NJ Topics Intelligence Operations

Google

Google's Fight for NSA Transparency, Explained in 2 Paragraphs

Brian Fung | 12:38 p.m.
From the company's just-filed motion (PDF) to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court:
Mechanical Cockroaches

Did Bloomberg News Just Uncover PRISM 2.0?

Brian Fung | June 14, 2013
Curiouser and curiouser.
Ronald Machen, Jr.

Meet Obama's Leak Plumber

Matthew Cooper | June 14, 2013
As U.S. Attorney, Ronald Machen has labeled a Fox News reporter a co-conspirator. He may even get a crack at Edward Snowden. 
Traffic Cameras

If You Don't Allow Government Cameras in Your Home, Will Terrorists Win?

Ron Fournier | June 13, 2013
Reader's analogy raises question of how far we can bend Constitution before it breaks.
Reggie Walton

In Which a Secret Intelligence Court Fights Back Against More Secrecy

Brian Fung | June 12, 2013
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Edward Snowden, NSA Leaker

Why I Don't Care About Edward Snowden

Ron Fournier | June 12, 2013
Hero or traitor? The White House would love to distract us from its actions.
Roy Blunt

Why the GOP Isn't Attacking Obama Over Data Collection

Michael Catalini | June 10, 2013
Recent reports that showed the breadth of the government’s secret information-gathering have divided congressional Republicans.
A board on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Booz Allen Hamilton's Stock Falls After NSA Leak

Matt Vasilogambros | June 10, 2013
After markets opened on Monday, the  company's stock fell nearly 5 percent. 
Barack Obama

The Dirty Secrets of Washington Elites

Ron Fournier | June 10, 2013
The White House, Congress, and the media need to bring national security out of the dark.
Barbara Boxer

Government’s Data Grabs Are Unlikely to Prompt Legislative Action

Michael Catalini | June 9, 2013
Despite the political and media furor surrounding the NSA, the appetite among some top lawmakers for undoing the legislation is meager.
James Clapper

Play of the Day: Yes, The NSA Can Hear You Now

Ross Gianfortune and Government Executive | June 7, 2013
With news coming out that the National Security Agency has been collecting telephone data on millions of American Verizon customers, late-night comedians focused on Barack Obama's role in the program. Jay Leno made a play on the "big brother" term for surveillance government and made a joke about the amount of telephone time Americans use calling for pizza. Late Night's Jimmy Fallon also used some wordplay in referencing a formerly famous Verizon slogan.
Star Trek Section 31

How Star Trek Explains the NSA

Brian Fung | June 7, 2013
Star Trek has a pretty good track record of forecasting the future. Who would have thought that the franchise's darkest vision would be the next to come true?
NSA

The Surveillance State: How We Got Here and What Congress Knew

Michael Hirsh | June 7, 2013
The National Security Agency's tracking programs were pushed by the Senate, House and executive branch after 9/11.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

James Clapper Clarifies Remarks Over NSA Snooping

Michael Hirsh | June 6, 2013
Director of national intelligence clarifies remarks over NSA snooping, says Benghazi culprits were a "mixed bag."
Twitter on Phone

NSA Spying Scandal: 2006 or 2013?

Matt Vasilogambros | June 6, 2013
This isn't the first time that the National Security Agency has come under scrutiny for securing the phone records of millions of Americans.
al gore beard

Al Gore's Pissed About the NSA Spying, And Other Tweets You Might Have Missed

Niraj Chokshi | June 6, 2013
Members of Congress weigh in as others retweet old messages from the official NSA account.
Cell phone

The NSA Doesn't Need Much Phone Data to Know You're You

Niraj Chokshi and Matt Berman | June 5, 2013
Big data sets—even supposedly anonymized ones—can often be used to uniquely identify individuals.  
David Plouffe

Mild-Mannered David Plouffe Is a Terror on Twitter

Ron Fournier | June 5, 2013
As doubts about Obama's credibility rise, former White House adviser goes on the attack.
Darrell Issa

Issa Stirs Echoes of McCarthy as Obama's 'Best Friend' in IRS Probe

Ron Fournier | June 3, 2013
Chief GOP investigator doesn't know when to let damning facts speak for themselves.
comey

James Comey, Obama's Pick to Lead the FBI, Stood Up Against the Bush Legal Opinion on 'Enhanced Interrogations'

Brian Resnick and h/t: Matt Berman | May 30, 2013
Comey wrote of the opinion: "I could not agree to this because it was wrong."
U.S. Consulate in Benghazi

Under Pressure, the White House Releases More Than 100 Pages of Benghazi E-Mails

George E. Condon Jr. | May 15, 2013
The White House, in an effort to calm the swirl of controversy about the reaction to last year’s attacks on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, late Wednesday released more than 100 pages of e-mails leading to the development of talking points that attempted to explain the violence that left four Americans dead. The e-mails had earlier been shown to members of Congress but the White House had resisted releasing them, citing the precedent of protecting internal discussions within an administration.
Eric Holder on Trayvon Martin

Eric Holder in the Hot Seat as Congress Probes Scandals

Rebecca Kaplan and Kristin Roberts | May 15, 2013
The Attorney General is on Capitol Hill on today for a show of fireworks that could be unlike any seen in this Congress so far.
Russia

What Moscow's Arrest Says About U.S.-Russia Relationship

James Kitfield | May 14, 2013
As the U.S. and Russia go through the motions of expelling each other’s “diplomats” in the coming days, it’s likely they will only be pawns in a much bigger game.
obama cameron

Obama's Outrage Focused on Republicans More Than IRS

George E. Condon Jr. | May 13, 2013
At press briefing with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama slams Benghazi investigation as partisan.
Benghazi

Benghazi: Incompetence, But No Cover-up

Michael Hirsh | May 8, 2013
The hearings deepen the tragedy, but not the scandal.
Hillary Clinton

Play of the Day: A Look at 2016

Ross Gianfortune and Government Executive | May 7, 2013
Fast forward to 3:10 to see Fallon compare the two on important issues.
Boston bombing memorial

5 Ways the Boston Bombings Altered the Political Debate

Michael Catalini | April 25, 2013
From immigration to drones, the attacks had an impact on the presidential agenda.
Boston bombing memorial

The White House Is Right: Tsarnaev Should Be Tried As a Civilian

James Oliphant | April 23, 2013
The only surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bomb case will be represented by counsel and arraigned, just like any other criminal defendant.
Boston aftermath

Insiders: Boston Bombings Should Not Change Terror Policies for Soft Targets

Sara Sorcher | April 22, 2013
Two-thirds of National Journal's National Security Insiders said the U.S. government does not need to reassess its policies to prevent attacks at high-profile events in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. But Insiders' opinions are more evenly divided on U.S. intervention in Syria.
Harry Potter

What Books Do Gitmo Detainees Read?

Matt Vasilogambros | April 18, 2013
What do a suspected terrorist and a 10-year-old child have in common? They might be reading the Harry Potter books.
Person uses computer screen

How the Government Searches for the Boston Marathon Bomber

James Kitfield | April 17, 2013
The post-9/11 record strongly suggests that the U.S. authorities will indeed get their man.
Obama Boston Marathon Bombing Briefing Photo

Who Is Lisa Monaco, the White House's Counterterrorism Adviser?

Sara Sorcher | April 16, 2013
President Obama's homeland-security point person deals with the Boston Marathon bombings in her first weeks on the job.
Drones

Invasion of the Drones Has Senate Panel’s Attention

Sara Sorcher | March 20, 2013
Like it or not, drones are coming to American skies. Now Congress must find a way to protect the right to privacy.
Jay Carney

The Art of Denying Cabinet Rumors

Matt Vasilogambros | March 11, 2013
White House press secretary Jay Carney leaves Cabinet announcements to the man who actually makes the nominations: President Obama. Reporters know this, but it doesn’t stop them from asking about rumored candidates anyway.

National Security Insiders: It's Possible for Congress to Oversee Drone Program

Sara Sorcher | March 11, 2013
Plus: A narrow majority says Chuck Hagel will be a good Defense secretary.

Paul's Filibuster Draws Divisions Within GOP

Stacy Kaper and Sara Sorcher | March 7, 2013
It might not be a sign of an overnight upheaval in the leadership of Republican defense orthodoxy, but Sen. Rand Paul’s long filibuster questioning drone use in the U.S. struck a civil libertarian nerve that is illuminating divisions within GOP ranks.
RAUL LABRADOR

Labrador Says Reform More Important Than Political Gain

Fawn Johnson | March 5, 2013
At least one Republican leader on immigration in the House is ready to allow President Obama and Democrats to take credit for any reform efforts that might pass this year.
Sen. Rand Paul

Rand Paul: 'We Shouldn't Be Crisscrossing the Skies With Drones'

Sara Sorcher | February 28, 2013
The senator is concerned about the administration's use of drones for surveillance—and targeted killing—in the U.S.
Drone

What’s in the Secret Drone Memos

Michael Hirsh and Kristin Roberts | February 22, 2013
Sources say the Obama administration won’t release them because of classified agreements with foreign governments.

On the Move

Christopher Snow Hopkins and Mike Magner | February 21, 2013
Angela Rye launches a new lobby shop, Impact Strategies. Domingo Herraiz is Motorola's new VP of North American government affairs. Campaign insider Tharon Johnson joins McKenna Long & Aldridge.
AFghan Woman Wearing Burqa With Child

Fewer Afghan Civilians Are Being Killed, But Drones Are on the Rise

Matt Vasilogambros | February 19, 2013
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan released an annual report on the protection of civilians on Tuesday showing that while the number of civilian deaths in the conflict has decreased in the last year, there has been an increase in the number of deaths from drone strikes — a heated issue that has received greater attention in recent weeks, following CIA director nominee John Brennan's confirmation hearing.
waterboarding

Is Obama's Drone Policy Really Morally Superior to Torture?

Sara Sorcher | February 14, 2013
Bush was condemned for waterboarding. But this administration kills from above.
Obama

Obama Vows Openness on Drones – But Will He Follow Through?

Matt Vasilogambros | February 13, 2013
In his State of the Union address, President Obama promised to go further to make the administration’s targeted-killing program more transparent. But some experts have their doubts.

Brennan’s Love-Hate Relationship With Drones

February 8, 2013
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New Poll Shows Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio More Popular Than Obama

Michael Catalini | February 8, 2013
Hillary Rodham Clinton is the most popular American politician, while John Boehner is the least, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.
Angus King and Martin Heinrich

Scenes From John Brennan's Confirmation Hearing

Chet Susslin | February 7, 2013
John Brennan

John Brennan Shows Hagel How It's Done

Jill Lawrence | February 7, 2013
John Brennan radiated confidence and authority in his confirmation hearing to become CIA director. Just call him the un-Hagel.
Brennan

Drone Doublespeak: John Brennan Offers Few Details on 'Targeted Killings'

Ron Fournier | February 7, 2013
Other than doublespeak and vague assurances to share more information with the Senate Intelligence Committee, Brennan shed little light on the Obama administration’s drone policies.
Brennan

John Brennan’s Love-Hate Relationship With Drones

Michael Hirsh | February 7, 2013
The CIA nominee wants to dump the drones program on the Pentagon, but Defense nominee Chuck Hagel won't be happy about that.

Obama Releases Legal Opinion on Drones

February 7, 2013
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Brennan

What's At Stake in John Brennan's Hearing to Lead the CIA

Matt Vasilogambros | February 6, 2013
Questions about the administration's drone use and harsh interrogation practices in the Bush era could make for a tense hearing.
U.S. Military Drones

How the U.S. Determines When to Kill One of Its Own Citizens

Matt Vasilogambros | February 5, 2013
The Department of Justice this week leaked its legal justification for drone strikes against Americans
*TEST*

How Republicans Learned to Love the Mainstream Media

Beth Reinhard | February 5, 2013
If you’re going to declare war on the tea party, The New York Times is a good place to start.

A Contentious Week in Congress

February 4, 2013
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Drone Strike funueral

Targeted Killings: Obama’s Endless War

James Kitfield | January 31, 2013
Even as it pulls forces out of Afghanistan, the Obama administration wants to continue high-tech targeted killings in the war against terrorists.
Situation Room durin bin Laden raid

Who Is Denis McDonough, Obama's Expected Pick for Chief of Staff?

Caren Bohan | January 17, 2013
President Obama is poised to tap Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough to become his next chief of staff, turning to a member of his close inner circle to fill one of the most important jobs in his administration.
Drone

Are Drone Strikes Working? Congress Should Ask John Brennan

Danya Greenfield - The Atlantic | January 16, 2013
The confirmation hearings for CIA director are an important opportunity to evaluate U.S. policy in Yemen.
Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty Is a Gut Punch to Our Concepts of Justice and Revenge

James Oliphant | January 10, 2013
A film that makes all of us complicit in revenge.
Barack Obama, John Brennan, Mike Morell

Always a Bridesmaid: The People Obama Passes Over for Top Jobs

Rebecca Kaplan | January 9, 2013
They’ve risen to the top echelons of government bureaucracy and burned the midnight oil for President Obama, and as a result, have had their names floated for top administration positions. But by virtue of bad luck or timing, they have never received the ultimate honor. For some top advisors and politicians, the last four years have left them always playing the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Drone

What Are Targeted Killings? Their Present and Future, Explained

Jonathan Masters and Council on Foreign Relations | January 9, 2013
The present and future of targeted killings and the use of drones in U.S. policy.
Jacob Lew

Blocking Lew Gets the GOP Nowhere in Debt Ceiling Fight

Stacy Kaper | January 8, 2013
Republicans have made it clear. They are looking for a pound of flesh in the form of spending cuts in exchange for solving the next fiscal-crisis-in-waiting -- the debt ceiling. And while some aides might whisper about blocking a Treasury nominee to gain leverage, the GOP won't win on the debt ceiling -- even optically -- by employing that tactic.  
CIA Seal

Why John Brennan's Path to the CIA Is Easier Than 4 Years Ago

Matt Vasilogambros | January 7, 2013
For the second time, President Obama is considering John Brennan to head the CIA. But this time, the end result will likely be different.
Brennan Raid

Who Is John Brennan, Obama's Choice to Succeed David Petraeus at the CIA?

Brian Resnick | January 7, 2013
Here’s what to know about about the lastest figure to participate in the national-security shuffle.

Report: Obama to Tap John Brennan as CIA Director

Matt Vasilogambros | January 7, 2013
President Obama will nominate John Brennan, his top counterterrorism adviser, as the next director of the CIA, the Associated Press reports.
Syria

5 Key National-Security Issues for 2013

Sara Sorcher | December 27, 2012
It has been a turbulent year, with violence continuing in Syria, heated debates over the defense-budget topline, and the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. National Journal looks at five key national-security issues that the U.S. will wrangle next year.
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