New National Security Archive Collection: 38 Documents on FBI Counter-terrorism

Thirty-eight declassified documents collected by GWU's National Security Archive, documenting decades of FBI involvement in confronting terrorism.  See here.  Interesting examples include the Hansen and Ames espionage investigations, and historical documents on Latin America, Iran, the Soviet Union, and al Qaeda, as well as domestic terrorism including skinheads and eco-terrorists.

Watching Now (CSPAN): Brookings Institution: Foreign Policy & Election

C-SPAN @ the Brookings Institution.  Richard Williamson for Romney and Michele Flournoy for Obama.  I didn't catch it from the beginning but a good debate, now in the audience Q&A session, including from foreign media. I'm not familiar with Williamson, will look him up in a minute.  I know I've seen scholarship by Flournoy produced prior to her work with the Obama administration and campaign, but I don't recall specifics.  More attention is being paid to Williamson, as the point is to clarify the positions that distinguish Romney from Obama.  Two or three times now Williamson has said "Governor Reagan" instead of "Governor Romney."   Now on China. Williamson lists litany of issues, says Romney will use WTO more aggressively. He's complimentary to Obama on pursuing human rights vis-a-vis China, and to SecState Clinton on building a regional alliance (Vietnam, et al).

Overall good debate.

http://www.c-span.org/Events/Campaigns39-Senior-Foreign-Policy-Advisers-Debate-International-Agenda/10737432606/

U.S. debt to China and Japan, 2001-2011

The following figures from the Treasury Department indicate the amount of debt owed by the United States to China and Japan. Today each of these countries holds about 7-9% of U.S. debt.  From January 2001 to December 2008 (aka the George W. Bush administration) the amount owed to China grew from $61.5 billion to $727.4 billion, the latter figure nearly 12 times the earlier figure. In the first four years of the GWB presidency, the debt to China increased nearly 4 times. Under President Obama, this has continued, though the growth rate has slowed.  In January 2009 the debt to China was $739.6 billion, rising to $1151.9 billion in December 2011, about 1.5 times the earlier figure.  U.S. debt to Japan doubled in the 8 years of the Bush administration, and under Obama the debt to Japan is nearly double what it was when he took office. 

 In billions of U.S. dollars

           1/01    10/01  12/01   06/02   12/02    12/03    12/04     12/05    12/06   12/07     09/08

China  61.5      72.3   78.6      96.5    118.4    159.0    222.9     310.0    396.9   477.6      618.2

Japan 312.3   314.5 317.9    335.8     378.1   550.8    689.9     670.0    622.9   581.0      617.5

           12/08     01/09      12/09       06/10     12/11

China 727.4     739.6       894.8      1112.1    1151.9
Japan  626.0     634.8      765.7        799.9    1058.0

Recommended: Two Works on Afghanistan

Both on Afghanistan. The first, a clear-eyed assessment of five lessons we should learn from the past decade's adventures in Afghanistan.  Published on American Security Project's website, the Joshua Foust article is found here.

The second is by Major General Michael T. Flynn, USA, Capt. Matt Pottinger, USMC, and Paul D. Batchelor of the Defense Intelligence Agency.  The three have long been steeped in intel in Afghanistan and elsewhere.  The paper, titled Fixing Intel: A Blueprint for Making Intelligence Relevant in Afghanistan, can be found here. It's a strongly worded and very valuable contribution to our understanding of the problems and possibilities for the intelligence community in Afghanistan and in its relations with the IC and policymakers in Washington, DC.

Mapping Afghanistan's Minerals

Very important in analyzing the geopolitical future of Afghanistan and the interests of the US, China, India and Russia.  See BBC report here