Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Qatar Runs Covert Desert Training Camp for Syrian Rebels. At a desert base, Gulf state Qatar is covertly training moderate Syrian rebels with US help to fight both President Bashar al-Assad and Islamic State and may include more overtly Islamist insurgent groups, sources close to the matter say.

The camp, south of the capital between Saudi Arabia's border and Al Udeid, the largest US air base in the Middle East, is being used to train the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and other moderate rebels, the sources said.

Reuters could not independently identify the participants in the program or witness activity inside the base, which lies in a military zone guarded by Qatari special forces and marked on signposts as a restricted area.

But Syrian rebel sources said training in Qatar has included rebels affiliated to the "Free Syrian Army" from northern Syria. [Read more: Bakr/Reuters/26November2014]

Eavesdropping on Pakistani Official Led to Inquiry Into Former US Diplomat. American investigators intercepted a conversation this year in which a Pakistani official suggested that his government was receiving American secrets from a prominent former State Department diplomat, officials said, setting off an espionage investigation that has stunned diplomatic circles here.

That conversation led to months of secret surveillance on the former diplomat, Robin L. Raphel, and an FBI raid last month at her home, where agents discovered classified information, the officials said.

The investigation is an unexpected turn in a distinguished career that has spanned four decades. Ms. Raphel (pronounced RAY-full) rose to become one of the highest-ranking female diplomats and a fixture in foreign policy circles, serving as ambassador to Tunisia and as assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs in the Clinton administration.

Ms. Raphel, 67, considered one of the leading American experts on Pakistan, was stripped of her security clearances last month and no longer has access to the State Department building. [Read more: Apuzzo,Schmidt&Mazzetti/NYTimes/20November2014]

CIA Director John Brennan Considering Sweeping Organizational Changes. CIA Director John Brennan is considering sweeping organizational changes that could include breaking up the separate spying and analysis divisions that have been in place for decades to create hybrid units focused on individual regions and threats to US security, current and former US intelligence officials said.

The proposal would essentially replicate the structure of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center and other similar entities in the agency - an idea that reflects the CTC's expanded role and influence since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

US officials emphasized that the proposal is in its preliminary stages, and could still be scaled back or even discarded. Already the idea has encountered opposition from current and former officials who have voiced concern that it would be too disruptive and might jeopardize critical capabilities and expertise.

But if Brennan moves forward, officials said, the changes would be among the most ambitious in CIA history - potentially creating individual centers focused on China, Latin America and other regions or issues for which personnel are now dispersed across difference parts of the agency. [Read more: Miller/WashingtonPost/19November2014]

New Intelligence Agency Established. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) debuts Monday as the US intelligence community seeks to stay ahead of the aggressive evolution of complicated espionage, cyber and security threats.

The NCSC will now become the parent organization of the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (ONCIX), which was created by the Counterintelligence Enhancement Act of 2002 to carry out counterintelligence and security responsibilities for the Director of National Intelligence.

The NCSC's purpose is "to provide a leadership construct for (US government) security personnel, outside of the counterintelligence framework," said NCIX director William Evanina.

Evanina, who will be dual-hatted as the director of the NCSC, told WTOP the creation of the center was predicated by the destructive growth and complexity of cyber threats, economic espionage, insider threats, and supply chain threats. [Read more: Green/WTOP/1December2014]

Israeli Intelligence Service Claims Hamas Plotted Attack on Jerusalem Football Stadium. A Hamas terror cell in the occupied West Bank plotted a series of attacks on Israeli targets, including Jerusalem's main football stadium and the city's light rail, Israel's security service has revealed.

According to the Shin Bet security agency, the Hamas cell was funded and ordered by Hamas officials living in exile in Turkey, where the group's headquarters are based.

Thirty members of Hamas were arrested in September by the security service. They were recruited through Jordan and were trained in Syria or Gaza, entering via tunnels from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

The cell was training to carry out attacks within Israel, notably the kidnap of civilians, car bombs, roadside attacks, and a terror attack within Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium, where the football team Beitar Jerusalem play their games. [Read more: Moore/InternationalBusinessTimes/27November2014]

Intelligence Agency Shares Unclassified Data in Fight Against Ebola. A US intelligence agency has launched a public website to provide unclassified geospatial intelligence data to aid in the battle against Ebola in Africa.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency site providing geospatial data on West African countries affected by the disease is open to non-governmental organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders, and the general public as well as to other governments.

For Ebola support, NGA's Readiness, Response and Recovery Office is working with the US State Department.

"NGA is not necessarily in the business of providing unclassified data," said Timothy J. Peplaw, director of the Readiness, Response and Recovery Office. "But my customer set is very open, so my group is the one exception where we have to provide unclassified data and products to people who support (fighting) these disasters. [Read more: Tomkins/UPI/25November2014]

Senate Intelligence Committee "Approved" Nomination of Nick Rasmussen to Be the New Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) announced on December 1, 2014 the committee approved by voice vote the nomination of Nick Rasmussen to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center. On November 7, 2014 the Director of National Intelligence strongly recommended Rasmussen: "I strongly endorse the President's intent to nominate Nicholas Rasmussen to be the next director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Nick's breadth and depth in managing counterterrorism issues, his proven leadership ability, and his tireless commitment to national security make him an excellent choice to be the next NCTC director. Since being appointed as NCTC's deputy director in June 2012 and as acting director since September, his sober analysis and calm demeanor have earned the respect of elected officials, partner agencies and the NCTC workforce." [Read more: Tilford/GroundReport/2December2014]

New Intelligence Ministry Head Could Become Next Mossad Chief. Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved the appointment of Ram Ben Barak as the head of the newly combined Strategic and Intelligence Affairs Ministry.

Ben Barak was the Deputy Head of the Mossad intelligence agency and was selected by Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz to merge the Strategic Affairs and Intelligence ministries.

Ben Barak is widely considered by experts to be the leading candidate to take over as head of the Mossad once the current director, Tamir Pardo, completes his term next year.

He began his career as a combat soldier in the Israel Defense Forces before joining the Sayeret Matkal, an elite operating force. Upon leaving the army he worked for the Mossad. [Read more: i24News/1December2014]

Tunisia Strengthens Intelligence Capacity. Tunisia on Tuesday (November 20th) established the Intelligence, Security and Defence Agency under the Ministry of Defence.

Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa said the move "gives more flexibility and efficiency to intelligence work".

The intelligence apparatus, whether military or security, has been criticised since the revolution for its inability to prevent terrorist groups from carrying out attacks on Tunisian territory and then quickly fleeing.

The security establishment was aware of the great weakness after the dissolution of the state security system, and has since started to recover. [Read more: EurasiaReview/29November2014]

Australian Spies, Soldiers Get New Powers to Fight IS. Australia's spies have been handed new powers to help the Defence Force in military operations against Islamic State in Iraq.

The lower house on Tuesday approved the third tranche in the government's suite of counter-terrorism laws. They enable the Australian Secret Intelligence Service to gather intelligence on foreign fighters overseas without having to wait for written approval by a senior minister.

Those powers - which the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation and Australian Signals Directorate have also been handed - would be valid for only 48 hours and in circumstances of "extreme emergencies".

The government argued the existing rules for approving emergency missions in Iraq were slow and threatened opportunities to collect vital intelligence. [Read more: AAP/2December2014]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Ruppersberger Nearing End of 12-Year Run on House Intel Committee. When Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger joined the House committee that oversees the nation's intelligence agencies, Osama bin Laden was still alive, Edward Snowden was still in college and the government's response to the threat of cyber attacks was still in its infancy.

Now, after 12 years on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence - including the past four as its top-ranking Democrat - the Baltimore County lawmaker is facing a term limit and will likely be given a new committee assignment when the next Congress begins its work in January.

Ruppersberger's tenure on the panel has coincided with monumental changes in national security - as well as a contentious debate over privacy concerns that reached an apex last year when Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, leaked documents revealing the government's massive data collection programs.

Ruppersberger's congressional district is home to the NSA and US Cyber Command at Fort Meade. Together, the agencies account for tens of thousands of federal jobs - the exact number is classified - making intelligence and cyber warfare among the most important industries in Maryland. [Read more: Fritze/BaltimoreSun/30November2014]

Spy Camp for the Elite: Dine With a Spy and Train Like a Pro. The perfect retreat for families this winter is the experience to get up close and personal with a real spy. Special events and even Spy Camps have been developed for the elite adventure experience for adults and their children.

The International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. explores the craft, practice, history, and contemporary role of espionage. It is the only public museum in the United States solely dedicated to espionage and the only one in the world to provide a global perspective on an all-but-invisible profession that has shaped history and continues to have a significant impact on world events.

Featuring the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever placed on public display. Many of these objects are being seen by the public for the first time. These artifacts illuminate the work of famous spies and pivotal espionage actions as well as help bring to life the strategies and techniques of the men and women behind some of the most secretive espionage missions in world history.

It is truly the special events curated by the museum that are so unique and thrill seeking. Among the many offerings is the SPY IN THE CITY adventure for all ages where you are armed with a GPS-interactive device embarking on a high-stakes operation through the Washington DC neighborhoods. Clues, codes, audio intercepts, are provided for this ultimate secret mission. Ruthless spies, history, mystery, and landmarks are all uncovered along the way. [Read more: Dobson/Forbes/28November2014]

Rockefeller Honored by Intelligence Agencies. This week Senator Jay Rockefeller was honored by top officials from the intelligence community for his longstanding leadership in modernizing and strengthening the country's intelligence capabilities to defend against an increasingly complex array of global threats. He received awards from the Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office.

"It has been such an honor to work with so many of the men and women of our intelligence community to strengthen our capabilities, guard against terrorist threats, and meet our nation's changing security needs," said Rockefeller. "I'm truly honored by this recognition, but know that these awards are more of a reflection of the hard work and collaboration by my fellow Intelligence Committee colleagues and the dedicated professionals who work every day at our intelligence agencies." 

Rockefeller received the following awards: [Read more: IndependentHerald/26November2014]

Former British Wartime Spy, 93, Is Finally Recognised for Her Part in Liberating France From Nazi Occupation After Decades Spent Keeping Her Wartime Service a Secret. A former British wartime spy will this week be recognised for her part in liberating France from Nazi occupation - 70 years after she was parachuted behind enemy lines.

Phyllis Latour Doyle spent years gathering information on German positions and risked her life to send 135 coded messages back to Britain before the country's 1944 liberation.

For decades, the 93-year-old kept her heroic actions secret - only telling her four children about her wartime service 15 years ago.

Speaking in a rare interview five years ago, she said: "My eldest son found out by reading something on the internet, and my children insisted I send off for my medals." [Read more: Linning/DailyMail/23November2014]

A Secret Message Hidden in a CIA Sculpture 25 Years Ago Might Finally Be Solved. Like something from a Dan Brown novel, Kryptos is a cryptographic puzzle at CIA headquarters that has never been solved.

The sculpture is 12 feet high, and stands on the grounds of the CIA complex in Langley, Virginia. American artist Jim Sanborn built it 25 years ago.

Kryptos contains four hidden messages, carved out of metal. Those four messages are the clues to a riddle. Sanborn has hinted that solving the riddle will be something akin to a treasure hunt on the grounds of the CIA's headquarters.

Three of the messages hidden in the sculpture have been solved. The fourth is 97 letters but no one has been able to decipher it. Even the code-cracking masters at the NSA, who were the first ones to solve the other three parts, gave up. [Read more: Bort/BusinessInsider/24November2014]

Ex-Intelligence Officer Keeps Quiet. Like the attorney he is, James O'Donnell takes the Fifth Amendment when it comes to talking about his work in intelligence during the Korean War.

What he will say is that he served 19 months in Korea, working near Seoul in an office.

"I had friends serving on the 'line,' and they would visit me, and for them, my world was wonderful," he said.

"I lived in a heated Quonset hut with 15 or 16 other men. I wasn't getting shot at," he said. They had someone to take care of their laundry.

He said his friends considered his situation as being quite luxurious. [Read more: Simon/MansfieldNewsJournal/30November2014]

Section III - COMMENTARY

Spies, Sleepers and Hitmen: How the Soviet Union's KGB Never Went Away. Tanks and troops invading a satellite state, tit-for-tat spy expulsions, high-risk military games of chicken involving nuclear bombers and interceptor jets, gas supply cut-offs, and angry diplomatic exchanges - if it sounds familiar, then it should. Newspaper headlines from Moscow to Washington and Sydney to Kiev all agree: the cold war is back.

Well, maybe. Escalating tensions between President Vladimir Putin's Russia and western countries led by the US are certainly reminiscent of the bad old days in some significant respects. The cold war, a truly global stand-off of immense ideological, military and political import, began, roughly, in the late 1940s and continued until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, an event later deplored by Putin as the biggest tragedy of the 20th century.

But this time around, the battleground is less extensive, the battle-lines less clear. The particular trigger for the resurgence of chronic cold war-itis was Russia's sudden annexation in March of Crimea, a Black Sea region that Moscow, historically speaking, regards as its own. It is, in fact, part of the sovereign territory of independent Ukraine. Since then, the trouble has spread, with Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine fighting for independence, or at least autonomy, from the western-backed government in Kiev, and Russia implicitly threatening western energy supplies.

Last weekend's G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, showed just how raw nerves have become - over Ukraine and, more broadly, over what the west has come to see as a pattern of expansionist, confrontational and often illegal behaviour by the Putin regime, including its not-forgotten 2008 military intervention in Georgia. On meeting Putin, Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, said: "Well, I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine." David Cameron and Barack Obama personally delivered similar messages, in slightly less hostile terms. [Read more: Tisdall/TheGuardian/19November2014]

Chinese Cyber Attack Could Shut Down US Electric Power Grid. Welcome to the increasingly dangerous world of cyber-warfare. The latest nightmare; a western intelligence agency of unknown origin (according to the Financial Times of London) is infecting the internet service providers and sovereign telecoms operations of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mexico and Ireland. To what end is not known, though the cyber security company Symantec calls the malware extremely sophisticated.

Then, there are the criminal elements, who have been hacking into the credit card details of JP Morgan Chase (76 million customers' names), and retailers like Home Depot, Target and Ebay. Or the attempts going on by ne'er-do-well nations to break down the control of energy plants and factories, at times by criminal elements that act like stalking horses for sovereign nations up to no good.

I wrote about this phenomenon a decade ago for Forbes magazine ("The Next Threat") and raised the problem of private industry, especially public utilities, needing to invest major capital into establishing cyber defenses against the very real possibility that our enemies could break into the internet connections of urban public utilities and cause chaos and massive economic injury by closing down the public's access to electricity. Threats existed as well against the operations of infrastructure projects like dams, gas pipelines and transportation systems.

A DOD research facility in New Mexico plainly showed me how the nation's public utility system could be penetrated and closed down via their internet connection. Apparently, we have made little or no progress in the past decade of defending our artificial light and energy. [Lenzner/Forbes/28November2014]

Organizing Intelligence Cooperation for the Maritime Industry. Threats to the maritime industry include threats to ships/vessels, ports, port facilities, passenger terminals, national and international waterways including their locks and approaches; international straits and multinational rivers; navigation facilities; waterside and landside moorings; human and multi-modal vehicular traffic; seaplane operations, and finally threats to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs). To organize a pre-emptive, protective, defensive and problem-solving security network for a country-wide coverage of such expanses surely calls for sophisticated functional and well-tested security and intelligence systems. Some threats are occasional, others are recurrent, accidental or endemic to a particular region, and the reasons behind them are diverse. Planning and reacting to the variety of threats calls for different approaches, a good chunk of which relies on how intelligence is organized, shared and handled in cooperation with other players such as the military, the Department of Transport, the political leadership, and industry stakeholders. In this contribution Hassan M. Eltaher, the author of Aviation & Maritime Security Intelligence, provides a few insights into how this process is to be organized.

Transportation security, and especially the important intelligence function within it must be treated and managed as a whole, albeit with distinct modules by mode of transportation under one centralized umbrella. In other words, transportation security must be multi-modal, but managed by one team of security and intelligence professionals at the top, and threat information touching any module must be shared by all the modules among themselves. This should ensure proper balancing between operational efficiency requirements, national security but also commercial viability.

Intelligence is thus a two-way street. [Read more: Eltaher/TheMaritimeExecutive/1December2014]

Trip Through Time: Memories of Spy-Turned-Novelist Graham Greene in Ho Chi Minh City. A tourist guide I met earlier in the afternoon told me, "The place name of Ho Chi Minh City exists only on paper. Local people still call it Saigon."

At dusk, as I looked around from a plaza in front of the white building of the Saigon Opera House - into which crowds of people were streaming - I found the name plate of a long-established hotel that opened in 1880. It read "Hotel Continental Saigon."

Low, French-style buildings are reminders of the city under colonial rule when it was dubbed "the Paris of the East" far long before its lengthy wars.

The hotel's records showed that in October 1951, a British writer stayed in a corner room, looking down on the plaza. The writer was Graham Greene. [Read more: Nagata/TheYomiuriShimbun/1December2014]

Section IV - Obituaries and Upcoming Events

Obituaries

Karl Wagner, CIA Officer Who Questioned Watergate-Related Spy Activities, Dies at 90. Karl Wagner, a retired CIA officer who had a key role in raising concerns that a White House aide, E. Howard Hunt, was using CIA materials for illegal domestic spying activities during the Watergate era, died Oct. 23 at a retirement community in Carmel, Calif. He was 90. The cause was a cerebral hemorrhage, said a niece, Ann Rodgers Redd.

After joining the CIA in 1950, Mr. Wagner had overseas assignments in Asia and Europe before becoming the executive assistant to the agency's deputy director, Robert E. Cushman Jr., in 1969.

In that post, Mr. Wagner learned that Hunt, a former CIA operative, had met with Cushman to obtain clandestine materials while conducting a covert operation for the White House under President Richard M. Nixon in August 1971.

The mission was later revealed to be the staged break-in of the office of Lewis Fielding, the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg. Ellsberg was a former Pentagon official who had angered the Nixon administration by leaking the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret history of the Vietnam War, to the media. [Read more: McDonough/WashingtonPost/27November2014]

Robert Christopher "Chris" Guenther, 73, named National Intelligence Community Officer by CIA. Robert Christopher "Chris" Guenther died peacefully on Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, with family at his side in Wilmington. He was 73.

He is survived by his wife, Joy Stanton Johnson (nie), of Magnolia; his son, Mark and son's wife, Diane; his daughter, Stacey and daughter's husband, Dana Doten; and four grandchildren, Harley and Mackenzie Guenther, and Joe and Ian Doten.

He was born in Richmond, Virginia, grew up in Dallas and lived most of his adult life in the Northern Virginia area. He and Joy became full-time residents of Wilmington in 2006 where he thoroughly enjoyed their community and friends. Chris served as president and vice president of the Senior Men's Club of Wilmington and was active in the local US Air Force Association. A dedicated Roman Catholic, he was a parishioner of the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary.

Chris is remembered for his quick wit, clever comments, extraordinary courage and remarkable intelligence. He savored political debate and loved military memorabilia. He was a lifelong enthusiast of architecture and could often be found sketching home floor plans and elevations. He always had at least one dog and is survived by dogs Baxter and Sam, both of whom are rescue dogs. [Read more: PortCityDaily/1December2014]

Ambassador Anthony Dryden Marshall. A very great man has died today. Patterning his life after his beloved grandfather, General John H. Russell, 16th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Tony was first and always a Marine. Tony loved animals as much as people and was a talented wildlife photographer working for both for National Geographic magazine and World Books Encyclopedia in the 1950s and 1960s, an early conservationist, author of seven books and a highly respected three- time United States Ambassador. Tony very much loved his three stepchildren, Arden, Inness and Robert and three step-grandchildren James, Lyon and Weston who showered him with love, affection and respect particularly his stepson Robert with whom he formed an everlasting and most loving bond. During the course of his life, he helped countless young people get their own start in life by introducing them to those who could provide internships or jobs or sometimes he would write a check to tide one over until they could make it on their own. And then he relished in their success. Tony served his country all his life beginning as a young Marine leading his platoon onto Blue Beach on Iwo Jima earning him a Purple Heart, followed by a job as a decoder at the State Department, Consulate General to Turkey stationed in Istanbul, then 40+ years with the CIA and the US Ambassador to Madagascar, the Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, and Kenya where he was beloved by President Kenyatta. Until his death, he remained a member of the prestigious Racquet & Tennis Club, The Brook, The Explorers' Club and was Founding Chairman of the Marine Corps University Foundation as well as a recipient of the General John H. Russell Leadership Award. Tony had the tenderest of hearts, a brilliant mind and an outrageous sense of humor. It was my honor to love and be loved so tenderly by Tony for more than 25 years. Semper Fi my Tonyness, Your beloved Charlene. [NewYorkTimes/1December2014]

Hugh W. Young. Hugh Wallace Young of Vienna, Virginia died on November 24, 2014 after a completely unexpected heart attack. Upon hearing the news of his hospitalization, his two sons, Eric Young and Kenneth Young, flew in immediately from Japan and the Ukraine respectively to be with him. On the third day of his hospitalization, an unconscious Hugh peacefully passed from this world with his adoring and devoted wife of 49 years, Reiko Young, and his loving sons, Eric and Kenneth by his side. Hugh's sudden departure has left his family in complete and utter grief. His death is also mourned by his many relatives and friends in both the US and Japan. Hugh was an American patriot who served 32 years in the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Directorate of Operations. Hugh was a distinguished member of the CIA's Senior Intelligence Service and he headed CIA offices both international and domestic, providing direct leadership to CIA efforts in Northeast and Southeast Asian locations. He became fluent in Japanese and Indonesian through his work as an officer in the CIA's Clandestine Service, but he improved his Japanese fluency even after retirement through his love and affection for his wife's Japanese family and his numerous Japanese friends. Hugh grew up in Philadelphia, PA and graduated from Germantown Friends School. Afterwards, he graduated from Wesleyan University with a major in Political Science, and obtained an M.A. in Public Administration from Syracuse University. Prior to joining the CIA, Hugh was called to duty in the US Army during the Korean War. The war ended just prior to the completion of Hugh's military training, so he subsequently served with the US Army's Counter-Intelligence Corps in Japan just after the US occupation period. Hugh was a devoted family man and there are no words to describe how much Hugh was revered, adored, and loved by his wife and sons. We can only seek solace in looking forward to our future reunion in the next world. Dad, your wife and your sons can't thank you enough for all your love and support throughout our lives. You were the best husband and father we could ever have hoped for. Family will be holding a private burial. Online condolences and fond memories of Hugh may be offered to the family at: www.moneyandking.com. [WashingtonPost/30November2014]

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 6 p.m. - Las Vegas, NV - The AFIO LV Chapter meets to hear Col. John Alexander on "Belief Systems and Intelligence Analysis: The Blinders."

Please join us at 5 p.m. in the "Texas Star Oyster Bar" for liaison and beverages followed by dinner in the Conference Center starting at 5:30pm.
Our featured speaker for the evening will be: Col John B. Alexander, Ph.D. on Belief Systems and Intelligence Analysis: The Blinders.

What if the universe is not built the way you think it is? All intelligence analysis is colored by the belief systems of the analysts involved and to a large extent the agency itself. While most analysts believe they are not biased and simply report facts, they often are unaware of their own prejudices thus leading to scotomas or blind spots. Like all humans, intelligence analysts are more likely to find what they expect, than what is totally unexpected. Stories abound of how some people do not see objects that are obvious, but not within their frame of reference. There are several past intelligence failures that can be attributed to individual and collective scotomas. This is even worse when political powers intervene and indicate what is permissible to report.

There is a basic assumption that the Western scientific model of the universe is the only viable one. Mechanistic in nature, this model dictates what can and cannot be observed, and thus impacts what is reported. It is further assumed that there are no other acceptable belief systems and, that other societies, as they become more technologically sophisticated, will adopt the �Standard Model of the Universe.�

This unique presentation will present firsthand evidence that our model of the universe is either wrong, or at least seriously flawed. It will also address how other societies incorporate alternative explanations for events in ways that are beneficial to them. We continue to adhere to the blinders at our own peril. The intent of the presentation is to make intelligence analysts more aware of their personal and organizational constraints, thus making them more effective in observing and reporting anomalies that can have significant impact on national security.
LOCATION: Conference Center at Texas Station Casino, 2101 Texas Star Lane, (corner of Rancho Blvd. and West Lake Meade Blvd.) North Las Vegas, NV 89032. Includes full holiday dinner.
RSVP: email Mary Bentley (marysinvegas@centurylink.net) or call 702-295-0417.  We look forward to seeing you!

Monday, 8 December 2014, 5:30 - 8 pm - New York, NY - The AFIO NY Metro Chapter discusses "Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century."

Four Star General Eugene Habiger, USAF(Ret), former Commander in Chief US Strategic Command ( 35 years) was responsible for national security & nuclear operations. He also served 150 combat missions in Vietnam.
He will be discussing with us: Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century.
SPACE IS LIMITED TO 90. Registration for this important event is on a first come basis.
Capacity is 90 attendees maximum so Reservations are required. You must cancel prior to Thursday December 4th or payment will be due.
Location: Society of Illustrators building: 128 E 63rd St, NYC, 3rd floor.
Time: Registration 5:30 PM, Meeting Start 6:00 PM
Cost: $50/person only by pre-registration. Payable at the door only, cash or check. Buffet dinner following talk/Q&A. Cash bar.
Register with Jerry Goodwin 646-717-3776 or by email: afiometro@gmail.com

Tuesday, 9 December 2014 - MacDill AFB, FL - The AFIO Suncoast Chapter hosts MajGen Michael Ennis, USMC(R), former DD/National Clandestine Service, CIA, speaking on field intelligence experiences

MajGen Michael E. Ennis USMC (ret), a career military intelligence officer who served as the first Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service for Community HUMINT, will speak on a variety of intelligence topics—including personal experiences. He is the Enterprise Risk Management officer at Leidos Corporation (formerly Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC]), a Fortune 500 Defense contracting company. In this capacity, he reviews high profile contracts to assess their potential to present significant reputational, legal or operational risk to the company. Prior to joining SAIC in 2008, MajGen Ennis spent 9 years in various high level intelligence assignments including nearly 3 years at CIA serving as the first Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service for Community HUMINT.
General Ennis will be relating his career experiences and providing his perspective on how the field of intelligence has evolved and where it is heading.
LOCATION: MacDill AFB Surf’s Edge Club, 7315 Bayshore Blvd, MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Please RSVP to the Chapter Secretary no later than Wednesday, December 3 for yourself and include the names and email addresses of any guests. Email or call Michael Shapiro at sectysuncoastafio@att.net. You will receive a confirmation via email. If you do not, contact the Chapter Secretary to confirm your registration. Check-in at noon; opening ceremonies, lunch and business meeting at 1230 hours, followed by our speaker.
FEE: You must present your $15 check payable to “Suncoast Chapter, AFIO” (or cash) at check-in to cover the luncheon. If you make a reservation, don’t cancel and get a cancellation confirmation by the response deadline and then don’t show up, you will be responsible for the cost of the luncheon.

14 December 2014, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Euclid, OH - AFIO Ohio Chapter hosts Jim Frohlking discussing WWII Resistance Operations

Jim Frohlking was an Army Air Force fighter pilot during WWII. He flew 56 missions, including 6 over Omaha Beach on D-Day, in P-38's and P-51's. He was hit by flack on his 56th mission and bailed out over Holland into water. Jim was picked up by a Dutch fishing boat and delivered to the Dutch resistance, who eventually got him back to the Allied lines. His talk will be about his experiences with the resistance and return to the Allies.
Location: Through the courtesy of member Greg Moore and Notre Dame College we will have the Great Room on the 3rd floor of the Administration Building at Notre Dame College, 4545 College Rd., South Euclid, Ohio 44121. The Great Room is located at the east end of the 3rd floor and is clearly marked.
We will have a deli tray and coffee. RSVP to hp34063@yahoo.com by the 10th of December. We look forward to seeing everyone. - John

18 December 2014, 11:30 am - 2 pm - San Francisco, CA - AFIO San Francisco Chapter hosts Russell Berman, Sr Fellow Hoover Institution, on "Freedom or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad"

The AFIO James Quesada Chapter hosts Russell A. Berman, Senior Fellow at Hoover Institution, a member of the working group on Islamism and the International Order and author of Freedom or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad and Anti-Americanism in Europe: A Cultural Problem. 11:30AM no host cocktails; meeting starts at noon. United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue, SF (between Sloat/Wawona). RSVP required by 12/1/14 to Mariko Kawaguchi: e-mail afiosf@aol.com and mail check made out to "AFIO" to: Mariko Kawaguchi, P.O. Box 117578, Burlingame, CA 94011. Members and students: $25; non-member guests $35 (must be accompanied by member).

Friday, 16 January 2015, 4:30 pm - Washington, DC - "How to Prepare for a Foreign Intelligence Post: Preventing Mirror-Imaging" - a talk by James R. Hughes, President of AFIO National, at the Institute of World Politics

You are cordially invited to a lecture on the topic of "How to Prepare for a Foreign Intelligence Post: Preventing Mirror-Imaging" with James R. Hughes, incoming AFIO President, (his term begins January 2015)
James R. HUGHES is beginning his service as AFIO’s 17th President in January 2015. He had a career of US Government service, spanning 37 years in numerous foreign countries with a particular focus in the Middle East. He started in U.S. Military Intelligence in the late 1960s and then joined the CIA’s Clandestine Service. He served overseas as a Chief of Station several times, and at CIA Headquarters in a number of senior management positions, including as Chief of the Near East and South Asia Division, in the Directorate of Operations [today’s National Clandestine Service]. He was also named the Associate Deputy Director of Operations (ADDO) at the National Security Agency, 1998-99.
Following his retirement from the government in 2005, he joined EDS in Herndon, Virginia, as the Client Industry Executive for the U.S. Intelligence Community. After the HP acquisition of EDS, he continued to serve in a similar capacity until his retirement in 2012.
His parents were missionaries in Turkey in the 1950s, where Jim spent his formative years. He attended the prep schools of two of the most famous missionary-founded universities in the Middle East: Robert College in Istanbul and the American University-Beirut, in Beirut, Lebanon. He is fluent in Arabic, and has extensive knowledge of, and appreciation for, the arts, geography, culture, and religions of that region.
He has been an AFIO member since 2005 and joined the board in 2009.
RSVP mandatory • Business attire • VIP reception to follow
This event is sponsored by IWP’s Office of Professional Affiliations and the Student Government Association.
Event location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036.
For Parking, consult this map.
RSVP: Contact sdwyer@iwp.edu with any questions.

Friday, 30 January 2015 - Tysons Corner, VA - AFIO National's first luncheon of 2015 starts with the new Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) -- Robert T. Cardillo

Cardillo will discuss the expanded mission of NGA from Ebola relief activities to providing tools, advanced tech, sophisticated techniques, and specialized expertise to policymakers, warfighters, intelligence analysts, and first responders. Morning speaker TBA.
Timing: Check-in for badge pickup at 10:30 a.m.; TBA begins presentation at 11 a.m.; Lunch served at noon; NGA Director Cardillo begins his presentation at 1:05 pm. Event closes at 2 p.m.
Morning and Afternoon programs are On The Record.
The latest intelligence books, and many others, on display and for sale throughout event.

EVENT LOCATION: The Crowne Plaza, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, Tysons Corner, VA Driving directions here or use this link: http://tinyurl.com/boey9vf

Other Upcoming Events

2, 4, 9 and 16 December 2014, 5 - 8 pm - Reston, VA - Course dates for taking Globalytica's online professional certificate course for intelligence analysts: Diagnostic Structured Analytic Techniques (DSAT)

Duration: Four 3-hour evening sessions―5:00-8:00PM EST
Platform: Courses are taught exclusively online using Globalytica�s avatar-based 3D virtual training world, TH!NK Live.
Globalytica, the thought leader in analytic techniques, presents its latest online professional certificate course: Diagnostic Structured Analytic Techniques (DSAT). This is course is designed for analysts interested learning techniques to help uncover information gaps and inform future research design.

The DSAT certificate course provides students with a set of analytic tools and techniques to help formulate and refine ideas about what has happened or is currently occurring. Students will:
� Learn to identify the dynamics at play in an issue or problem.
� Practice reframing issues to understand better how forces or elements might combine to generate different outcomes in the future.
**Register before November 21st to receive 50% off the regular course price.**
For more information and to register, visit http://www.globalytica.com/dsat/
Cindy Jensen | Marketing Associate | Pherson Associates, LLC
Instilling Rigor and Imagination in Analysis
1892 Preston White Dr. Suite 300, Reston, VA 20191 , phone: 703-390-9943 | fax: 703-390-9955 | email: cjensen@pherson.org

Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 10 am to 1 pm - Annapolis Junction, MD - National Cryptologic Museum Foundation's Fourteenth Annual Pearl Harbor Commemoration Lecture Series: John Gordon on "The Price General MacArthur Paid for his Disregard of the Value of Intelligence."

Event features scholar John Gordon on Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines [2011: U.S. Naval Institute Press]

Drawing on a rich collection of both American and Japanese sources as well as official records and wartime diaries, Gordon chronicles the Americans' desperate defense of the besieged islands - Bataan and on the island fortress of Corregidor - where they performed some of their most unusual missions of the entire Pacific War. Of special interest to intelligence officers will be Gordon's discussion at this event of General MacArthur's disregard of intelligence reports that cost him his air force and critical supplies for the defense of Bataan and Corregidor and also further insights regarding the contributions by the US intercept station located on "The Rock."
Sailors fought as infantrymen alongside their Marine comrades at Bataan and on the island fortress of Corregidor. Sailors also manned Army heavy coast artillery batteries during the epic artillery duel between Corregidor and the Japanese guns that were massed on Bataan following the fall of the Peninsula. In these pages, Gordon recounts the only time in history when the Marine Corps lost a regiment in combat when the 4th Marines surrendered on Corregidor, and includes the most detailed account of the attack on Cavite ever published.
Location: L-3 Conference Center, 2720 Technology Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701, Tel 301-575-3200.
RSVP: Contact Mary J. Faletto, Senior Administrator, National Cryptologic Museum Foundation, Office: 301-688-5436 Cell: 443-250-8621 or email: cryptmf@aol.com or visit www.cryptologicfoundation.org

Friday, December 5, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. � 3:30 p.m. The Professional Security Studies Department at New Jersey City University will hold its 4th Northeast Regional Security Education Symposium.

The topic of this year�s Symposium is Investing in America�s Security: Policy/Resource Issues. The Symposium�s keynote address will be delivered by Ambassador (Retired) Clay Constantinou. Featured speakers include Joseph Picciano, P.E., Deputy Director, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness; Hon. Michael Balboni, President and Managing Director of RedLand Strategies, Inc. and Former New York State Senator and Deputy Secretary of Public Safety; and Dr. Michael J. Chumer, Research Professor, NJIT and Academic Advisor, NJCU D.Sc. Students pursuing their D.Sc. degree will present posters overviewing their research and the program�s faculty will hold a panel discussion.

Reserve your spot and purchase a ticket by calling Ms. Denise Melendez at (201) 200-2275, or by sending a check payable to NJCU Professional Security Studies Department, 2039 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305-1597. A limited number of tickets are available at the door on the day of the Symposium. Symposium attendance is $30 per person. Purchase Tickets at this link.

Questions to: JOHN W. COLLINS, JR., CPP, Ed.D., Chairperson, Professor, and DSc Program Coordinator at jcollins2@njcu.edu.

Friday, 5 December 2014, 4 pm - Washington, DC - "Pearl Harbor Day and the Current Security Environment" by David Glancy at the Institute of World Politics

You are cordially invite you to attend the nineneenth annual Pearl Harbor Day Lecture on the topic of "Pearl Harbor Day and the Current Security Environment" by David Glancy at the Institute of World Politics. Glancy is Professor of Strategy and Statecraft, IWP.
RSVP here.
Event location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 Sixteenth St NW, Washington, DC. Parking map here.

Friday, 12 December 2014, 9 am - Washington, DC - The 2014 Cato Institute Surveillance Conference

Never in human history have people been more connected than they are today ― nor have they been more thoroughly monitored. Over the past year, the disclosures spurred by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden have drawn public attention to the stunning surveillance capabilities of the American intelligence community, and the unprecedented volume of data they collect from hundreds of millions of people around the world. But the growth of government surveillance is by no means restricted to spies: Even ordinary law enforcement agencies increasingly employ sophisticated tracking technologies, from face recognition software to "Stingray" devices that can locate suspects by sniffing out their cellular phone signals. Are these tools a vital weapon against criminals and terrorists ― or a threat to privacy and freedom? How should these tracking technologies be regulated by the Fourth Amendment and federal law? Can we reconcile the secrecy that spying demands with the transparency that democratic accountability requires?

This inaugural Cato Institute Surveillance Conference will explore these questions, guided by a diverse array of experts: top journalists and privacy advocates; lawyers and technologists; intelligence officials ... and those who�ve been targets of surveillance. And for the more practically minded, a special Crypto Reception, following the Conference, will teach attendees how to use privacy-enhancing technologies to secure their own communications.

Featuring , Senior Fellow, Cato Institute; Charlie Savage, Washington Correspondent, New York Times; John Napier Tye, Former Section Chief for Internet Freedom, State Department; Marcy Wheeler, Writer, Emptywheel.net; Laura Donohue, Director, Georgetown University Center on National Security & the Law; Alex Joel, Civil Liberties Officer, Office of the Director of National Intelligence; Jack Gillium, Associated Press; Faisal Gill, Attorney & Surveillance Target; Orin Kerr, Professor of Law, George Washington University; Harley Geiger, Advocacy Director and Senior Counsel, Center for Democracy & Technology; Chris Soghoian, Principal Technologist and Senior Policy Analyst, American Civil Liberties Union; Katherine Hawkins, National Security Fellow, Open the Government; Steve Aftergood, Director, Project on Government Secrecy, Federation of American Scientists; Sharon Bradford Franklin, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; Elizabeth "Liza" Goitein, Co-Director, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice; Matthew Green, Research Professor of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University; Kurt Opsahl, Deputy General Counsel, Electronic Frontier Foundation; and Julia Angwin, ProPublica; author of Dragnet Nation.

Wine, cheese, and a hands-on opportunity to learn about installing and using privacy-protecting technologies for encrypted email, encrypted chat, and anonymous web browsing. Presenters include: Amie Stepanovich, Senior Policy Counsel, Access; and Matthew Green, Research Professor of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University.
Location: Cato Institute Hayek Auditorium, Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001

To attend click here and then submit the form on the page that opens, or email events@cato.org, fax (202) 371-0841, or call (202) 789-5229 by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2014.

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