April 7, 2008 Edition
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Readers; Your response to last week's 2nd Amendment theme was overwhelming. I'm glad we discussed that topic, and I promise we'll continue to review the progress of DC vs Heller and candidate's stance on 2nd Amendment issue. At the end of this week's e-newsletter, you will find an excellent analysis by the New Heritage Organization about DC vs Heller.

This week we'll look at homeland security issues, both inside and outside our borders. Some frightening news as Al-Qaida adapts to our successes, and begins recruiting Western looking recruits. Also some concern about our neighbors to the south and the problems they are having with professional criminals.

We will give you some news on HLS's successes and challenges.

As always keep the comments coming.

John Wrenn
Managing Editor, Blackwater Tactical Weekly
Director, Corporate Communications


condor

    QUOTE OF THE WEEK
   
  "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

Winston Churchill


PAT
    PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
   
 

Hizbullah's indirect war
Hizbullah uses smugglers to flood Israel with drugs, acquire intelligence
March 25, 2008
YNetNews.com
Alex Fishman

This is a current tactic of terrorists, which is why we need a more secure border.

This is not just an espionage affair. In Hizbullah's written war doctrine this is referred to as the "indirect war."

Full Story
Britain targets Muslim women to fight extremists
March 25, 2008
Reuters
Ana Nicolaci da Costa and Siddhartha Dubey

Might we take a page from the Brits and institute similar programs here in America?

LONDON (Reuters) - In a school in south London, women in headscarves are learning English, childcare skills and citizenship, to smooth their integration into British life.

Full Story

VeteransJewelry
  Dogs of War: No gravy train for PMC grunts
March 28, 2008
United Press International
David Isenberg

Additional analysis of private contractor total compensation versus military total compensation - looking at all factors, especially the huge tax advantage enjoyed by active duty military personnel in a combat zone.

WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- The popular belief that there is a huge disparity between what U.S. private security contractors and military personnel are paid has been exposed as a myth yet again.

Full Story
Retaliation by drug gangs feared
Chihuahua Joint Operation starts, troops begin deploying in Juárez
March 29, 2008
El Paso Times
Louie Gilot

Article about the realities of life on the Southwest border and the impact of the drug cartels in the region.

JUAREZ -- While hundreds of Mexican soldiers armed with automatic rifles arrived in C-130 Hercules aircraft Friday to overpower warring drug gangs, the U.S. State Department reiterated its earlier advice that travelers should be careful when visiting Mexico.

Full Story


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    TACTICAL TRAINING & INTELLIGENCE RESOURCES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
 
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The Backup Training Corporation is the premier digital training provider for law enforcement. Known for outstanding computer based training courses, their training is used in more than 9,600 police departments nationwide. Courses are approved for in-service training in 39 states and college credits are available. The library of 46 courses totals over 300 hours of free training to sworn officers, military and corrections personnel who act in a law enforcement capacity. Partnerships with several colleges provide funding for the training and the only cost to the officer is a $6 per course charge to shipping and handling.- Click here to subscribe or learn more!

    BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
   
  DHS Exercises Waiver Authority to Expedite Advancements in Border Security
April 1, 2008
Office of the Press Secretary

This is good news, and shows major progress in securing our borders.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced today its intent to issue two waivers of certain laws to expedite security improvements at the southwest border. Congress gave the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to waive all legal requirements necessary to expeditiously install additional physical barriers and roads at the border to deter illegal activity.

Full Story


DHS Will Miss Deadline to Set Up Port Security Hubs
April 2008
National Defense Magazine
Stew Magnuson

This however, is not particularly good news from HLS, but they are making progress.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Every morning, representatives of the Coast Guard, Department of Justice and Customs and Border Protection gather in a meeting room in a secure port facility here to plan the day's operations.

Full Story
The New Face of Terror
Is Al Qaeda recruiting Westerners to get past U.S. security?
April 2, 2008
Newsweek.com
Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball

A new challenge in the war on terror and for our HLS department.

A German counterterrorism investigation was a key source for a claim by Central Intelligence Agency director Gen. Michael Hayden that Al Qaeda is now deploying operatives who look and sound like Westerners.

Full Story

Another Young Cyber Criminal Eludes Jail
April 2, 2008
SecurityProNews.com
David Utter

The courts are sending the wrong message with light sentences for cyber criminals.

Botnet runner Owen Walker, aka AKILL and other names, committed and profited from his role in a gang that infected over a million computers, but did so under the age of 18.

Full Story

    JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
   

To view the latest contract opportunities at Blackwater, visit our Contract Web Page.

TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME CLICK HERE
Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email webmaster@blackwaterusa.com

   SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
   
  Move over MRAP: New Light Tactical Vehicles are Coming
April 2008
National Defense Magazine
Grace V.

Overview of the next generation U.S. military vehicle.

MONTEREY, Calif. - There are narrow alleyways and small streets in Fallujah, Iraq, through which most military trucks cannot travel.

Full Story


PSP and QinetiQ North America to Bring New Sniper-Sensing Technology to Canadian
Military and Law Enforcement
April 1, 2008
Market Wire

New developments in sniper detection systems.

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 1, 2008) - Pacific Safety Products Inc. (PSP) (TSX VENTURE:PSP), a leader in the field of protective body armor and soldier systems equipment and QinetiQ North America, a global developer of innovative technology solutions for National Defense announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for the Canadian territory to market QinetiQ North America's line of gunshot localization systems, known as Ears...

Full Story


Where U.S.- Mexico border fence is tall, border crossings fall
In Yuma, Ariz., border patrol agents tout the success of a high triple-and double-layered wall.
But such a fence is unlikely to stretch the entire border.
April 1, 2008
Christian Science Monitor
Daniel B. Wood

Good article about the success of the border fence and its limitations. Also has a good audio file from author.

Yuma, Ariz. - US border patrol agent Michael Bernacke guns his SUV down the wide desert-sand road that lines the US-Mexican border through urban San Luis, Ariz.

Full Story


GE Security Announces Advanced Simon XT Residential Alarm Panel, First with Two-Way, Voice-over-GSM Wireless CommunicationsGE Security's Simon XT, a full featured home security system, now offers homeowners a complete and secure advanced wireless...
March 31, 2008
Business Wire

Overview of a new wireless security system.

BRADENTON, Fla., BUSINESS WIRE -- GE Security, Inc., a business of GE Enterprise Solutions (NYSE: GE), today announced enhancements to Simon XT, a full featured home security system that now offers homeowners a complete and secure advanced wireless security solution including powerful new Web-enabled capabilities through interactive services provider Alarm.com.

Full Story


The Second Amendment Comes Before the Supreme Court:
The Issues and the Arguments
March 14, 2008
The Heritage Foundation
Nelson Lund, Ph.D.

Outstanding analysis of the current 2nd Amendment case before the Supreme Court.

The United States Supreme Court has decided only one significant case involving the Second Amendment, and that was almost 70 years ago. Next week, the Court will return to the issue when it hears arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller.

Full Story

    FRANKS REVIEW
   
 

Tactical Equipment Evaluation

Millennium Sensor MTV-II

What the heck is an MTC-II? No, it's not a recreation of the infamous "MTV" (music television). It's much more valuable than that! This electronic perimeter monitoring system is (essentially) a handy package of ruggedized components that allow for video security in a given area. In today's operational environment, where a secure perimeter is required - say on a high school or university building - how do you get enough eyes? The MTV-II is a "turn key" solution that increases your ability to observe parts of the perimeter without having to have another man deployed.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/other/msmtv2.htm

Recreational Equipment Review

Pentagon K2 Porcupine: A Light With Teeth

In case anyone out there hadn't realized it yet, I'm a strong believer in having the ability to defend one's self even when out relaxing and having a good time. In previous articles I've made it pretty clear that I believe everyone should have a light with them in many situations. Reality is that I seldom leave my house without a light on my person. For those who can't carry a firearm (legally) other defensive solutions should be found. The K2 Porcupine from PentagonLights offers another defense option that combines the power of the handheld light with the strength of an impact / striking tool.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/lighttools/pentk2porc.htm


    CHAPLAINS CORNER
   
  The Pursuit of Happiness

hapopioness [hap-ee-nis]

- noun

    1. the quality or state of being happy.
    2. good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.

- Synonyms 1, 2. pleasure, joy, exhilaration, bliss, contentedness, delight, enjoyment, satisfaction. Happiness, bliss, contentment, felicity imply an active or passive state of pleasure or pleasurable satisfaction. Happiness results from the possession or attainment of what one considers good: the happiness of visiting one's family. Bliss is unalloyed happiness or supreme delight: the bliss of perfect companionship. Contentment is a peaceful kind of happiness in which one rests without desires, even though every wish may not have been gratified: contentment in one's surroundings. Felicity is a formal word for happiness of an especially fortunate or intense kind: to wish a young couple felicity in life.
-Antonyms 1. misery. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2008/article/040708chaplain.htm

 
    FITNESS CORNER
 
6 Simple Steps To Catapult Your Muscle Gains
Global Fitness
Gary Matthews

Good basic advice for any strength training regime.

What if I were to tell you that throughout the years there has been a growth of strength training techniques that have no scientific proof to back them up. Well there are hundreds of them, do yourself a favour, have a look at the facts presented in this outline of muscle gain principles and make up your own mind.

Below you will find the Scientific Guidelines for strength training that have always been around for a long time but not followed by many main stream training systems these days.

Full Story


Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction
Global Fitness
Christopher Guerriero, BS, CPT

Nice analysis of why carbs play such a big role in our diet.

Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main trigger for carb cravings.

Full Story

 
    THE PRIVATE SECURITY BLOGOSPHERE
   
 

Black Five (http://www.blackfive.net/)
Blackwater Facts (http://www.blackwaterfacts.com/
Blogs of War (http://www.blogsofwar.com/)
Fifteen Months (http://www.fifteenmonths.blogspot.com/)
Iraq Slogger (http://www.iraqslogger.com/)
The Long War Journal (http://www.longwarjournal.org/)
Small Wars Journal (http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/)
The Spy Who Billed Me (http://www.thespywhobilledme.com/)

Please continue to submit your suggestions to btw@blackwaterusa.com
 
    BLACKWATER NEWS
 

To the Rescue
Embassy's Contract Security Staff Saves Polish Ambassador
State Magazine

Here is an excellent article about Blackwater's rescue of the Polish Ambassador in Baghdad, published in State Magazine. This did not receive much coverage in the regular media.

On January 25, Poland's ambassador to Iraq, Edward Pietrzyk, honored the heroism of 18 member of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's regional security office who helped rescue his motorcade when it came under attack in Baghdad in October.

Article

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  Blackwater USA (the "Company"), provides this Newsletter as a source of diverse information to its readers. The Company does not warrant or endorse the products or services advertised in or reviewed in the Newsletter. The views and statements of the reviewers and commentators presented in the Newsletter are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Company or its affiliates. The Company does not monitor or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the material provided in this Newsletter or presented at any of the third-party websites to which links are provided in this Newsletter. WARNING: Use of certain of the products and services discussed or reviewed in this Newsletter can lead to personal injury or death. It is critical to follow manufacturers' instructions in using such products or services. The Company will not accept any liability for damages, injuries, or death resulting from the use or misuse of any such products or services.
 

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