New U.S., Pakistan Joint Counterterrorism Team to Focus on High Value Targets – IPT Blog
Officials have confirmed that the U.S. and Pakistan will form a joint counterterrorism team, the Associated Press reports.
Senate Demands National Disaster Recovery Plan From FEMA – Disaster Zone
Hmm, this is not an easy answer for the Senate. FEMA is on the hook for delivering a National Disaster Recovery Framework and they are still in DRAFT mode. I see the challenging word being “National” and not Federal.
Homeland Security testing mind-reading terrorist ‘pre-crime’ detectors – Computer World
Many times, technologies from popular science fiction movies have later blended with real science and technology to become reality. Deployment of just such surveillance technology, somewhere between mind-reading machines and a “pre-crime” program, is currently being tested against real life to remotely detect terrorists or assassins, to find people with malicious intentions.
Heightened border security helps fuel billion dollar smuggling business – Homeland Security Newswire
As the United States makes it more difficult to cross its borders illegally, business for human traffickers has been booming with smugglers making billions of dollars a year.
I am all for cutting back government spending. There are, however, smart and less than smart ways to do that. For example, a family can balance the budget by just skipping the mortgage payment leaving plenty of bucks for Netflicks and munchies. The House appropriations bill for the Homeland Security Department budget looks to be taking a similar approach—gutting the Office of Policy.
Two Iraqis Indicted in Kentucky on Terrorism Charges – The IPT Blog
Two Iraqi nationals have been indicted on terrorism charges, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Kentucky announced Tuesday. The previously sealed indictment, returned last week by a federal grand jury, charged Waad Alwan and Mohanad Hammadi on 23 counts related to helping insurgents, including al-Qaida linked fighters, in Iraq.
Within the past few weeks, testimony from former Congressman Lee Hamilton and an Associated Press story both highlighted the cost – in time and money, if not security – of overlapping jurisdiction of congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. House Judiciary Chair Lamar Smith told the AP that Congress intended a “purposeful redundancy” when it created the DHS. Are you kiddin’ me?
I have closely watched the reaction to the Obama Administration’s recent moves on cyberspace – 20th century mentalities dealing with a 21st century problem. This frontier is without rules or rulers. However, we have not only a national stake in cyberspace through our defense structure; we also have a vast commercial stake with our banking, electrical and other major national industries depending on its viability and safety. We are at the end of the beginning of cyberspace and the lawless frontier.
As a Life Flight helicopter pilot residing just outside of Joplin, Missouri; my father-in-law knew he would be needed to help airlift critically wounded victims of the recent tornado to nearby medical facilities. What he didn’t know is that according to Frontier Airlines, his duty to save lives isn’t as important as their corporate refund policy. This speaks to a larger issue. More and more there is a greater recognition that in the realm of homeland security, there are no bystanders.
Cyber Combat: Act of War – Wall Street Journal
The Pentagon has concluded that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a finding that for the first time opens the door for the U.S. to respond using traditional military force.
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