Whether or not President Barack Obama gets another term or Gov. Mitt Romney pulls out a victory, it can be anticipated that after four years, current DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano will move on. So who is in the wings to take her spot? Listed below are some of the names of people that I think would be on a short list of a second term Obama White House or a new Romney White House.
Over the past several days, we’ve seen some remarkable examples of leadership in times of challenge. For as good as all of these efforts may be, however, there is one decision that makes no sense to me. The decision to proceed with the New York City Marathon this weekend is the wrong decision. Let’s put a few things on the table here first.
The images from Hurricane Sandy are jaw dropping. From flooded subway stations, waterfalls into the Ground Zero area, destroyed piers, boardwalks and homes, Hurricane Sandy – “The Frankenstorm” – was a big one that Mid-Atlantic States, New Jersey and NYC have long feared. Right now, we don’t know the full costs in lost lives or destroyed infrastructure and homes, but we do know this – it’s going to take some time to get things back to any sense of normal in the affected regions.
Since news of the shooting of a fourteen year old Pakistani girl by a Taliban gunman, a ninth grader named Malal Yousafzai broke, I’ve wrestled with feelings of heartbreak and sheer anger. This young woman could be my own daughter, another happy ninth grader, and what happened to her is nothing short of despicable. Much of the world finds the Taliban abhorrent, but what I find just as disturbing is the deafening silence coming from the streets of Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places in this region. People seem to be willing to riot over a stupid YouTube video, but when the blood of child is spilled, where is the outrage?
For anyone alive eleven years ago, September 11 will always be a date on the calendar when you immediately remember where you were and what you were doing when all hell broke loose. History records many unforgettable days, but as the rawness of that day’s memories ebbs, the lessons learned continue to ripple in many ways. In the discussion on safety and security, one of the often-overlooked aspects is the impact that day had on business.
Like most Americans, I found the news this weekend of the passing of Neil Armstrong saddening. An immensely private man, Armstrong’s accomplishments are the stuff of jaw-dropping legends. Yet, I was disappointed as I drove into Washington this morning, noticing that none of the U.S. flags were at half-staff. Here’s a guy who took our flag and planted it on the surface of the Moon, and now we’ve forgotten him by ignoring the very simple honor of flying the flag at half staff.
The 2012 presidential campaigns are heating up, with taxes and economic growth dominating the debate. One issue that is just as important but somewhat less present in the ongoing discussion is homeland security. Here is a piece I wrote for Defense Media Network about how homeland security fits into the race for the presidency.
After the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado that claimed the lives of 12 people and injured dozens more, the public debate is shifting to the tactics that could prevent such a terrible event from happening again. The use of metal detectors is becoming a central issue, but is this the best approach for stopping potential threats in public places?
With the horrific shooting that unfolded in Aurora, CO at the midnight screening of the summer’s most anticipated Batman film, I, like many people, find myself asking, “Why?” The question of “why” is one the subsequent police investigation will have to figure out, but the biggest “why” I have today relates to the victims in the movie theater. Initial reports are talking about a three-month-old, as well as a six- and nine-year-old as having been killed, with other kids among the injured. Why were these children in this theater at that hour?”
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