Adfero Group HSPI

By Rich Cooper and David Olive
After a long, protracted confirmation process, Dr. Tara O’Toole was confirmed by voice vote in the U.S. Senate last night to be the new DHS Under Secretary for Science & Technology. She begins the task of leading the Research & Development agenda at the only DHS cross-functional component.

On October 27, I participated in a panel on “U.S. Policy toward Cuba: Key Considerations for National Security” and tried to bring a pragmatic approach to the discussion on the current debate over the country’s status as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.

Maher Arar, the Canadian who got more than $10 million from the Canadian government for its role in Arar’s rendition to Syria, has lost his suit against U.S. officials in an en banc Second Circuit decision.

When the 9/11 Commission recommendations were released in 2004 most of the media focus and national attention were on the proposed reforms to the nation’s intelligence mechanisms. Practically lost in the coverage of five years ago was the last of the recommendations that focused upon private sector preparedness.

We need a holistic approach that coordinates the strategy around guns, gates and guards to protect physical infrastructure with our strategy to protect our networks, SCADA systems and cyber infrastructure. Though we can’t seem to move beyond creating strategies and engaging in planning – recent arrests in the United States demonstrate our adversaries aren’t as bureaucratic.

The H1N1 outbreak has left no part of our lives untouched. From schools, businesses and public gatherings, how we interact with one another has really changed. I found myself surprised at my church when our Chaplain, at the outset of the service, offered a very polite, humble plea to the congregation – please refrain from hand shaking and if you’re sick, please stay home.