Comments on: Attention must be paid

By: Homeland Security Watch » CAREFUL attention should be paid to Northern Africa and terrorism…

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 05:12:09 +0000

[...] too long ago, Phil argued that “Attention must be paid” to events unfolding in Northern Africa regarding terrorist risk: Those on the US East and [...]

By: William R. Cumming

William R. Cumming — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:37:29 +0000

I waited until after the inaguration to post this comment. Why? Almost nothing about military intervention, a militarized foreign policy, or even any foreign policy in the President’s second inagural speech. A wasted opportunity when you consider that foreign affairs have ended the “American Century” that began in 1945, August specifically, much earlier than most would have anticipated.

So it continues that a President that won a Nobel Peace Prize ain’t got a clue when it comes to foreign policy and now likely to have a Secretary of STATE nomionee confirmed that after the passage of over 40 years still cannot articulate whether he thinks the US involvement in Viet Nam from 1962-1975 was a good or bad idea and a successful or failed effort.

And remarkable to me Phil is how often you post on this blog on foreign affairs and events. I see the link to HS as do you but how about others?

By: Philip J. Palin

Philip J. Palin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 22:18:05 +0000

Claire and Mr. Grattan: Thanks. Following are links to a few related stories that I have found especially interesting. This does not mean I necessarily agree. But each got me to thinking: For President Obama, al-Qaeda is our Problem Now, Janet Daley in The Telegraph. French troops advance in Mali as Islamists melt away, Reuters France in Mali: Rapid Reaction, International Institute for Strategic Studies The Nouakchott Information Agency, Mauritanian news bureau (in French) The Long War Journal has a series of posts.

By: HGRATTAN

HGRATTAN — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:21:45 +0000

The War (GWOT/Overseas Contingency Operations) is best kept “Over There.” See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_There

What might be a good sign is that terrorists (not unlike criminals) like soft targets.
If HLS-Writ Large did anything, HLS did harden homeland targets and access thereto.

IMHO, U.S. citizens are far less concerned with terrorism when it happens “Over There.”
This is not to say that U.S. homeland security interests are not connected to foreign affairs and especially energy resources. They are!

FYI, my undergraduate terrorism class begins on Tuesday. I typically include what many consider a terrorism primer (lessons not learned) movie The Battle of Algiers. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bOr_U_92xE

In addition, I always use current events. On Tuesday (first class) I will ask, what is terrorism?I will offer the still unfolding events in Algeria as context. At least thirty-five Americans will be interested in the 2013 Algerian terrorist attacks (might be on the midterm).

Finally, as a Jet fan, I was delighted to see the Patriots fall. Go Ravens!

By: Claire B. Rubin

Claire B. Rubin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:11:22 +0000

Here are some other compelling reasons to pay attention to this incident:
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/21/algeria-hostage-crisis-may-be-future-of-terrorism/?hpt=hp_t4