The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

NYT Review: 2.6.13  Mike Nova's starred items Boy Scouts Postpone Decision on Gays via NYT > U.S. by By LAUREN D’AVOLIO and KIRK JOHNSON on 2/6/13 Boy Scouts of America, which earlier said it was reconsidering a ban on participation by gays, said on Wednesday it was delaying its decision on the matter until May.   Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War: John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing via NEWS by Mike Nova on 2/6/13 TimesCast » Presented by Play video Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing. Drone Strikes to Get Rare Moment in Public Eye By ROBERT F. WORTH, MARK MAZZETTI and SCOTT SHANE 9:38 AM ET SANA, Yemen — John O. Brennan will face a Senate hearing Thursday as the nominee for C.I.A. dire

TimesCast » Presented by Play video Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times Public Scrutiny of a Clandestine War John O. Brennan’s role overseeing drone strikes will be highlighted at his C.I.A. confirmation hearing. Drone Strikes to Get Rare Moment in Public Eye By ROBERT F. WORTH, MARK MAZZETTI and SCOTT SHANE 9:38 AM ET SANA, Yemen — John O. Brennan will face a Senate hearing Thursday as the nominee for C.I.A. director. News Analysis: Report Whets Appetite for Less Secrecy Post a Comment | Read (108)

December 9, 2012 Same-Sex Issue Pushes Justices Into Overdrive   By ADAM LIPTAK WASHINGTON — Life moves fast these days, and so does the law. In the civil rights era, the Supreme Court waited decades to weigh in on interracial marriage. On Friday, by contrast, the court did not hesitate to jump into the middle of one of the most important social controversies of the day, agreeing to hear two cases on same-sex marriage . By taking both, the court gave itself the chance to issue a sweeping ruling that would cast aside bans on same-sex marriage nationwide. But the speed with which the court moved also raised the possibility of a split decision, one that would provide federal benefits to same-sex couples married in states that allow such unions but would permit other states to forbid gay and lesbian couples from marrying. Gay rights advocates said they were optimistic that the time had come for marriage equality across the nation. “We a

Mike Nova's starred items   Smokers Celebrate Washington Pot Law via WSJ.com: Health on 12/6/12 Pot smokers lit up in Washington state, when it became the first U.S. state to legalize possession of marijuana without a doctor's prescription. Michael Oren: The Iron Dome Military Revolution via WSJ.com: Opinion on 12/6/12 Historically, defensive measures lag behind offensive capabilities. Not so with Israel's new antimissile system. Congress Repeals Russian Trade Curbs via WSJ.com: What's News Asia on 12/6/12 Congress overturned long-standing trade restrictions with Russia, overcoming concerns about the nation's human-rights record to achieve a top trade priority for U.S. businesses. Disordered Liberty via WSJ.com: Today's Most Popular on 12/4/12 No one likes doing homework, but the non-compulsory alternatives are autonomous, non-alienated illiterates. Michael Weiss reviews James C. Scott

US economy adds 146K jobs, rate falls to 7.7 pct. via Yahoo! News - Top Stories on 12/7/12 The U.S. economy added a solid 146,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, the lowest since December 2008. The government said Superstorm Sandy had only a minimal effect on the figures.

11:36 AM 12/5/2012     Mike Nova's starred items   James Bond makes an explosive return in his finest film to date - Mirror.co.uk via Entertainment - Google News on 12/3/12 Mirror.co.uk James Bond makes an explosive return in his finest film to date Mirror.co.uk From the opening pre-title sequence on board a runaway train to the Adele soundtrack to the explosive and thrilling finale, director Sam Mendes has created a movie that is anchored in the real world and is true to the spirit of Bond. When an operation goes ... and more » Би-би-си: Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине - BFM.Ru via В мире – Новости Google on 12/3/12 BFM.Ru Би-би-си: Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине BFM.Ru Российский президент Владимир Путин страдает от сильных болей в спине, делает вывод Русская служба Би-би-си на основе многочисленных фотографий его визита в Турцию. Би-би-си отмечает, что, судя по фотографиям, турецкому премьеру Р

Room for Debate: A New Director or a New Direction? from NYT > Opinion Should changes be made in the way the agency is run and the way intelligence is gathered and used? Updated December 3, 2012 9:59 PM A New Director or a New Direction? Debaters Transform the Agency’s Whole Structure Tim Weiner, author, "Legacy of Ashes" Demilitarize the C.I.A. Gordon Adams and Jennifer E. Sims, Former intelligence officials A 10-Year Term, Without the Politics Bruce Riedel, Brookings Institution Restore Reliability and Accountability Melvin A. Goodman, Former C.I.A. analyst Stick to the Basic Tasks It Was Created For Vicki Divoll, Former C.I.A. legal adviser New Abilities for New Needs David F. Gordon, Former National Intelligence Council head Focus on Officers, Not the Media Amy Zegart, Hoover Institution Introduction Pool photo by Dennis Brack The lobby of th