Another CIA Scandal

On Tuesday documents were released by the Senate Intelligence Committee which revealed illicit conduct done by the CIA. The 528-page report detailed CIA torture information. Individuals who may have been tortured by the CIA were suspected of terrorism. One would expect the CIA’s methods of obtaining information not to be pretty. The methods uncovered in the report, have caused a significant amount of outrage. The level of outrage caused by the report has not only upset politicians buy the public as well. The CIA is not only guilty of conducting brutal interrogations, but drone attacks and using secret prisons across the world.

            Since the 2001 terrorist attacks occurred the government invested more trust in the CIA. After the attacks in 2001 President Bush had placed, the upmost trust in the CIA in order to handle al-Qaeda. This level of trust invested into the CIA has led to billions of dollars in funding. The funding has allowed for the CIA’s counterterrorism efforts to increase their authority. Since 2001 the number of employees from, “a few hundred to more than 2,000” (Washington Post).

The reputation of the CIA is considerably damaged, because of this report. The report’s damage to the CIA’s reputation will not affect the agency’s power in Washington. Future generations will likely consider this one of many scandals the CIA has been involved with. 

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cia-unlikely-to-lose-power-in-wake-of-interrogation-report/2014/12/09/be72dfc2-7fee-11e4-9f38-95a187e4c1f7_story.html

D.C.'s Big Funding Bill

Last fall the government endured a shutdown. It seems to look as if another shutdown would occur this fall. On Tuesday evening the “House and Senate spending panels agreed to a $1.1 trillion dollar government funding bill” (CNN). This massive spending bill is expected to fund the state for most of the year. When the bill’s funding runs out the GOP will have control of both, the House and Senate. As of now both sides of the Legislative branch are still working on issues such as looser environmental reform policies and terrorism insurance. While other issues such as new banking regulations and the possession of marijuana in the D.C. area have already been approved.

Certain details of the bill had caused infighting within the GOP. Some members of the party wished to use the bill as a weapon against the administration. GOP members intended to use the bill to strip funding to executive orders. Namely, the Department of Homeland Security who’s budget is expected to last through February.  The shortened budget is in response to President Obama’s recent immigration reform. If the no agreement can be met soon, legislators may have to pass another bill in order to keep the government running, until the new funding bill is passed.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/09/politics/shutdown-on-the-brink/ 

Cyber Attack

Cyber terrorism has been a growing threat since the start of the digital age. Many of the world’s super powers have engaged in cyber-attacks in order to gain classified information. Last week, one of the very few cyber-attacks launched on the United States occurred. The attack was not on the FBI, CIA or any government agency with sensitive information. The cyber-attack was aimed at Sony Entertainment’s California office. While the attack on Sony may have occurred last week the FBI, has only began issuing warnings to businesses of such attacks on Monday. While the recently issued FBI reports describes the use of malware in order to obtain infiltrate computer networks it never explicitly mentions Sony. The report however, describes similar attacks that have occurred in South Korea and the Middle East. One incident mentioned particularly was the attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil producing company Saudi Armco. The attack on Saudi Armco had affected 30,000 computers on the company’s network. Speculators believe the hackers responsible for these attacks have been commissioned by Iran and North Korea.  

With regards to the Sony incident, “some of software used by the hackers had been compiled in Korean” (Finkle). The only motive North Korea would have in attacking Sony Entertainment’s California office would be to delay the film, The Interview. The Interview, is a film about a factious assassination attempt on Kim Jong Un. When the film was announced North Korea expressed its dissatisfaction with the movie and would not tolerate the film being distributed. While it may be speculation North Korea may be responsible for a high level cyber-attack in order to stop the distribution of The Interview.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/02/us-sony-cybersecurity-malware-idUSKCN0JF3FE20141202

No Oil Price Cuts For Saudi Arabia

             OPEC’s (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries) leading member Saudi Arabia is currently refusing to lower oil prices in the market. Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal al-Saud refuses to lower his nation’s oil prices for two reasons. The first being he refuses to allow his nation to repeat mistakes from the past. The Saudi Prince is referring to, a previous instance in which Saudi Arabia had cut oil prices and allowed its competitors to make generous profits, from their oil. Therefore Saudi Arabia will only cut the price of its oil if its competitors agree to do the same. Saudi Arabia’s main competitors are Iran, Russia and the U.S. and will not cut prices unless these states do as well. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran cannot afford to take price cuts in the oil market. For Saudi Arabia to ask these nations to cut the price of their oil would be asking the country to intentionally damage its economy.

Russia is currently taking a massive loss in the oil industry and other markets, due to the sanctions placed on the state by the international community. Iran simply cannot afford to lower oil prices without taking a major economic hit. Speculation seems to indicate Saudi Arabia’s hard stance on cutting its oil prices may be to intentionally damage the economy of Iran and Russia. Saudi Arabia would seek to hurt the Iranian and Russian economies for their support of the al-Assad regime in Syria. Without the support of Iran and Russia, Syria’s capitol Damascus would not stand on its own for too long. The fall of Damascus and lack of Iranian aid in Syria would allow, for Saudi Arabia to claim its status of hegemon in the Middle East against its rival.

Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11268611/OPEC-Saudi-Prince-says-Riyadh-wont-cut-oil-unless-others-follow.html