|
|
Cipher Brief Highlights and
Exclusives
|
|
|
OPEN SOURCE
COLLECTION -- It's been a busy weekend of news in the national
security space. Here's your brief:
The Justice
Department's Inspector General says the FBI severely mishandled surveillance
during the investigation of Russian election interference; the House passes the National Defense Authorization
Act clearing
the way for the creation of Space Force (among other things); North Korea is accusing the U.S. of hostile provocation over the U.S.' criticism of
North Korea's recent
missile tests;
Telefonica
Deutschland
announces it will partner with Huawei and Nokia to build its 5G network; Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan says
Ankara will send
troops to
support the UN
in Libya (and
to oppose Russian troops) if requested; and U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo announces
new sanctions
on Iran, this time, targeting a shipping company and an airline.
Get all the
details in today's Open Source Collection stories below.
NORTH KOREA'S
ANGST -- North
Korea's latest accusations of provocation against the United States in
response to U.S. criticism of recent missile tests illustrates more of
the same kind of frustrating rhetoric that has gotten the U.S. and North
Korea nowhere in their effort to negotiate North Korea's nuclear and
economic future. So, are we worse or better off than before talks
began?
- "After Hanoi, there have
been just two moments of encouragement for the embattled North
Korean leader. The first was when Trump dropped in for a stroll onto
North Korean soil at Panmunjom in June. The other was when Bolton
was sacked in September. Since then, there has been nothing but
frustration and so Kim reached for the old Pyongyang playbook."
writes former Senior British Diplomat Tim Willasey-Wilsey, well
respected for his insights on the reclusive country.
- Where
is this headed and how can the West influence North Korea's actions?
Read Kim Jong-Un's
Frustration and the Risk of Hybrid Warfare only in The Cipher
Brief
AND ICYMI -- Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, also
a Cipher Brief expert, wrote this week that "The spate of
recent threats and insults from North Korea is not unfamiliar to
some of us who have negotiated with North Korea. In fact, it’s part
of their playbook. When they’re not happy, they criticize and threaten to
escalate, hoping we cave and accommodate their demands. We’ve seen this
for the past 25 years. But it’s different now and Kim Jong-un
should understand and appreciate this."
Read Kim Jong-Un's Bad Advice
by Ambassador Joseph DeTrani
CIPHER BRIEF
TWITTER POLL -- After Inspector General Michael Horowitz's
testimony yesterday, how do you rate your confidence in the FISA
process? Vote here.
RECOMMENDED
READ --
Read Despite the Pensacola
Shooting, Its a Good Thing for the U.S. to Train Foreign Militaries
by Cipher Brief Expert Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.) in TIME.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Cipher Brief is pleased to welcome Virginia Tech’s
Hume Center for National Security & Technology to the Academic Incubator
program. The Hume Center leads Virginia Tech's
research, education, and outreach programs focused on the challenges of cybersecurity,
autonomy, and resilience for the national security community. Current
research initiatives include machine learning and artificial
intelligence, assured and secure communications, space and undersea
missions, and 5G security.
If your University is
interested in joining The Cipher Brief's Academic Incubator program - which provides free
subscriptions for enrolled students - drop an email to Editor@thecipherbrief.com
BECOME A
MEMBER: The
holidays are coming up, so treat yourself for just $10/month to a
year full of national security insights and expert analysis in The Cipher
Brief. Be sure to visit the website to
access all of our expert national security content.
|
|
|
The Cipher Brief has partnered with
Concentric Advisors to bring you TraCR
|
|
|
The
next Cipher
Brief Threat Conference is March 22-24, 2020 at The
Cloister Resort in Sea Island, GA.
|
|
|
Because it seems harder than ever
today to find relevant headlines on what's happening outside of
Washington D.C., The Cipher Brief is pleased to share our latest open
source information on the stories that impact national security.
The Lead
“Gross Incompetence and Negligence”
at the FBI. Michael Horowitiz, the Justice Department’s
Inspector General, testified before Congress on Wednesday. Horowitz
said the FBI severely mishandled surveillance during the investigation of
Russian election interference, but that the errors were not intentional
or politically biased. Speaking of his report released Monday, “It
doesn’t vindicate anybody at the FBI who touched this, including the
leadership,” Horowitz told lawmakers. The New York Times The Wall Street Journal
House Passes Military Spending Bill. The House of
Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) on Wednesday that approves the creation of the Space Force
and a pay raise for troops. The $738 billion bill passed 377-48 with
bipartisan support. The New York Times
North Korea
Accuses U.S. of Hostile Provocation. North Korea
on Thursday accused the U.S. of what it called 'hostile
provocation' for criticizing the most recent missile tests by
North Korea.The comments came during a UN Security Council meeting.
The unnamed North Korean spokesman also said that the 'foolish' comments
may have ruined the chance to salvage the nuclear talks between the two
countries. Associated Press
Asia
Afghanistan: Taliban Attack Bagram. The Taliban
attacked a medical facility outside the southern portion of Bagram
Airfield on Wednesday killing two people and wounding at least 73.
A car bomb penetrated the medical facility and the ensuing attack lasted
12 hours. The perimeter of the base was not
breached.
Al Jazeera Military Times The New York Times
China: Government Detained the Most
Journalists Last Year. The Committee to
Protect Journalists released a report Wednesday that China had displaced
Turkey as the world’s leader in detention of journalists. Turkey
was second while Saudi Arabia and Egypt tied for third. At
least 250 journalists were detained globally this year. The New York Times
India: Protests Break Out as
Citizenship Law Passes. India’s upper
house passed the citizenship law on Wednesday. Critics say the law
compromises the country’s secular constitution and discriminates against
Muslims. Protests broke out and clashed with police in the northern
regions of India. DW
|
|
|
