menu

Contributor:

admin

A Preparedness Wake-up Call for Cyprus

|
March 21, 2012

Major disasters are relatively rare in Cyprus. Other than a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in 1996 that did not result in any casualties (but was the largest since 1953), annual wildfires and droughts, the island nation has generally avoided the brunt of manmade or natural disasters. But alas, tranquillity breeds complacency. In 2011, 98 containers of improperly stored explosives exploded in Cyprus with devastating impacts on human life, infrastructure and the Cypriot economy. Now is the time for Cyprus to address the hazards it faces.

▾ Read More

Protecting Networks – Public or Private Sector Responsible?

|
March 14, 2012

The two distinctly different Senate Cyber-Security bills currently making their way through the US Congress respond to the ever-increasing cyber assaults on the US, and particularly the CIKR sectors. It is clear that action must be taken to further harden our IT systems from these asymmetrical and often successful attacks. But remember cyber-security is a balancing act based on the risk tolerance of corporations and agencies. We have enough regulations already in place. What we need is more information sharing on a two-way street.

▾ Read More

Seizing the Social Networking High Ground

|
March 6, 2012

Throughout history, wars have often turned on the success or failure of seizing the high ground. Waterloo, Gettysburg, the Battle of Hastings, D-Day all depended on taking the heights, and the results of these battles changed the tides of wars and history. Today is no different, but the high ground looks much different on the Internet.

▾ Read More

Sliding Toward the Guns of August with Iran

|
March 2, 2012

I worry that we are sliding toward a “Guns of August” scenario over Tehran’s nuclear program. I worry that rhetoric and potential policy choices may bring about the very outcome we seek to avoid and unleash unforeseen and uncontrollable forces. Stoking this concern is the fact that despite a lack of intelligence suggesting Iran is moving toward weaponization, the chorus of those calling for direct military strikes to interdict such is sounding off with increasing frequency and volume. With this comes the risk that ex ante policy objectives may be getting ahead of both intelligence and strategy.

▾ Read More

What the Trial of Umar Patek Means for Counterterrorism

|
February 29, 2012

Umar Patek, indicted for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings, sits before five Indonesian judges. After years of being hunted, Patek must account for a campaign of premeditated murder and bomb-making. While his fate may not be as dramatic as that which befell Osama Bin Laden or Anwar al-Awlaki, there are at least three reasons why the result is every bit as important.

▾ Read More

A Conversation on Cyber Security Legislation with Mike McConnell, Michael Chertoff and Congressional Staff

|
February 21, 2012

Join The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute on Wednesday, February 22 for a special Policy and Research Forum Series event featuring Vice Admiral Mike McConnell, USN (Ret.), former Director of National Intelligence, and the Hon. Michael Chertoff, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. They will be joined by senior staff of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for a roundtable discussion regarding pending legislation to address the growing cyber threat to U.S. national security.

▾ Read More

Counterterrorism and Foreign Fighters in the Af-Pak Region

|
February 15, 2012

It’s definitely good news that there may be a drop in the number of Western foreign fighters traveling to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), but it should come as no surprise. First and foremost, military actions – including the use of drones – have made the environment less hospitable for those traveling to it. With al Qaeda senior leaders on their back heels, now is the time to exploit this unique window of counterterrorism opportunity

▾ Read More

SAFETY Act Reached Major Milestones in 2011

|
February 1, 2012

Having been involved with DHS’ Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act) since its inception, my antenna are always alert for mentions of it. Like in late 2008, I am surprised that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s 2nd Annual Address on the State of America’s Homeland Security did not include a pat on the back for the Department’s remarkable milestones achieved in the past year. Nevertheless, the SAFETY Act Office’s list of accomplishments are impressive and growing.

▾ Read More

Faster, Safer, and Smarter: A Modern Visa System for the United States

|
January 26, 2012

The U.S. visa system is still not effectively focusing resources on those who pose a threat to our country. More than a decade after 9/11, foreign tourists, business travelers, students, and temporary workers presenting low security risks face the same cumbersome and unpredictable procedural hurdles as high-risk applicants. Despite commendable efforts by the State Department to speed up visa issuance, only modest progress has been made in translating the tremendous technological advances in homeland security to the visa system to ensure that accurate determinations are made in a timely manner.

▾ Read More