Secrecy News -- 03/30/12

Fri Mar 30 06:45:10 PDT 2012

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SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2012, Issue No. 29
March 30, 2012

Secrecy News Blog:  http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/

**     THE PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC, AND MORE FROM CRS
**     NEW POLICY ON MITIGATING RISKS OF BIO RESEARCH

THE PIVOT TO THE PACIFIC, AND MORE FROM CRS

The growing emphasis on Asia as a focus of U.S. national security
planning, known as the "pivot to the Pacific," is discussed in a new report
from the Congressional Research Service.

"Underlying the 'pivot' is a conviction that the center of gravity for
U.S. foreign policy, national security, and economic interests is being
realigned and shifting towards Asia, and that U.S. strategy and priorities
need to be adjusted accordingly," the CRS report says. "For many observers,
it is imperative that the United States give more emphasis to the
Asia-Pacific. Indeed, for years, many countries in the region have
encouraged the United States to step up its activity to provide a balance
to Chinabs rising influence."

"There are a number of risks to the 'pivot,' however. In an era of
constrained U.S. defense resources, an increased U.S. military emphasis on
the Asia-Pacific region might result in a reduction in U.S. military
capacity in other parts of the world. Another budgetary consideration is
that plans to restructure U.S. military deployments in Asia and minimize
cuts in the Navy may run up against more restrictive funding constraints
than plans yet assume."

"Additionally," the report says, "the perception among many that the
'rebalancing' is targeted against China could strengthen the hand of
Chinese hard-liners. Such an impression could also potentially make it more
difficult for the United States to gain Chinabs cooperation on a range of
issues. Additionally, the prominence the Obama Administration has given to
the initiative has raised the costs to the United States if it or successor
administrations fail to follow through on public pledges made, particularly
in the military realm."

Congress is fully entitled to review the emerging policy, which is
predicated on congressional action and cooperation, the CRS report said.

"Given that one purpose of the 'pivot' or 'rebalancing' toward the
Asia-Pacific is to deepen U.S. credibility in the region at a time of
fiscal constraint, Congressbs oversight and appropriations roles, as well
as its approval authority over free trade agreements, will help determine
to what extent the Administrationbs plans are implemented and how various
trade-offs are managed."

A copy of the report was obtained by Secrecy News.  See "Pivot to the
Pacific? The Obama Administration's 'Rebalancing' Toward Asia," March 28,
2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42448.pdf

Other new and updated CRS reports that Congress has declined to make
directly available to the public include the following.

Burma's April Parliamentary By-Elections, March 28, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42438.pdf

Guam: U.S. Defense Deployments, March 29, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS22570.pdf

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations,
March 26, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42440.pdf

NEW POLICY ON MITIGATING RISKS OF BIO RESEARCH

Certain types of life science research involving "high consequence
pathogens and toxins" would be subject to new review and risk mitigation
procedures which might include classification of the research or
termination of the funding, according to a U.S. government policy issued
yesterday by the National Institutes of Health.

The policy applies to research involving 15 specified biological agents
and toxins which "pose the greatest risks of deliberate misuse with most
significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the
economy, critical infrastructure or public confidence."

Research that increases the lethality or transmissibility of the agent or
toxin, or otherwise enhances its harmful consequences, will be subject to
the new review procedures.

Based on the outcome of the review, a risk mitigation plan may be
developed.  If less restrictive measures were deemed inadequate, the new
policy would allow for national security classification of the research or
termination of government funding.

See "United States Government Policy for Oversight of Life Sciences Dual
Use Research of Concern," March 29, 2012:

	http://www.fas.org/sgp/eprint/dualuse.pdf

See also "U.S. Requires New Dual-Use Biological Research Reviews" by David
Malakoff, Science Insider, March 29:

	http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/03/

_______________________________________________
Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the
Federation of American Scientists.

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_______________________
Steven Aftergood
Project on Government Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
web:    www.fas.org/sgp/index.html
email:  saftergood at fas.org
voice:  (202) 454-4691
twitter: @saftergood

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