I was fortunate enough to attend the joint announcement yesterday ay JFK International Airport with CBP and the Dutch government of the FLUX Alliance, the new joint international trusted traveler program. The brand name links CBP’s Global Entry program and the Dutch Privium program into a unified application process with reciprocal privileges for U.S. and Dutch citizens. It’s a great development.
The release of a report warning of rightwing extremist threats in the United States continues to generate controversy. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman has sent a letter to Secretary Napolitano expressing civil liberties concerns and inquiring about additional actions the Department may take.
Security Debrief is hosting its first online debate to analyze a strategic plan released by the Department of Homeland Security to secure the border with Mexico. The Department released a fact sheet last week — “Southwest Border: The Way Ahead” — which outlines the new activities and spending for specific departments and locations. Contributors Doug Doan and Chad Wolf kick off the debate by offering differing views on the appropriate use of stimulus funds for homeland security projects.
Today, CQ Homeland Security published a story with quotes from three Security Debrief contributors. Chris Battle, Julie Myers Wood, and Rich Cooper agreed that the experiences of Craig Fugate and John Morton will make for a less than controversial confirmation process.
By Allan Lengel
As unemployment rises, as the economy sinks and as hate groups try to use the Obama election as a recruiting tool, America and federal agencies like the FBI and ATF must not forget or take lightly these domestic hate groups or the fringe members or the “lone wolf” wannabes. You just never know what they’re capable of. Just ask the Oklahomans.
The tea parties on April 15 are an important warning sign – they demonstrate the growing discontent of those middle Americans who have never demonstrated before. Demonstrations are an important means of expression. However, if those in shirt and ties are now willing to demonstrate, it is simply a matter of time and citizen frustration that will drive more serious and police-challenging protests.
Since 9/11, while continuing its primary mission of enforcing U.S. controlled substances laws, DEA has supported U.S. counterterrorism efforts by prioritizing narcoterrorism cases—drug-trafficking cases linked to terrorism— and by implementing other policies and actions, such as collecting terrorism related intelligence from confidential informants and foreign partners.
Admiral Allen lists some of the blogs he reads regularly, and we are delighted to see Security Debrief as part of that list.
Eight federal law enforcement agents died that morning, along with 160 other Americans. That figure includes 19 small children who were in the daycare center. In total 168 lives were lost at the hands of a disgruntled and radicalized homegrown terrorist. No, he was not from a distant land, he and his accomplice were born and raised right here in America.
Sponsored by:
