Government Documents for You

Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers is the final report from the Genocide Prevention Task Force of the United States Institute of Peace. This report outlines potential plans for the United States, along with international partners, to take preventive action in future cases of genocide and mass atrocities. The fundamental goal of this report is to identify practical steps to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to prevent and respond to genocide and mass atrocities.

Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers can be found at: http://media.usip.org/reports/genocide_taskforce_report.pdf

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released it newest report - "Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World." This is the 4th unclassified report from the National Intelligence Council in the past few years that gives a long-term view of the future.

**Statement from the Chairman of the National Intelligence Council**

"Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World" is the fourth unclassified report prepared by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) in recent years that takes a long-term view of the future. It offers a fresh look at how key global trends might develop over the next 15 years to influence world events. Our report is not meant to be an exercise in prediction or crystal ball-gazing. Mindful that there are many possible "futures," we offer a range of possibilities and potential discontinuities, as a way of opening our minds to developments we might otherwise miss.

Some of our preliminary assessments are highlighted below:

* The whole international system—as constructed following WWII—will be revolutionized. Not only will new players—Brazil, Russia, India and China— have a seat at the international high table, they will bring new stakes and rules of the game.

* The unprecedented transfer of wealth roughly from West to East now under way will continue for the foreseeable future.

* Unprecedented economic growth, coupled with 1.5 billion more people, will put pressure on resources—particularly energy, food, and water—raising the specter of scarcities emerging as demand outstrips supply.

* The potential for conflict will increase owing partly to political turbulence in parts of the greater Middle East.

As with the earlier NIC efforts—such as Mapping The Global Future 2020—the project's primary goal is to provide US policymakers with a view of how world developments could evolve, identifying opportunities and potentially negative developments that might warrant policy action. We also hope this paper stimulates a broader discussion of value to educational and policy institutions at home and abroad.

This and the other reports are available from
http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_2025_project.html

Latest Report: Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World --
http://www.dni.gov/nic/PDF_2025/2025_Global_Trends_Final_Report.pdf

Earlier Reports:

Mapping the Global Future: Report of the National Intelligence Council's 2020 Project
http://www.foia.cia.gov/2020/2020.pdf

GLOBAL TRENDS 2015: A Dialogue About the Future With Nongovernment Experts
http://www.dni.gov/nic/PDF_GIF_global/globaltrend2015.pdf

Global Trends 2010
http://www.dni.gov/nic/special_globaltrends2010.html

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

U.S. - CHINA COMMISSION CITES CHINESE CYBER ATTACKS, AUTHORITARIAN RULE, AND TRADE VIOLATIONS AS IMPEDIMENTS TO U.S. ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS - Year-Long Study Offers 45 Recommendations to Congress

WASHINGTON, DC (November 20, 2008) - China relies on heavy-handed government control over its economy to maintain an export advantage over other countries. The result: China has amassed nearly $2 trillion in foreign exchange and has increasingly used its hoard to manipulate currency trading and diplomatic relations with other nations. These are among the conclusions in the sixth Annual Report to Congress of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. "Rather than use this money for the benefit of its citizens-by funding pensions and erecting hospitals and schools, for example--China has been using the funds to seek political and economic influence over other nations," said Larry Wortzel, chairman of the Commission, at the official release of the group's 2008 report to Congress on Thursday.

The bipartisan Commission, established by Congress to analyze the economic and national security relationship of the two nations, made 45 recommendations to Congress for further action. The 393-page report was unanimously approved by the 12 Commissioners. The Commission held eight hearings; travelled to China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan; commissioned original research; and consulted with the U.S. intellegence community.

The report acknowledges some progress by China. Its adherence to non-proliferation agreements has continued to improve. China's involvement in the Six Party Talks assisted the negotiations to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons production capacity. Yet China has stepped up its capacity to penetrate U.S. computer networks to extract sensitive government and private information. Beijing's "continuing arms sales and military support to rogue regimes, namely Sudan, Burma, and Iran, threaten the stability of fragile regions and hinder U.S. and international efforts to address international crises, such as the genocide in Darfur," the report notes.

The report is critical of China's use of prison labor to produce goods for export and of China's refusal, despite promises, to allow inspections of prisons by advancing the specious claim that forced labor constitutes "reeducation" rather than punishment. The Commission also notes that China's government "has created an information control regime intended to regulate nearly every venue that might transmit information to China's citizens: the print and broadcast media, the Internet, popular entertainment, cultural activities, and education."

The Commission warns Congress that fish imported into the U.S. from Chinese fish farms "pose a health risk because of the unsanitary conditions . . . including water polluted by untreated sewage; fish contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and parasites; and fish treated with antibiotics and other veterinary medicines that are banned in the United States as dangerous to human health." The Commission recommends greater powers for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The report and its key findings, analysis, and recommendations to Congress are available on the Commission's Web Site: http://www.uscc.gov/index.php

2008 Report: http://www.uscc.gov/annual_report/2008/annual_report_full_08.pdf

Post on GovDoc-L from: Michael A. Yared, Librarian, Institute for Defense Analyses

The General Accountability Office (GAO) has launched a new transition website intended to help make the transition an informed and smooth one.

The website can be found at http://www.gao.gov/transition_2009/

The 13 urgent issues they identified are as follows and are in alphabetic order not priority order:

* Caring for Service Members
* Defense Readiness
* Defense Spending
* Food Safety
* Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
* Oversight of Financial Institutions and Markets
* Preparing for Large-Scale Health Emergencies
* Protecting the Homeland
* Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting
* Retirement of the Space Shuttle
* Surface Transportation
* The 2010 Census
* Transition to Digital TV

The website also includes sections on:
* Agency-by-Agency Issues
* Major Cost-Saving Opportunities
* Management Challenges Across the Government
* Long-Term Fiscal Outlook
* Examples of Upcoming GAO reports on Major National Issues


Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

There is a great search engine hosted on Google for for students, faculty, researchers, and officials who are doing research in intergovernmental organization topics. The IGO Search searches across hundreds of IGO websites, enabling users to research topics such as active IGOs working on HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

Located at: http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=006748068166572874491:55ez0c3j3ey

**What is an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO)? Think United Nations or NATO.**

Transforming Diplomacy: Engage with the World. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, 2008.
SUDOC: S 1.2:D 62/17

This brochure discusses the many resources and programs offered by the State Department with the aim to expand the understanding of foreign affairs in young people, their educators, and community leaders. Some of the programs mentioned include: inviting a diplomat into the classroom in person or through videoconferencing, engaging in international exchanges, or browsing the Department’s website.

An overview of the State Department’s Youth and Education offerings:
http://www.state.gov/youthandeducation

The State Department website designed for students, parents, and teachers:
http://future.state.gov

Foreign Policy briefings, videoconferences, or Hometown Diplomat Program e-mail form:
http://contact-us.state.gov

Classroom Resources Online Lesson Plans:
http://www.future.state.gov/educators/lessons

Classroom Resources Downloadable exhibit on the Marshall Plan:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/dc/exhib/mp

Order educational videos and curriculum materials:
http://videodirect.state.gov

For more information about the Department of State:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho

An independent task force, chaired by former Senators Daniel Coats and Charles Robb and sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center, recently released their report entitled "Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iranian Nuclear Development."

This 94 page report is available directly from:
http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/8448

or from their main website at: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

OpenCRS.com provides a directory of websites where you can find almost 4,000 CRS reports. Included in the directory is the National Council for Science and the Environment, Federation of American Scientists, Thurgood Marshall Law Library/University of Maryland School of Law, National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, and the Center for Democracy & Technology.

This website is available at: http://opencrs.com/

The Government Documents Department at the University of North Texas, in collaboration with the University of Texas and Oklahoma State University, also has CRS reports available to the public.

This collection is available at: http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/

U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project in affiliation with the Search for Common Ground (SFCG) organization released its report today. The report is entitled "Changing Course: A New Direction for U.S. Relations with the Muslim World."

The report "represents the consensus of an exceptionally diverse, senior, bipartisan and inter-faith group of 34 American leaders who have worked together over the last 18 months. Their work was supported by Search for Common Ground and CBI, two organizations that specialize in building consensus on controversial public issues."

The report is available directly from
http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/us/pdf/Changing%20Course.pdf

OR

http://www.usmuslimengagement.org/storage/usme/documents/Changing_Course_-_A_New_Direction_for_US_Relations_with_the_Muslim_World.pdf

or as a link from SFCG website
http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/us/us_engagement.html

or from the

U.S.-Muslim Engagement Project website
http://www.usmuslimengagement.org/

For a list of the 34 Leaders go to
http://www.sfcg.org/programmes/us/pdf/USME%20Overview%209%2012%2008%20li
sting%20of%20LG%20only.pdf

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

**Description taken from the Thurgood Marshall Law Library website**

The Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library of Congress, serves the legislative process by providing Congress with non-partisan and in-depth legislative research and analysis on a variety of topics. CRS produces or updates more than 3,000 studies and other publications each year, none of which are distributed to the public. Because CRS reports are created using public money and are not readily accessible to the research community, the Thurgood Marshall Law Library has created an online collection in the subject areas of Homeland Security/Terrorism and Health Law and Policy.

http://www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall/crsreports/index.html?AlphaStart=R