Keeping Security in Shape

How Many Signs of Terrorism Activity Can There Be?

Recently the DHS, in cooperation with the Colorado Office of Homeland Security, has released an instructional video about the 8 signs of Terrrorism, with the purpose of instructing viewers on what to look for when an act of terrorism is being planned. Just a few years ago, the DHS in cooperation with the Illinois Office of Homeland Security released an instructional video about the 7 signs of terrorism planning.

I am waiting for the folks from Illinois to up the ante and say in fact that there are 9 signs of terrorsm planning and that Colorado is behind the times.

 

 

In all seriousness, dedicated terorist organization learn to adapt to out maneuver anti-terrorist methods. Knowing that terrorist groups will eventually expoit a weakness, the goal of anti-terrorism should be to delay the time it takes for terrorists to find a solution to our defenses.

Iranian Threat to or Not To Be

The latest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) is quelling the alarm that Iran is intent on arming itself with nuclear weapons in the near future. Is it possible that this is in fact the case? Or is this latest announcement peppered with politicized intelligence and in fact is an underhanded jab at Israel?

The back story on the tension between the US and Israel has to do with Israel ignoring American requests to stop building Jewish settlements in the contested territories west of the Jordan River.  Israel, in relation to the Iranian threat, has done somewhat of a remarkable job in lobbying the rest of the world as to the dangers of a nuclear capable Iran. Furthermore, Israel has exposed and possibly may have destroyed (in Syria) some of Iran's nuclear building initiatives.

So by the US deflating the Iranian threat, Israel loses some global support for any unilateral actions it may take against Iran. With the Iranian threat in the background, the focus on an Israel West Bank compromise will be all the more prevalent.

No sooner do I write this than I read about the US scrapping the Missile Base Defense initiative in Europe. The Obama administration argued that the resources meant for this program can be better used to contain the Iranian missile threat (nuclear or otherwise I suppose).

http://www.newsweek.com/id/215529

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32889934/ns/politics-white_house

Hezbollah/Lebanon vs. Israel

Over the last dozen years, Israel has often been involved in a round robin of military conflicts: Lebanon, Gaza, West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Gaza, secret missions into Syria. It seems that now the focus is back on Lebanon after December 08's counter terrorism campaign in Gaza.

Whenever Israel has launched a military campaign into Lebanon to strike back against Hezbollah, the world media condemns Israel for victimizing the Lebanese. Since Hezbollah, a notorious terrorist organization, is firmly entrenched in the Lebanese government and has tremendous influence over the Lebanese military, and despite any Western leaning ideals possessed by other Lebanese political factions, at the end of the day Hezbollah and thereby Lebanon is a valid target of the Israel Defense Forces.

In the Middle East, might makes right, especially in Lebanon regardless of what party sits at the top of the government. Hezbollah is armed with thousands of rockets and personnel and flushed with millions of dollars not including additional support it receives from Iran and Syria. Time will tell if Israel will once again preemptively strike in Lebanon to quell the growing military power exhibited by Hezbollah.

Intelligence Management

Understanding Intelligence Management

“ Jet Liner Goes Down”
“ Labor Strike in France”
“Underground Explosion in San Francisco”

These headlines are examples of what we read, watch, or hear through open media sources. For some
people and organizations, these incidents may directly impact their business process or livelihoods
requiring them to act (intelligence), and for others these headlines are considered simple news items.
A common problem facing many senior security managers is the feeling of being overwhelmed with
the constant influx of information via the Internet, broadcast media, the corporate intranet, and coworkers.

There is also the unspoken added pressure the chief security officer puts on him or herself to be the guy or gal who is expected to know everything that is happening anywhere in the world at any given
time. Unfortunately, some managers, fall into a trap of subscribing to every conceivable security oriented e-mail list possible, with the hope of finding something “actionable”. Casting a wide net in the hope of catching a single nugget of actionable intelligence will tax corporate or organizational
resources, demand many hours of analysis, and clog up the security department’s communication
infrastructure.

How does one actually assess what it is
considered intelligence and what is non-essential
news to that organization’s business continuity or
security? How does one navigate through a
plethora of information sources? The answers to
these questions and other’s can be found by
understanding how to manage the intelligence
process. Valuable time, money and even
reputations can be saved by knowing what the
intelligence needs of an organization are first and
then designing a plan to capture the intelligence.

For the rest of the article click on: http://www.sfasis.org/PDF/Newsletter/nl-q2-2009.pdf

SHOOTING AT US HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

Shooting at Musuem

Hopefully everyone understands the importance of having security at the perimeter.

An Oldie but a goodie, Ramadi P.I

I found this really funny

Israeli Independence Day - Happy 61

Need I say anymore:

http://www.golani.co.il

Khaled Mashaal Video Link Busted OOPS DID I DO THAT?

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/04/23/1004561/hamas-leader-to-address-british-lawmakers

LONDON (JTA) --  A technical problem prevented Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal from taking part in a question-and-answer session with British lawmakers.

The 25 lawmakers who gathered to hear Mashaal left when the video link failed.

Claire Short, a former British minister of international development who organized Wednesday's meeting during a visit to Damascus, said she would reschedule the event, according to reports. She drew criticism from the British government, the opposition and the Israeli government over the program.

Short, who resigned from the Blair government over the war in Iraq, has been a longtime critic of Israel.

The Damascus-based Mashaal is the head of Hamas’ political bureau and is considered to be the main decision-maker in the Islamic fundamentalist organization.

A spokeswoman for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that the members of parliament who plan to talk to Mashaal are doing so in a “private capacity,” adding that “there are no plans for any government contacts.”

“We do not believe it is productive to talk to Hamas directly,” said the spokeswoman, adding that “Hamas is a terrorist organization."

The Lord works in mysterious ways!

Special Forces - Up Close and Personal

Check out this compelling account of special warriors tasked with undertaking extraordinary missions. 

US Special Forces

The Global Temperature is Rising

I am not talking about global warming, I am talking about how more and more hot blooded human beings are becoming on a daily basis. Shooting rampages in Germany and Alabama, suicide bombings in Iraq, gang violence in the US, drug cartel violence in Mexico, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Thailand - are having major issues in curbing militant organizations sprung from their own populations. Motorists are getting shot on California freeways, civil disobedience demonstrations are becoming more violent, cheerleaders are robbing liquor stores and beating ip each other, the list goes on.

It seems that people these days are a lot more angry with each other than in years past.
When people get angry they don't flip off the offending person and leave they now a days tend to shoot the poor SOB.