ShaneHarris.com » Politics

Outrage Returns to Washington

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:11:53 +0000

There’s much welcome indignation over the twin scandals at the General Services Administration and the Secret Service. Does this signal a new era of accountability? Don’t bet on it. More here.

Becoming the Ambassador

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:17:53 +0000

Ever wonder what happens when the United States welcomes a new foreign ambassador? Here’s my behind-the-scenes look at a ceremony that’s steeped in tradition and timed to the minute.

Killer App

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:45:32 +0000

Have a bunch of Silicon Valley computer geeks figured out how to stop terrorists?

Patriot Act–deja vu all over again

admin — Sat, 28 May 2011 16:44:18 +0000

I was a guest on this week’s “On the Media,” talking about the renewal of the Patriot Act, and whether the Obama administration is secretly interpreting the law in a way that allows the government to collect more information.

Petraeus and Panetta: The CIA looks even more like a military operation

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:42:37 +0000

As the CIA has gotten better at hunting down and killing people, it has come to look increasingly like a military outfit run by civilians.The ascendancy of Gen. David Petraeus to CIA director begins to make a lot more sense when you consider that the difference between CIA and military operations is getting less significant all the time.

Read the full story in Washingtonian.

Dispatches from the war on leaks

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:37:16 +0000

A draft indictment against former NSA official Thomas Drake, which was never filed, shows that the government contemplated prosecuting him for a range of crimes, including conspiracy. But many of the most serious charges were dropped. Why? And what does it tell us about the Obama administration’s ongoing campaign to staunch leaks of classified information? Read my exclusive piece in Washingtonian.

The Watchers–in paperback!

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:44:31 +0000

The Watchers is on sale today in paperback. You can pick up a copy in your favorite bookstore or online. It’s got a nifty new cover, as well as a new afterword on the Christmas Day bombing attempt. That event occurred as the hardcover was going to press, so we couldn’t work it in. I’m glad it’s in the new version, because it ties up the theme of the whole book very nicely.

Here are some links to bookstores selling the paperback:

A Clueless President

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:59:06 +0000

I’ve long known that, on many important national security decisions, former president George W. Bush wasn’t in the driver’s seat. But I was shocked to discover that at one of the most critical points of his presidency, Bush wasn’t even in the car. Here’s my review of Bush’s shocking admission, in his new memoir, about the week that imperiled his administration and might have exposed one of his most controversial intelligence programs.

Own the Sky: The Air Force’s epic quest to buy an airplane

admin — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:48:12 +0000

My new feature in Washingtonian looks at the ten year saga to buy the Air Force’s new mid-air refueling tanker. I’ve been writing about government contracts for years, and this is easily the most fascinating, controversial, and personally ruinous contracting story I’ve ever encountered. Hopefully, by year’s end, the Air Force will put an end to this escapade, but I’ve got a feeling that this story is still far from over.

Plugging the Leaks

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:48:30 +0000

“They already know who it is.” That’s how one former U.S. official responded the Justice Department’s years-long investigation of a suspected leaker of classified intelligence. So, why are prosecutors trying to force a well-known journalist to identify this suspect before a federal grand jury? And what does it mean for the future of a free press in the Obama administration? Read all about it in “Plugging the Leaks,” my latest feature for Washingtonian magazine. It’s on stands now and available online.