The War
Neither Mr. Awlaki nor his prospective wife knew it, but their match was being managed by a Danish double agent as part of an attempt to help the Danish intelligence service and the C.I.A. find the cleric’s hiding place in Yemen. – New York Times
44 may still harbor ambitions to close Guantanamo Bay, but he faces a difficult path if he wins reelection and decides to pursue the goal in a second term. – DEFCON Hill
Nuclear Weapons/Arms Control
Whether it is 44 or 45, the U.S. president in coming months and years will face a series of stark decisions on strategic issues, including one that will decide the size of America’s nuclear arsenal. – Global Security Newswire
The United States and Russia have a rich agenda for future work to improve collective nuclear security. And both nations appear still to have the will to advance that agenda. Nunn-Lugar doesn’t mark the end of these efforts, merely the end of a stage. Now, both nations need to complete a more modern agreement to govern their efforts. – Foreign Policy
Cybersecurity
U.S.-funded programs to beat back online censorship are increasingly finding a ready audience in repressive countries, with more than 1 million people a day using online tools to get past extensive blocking programs and government surveillance. But the popularity of those initiatives has become a liability. – Washington Post
The U.S. Defense Department’s new cyber defense mantra — deterrence — is poised to help prevent attacks easily attributable to nation-states. – Defense News
A new White House executive order would direct U.S. spy agencies to share the latest intelligence about cyberthreats with companies operating electric grids, water plants, railroads and other vital industries to help protect them from electronic attacks, according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. – Associated Press
Twenty top U.S. Air Force generals are due to discuss cyber warfare in a November meeting aimed at clarifying the service’s role in this new and increasingly important arena of military conflict. – Reuters
If the American people are to be ready for a cataclysmic cyberattack of the kind Mr. Panetta describes and if the U.S. military is building offensive cyberweapons, we need more transparency about this emerging domain of conflict and the risks it entails. – Washington Post
Foreign Aid
One thing all Americans can agree on – even in the midst of this rancorous campaign season – is that we are at our very best as a nation when we offer a helping hand to support others in need. – Politico
