| From The Editor July 31, 2006 |
Pander and RunAfter years of struggling to define their own approach to post-Sept. 11 foreign policy, Democrats seem finally to have hit on one. It's called pandering. In those rare cases when George W. Bush shows genuine sensitivity to America's allies and propounds a broader, more enlightened view of the national interest, Democrats will make him pay. It's jingoism with a liberal face.The latest example came this week when Democratic senators and House members demanded that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki either retract his criticisms of Israel or forfeit his chance to address Congress. Great idea. Maliki -- who runs a government propped up by U.S. troops -- is desperate to show Iraqis that he is not Washington's puppet. And the United States desperately needs him to succeed because, unless he gains political credibility at home, his government will have no hope of surviving on its own. Full Article Gary Jackson President Blackwater |
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
| A government must not waiver once it has chosen it's course. It must not look to the left or right but go forward. Otto von Bismarck |
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PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS |
The Evolution of Improvised Explosive DevicesMany insurgents and terrorists around the world are examining and embracing the successful use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in Iraq and integrating them into their battle plans. Defeating the IED threat requires a comprehensive approach.Insurgents in Iraq have made the IED a central component of their overall 'bleed until bankruptcy' strategy. According to CENTCOM, in 2004, there were 5,607 IED attacks; in 2005, there was massive increase of 10,953 IED attacks, as insurgents realized the cost effectiveness of this weapon. Overall, IEDs have accounted for 873 of the over 1,600 Coalition fatalities in Iraq since the start of the war. This analysis examines how IEDs are constructed and used in Iraq; how the IED fits into the insurgents' overall strategy in Iraq; how the strategy governing the use of IEDs has proliferated to Afghanistan and other fields of battle; and what the successful use of IEDs in Iraq means for the future national security of the United States. Terrorism Research Center Detainees, if Freed, Could Help U.S.Since the Supreme Court's decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld , much ink has been devoted to what should be done about prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I have a simple solution: Turn 'em loose. Why? First, I think we may have extracted as much intelligence as we are going to get from these guys. They have served their purpose; they can go... Most important, I would argue that the release of the detainees would produce new actionable intelligence -- and internal turmoil for al-Qaeda. Most if not all of the detainees would go back to their old neighborhoods, and in the process of tracking them we might start to see some new faces. I also have to believe that over time we have "turned" some of the detainees, who may be willing to work with us once they are repatriated. Full Story Weak HorsesOn Tuesday, July 18, in Tehran, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to his countrymen. He reminded them of the connection between Israel and the liberal West: "The final point of liberal civilization is the false and corrupt state that has occupied Jerusalem. That is the bottom line. That is what all those who talk about liberalism and support it have in common." He went on to explain that when the Muslim world erupts, "its waves will not be limited to this region." That same day, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, issued a warning to the Zionists who had intruded into the Muslim Middle East: "Today, the land of Palestine is painted red with your contemptible blood. . . . No place in Israel will be safe."Weekly Standard |
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BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Keep Pursuits in ContextWe hear a lot in the media about pursuits, especially when they turn out bad. The simple truth is that, unless someone is injured or killed as the result of a pursuit, you'd probably never read anything about pursuits at all. In fact, it's probably safe to say that, absent some sort of injurious outcome, most members of the public really don't care how much we pursue, or whether we pursue at all. It's sort of one of those "out of sight, out of mind" things. However, should someone get hurt, be it citizen or officer, the sky falls in on us. Newspapers are rife with stories regarding the incident, and it's not uncommon to read analyses of pursuit trends in the area of the chase. A typical story includes information regarding the number of pursuit related injuries and fatalities in, say, the last year. Sometimes, statistics from your geographic area are compared against national estimates, usually with commentary from some "expert," regarding how bad your numbers are. There's almost always a statement regarding the need for better policies and more restrictions.Full Story Teen Pleads Not Guilty in Ind. ShootingsA teenager accused of killing a man and wounding another in a series of highway shootings had argued with relatives during a hunting trip and drove off in anger shortly before the attacks, a prosecutor said Wednesday. Zachariah Blanton, 17, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of murder, attempted murder and three counts of criminal recklessness. He stared at the sidewalk as officers led him into the Jackson County Courthouse where Circuit Judge William Vance set a tentative Dec. 13 trial date.Full Story Sniffer Devices: Finding explosives before they find youIn light of these events, police in cities like New York and Washington, D.C. have stepped up efforts to do random bag searches on subway trains and stations. In November of 2005, subway police in NYC conducted tests on twelve hand-held explosives detection devices, generally referred to as "sniffer" devices. Backpacks, luggage and shopping bags were randomly searched for the presence of traces of explosives material. Small amounts of explosives residue can be transferred from a bomber's hands or a device to the surface or straps of a bag used to conceal the bomb. Advances in chemical detection technology have led to the development of a number of devices that can detect very small amounts of explosives residue in the field in real time.Full Story Dozens Arrested Nationwide in Drug CaseFederal agents say they have broken up a smuggling ring responsible for most of the U.S. distribution of a leafy stimulant called khat, which is illegal here but commonly used in East Africa and parts of the Arabian peninsula. Prosecutors announced the indictment of 44 people in New York on Wednesday on charges that they helped bring 25 tons of the plant into the U.S. in recent years. All but 14 of the suspects were under arrest after a series of sweeps in several states. About 5 tons of the drug, worth $2 million, have been seized by agents during the 18-month investigation, authorities said.Full Story Three in Critical Condition After Gunman Opens Fire at Jewish CharityThree women were hospitalized in critical condition, after a gunman who allegedly said he was "angry at Israel" opened fire in a deadly attack at a Jewish charity's offices in Seattle, officials and local news reports said. Federal agents from the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force were among the phalanx of police who responded to the afternoon attack at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on Friday.Full Story |
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
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SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Unmanned Aircraft Give Military Added CapabilityThe instant feedback of information supplied by unmanned aerial vehicles is bringing immediate "value added" to U.S. military operations, the Joint Staff's director for strategic plans and policy explained yesterday. "UAVs have become such an important tool for our decision makers -- operational battlefield decision makers and strategic decision makers," Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor E. "Gene" Renuart Jr. said in a Pentagon Channel interview. "They have become an accepted part of our inventory." Unmanned aerial vehicles are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry cameras, sensors and communications equipment that provide an integrated system of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. The vehicles also provide valuable battle-damage assessment and are used to track high-value targets. Some even carry weapons.Full Story Iraqi PM to U.S. Congress: Iraq to Become 'Graveyard for Terrorism'Iraq is the front line in the war on terror and ultimately will serve as a "graveyard for terrorism," Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told a joint session of Congress here today. Maliki repeatedly thanked the lawmakers for the United States' steadfast support for his country and assured them that Iraq will remain a solid ally in the terror war. "Iraq will never forget those who stood with her ... and who continue to stand with her in times of need," he said. The prime minister compared the losses Iraq faces at the hands of Islamic extremists to those the U.S. experienced during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. "Thousands of lives were tragically lost on Sept. 11th, when these imposters of Islam reared their ugly head," he said. "Thousands more continue to die in Iraq today at the hands of the same terrorists who show complete disregard for human life."Full Story Crisis Sparks Fears of Wider WarAfter Israel suffers its bloodiest day since launching an offensive against Lebanon two weeks ago, the country's security cabinet decides not to expand its mission in Lebanon. The government does, however, call up thousands of reserve troops in preparation for a wider war. The conflict could well spill into other regions; Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's number two leader, called July 27 for Muslims around the world to join in the fight against Israel. Talks in Rome between U.S., European, and Arab foreign ministers, joined by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, failed to find a formula for a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanon-based militia of Hezbollah. But a broad consensus emerged that a strong international peacekeeping force has to be part of the longer-term solution, and most argued over American objections that Syria and Iran had to be part of the discussion.Full Story U.S. Extends Iraq Tour for 3,500 SoldiersMilitary commanders in Iraq are developing a plan to move as many as 5,000 U.S. troops with armored vehicles and tanks into Baghdad in an effort to quell escalating violence, defense officials said Thursday. As part of the plan, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Thursday extended the tours of some 3,500 members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The unit, which has been serving in northern Iraq, was scheduled to be leaving now, but instead, most of its 3,900 troops will serve for up to four more months. It was unclear whether the unit would go to Baghdad.Full Story Congo's Election, the U.N.'s MassacreThe Democratic Republic of the Congo will hold its first legitimate elections in four decades on Sunday. The United Nations peacekeeping mission there has played the role of electoral midwife, so if the vote is free and fair it will be among the global body's greatest successes on the continent. But in eastern Congo, many people will be unable to vote because the fighting that has killed millions in the past decade continues unabated, despite peace overtures by rebels in recent days. And in this, the United Nations is largely at fault. Not only has it failed to stop the killing, its troops have even been party to some of the violence against civilians whom they were to deployed to protect.Full Story |
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TRAINING FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Terrorism: Threat, Training, Tactics, and TechnologySince 2001 Terrorism Research Center has conducted the nationally renowned T4 conference. The three-day program gathers international and national experts in the fields of counterterrorism, intelligence, homeland security and local law enforcement to explore current terrorist threats, emerging global and local threats, terrorist training and tactics, and technological proficiencies. Participants will acquire a comprehensive understanding of terrorist modus operandi, target preferences, threat mitigation, vulnerability assessments, terrorist ideology, and other topics related to terrorism studies.The August 07-09, 2006 T4 conference is pleased to have the following speakers confirmed: Ambassador Cofer Black has been added to the agenda for Monday, August 7, 2006. Michael Scheuer - Former head of bin Laden CIA desk. Author of "Through the Eyes of the Enemy" and "Imperial Hubris". Polly Hanson - Chief of Washington DC Metro Transit Police Dr. Scott Shumate - Senior expert for the Department of Defense as the Director of Behavioral Science for the Counterintelligence Field Activity. Expert on the psychological mindset of terrorists. Colonel David H.O. Walters (ret) - Former Chief of British Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence for the Northern Ireland theatre. Matt Begert - Project Leader for the National Law Enforcement Corrections and Technology Center (NLECTC). August 07-09 Gateway Plaza Building Los Angeles, CA A detailed brochure may be downloaded at: www.terrorism.com A detailed brochure may be downloaded at: www.terrorism.com Questions on TRC training, please contact Betty O'Hearns-Hines, Training Coordinator for the Terrorism Research Center. Email: betty@terrorism.com Phone: (727)360-4302 voice or (727)409-1754 |
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FRANKS REVIEW |
Service Equipment ReviewThe Evolving Equipment Needs of PoliceAbout two years ago I did a couple of articles regarding what every cop (and soldier) should have in his basic inventory. I focused on equipment he should have on his person with some sideline comments about what would be of value in the trunk. An evolving world criminal and terrorist environment requires that each of us evaluate our equipment and make changes to support current perceived needs. The key here is not to focus on what was needed to answer the threats of five years ago, but to focus on the necessary equipment to answer the potential threats of tomorrow. The following is an updated recommended inventory list for today's law enforcement professionals, with some comments on why each item (if it isn't blatantly obvious) is needed.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/other/milleniuminventory.htm Recreational Equipment ReviewSafety Equipment To Keep Travel FunJust this past week I took a road trip with my family to the midwest. We enjoyed the drive and seeing the sights, but never far from my mind was how isolated we sometimes were. On a few of the state highways - one lane in either direction, flat, and no structures for miles upon miles - I realized that it would be bad to break down without having prepared beforehand. As a result, I began to mentally take stock of what we had available in our vehicle and how long we could survive on it. Of course, some of what I inventoried in my mind was what weapons we had to defend ourselves with, and what communications tools we had to contact help. The following is a list of equipment that I try to maintain in my vehicle for such a trip and some justification for each piece.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/campback/travelsafety.htm |
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CHAPLAINS CORNER |
COMMUNICATION...involves many things... one of which is feedback. One of the most vital tools in the communication process is feedback. Telling the sender what you received in the message that came to you from him or her. In the business of peace keeping we should work at being the most effective communicators in this world... in all facets of our lives... not just on the job. Neither courtship nor marriage can survive without the giving of information, attention and feedback. Friendship cannot survive without the giving of information, attention and feedback. Work relationships cannot survive without the giving of instruction, supervision and feedback. Religious relationships, including churches or other institutions, cannot survive without the conveying of information and receiving feedback. Teaching relationships cannot survive without the giving of information and receiving feedback. Counseling relationships cannot survive or ever be successful without give and take, which includes feedback. Full Story Can Be Viewed At: ../../btw2006/article/073106chaplain.html |
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