FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
1. Going OCONUS. Editor Lindy Kyzer offers, “If you’re a government contractor or employee traveling overseas – whether for work or for pleasure – you have an obligation to keep Uncle Sam’s information safe. With $99 flights to Europe coming as early as May, some cleared professionals may be contemplating a more elaborate summer vacation. Don’t let that cheap flight cost you – the Center for Development of Security Excellence, an office of the Defense Security Service – released a relatively interesting and informative overview of how foreign intelligence services target contractors overseas. . . .”
2. A little judgment . . . .. Also from Lindy Kyzer, “Young people with dreams of espionage and intrigue may do well to temper their interest in social networking. Every year the CIA has to drop several potential spies due to things they’ve said on public networking sites . . . . So what’s a social spy to do? You don’t need to give up social networking entirely, but following a few tips could help you preserve your intelligence community career potential.
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
1. ISIS in Afghanistan – confirmed. Afghan Zariza reports, “Putting all speculation to rest, a senior Afghan government official has confirmed that the abduction of 31 men belonging to ethnic Hazara community was carried out by Islamic State (Daesh) militants. . . . Mohammad Mohaqiq, second deputy of chief executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, said the 31 abducted men were in the captivity of Islamic State militants. He said Mullah Mansur Dadullah and his deputy Mullah Abdullah Kakar, the two senior Taliban commanders who now lead operations for Islamic State in Afghanistan, are behind the abduction.”
2. A nuclear world. Christian Science Monitor’s Howard La Franchi reports, “The Iran nuclear deal reached Thursday may only be an outline, with much of the most difficult work still to come before a June 30 deadline. But already some experts are seeing in the deal a potential template for how to block the emergence of a new generation of nuclear-armed powers. Galloping electricity needs and intensifying international efforts to cut carbon emissions are prompting more countries to add nuclear power plants. That makes the need for toughened international restrictions on supposedly “peaceful” civilian nuclear programs urgent . . . .”
3. Saudi Arabia looks to Pakistan. AP’s Asif Shahzad reports, “A Saudi-led coalition targeting Shiite rebels in Yemen has asked Pakistan to contribute soldiers, Pakistan’s defense minister . . . raising the possibility of a ground offensive in the country. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif made the comments as Pakistan’s parliament debates whether to contribute militarily to the campaign against the rebels, known as Houthis. Pakistan previously offered its verbal support for the mission, but hasn’t offered any military support.” See also, “Pakistan says Saudi asked for warplanes, warships and soldiers” and “Hezb-e-Islami backs Saudi Arabia.”
4. Navy’s fleet. Defense News’ Christopher P. Cavas reports, “The US Navy is now building towards a fleet goal of 308 ships, according to the latest 30-year shipbuilding plan — a small evolution from the previously-cited 306-ship target. The two ships added to the fleet total are a 12th LPD 17-class amphibious transport dock and a third Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB).”
CONTRACT WATCH
1. $6 billion split 17 ways: USAF NETCENTS-2. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala., on Thursday announced contracts to 17 IT companies for NETCENTS-2 Network Operations and Infrastructure Solutions. These companies will share $5.8 billion over the next seven years for IT services involving network management and defense; services-oriented architecture infrastructure; enterprise-level security and management and implementation and operations; telephony infrastructure; and other services.”
2. Acquisition training under fire. Government Executive’s Kymm McCabe and Anne Laurent report, “Acquisition training institutions have come under fire for failing to renovate their curricula to reflect the predominance of service contracting, the growing need to attract new vendors with innovative techniques and products, the disruptive influence of technology on acquisition and the workforce, and government adoption of commercial models such as data analytics, strategic sourcing, category management and agile procurement.”
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
1. China: cyberwarfare nation. Homeland Security News Wire reports, “U.S. intelligence officials have warned that China is increasing significantly its investment in cyber warfare programs in an attempt to compete with the U.S. military. The new spending initiative is part of a long-term, large-scale resource reallocation strategy aiming to make China one of the most capable cyber warfare nations. The increases are an effort by the Chinese to improve their cyber capabilities following the realization that they are lagging behind U.S. programs in significant ways.”
2. Mine clearing revolution. Breaking Defense’s Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. reports, “The workhorse of the new approach is the Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle. . . . The RMMV is what’s called a ‘semi-submersible’: not quite a surface craft, not quite a sub, it swims along with its upper surface just above the water. Being mostly submerged helps stabilize the small craft in choppy seas, which gives its sonar a much better picture. Being partly exposed to air allows it to burn diesel fuel, which gives it much longer endurance than batteries.”
3. Hacker sanctions. Wired’s Kim Zetter reports, “In an effort to deter and punish hackers and cyberspies who have until now been outside the reach of U.S. law enforcement, President Barack Obama signed an executive order [Wednesday] allowing the government to levy economic sanctions against individuals overseas who engage in destructive cyberattacks or commercial espionage. The order is aimed primarily at state-sponsored actors and other hackers who are beyond the reach of law enforcement or diplomatic efforts. It gives the government the power to go beyond nation-level actions to target individuals who may be sponsored or supported in some way by a nation.”
POTOMAC TWO-STEP
1. Contain thyself! “One of Congress’ most prominent Jewish members took aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his attempts to prevent a nuclear deal with Iran. ‘I wish that he would contain himself, because he has put out no real alternative,’ Sen. Dianne Feinstein said . . . . ‘I think that this kind of absolutist, ‘Well, no deal is better than a bad deal, but we don’t know what a good deal would be’ and ‘No, we have no suggestions’ is not very helpful, candidly,’ said the California Democrat, who is vice chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.”
2. Tragic flaws. “Sen. Lindsey Graham blasted President Obama’s negotiation skills — specifically his policies toward Iran. A lack of respect from the United States’ allies in the Middle East coupled with a lack of fear and respect from Iran toward Obama has led to a bad nuclear deal, Graham said. . . . Graham said he doesn’t ‘buy for one minute’ that this is ‘the best deal he [Obama] could get,’ questioning whether Obama is even the best person to deal with Iran, ‘given his miserable foreign policy failure. . . .’”
OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS
1. “Former top CIA official: Here’s Iran’s grand strategy.” Washington Post contributor Michael Morrell argues, “The nuclear framework agreement announced Thursday is a good deal for the United States. If fully implemented by Iran, it will push Iran’s breakout time to produce a weapon from just a few months to beyond a year, while making it difficult for Iran to cheat. But it will also, once sanctions are lifted, give Iran more resources to pursue its grand strategy . . . .”
2. “The Real Achievement of the Iran Nuclear Deal.” The Atlantic contributor Peter Beinart argues, “Barack Obama has now begun the process of ending America’s smaller, but still terrible, cold war with Iran. In so doing, he has improved America’s strategic position, brightened the prospects for Iranian freedom and Middle Eastern peace, and brought himself closer to being the kind of transformational, Reaganesque president he always hoped to be.”
3. “An Islamic Reformation is the world’s best chance for peace.” Reuters contributor John Lloyd argues, “An Islamic reformation would be painful, surely internally violent — as reformation’s various phases were in Christianity. It would mean the sharp diminution of the power of the Imams; frontal challenges to the moral framework of millions, and to the power of religiously based dynasties, like the House of Saud.”
THE FUNNIES
1. The Masters.
2. Nightmare-in-law.
