European Union countries are contemplating a single, continent-wide form of biometric identification for all their citizens, but are facing some stiff resistance. The outcome of the dispute may portend the future of American identification systems.
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The science of verifying identity is being transformed by new technologies and techniques.
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The Dubai World Ports deal focused a glaring spotlight on US port security. While vulnerabilities remain, many tools already in the regulations can protect the nation—as long as they get a little fine-tuning.
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With urgency and political pressures growing, the question of securing US borders is moving up in Congress. The debate has led to some odd political alignments—and radically different solutions.
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It is 12:50 A.M. and you have been moving all night aided by the brothers in your cell and several strangers. Now, just 120 yards away is the border fence. In the distance glows the coastal city where you will soon explode yourself as a busy nightclub empties its crowd onto the street.
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Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Global Government Markets Booz Allen Hamilton
If any one word describes Booz Allen Hamilton's approach to homeland security, it would be "holistic."
It's not a word that Mark Gerencser uses a great deal when he discusses the work he does for Booz Allen Hamilton, but it emerges loud and clear as he discusses his and the company's activities.
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Should the nation’s capital have a permanent air defense zone? History offers some chilling incidents—but the debate isn’t over yet.
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An IT snapshot: Looking at the image on the screen, the field commander muttered, "Well, if everything were on the roof, we ' d be set. ” Sure, he knew where the streets and buildings were. He even had this overhead shot. But it wasn ' t enough. He needed something from the side so that he could see the exits and their condition. He shook his head. How could you know where everything was and still not really know anything at all?
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The protestors who chanted and marched against
cartoons of Mohammed in European newspapers and the American protestors
and politicians who denounced the sale of US ports to a company with
some Middle Eastern ownership had much more in common than either would
be willing to admit: Both were driven by faith and emotion and both
were mobilized by the manipulation of symbols.
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Amid heightened tensions as a result of Muslims protesting cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed and threats by anti-globalization protestors, Italy staged a largely incident-free XX Winter Olympics that officials claim can serve as a model for future events.
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With the announcement of the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grants for 2006, there are many questions about how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is allocating money. The simple answer is risk, but the formula for determining risk is not so simple.
It's hard to believe, but the component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tasked with preventing a nuclear detonation within the United States is celebrating its first birthday this month.
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A variety of innovative products and programs are aiming to secure America’s vulnerable drinking water supplies.
The vulnerability of drinking water supplies to terrorist attack has been a longstanding concern of homeland security, regional and municipal officials-and scientists, private companies and universities are working to close the gap.
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In order to improve its performance and to"Enhance Coordination and Deployment of Preparedness Assets," theDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) created a new Office of GrantsOperations (OGO) to improve the grants process and establish what DHSofficials referred to as "a one-stop shop" for grant applicants.
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On the first working day of 2006, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced a step many critics in Congressand across the nation had long been demanding: A redirection of grant money based on risk.
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Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's Jan. 3 announcement that the bulk of homeland security grants this year will be awarded on the basis of risk was welcome news in the National Capital Region (NCR), where officials have known since Sept. 11, 2001, that their region was a prime terrorist target.
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Readiness for possible catastrophes requires an unblinking view of all conceivable scenarios, says a former top preparedness official — and flinching isn’t allowed.
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One investigative commission succeeded, one failed—why? On the second anniversary of the Madrid terrorist bombings, a look at Spain’s reaction and the progress—or lack of it—in Europe’s fight against terrorism.
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DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff knew there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth when he announced that grants would be awarded on the basis of risk. "Whenever an urban area falls off the list, the UASI list, we hear, obviously, outcries and complaints," he said at his Jan. 3 press conference. "And that's probably going to be the case here, notwithstanding the fact that we've agreed to bridge communities that were included last year over for one year."
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All quotations are from the 2006 Homeland Security Program Guidance and Application Kit. Though the deadlines for some programs have passed, next year’s deadlines for the same programs should fall in the same time frame.
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