揭开美国"国家地理空间情报局"的神秘面纱

随着美国<2004财年国防授权法案>的签署,成立于1996年10月的美国军事测绘部门--国家影像与绘图局(NIMA)正式更名为"国家地理空间情报局"(NGA),这也意味着该局已经有资格与美国赫赫有名的联邦调查局(FBI)、中央情报局(CIA)和国家安全局(NSA)等三个大牌机构平起平坐.同时,当人们揭开NGA的神秘面纱之后,美国的军事测绘保障工作也进入了一个新的阶段.     

Terrorism Targeting Industrial Chemical Facilities: Strategic Motivations and the Implications for U.S. Security

Policy to reduce the threat of a terrorist attack against industrial chemical facilities—critical infrastructure with potential to cause mass casualties—is being driven by incomplete and, in some cases, incorrect assumptions. This article chronicles incidents by non-state actors directed at the chemical industry and explores the strategic considerations prompting groups to target the industry. By incorporating motivations for targeting infrastructure a more robust, comprehensive risk assessment is realized. Analysis challenging the “insider” threat paradigm and recommendations to ameliorate the potential effects are also presented. These are found to differ substantially from the leading policy measures currently advocated.     

Democracy,Al Qaeda,and the Causes of Terrorism: A Strategic Analysis of U.S. Policy

How will the strategy of spreading democracy affect the threat of terrorism from Al Qaeda and likeminded Islamic extremist groups? This article analyzes how spreading democracy would impact four different sets of underlying motivations that lead to this kind of terrorism. It will show that the widespread belief in the power of democracy is likely misplaced because democracy will be unlikely to change perceptions of occupation, will itself threaten Islamic identity and culture, will be unlikely to mitigate economic grievances, and will be unlikely to provide a more legitimate government than one based on religious law.