Military and Homeland Defense

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Police chief: Cartels threaten U.S. law enforcement in Arizona

June 22, 2010

Police chief: Cartels threaten U.S. law enforcement in Arizona – Homeland Security Newswire
We reported two months ago that there is a new twist in the on going war along the U.S.-Mexico border: Mexican smugglers now use “cloned” Border Patrol vehicles to smuggle drugs into the United States. There is an added danger here, as Mexican drug cartels have launched an assassination campaign against U.S. law enforcement personnel along the border; driving a Border Patrol look-alike vehicle allows the assailants to get closer to their targets without arousing suspicion.

Steven Bucci |

June 1, 2010

Now that Congress has finally confirmed Gen. Keith Alexander for his fourth star and the duty of Commander, US Cyber Command, he has a tough road ahead. Cyber Command will be a sub-unified command under U.S. Strategic Command. It is not an intelligence organization – despite Alexander being dual hated as the Director of the National Security Agency – but is what the military refers to as a warfighting command. Alexander will have control of components from each of the services. As a Joint Commander, he must blend these elements into a cohesive force to deal with an enormous set of challenges in a unified manner.

Gushing Oil May Drown Proposal to Curb Coast Guard Funding

Media Watch |

May 5, 2010

Gushing Oil May Drown Proposal to Curb Coast Guard Funding – CQ Homeland Security
With Coast Guard officers and cutters leading the disaster response in the Gulf of Mexico, an unpopular Obama administration proposal to reduce the agency’s funding in fiscal 2011 is quickly becoming even less popular on Capitol Hill.

Oversight panel leaders push on Fort Hood inquiry

Media Watch |

April 29, 2010

Oversight panel leaders push on Fort Hood inquiry – Government Executive
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Wednesday they have made one more offer to get the Obama administration’s cooperation in the committee’s inquiry into the November Fort Hood shootings, but indicated they would have to seek authorization for a subpoena.

Military Wants To Super-Charge Troop Smarts

Media Watch |

April 29, 2010

Military Wants To Super-Charge Troop Smarts – Danger Room
The Pentagon’s been trying to get ahead of the curve on neuroscience for years, toying with ideas like mind reading lie-detection and performance degrading drugs for enemy combatants. Now, they’re launching a major effort in harnessing neuroscience to better prepare soldiers for the mental rigors of modern warfare.

U.S. hypersonic glider lost in space

Media Watch |

April 29, 2010

U.S. hypersonic glider lost in space – Homeland Security Newswire
U.S. military scientists lost contact with a hypersonic glider nine minutes into its inaugural test flight last week, a defense research agency said on Tuesday. The unmanned Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) is designed to fly through the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to Mach 20, providing the U.S. military with a possible platform for striking targets anywhere on the planet with conventional weapons.

Security Debrief |

April 26, 2010

The determination to proceed with the Prompt Global Strike (PGS) weapon system by the Obama Administration, as reported by the New York Times, raises interesting questions about the long-term future of nuclear weapons. PGS is effectively a tactical nuclear weapon without the messy nuclear after-effects. The system definitely has its advocates and detractors, its good points and bad. However, in a world the President is determined to make nuclear free, it is a step in the right direction.

Steven Bucci |

April 7, 2010

I was privileged to attend a super event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday. They hosted Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, Commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet (both Navy cyber organizations). It was in the main a normal “command brief,” but McCullough’s forthrightness made it much more. McCullough opened his remarks by telling the industry audience that after several months, he is beginning to understand the problem set. He emphasized that anyone who thinks there is a quick technological fix to our cyber challenges is dreaming.

Security Debrief |

April 5, 2010

Islamist militants attacked a U.S. consulate in northwest Pakistan with car bombs and grenades Monday, killing three people, hours after 41 people died in a suicide attack on a political rally elsewhere in the region.

Steven Bucci |

March 18, 2010

I was privileged to participate as a speaker at a gathering of senior military leaders. It was a non-attribution event, so I am prohibited from discussing the details or who was there, but several “messages” warrant going out. This group of 25 or so general and flag officers (with several senior executive service folks mixed in) spent a week off site, chewing on lots of issues that will bedevil them as they continue up the ladder of our nation’s military. They are as open to new ways of thinking as they are to new weapons systems. I, for one, was thrilled that our nation is the hands of leaders of this caliber.

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