The Daily Muck

You know how it is: clerical errors lead to thousands of missing weapons. Top commander in Iraq General David Petraeus said thousands of weapons meant for Iraqi security forces have been unaccounted for because of “bookkeeping deficiencies.” Tracking the weapons’ serial numbers were not of the greatest concern in 2004 and 2005 when priority was to provide weapons to Iraqi security forces, according to Petraeus. Of course, looking back, it might have been useful considering many officials fear these U.S.-issued weapons are being used now against American forces. (WaPo)

Let’s face it. The federal government, in particular the Bush administration, doesn’t have a great record in managing disasters. So you can understand why the states would be upset that the administration has rewritten our national response plan without considering the advice of local emergency officials. Oh, and -of course- the administration rewrote the plan in secret. (Washington Post)

Call it a half-baked solution: the FBI has loosened its hiring standards when it comes to drug use. In an effort to fill many job vacancies, the FBI has gotten rid of its previous drug policy to disqualify anyone with extensive drug use (using marijuana more than 15 times or other illegal drugs more than five times). (WaPo)

As part of last week’s 9/11 bill, the CIA will declassify its inspector general’s report on the attacks, which was completed two years ago. The report is set to be released on Labor Day. (The Hill)

Incredibly, last Friday President Bush signed a bill that would end the practice of classifying the budget of U.S. intelligence agencies, a move that showed the slightest signs of rolling back the incredible amount of classification that has gone on under the current administration. That change lasted a solid twelve hours before members of Congress tried to do away with it; on Saturday Rep. Issa (R-CA) presented an amendment that would return to classifying agencies’ budgets. The amendment was accepted without debate and attached to the 2008 defense appropriations bill. (Associated Press)

Several of the major domestic airlines are facing litigation relating to the 9/11 attacks. In order to help build their defense, those airlines are suing the FBI and the CIA in order to gain depositions from several intelligence agents with experience and records of tracking al-Qaeda prior to the attack. Key on the list of wanted witnesses is a CIA expert on bin Laden, listed under the pseudonym “John” in the 9/11 Commission Report. (WSJ’s Washington Wire)