Monday fifth quarter play-by-play
“We (DHS) will become, in effect, the non-DoD locus for cyber security,” Napolitano said. “It makes sense to have a DoD focus and a non-DoD focus, and I think that’s functionally where it’s going.” (More from the Washington Post) The Post is also reporting that the Cybersecurity Review is still being reviewed and may not be released until next week.
Today’s Washington Times headlines, China blocks US from cyber warfare. While Global Security Newswire quotes the head of the US Strategic Command as saying a cyber attack could justify nuclear retaliation. “I think you don’t take any response options off the table from an attack on the United States of America,” he told reporters during a Defense Writers Group breakfast… “Why would we constrain ourselves on how we respond?”
Secretary Napolitano’s prepared budget testimony to the the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is available from the DHS website. UPDATE: Prepared testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee is now available.
Senator Vitter has released his hold on the nomination of Craig Fugate, reports the Associated Press. UPDATE: Fugate was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday night.
Reuters is reporting from the afternoon CDC brief a total of 3009 cases of H1N1 across forty-five states. This afternoon Talk of the Nation featured Dr. Anne Shuchat (CDC) and Dr. Howard Market (U of Michigan) in what NPR tried to make into an after-game show, but the guests insisted the game was still in the first quarter. You can listen to the 30 minute call-in program at the NPR website.
A respected scientist has speculated about the possibility of H1N1 emerging from a “laboratory escape,” Bloomberg is reporting.
A high wind watch has been posted for the Santa Barbara area beginning at 6:00 pm local time. Severe storms are forecast for the Midwest and South for Wednesday and Wednesday night.
A Miami jury has convicted five of six accused of plotting terrorist attacks on the Sears Tower and other locations.
Please check out a fine piece of reporting – and use of the web to enhance original reporting – by Robert Mackey in the New York Times, “A Grand Conspiracy Theory from Pakistan.”
The May issue of Homeland Security Affairs is available online.
In this morning’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Paul Stockton as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs, ranking member Senator McCain raised a concern. While praising Dr. Stockton’s background in homeland security and homeland defense, the Senator noted that the nominee’s background in the “equally important” area of Latin American defense policy “appears to be lacking.” There is a rumor that the ranking member announced his opposition to the Stockton nomination. That is not what was said. This blog will provide more on this hearing and related Homeland Defense issues on Thursday morning.
I am in California client meetings all this week. Given the nature of the meetings and the time differences, posts will be early or late, but seldom in-between.
