FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
War and innovation. Contributor Peter Suciu writes, “The military is . . . playing catch up in working with startups, and here is where the intelligence community has had a lead. Already the Defense Department has funneled money into the CIA’s startup-backing program that is dubbed ‘In-Q-Tel.’ According to its website IQT’s mission is to identify, adapt and deliver innovative technologies to support the missions of both the CIA and broader U.S. intelligence community.”
Company culture. Contributor Jennifer Cary writes, “While it may not seem as important as negotiating a salary or a short commute, company culture should be at the forefront of every job seeker’s checklist. . . . Deciding what your ideal company culture looks like is easy, but finding a company that matches those desires can be tough. When you’re considering a new position, follow these steps to determine what the company culture looks like and if it works for you. . . .”
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
Retaking Ramadi. BBC reports, “Iraqi officials say the army is now in ‘full control’ of central Ramadi, where so-called Islamic State (IS) has been resisting an army offensive. A former government compound, where IS fighters had been holding out, has been retaken . . . . In recent days, troops have been picking their way through booby-trapped streets and buildings as they pushed towards the city centre, seizing several districts on the way.” See also, “Slow progress.”
ISIS: Spoils of war. Reuters’ Jonathan Landay, Warren Strobel, and Phil Stewart report, “Islamic State has set up departments to handle ‘war spoils,’ including slaves, and the exploitation of natural resources such as oil, creating the trappings of government that enable it to manage large swaths of Syria and Iraq and other areas. The hierarchical bureaucracy, including petty rivalries between officials, and legal codes in the form of religious fatwas are detailed in a cache of documents seized by U.S. Special Operations Forces in a May raid in Syria that killed top IS financial official Abu Sayyaf.”
Baghdadi speaks. The Long War Journal’s Thomas Joscelyn reports, “The Islamic State has released a defiant new speech by Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. In the new audio message, which was posted online on Dec. 26, Baghdadi claims the West and its allies are afraid of an apocalyptic showdown in Iraq and Syria. He dares the US to wage a ground war. The ‘Christian Crusaders and infidel nations,’ with the ‘Jews behind them,’ do not ‘dare come to the land to fight a small group of mujahideen,’ Baghdadi says . . . .”
AWACS to Turkey. Defense News’ Burak Ege Bekdil reports, “Germany will send Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) to Turkey to help augment the NATO ally’s airspace from potential threats from Syria. . . . Turkish diplomats said the German military would send more troops to operate the early warning aircraft in Turkey.”
War in Afghanistan. The Christian Science Monitor’s Scott Peterson reports, “A brief Taliban takeover of the northern city of Kunduz this fall helped convince President Barack Obama to keep thousands of troops in Afghanistan through 2017. . . . At its height, the US and foreign troop presence in Afghanistan topped 130,000. Hundreds of billions of dollars flowed here to rebuild the nation and institute new forms of civil society and democracy. Yet when put to the test, after years of training, Afghan security forces in Kunduz ran away from Taliban fighters, despite a reported 15-to-1 advantage.”
CONTRACT WATCH
India shops for UAVs. Business Standard reports, “India has sought 100 latest unmanned aerial vehicles from the US, both armed and surveillance versions, worth $2 billion to bolster its arsenal amid recurring incursions by Chinese troops. . . . It has also sought Predator XP category which is a surveillance version for internal security issues and terrorist threats. According to industry sources, India is looking for about 100 drones worth $2 billion.”
Congress seeks cybersecurity. Federal Times’ Aaron Boyd reports, “The U.S. Senate has been beefing up its cybersecurity and now the Office of the Sergeant at Arms (SAA) is looking for contractors that can help conduct threat and intelligence analysis on the network. . . . Those contractors would work alongside SAA’s new cyber threat analysis team to search for weaknesses within the network and any evidence of compromise. The analysis team is part of IT Security Branch Manager Linus Barloon’s proactive strategy for cybersecurity.”
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
Security breach Israel. Defense News’ Barbara Opall-Rome reports, “A ‘serious information security violation’ forced Israel’s Defense Ministry on Sunday to terminate Yair Ramati as head of the Ministry’s Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO). . . . Defense and industry sources described the security breach as involving classified information stored on Ramati’s personal laptop computer.”
Hacks in review. Wired’s Kim Zetter writes, “Every year hack attacks seem to get worse—whether in their sophistication, breadth, or sheer brazenness. This year was no different. Big hacks hit a range of high-profile targets, from the web’s leading adultery website to the federal Office of Personal Management. We’re also ending 2015 with a doozy of a hack mystery . . . .”
Tech in 2016. Nextgov’s Hallie Golden reports, “From DevOps to Cloud computing, the speed at which the technology sphere is currently evolving is only going to increase in the coming year. It is important for agencies to accept this and welcome it into their daily work. That’s according to Joel Dolisy, chief information officer and chief technology officer for technology company SolarWinds. Dolisy’s advice for federal agencies navigating the IT space in 2016? Embrace the change.”
Tech threats in 2016. Venture Beat contributor Min-Pyo Hong writes, “As we fast approach 2016, my security team and I have been compiling a forecast of mobile security trends and vulnerabilities that concern us most. My goal in outlining these threats is not to raise alarm or panic, but to paint a picture of the gravest security concerns we face in the coming year, and hopefully, encourage the industry at large to prepare for them now.With the proper precautions, most of them can be minimized, or forestalled altogether. . . .”
Cyber-legislation 2016. The Hill’s Katie Bo Williams writes, “On the heels of passing its most significant cybersecurity legislation in years, Congress is poised to tackle a slate of fresh digital issues in 2016. Concerns over terrorist use of encrypted technology, proliferating hacks on retail companies, invalidated data transfers between the U.S. and the European Union, and more have pushed lawmakers to urge action on cybersecurity. Here are six lawmakers to watch on cybersecurity issues in 2016. . . .”
POTOMAC TWO-STEP
Compromise closer. “Republicans understood early in 2015 that if they were going to get must-pass bills across the finish line, it would require help from Democrats to do it. After years of struggling and failing to win over their own faction of conservatives, leading to an October 2013 government shutdown, Republican leaders decided to work across the aisle to win enough votes to move legislation in each chamber.”
Rear view. “It’s been a wild year in politics, both on the presidential campaign trail and in the halls of Congress. But as 2015 draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of who saw their fortunes rise, and who might want to put the past 12 months behind them. . . .”
OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS
“The Ugly Truth About Avoiding War With China.” The National Interest contributor John Glaser argues, “If outright war is not in the cards, a long, drawn-out, burdensome cold war is quite plausible. If Washington is tempted to maintain or expand its reach in East Asia to contain China’s rise, the chances of conflict increase, as do the associated costs short of war, such as bigger defense budgets, strengthened security guarantees to allies and increased deployments.”
“China is finally taking its seat at the world’s table.” Reuters contributor Anja Manuel argues, “It is preferable to have China and other rising powers inside a larger tent — even if they often disagree — rather than on the outside creating an alternative order that Washington cannot influence.”
“Montenegro Will Join NATO — and That Matters.” Defense One contributor Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Evelyn Farkas argues, “This December 2 brought — along with the horrific San Bernardino attacks — some good news for Americans: we have another formal ally in our war against radical Islamic terrorism and another demonstration of the appeal of free-market capitalism, democracy and collective security built on sovereignty and consensus.”
“A bright hope for 2016: India and Pakistan reconcile.” The Christian Science Monitor’s Editorial Board argues, “India and Pakistan need to embrace common values and build on a shared culture and history. The warmth of the Modi-Sharif visit shows what is possible.”
