John Laing, the Developer Regalian Properties PLC approached the government in 1987 to assess their interest in the proposed building. At the same time, MI6’s sister service MI5 was seeking alternative accommodation and collocation of the two organisations was considered.
National Guard
Region XIII+ (MT) MPC Planning Conference
Vigilant Guard is a Homeland Security/Homeland Defense FEMA Regional exercise program sponsored by NORADNORTHCOM
and the National Guard Bureau J7 Office. The program provides an opportunity for State National Guard Joint Force Headquarters
to improve command and control and operational relationships with internal, regional civilian and military partners.
National Guard
Montana Vigilant Guard Cabinet Brief
Vigilant Guard is a Homeland Security/Homeland Defense FEMA Regional exercise program series hosted by the National Guard Bureau. The program provides an opportunity for the State to improve emergency coordination, response and recovery management with federal, regional, local civilian and military partners.
National Guard
Montana Vigilant Guard 2009 Brief
• Vigilant Guard (VG) dates are 15-16-17 Sep 09
• Units and Soldiers/Airmen will arrive via convoy.
• Units and Soldiers/Airmen will be required to in-process as part of JRSOI operations.
• JRSOI operations will be conducted at Fort Harrison, Helena, MT.
• Units entering the state are not logistically self-sufficient and must be supported by the JFHQ-MT.
• Approximately 675 Soldiers/Airmen participating in VG, approximately 20+ Units and 430 PAX from outside Helena, MT.
United States
US Code Title 42, § 264, Part G: Quarantine and Inspection
The Surgeon General, with the approval of the Secretary, is authorized to make and enforce such regulations as in his judgment are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the States or possessions, or from one State or possession into any other State or possession. For purposes of carrying out and enforcing such regulations, the Surgeon General may provide for such inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation, pest extermination, destruction of animals or articles found to be so infected or contaminated as to be sources of dangerous infection to human beings, and other measures, as in his judgment may be necessary.
White House
Executive Order 13375
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 361(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264(b)), it is hereby ordered as follows Based upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Surgeon General, and for the purpose set forth in section 1 of Executive Order 13295 of April 4, 2003, section 1 of such order is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: (c) Influenza caused by novel or reemergent influenza viruses that are causing, or have the potential to cause, a pandemic.
Office of Inspector General of the Depratment of Defense
Unclassified Inspectors General Report on the President’s Surveillance Program
Title III of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Act of 2008 required the Inspectors General (IGs) of the elements of the Intelligence Community that participated in the President’s Surveillance Program (PSP) to conduct a comprehensive review of the program. The IGs of the Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence participated in the review required under the Act. The Act required the IGs to submit a comprehensive report on the review to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Committee on the Judiciary.