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The Real Dear Departed Leader

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December 19, 2011

You could not find a greater difference between two men than Vaclav Havel and Kim Jong Il. One was a rock and roll loving playwright who led the Velvet Revolution that tossed Communist control of Czechoslovakia; the other, the heir of one of the world’s most brutal regimes that thought nothing of starving his own people to feed his vast military machine while walling his country off from contact with the outside world to create their own paradise. Somehow the cruel North Korean despot earned the moniker of “Dear Leader,” while the playwright went about his life speaking to the human spirit’s craving to be free. Both died this past weekend.

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Iran, Hezbollah Also Responsible for 9/11, Rules Federal Judge

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December 16, 2011

Federal Judge George Daniels announced in open court in New York City yesterday, in a case filed by families of 9/11 victims, that he was going to be signing an order within 24 hours stating Iran, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda are responsible for the 9/11 attacks. What we do know publicly is that Iran and Hezbollah not only provided terrorist travel assistance for the 9/11 hijackers to travel through Iran to attend Afghan terror training camps, but also that Hezbollah’s most senior operational leader, and chief liaison with Iran, Imad Mughniyah – and other Hezbollah operatives – traveled with the 9/11 hijackers in and out of Lebanon and in and out of Iran after these same hijackers had been issued visas to visit the United States.

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House to pass bill giving cybersecurity authority to DHS

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December 16, 2011

CQ Homeland Security In the final weeks before Congress is expected to conclude its business for the year, nine lawmakers, including House Homeland Security Chairman Peter T. King, announced a new a cybersecurity bill aimed at protecting critical infrastructure.

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AUTHORITIES MISTAKENLY ARREST FOUR U.S. CITIZENS FOR BEING UNDOCUMENTED

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December 15, 2011

Authorities in Southern California wrongly arrested four U.S. citizens through the Secure Communites federal immigration enforcement program, the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday.

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Christmas Thoughts from Baghdad Gone By

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December 15, 2011

I was attending my church’s Kids’ Christmas program, and the depiction of the three wise men brought back some memories for me of a Christmas I spent far from home a few years ago. It was Christmas 2003, and I was in Baghdad, Iraq. I had been sent there by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, leading a team of 20 senior field grade officers. No service member likes to be away during the holidays, but serving one’s country gives you a treasure trove of memories that cannot be replaced.

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Bill Bratton on London Riots, Occupy Protests and Law Enforcement

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December 15, 2011

In late October, I had the privilege of interviewing former NYPD and Boston Police Commissioner and LAPD Police Chief Bill Bratton. Unlike a number of people in the public eye, he actually does his homework and thinks before he speaks. Our interview touched on a range of issues – the lessons not learned after 9/11; the state of information sharing with local law enforcement agencies; and how the country’s fiscal climate will impact the overall homeland mission.

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Whither CBP?

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December 14, 2011

In just over two weeks, barring an unanticipated miracle, CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin’s recess appointment will run out. There are many positive things that can be said for how Bersin handled his tenure at CBP. Nevertheless, it does not appear that Bersin’s nomination is going to be approved by the Senate. Until DHS or the White House make their plans for Bersin’s replacement, even on an acting basis, clear and unequivocal, one wonders whether they even care about who leads this vital organization.

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Senate bill would offer temp student visas to some illegal immigrants

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December 14, 2011

CQ Homeland Security A new effort from Sen. Michael Bennet would offer temporary student visas to young people brought to the country illegally as children who enroll in college.Bennet’s bill would primarily create a new green card category for graduates in science, technology, engineering and math — known as the STEM fields — that would […]

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DHS BULK CASH SMUGGLING CENTER FOLLOWS THE MONEY

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December 13, 2011

A small Department of Homeland Security office in Vermont helped disrupt one of the largest cocaine smuggling operations ever broken up by US agents, the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said yesterday.

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TSA ANNOUNCES ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNOLOGY AT U.S. AIRPORTS

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December 13, 2011

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Monday announced 16 airports which are set to receive recently purchased millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) units. The machines will be deployed with new automated target recognition (ATR) software designed to enhance privacy by eliminating passenger-specific images while improving throughput capabilities and streamlining the checkpoint screening process.

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