Transportation Security Gaps

The Screening issue:

Red flags and clear warnings not being used to thwart the recent attempted airliner bombing, Shine a light on more than just a lack of screening equipment. The basic threat assessment process was shelved at some point – by both a lack of resolve and misplaced priorities within the system.

We learned in the tragic analysis of information leading up to the September 11th attacks that a decision was made that “not enough evidence” existed to search a laptop (which later turned out to contain valuable information. In this situation, – a decision that not enough evidence existed was looked at with regard to a “right” cited (see the fourth amendment) right or wrong, its infringement or lack thereof was the rationale given for the decision.

In the most recent example our “terrorist watch list” is mentioned as having contained information on the bombing suspect. At some point this information was shelved, or deemed “not enough” to add this suspect to a no fly list. Note that the use of this term, previously accepted in phrases such as “not enough to arrest” “not enough to detain” or “Not enough to prosecute” has now become part of a new Government policy – “not enough to do anything with the information”. This newly discovered policy has been attached to a “new right” which was recently introduced in this Nation. This right was created while we were all asleep, or perhaps we just didn’t get the memo on it: Foreign citizens now have a “right” to fly into the United States, that can only be abridged, reduced, or limited, by having “enough” evidence against them to convict them of a crime. In addition, the same amount of evidence is also necessary to move forward and either screen someone further, or pull their Visa or refuse them permission to enter the United States.

The confusion and lack of resolve by those in decision and policy making positions has inadvertently ascribed “new rights” to those that wish to do us harm. We are now being made aware of it, and the process needs intense scrutiny to weed out weak policies and flawed decision making in any agency charged with our public safety.

Joint Chief's Comments

This week's story about the Iranian Revolutionary Guard operating Naval ships in the Persian Gulf, is one that is worth keeping a close eye on. The manner in which the story was released (through a speech that Admiral Michael Mullen was giving at the army War College) seems inadvertent, but surely does the trick to alert the public that some naval action may be on the horizon. It is fair to assume, that the U.S. will not make the same mistake the British did in allowing the Iranians to take hostage their naval personnel in the area. A more likely scenario to come, should the Iranians operate in close proximity to U.S. Navy Ships would be a conflict and a use of force. One that might be costly to the Iranians.

Katrina aftermath

It is possible that The Katrina disaster has had less of a changing impact on the region than first thought. The media focus on the failures of the Government in the disaster aftermath, did not focus on anything but the Federal response. The long lasting issue now points out what was clear to emergency management professionals immediately, that a disaster occured other than the hurricane - and it originated on the Local and State level. The Katrina disaster showed us many flaws in the Federal Government leadership that responded. It also showed us a total breakdown of State and Local leadership, guidance, preplanning, emergency planning, corruption, and misuse of Federal funds. After all of this, the City re -elected its Mayor. The Mayor being re-elected sends a message that he is not going to held accountable for his failures. There is no recognition on the local level that the city completely failed it's citizens. The city will not be prepared in the future, unless it sees that it must stand up for itself, and better prepare its citizens and it's communities. Fema responds and supports what a community has in place. It augments an area or regions emergency capability. It was designed as a coordinating entity and was therefore unprepared to take over and run an area with a total
collapse in preparation and leadership. With so many multiple levels of failure it is difficult for any issue to gain real traction and stay in the focus of taxpayers minds. Politicians pushing "we need to do more" do not have a specific enough goal for divergent groups to grasp, and divergent groups must work together with a common goal to effect real change.

National Intelligence Estimate - more confusion ?

National Intelligence Estimate

The recent stories on the National Intelligence Estimate report, make an inference to the Al-Qaida group using its contacts in Iraq to mount an attack in the United States. The parts of the report, available for reading, make reference to increased threats, from within “radicalized” groups, and indicates that the United States still faces threats, but also points to the fact that these threats may also be coming to us without a “centralized terrorist organization.” This aspect of the report got very little play in the media, which skews the story a bit. The headlines associated with the report, were sensational and surprising - the report itself is not.

Re visiting the Duke case

Monday, December 25, 2006

Duke Case Flowchart

posted by al chervik @ 8:22 AM

Cataracts and Politics

The Grant Of Executive Clemency that was given to Lewis Libby, surprised some today, predicting a pardon, and others predicting that the administration would steer clear of the issue. The fact that Libby’s prison term was commuted, and the rest of the sentence (fine, supervised release) was left in tact, lends some insight into how the President views his role. A pardon for a convicted Felon, would no doubt show contempt for the process, ( as the Clinton Administration displayed with its 11th hour pardons) A commutation of the prison portion of the Libby sentence shows us that the administration is clearly loyal to its footman, but also shows a level of detachment from the taxpayers. It may just be, that politicians playing at this level of competition, with all the money and deal making that got them to where they are, really believe they are on solid ground, even when standing in quicksand. Although it’s nice to think that our elected officials stand behind what they believe in, it is disconcerting to think that the result of such devotion to ones beliefs is a type of political cataracts

The End of the Duke Case ??

No surprise here, as the truth comes out on the Duke case. The issue now should focus on the culpability of the prosecutor - lets see how vigilant the criminal justice system will be in the follow up to this travesty. The prosecutor should be removed from office, to prevent others from falling victim to his incompetence.