2009-12-27 (Sunday) by Gregory Tucker.

Since 9/11 three changes have made a difference in security: 1) armored cockpit doors, 2) new protocols refusing to comply with hijackers, and 3) alert and active passengers. All the rest is security theater. Has the TSA searched your bag and ID at the gate lately? Theater at its best (or worst)

I am surprised there haven’t been more incidents of passengers mistakenly attacking an innocent passenger over “suspicious” activity. Apparently regular humans are better than “trained officials” at using common sense. Maybe there have been Incidents that weren’t publicized.

Posted in Security | Print | 2 Comments »

2008-09-23 (Tuesday) by Gregory Tucker.

LinkTV’s Intelligence Report suggests Israel is planning to bomb Iran’s nuclear reactor during the month of October 2008. Israel’s air force is more than capable of achieving the objective, and political realities dictate the strike should occur sooner rather than later:

• Israel and administration officials cannot predict how Obama will react to the suggestion, but it appears it would be unfavorable, notwithstanding his commitment of continued support of the nation.
• Creating or escalating a national security threat before the election would arguably favor the White House incumbent, John McCain, over his challenger. 

The report claimed the U.S. denied Israel the rights to fly over Iraq, presumably because that would tie the administration too closely to the strike. The Administration would prefer to keep such an attack at arms length, but they can’t seriously think they are kidding anyone–everybody in the region knows Israel cannot achieve such a move without its permission plus our military intelligence.

Posted in World, Security | Print | 1 Comment »

2007-06-24 (Sunday) by Gregory Tucker.

Bruce Schneier has written an excellent description of the Real ID system.

http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0702.html#2

It is hard for me to understand the continued myth of security through a national ID card. Republican Cong. F. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin got the law passed in February 2005 to create a de facto national ID. Republican Presidential candidate Giuliani openly supports the creation of a newer and broader national ID card.

More information on the Real ID Act:

http://www.realnightmare.org/ 

Posted in Security | Print | No Comments »

2006-09-24 (Sunday) by Gregory Tucker.

“By MARK MAZZETTI”

Published: September 24, 2006

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 — A stark assessment of terrorism trends by American intelligence agencies has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.”

Is anybody really surprised by this assessment? Going to war in Iraq could be justified on the basis of providing a front for engaging the jihadists off American soil. This made sense as long as the jihadists remained the same and simply and they refocused their energies on the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

But wasn’t it obvious that the occupation of Iraq was going to create a new generation of jihadists? After depriving the jihadists of a breeding and training ground in Afghanistan, was it the best use of American resources to create a new training ground for them in Iraq?

Of course the official explanation (WMD) was never anything but a way to sell the war to the American public. The real reasons for the invasion may have included:

1. The need to establish credibility among the jihadists. Reagan withdrew the Marines after the bombing of the Marine Barracks in 1983 that killed 220 people, and Clinton withdrew from Somalia after experiencing casualties there. The United States developed the reputation of a paper tiger who would run away at the first sign of trouble.
2. Provide an alternative base for U.S. soldiers in Saudi Arabia. The soldiers in Soldiers in Saudi Arabia were a sore point for all parties. The jihadists opposed the invasion of their holy land. Saudi Arabia resented being made a terrorist taget because of that. And the U.S. disliked Saudi controls on U.S. military operations. Iraq was a natural candidate.
3. A U.S. military presence in Iraq could naturally be used to put pressure on neighboring Syria and Iran.

We were successful in the first and second goals, with some provisos. The jihadists have a 50 or 100 year span of attention. Therefore they will claim victory for forcing the U.S. to withdraw after 5 or 10 years. Furthermore, a stable Iraq government would not welcome a permanent U.S. presence in their country. We have seen that Iraq does not have a stable government, so the U.S. propped pseudo-democratically elected government will welcome a U.S. military presence for the foreseeable future.

On goal 3, the war was a dismal failure. Syria and Iran fear a U.S. invasion even less now than they did before the occupation of Iraq. If anything, the occupation has demonstrated the limitations of the U.S. military, which are different from the perceptions of those limitations before the occupation. In other words, perceptions of U.S. military strength and weakness have shifted as a result of the occupation of Iraq.

Overall the Bush Administration has achieved some of its goals of the invasion, and failed in others. Was it worth the effort? Right now the answer appears to be a resounding no, but it should be noted that the war did not fail to achieve all its objectives.

Posted in Security | Print | 1 Comment »

2006-08-15 (Tuesday) by Gregory Tucker.

DENVER — You could be on a secret government database or watch list for simply taking a picture on an airplane. Some federal air marshals say they’re reporting your actions to meet a quota, even though some top officials deny it.

The air marshals, whose identities are being concealed, told 7NEWS that they’re required to submit at least one report a month. If they don’t, there’s no raise, no bonus, no awards and no special assignments.

Full story

As we waited at the airport gate for the return flight from Seattle, Reon snapped a couple photos of the airplane. It is reassuring to know he is now on a terrorist watch list.

This photo may put him there too.

Posted in Security | Print | 1 Comment »