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sebasgm

Homeland Security Today: Watchdog Calls for DHS Reform to Improve Homeland Security - 2 views

  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a critical role in securing the United States against a number of threats
  • In light of these reports, the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency held a hearing  last Thursday to examine DHS’s performance and provide recommendations to improve homeland security.
  • “These reports show serious deficiencies in how DHS secures the border, protects federal buildings from cyber attacks, and manages billions of taxpayer dollars,” said subcommittee chairman Scott Perry (R-Penn.). “DHS must act on these and other recommendations to improve our homeland security.”
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  • r 22 disparate agencies to form the third largest cabinet level department has continued to prove challenging.
  • ded to be replaced.   Gerstein also observed a lack of national preparedness, which he believes was highlighted by the response to the Ebola outbreak, the critical shortfalls surrounding the fire in a Washington Metro station several weeks ago, and the growing number of cybersecurity incidents.
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    The House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency held a meeting last Thursday to analyze DHS's efficiency and performance, to decide whether reforms are needed to be made. After this meeting, they came to the consensus that DHS shows "serious deficiencies" in their performance and that reforms are needed to be made.
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    The results of this article really show in specific detail how the DHS has secured the border and helps prevent cyber attacks from federal buildings. The meeting last week analyzed the efficiency of the DHS and if the reforms are needed. In my opinion, they are not; the DHS is doing sufficient work.
bennordpaskin

Janine Davidson | Obama's Last National Security Strategy | Foreign Affairs - 2 views

  • The president’s second National Security Strategy articulates a belief in a peaceful, rules-based international order; it also reaffirms the fact that none of this can happen without the leadership of the United States. For scholars seeking to trace broader themes in the president’s foreign policy strategy, the document promises good historical value. But to expect it to provide definitive answers to every crisis that now simmers across the globe—that’s asking a bit much of any NSS.
  • Recent announcements regarding military assistance to Ukraine, an authorization to use military force against ISIS, and hint
  • s of a shift in the drawdown in Afghanistan may signal a recognition of these mismatches. With two years left in the White House, perhaps this document will mark a few course corrections.
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  • It is a thankless job to issue a new National Security Strategy, as U.S. President Barack Obama did this month. Its creation is a churn of dozens of drafts circulated among scores of hapless staffers, each of whom is tasked with name checking his or her very specific issue. There’s little room for prioritization or bold new ideas; any artful turns of phrase are quickly ground into merciless governmentese.
  • This strategy is the second and last of Obama’s presidency, and it rightly describes a world beset by challenges and in dire need of American leadership (“lead,” “leader,” and “leadership” appear 94 times in the context of the United States’ role in the world).
  • It’s a thoughtful approach that strives to cast an eye beyond the geopolitical brushfires of the day and into planning years or even decades into the future.
  • The United States can’t identify a problem, shock-and-awe its way to victory, and expect to come home with all the loose ends neatly tied up. The world simply doesn’t work that way.
  • On the other hand, the terrible consequences of the United States’ 2003 cowboy-hooting, gunslinging invasion of Iraq illustrate precisely the reason a policy of strategic patience must exist today.
  • decisive action against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) as it gathered momentum in early June 2014.
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    Article that describes Obama's second National Security Strategy; the document expresses a desire for rule based international order and the necessity for the leadership of the United States.
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    Obama's National Security Strategy has a higher chance of succeeding a little bit better due to this stricter rules on international order.
sebasgm

Privacy, Civil Liberties Take Center Stage at Cybersecurity Info Sharing Hearing - 1 views

  • ecent high-profile security breaches, including the attack on Sony Pictures and the breach of health insurer Anthem, have highlighted the reality that cybersecurity is now one of the greatest national security challenges facing the nation.  
  • To improve preparedness and response to cyber incidents, the House Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing Wednesday to examine the President’s recent Cybersecurity Information Sharing Proposal, an executive order he issued to help advance cybersecurity threat and information sharing between the public and private sectors.
  • While Obama's executive order will help advance cybersecurity threat and information sharing between the public and private sectors, critics have said it doesn’t provide legal protection for companies that share such information.   “Every day, our country faces digital intrusions from criminals, hacktivists, terrorists, and nation-states like Russia, China and
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  • an,” said House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas). “The impacts of thos
  • Obama’s proposed cybersecurity legislation has been met with mixed reactions from both Capitol Hill and industry experts because of the lack of legal protections for information sharing liability and privacy issues.  
  • Sadly, our laws are not keeping up with the threat,
  • “notwithstanding any other provision of law.”
  • Fischer explained that there is a wide variety of information that can be shared, but organizations should focus on sharing information that is actionable— that identifies or evokes a specific response aimed at mitigating cybersecurity risks.
  • imits the scope of infor
  • mation that should be shared as “cyber threat indicators,”
    • sebasgm
       
      Summarizes the actions the different branches of government are taking in order to improve our protection against cyber attacks.
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    With recent public cyber attacks, such as the attack on Sony Pictures, the fact that cybersecurity is one of the nations most prominent security challenges has been highlighted. The need for readiness to prevent these attacks has been increasing. This summarizes the what the nation is doing to improve our protection against these attacks, such as Obama's executive order to advance sybersecurity sharing between the public and private sector.
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    I think this article really shows how the cybersecurity has become one of the most important security issues. Since information can be the most powerful weapon in the modern world, I agree with the article that the US needs a stronger defense plan to fight the threat of cyber attacks.
Joanne Kim

For Republicans, a shift to national security ahead of 2016 | Reuters - 1 views

  • The shift reflects a changing political landscape as the U.S. economy has steadily added jobs while gruesome beheading videos by Islamic State and increasing conflict in countries such as Syria and Libya have revived Americans' concerns about security threats.
  • "Because of the Obama-Clinton foreign policy, our allies no longer trust us and our enemies no longer fear us,"
  • "Let's recognize that 2016 could be the first foreign policy national election since 1980. The world seems to become more dangerous by the day,"
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    This article shows how the national security policies can have an effect and the politics and even on the elections.
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    It also shows that a lot of people disagree with the national security policies and want a change.
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    This article shows multiple viewpoints, but it's overall theme is that the foreign policy is old and outdated and must be reformed to match today's standards else conflict will arise
paigedeleeuw

House Agrees to Fully Fund DHS Despite Opposition on Immigration - US News - 0 views

  • The vote was a major victory for Democrats
  • funding for DHS through the end of the fiscal year – without making any concessions on immigration.
  • The move would have been the GOP’s last viable avenue for opening negotiations to halt Obama’s actions shielding some immigrants in the U.S. illegally from deportation.
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  • the House passed a motion to recede from its version of the DHS funding bill and concur with the clean appropriations measure passed in the Senate last week.
  • he House voted 257-167,
  • most Republicans opposing the bill
  • House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told members that pushing for short-term continuing resolutions to avoid a shutdown was no longer a viable path.
  • So it’s not just waiting for the courts, and in fact, if this bill were to pass, I believe it would actually harm the case in the courts.”
  • Republicans supporting passage of the clean funding bill Tuesday made clear they were doing so while maintaining their objections to Obama’s immigration orders, which include protections from deportations for several groups of immigrants, including people who were brought illegally to the U.S. as children and immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens.
  • 5 Republicans ultimately swallowed their opposition and moved to support the full funding bill, saying they preferred to let the courts take up the battle on the immigration actions.
  • federal judge in Texas blocked those immigration actions for procedural reasons, which at the time even some moderate Republicans said was not enough of a reason to give up the fight in Congress.
  • The Obama administration has said it will ask for a stay of the decision to allow immigrants to apply for deportation relief, and conservatives said they feared a vote passing clean DHS funding would send the wrong message to the courts.
  • If I were representing the Department of Justice in front of the Fifth Circuit to try to get this injunction overturned, the first sentence in my brief would be ‘The United States Congress has voted, knowing this program was in existence, to fully fund all operations,’” said Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.,
  • To allow a shutdown of these critical functions would be an abdication of one of our primary duties as members of Congress: It is the constitutional duty of this body to provide funding for the federal government – all of the federal government,” said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho,
  • Republicans who would prefer to hold up DHS funding in order to win their fight on immigration.
  • Naming line items in the appropriations bill, such as a $700 million increase for border security enforcement, a fully funded E-Verify system for employers to confirm the legal status of prospective employees, and money for biometric entry and exit security systems, Dent said a vote on a clean funding bill would still help meet their goals.“If you’re concerned about illegal immigration,” Dent said, “vote for this bill."
  • Republican leadership capitulated Tuesday in a key early congressional showdown, joining with Democrats to pass a bill to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security without amendments that would undo President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration.
egklaerner

Trump national security adviser wants to avoid term 'radical Islamic terrorism', source... - 0 views

Donald Trump's new national security adviser has told staff at the White House he does not wish to use the term "radical Islamic terrorism" to describe the terrorist threat the US faces, according ...

ap government

started by egklaerner on 05 Apr 17 no follow-up yet
sebasgm

Bills to Strengthen Enforcement, Integrity of Immigration Laws Introduced in House - 0 views

  • our bills that would strengthen interior enforcement of immigration laws; remove the ability of the President to unilaterally shut down immigration enforcement; ensure jobs are preserved for legal workers; reform the United States’ asylum laws and make sure unaccompanied alien minors who make the dangerous trek to the United States are safely returned home have been introduced in the House
  • There are many issues plaguing our nation’s immigration system but the biggest problem is that our immigration laws are not enforced,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (
  • Additionally, Obama administration officials consistently exploit weak asylum standards to approve baseless claims.
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  • “By refusing to enforce the laws against illegal immigration, President Obama’s immigration policies collectively undermine the integrity of our immigration system and send the message to the world that our laws can be violated with impunity.”
  • “The bills introduced by Representatives Trey Gowdy (R-SC), chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, Lamar Smith (R-Texas) -- the former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee – Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah),
  • other broken aspects of our immigration system,
  • President can’t shut down immigration enforcement
  • “For decades, Americans have been promised a secure border and an immigration system that works for all Americans,” Gowdy said in a statement, stressing that, “Those promises have not been kept and both political parties bear responsibility for that. This legislation allows state and local governments to assist in the enforcement of our federal immigration laws. By doing so, we remove the ability of this or future Presidents – of either party – to systematically shut down portions of the law to suit their political purposes.”
  • During a House Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month, Smith described The Legal Workforce Act as a tool that “turns off the jobs magnet that attracts so many illegal immigrants to the United States.”
  • “administration’s rubberstamping of fraudulent applications and policies, and effectively ends ‘catch and release,’” he stated.  
  • “Even before the President’s promises of amnesty went into effect, our borders were being inundated with unaccompanied children and teens responding to the incentive of a broken asylum policy,”
  • he Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act not only addresses the immediate concern with unaccompanied children, but closes long-exploited holes in our asylum practices.”
  • “Additional judges, attorneys and other resources will ensure children are processed, reunited with their families and sent home as swiftly as possible,”
  • The Protection of Children Act introduced by Carter would ensure unaccompanied alien minors who make the dangerous journey to the United States are safely returned home.
    • sebasgm
       
      This focuses on the opinions on these new bills to reform Immigration reforms that attempt to overturn Obama's immigration policies.
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    Bills are introduced to strengthen interior enforcement of immigration laws. This is slightly in response to Obama's call for immigration reform and his policies to make these changes. However, these bills are made to make immigration enforcement more strict, while Obama's policies attempted to weaken the enforcement of these laws. This is a large political war with democrats siding with Obama and his policies and Republicans siding with these new bills.
kyrranielson

Senate Hearings Reveal Changing Global Security Challenges - US News - 1 views

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    Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., bangs the gavel to start a committee hearing Jan. 21 on Capitol Hill. The day after the State of the Union address last month, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a Republican elder and new chairman of the Armed Services Committee, began a series of hearings examining "Global Challenges and the U.S.
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    The U.S. government has been operating "a budget-driven strategy," in McCain's words, when what it needs is "a strategy-driven budget." I thought this idea was very interesting and that it could be the means to a completely different approach on budget and how it should be controlled.
milesreaviskappa

Chapter 18 - 0 views

https://prezi.com/rj4_ipbgd33b/chapter-20-national-security-policymaking/ This gives a good description of what the basics of National security making is all about and goes threw it step by step.

ap government

started by milesreaviskappa on 04 May 17 no follow-up yet
milesreaviskappa

Chapter 18 - 0 views

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/security/ This is what national security looks out for and what they pay attention to when world events are happening. They look out for threats that might come ...

ap government

started by milesreaviskappa on 04 May 17 no follow-up yet
danielajallath

"Narrowcasting" - Obama and Islam, right wing Fox News directed... - 0 views

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    This video is a good example of right wing narrowcasting. It is obvious that this is directed to Fox News viewers. Not all Fox News viewer would agree with the statements made on this video. This is more focused to anti-Islam and anti-Obama supporters. The language used by the newscaster is very specific and persuasive. It is generalizing and directly connecting Islam with terrorism. Here is an example: "Islamic killers are the central problem on this planet." In my opinion these are radical ideas themselves. It shows some evidence and pictures relating Obama with Islam. These are there to tie Obama to the negativeness that the newscaster has already said about Islam. We can see that this is an example of narrowcasting because this will not appeal to most people. It will most likely appeal to a certain group of people which this video was made for.
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    As we know, freedom of speech is an example of a Civil Right. Many countries do not allow bias media to be published, or if they do allow it, it is usually for their own benefit. This video and some ideas expressed could be offensive to some people and many would not like it (me.) But this is one of the beauties of this country. I could respond to this video with something bias on my side without a consequence from the other party that will endanger my security. Sometimes the picture could get dirty or might not be pretty, but at the end of the day it is something we should be grateful for, civil rights.
egklaerner

White House confirms conversation with FBI about Trump and Russia - 0 views

HR McMaster, a respected army lieutenant general, struck notes more consistent with traditional counterterrorism analysts and espoused consensus foreign-policy views during a meeting he held with h...

ap government

started by egklaerner on 05 Apr 17 no follow-up yet
egklaerner

McMaster will be a good teammate as national security adviser - 1 views

He was erudite and charismatic. He is obviously a student of history. McMaster is highly respected in the conservative foreign policy community, and a man with little pretense and a great deal of b...

McMaster ap government

started by egklaerner on 05 Apr 17 no follow-up yet
campbellcondon

Cybersecurity Bill Is Blocked by G.O.P. Filibuster - 2 views

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    A cybersecurity bill that had been one of the Obama administration's top national security priorities was blocked by a Republican filibuster in the Senate on Thursday, severely limiting its prospects this year.
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    Since cybersecurity problem is a problem that is recognized by both sides of the party, I think it is crucial for the government to find a solution other than the bill, since it is now blocked by the filibuster.
featherp

Susan Rice: Netanyahu visit 'destructive' - 3 views

shared by featherp on 03 Mar 15 - No Cached
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    As Netanyahu is prepared to tear down the White House's efforts in negotiating Iraqs nuclear program, some democrats decided it wasn't worth attending while eight senators thought the same thing.
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    This just proves that the disaster with this whole agreement will be huge. Iran's government obviously doesn't like us, and the Senate's participation in listening to the speech upset Netanyahu. And he argued that the deal currently in the works to prevent the nation from gaining nuclear weapons would in fact "guarantee" that it secures them - "lots of them." This scares me personally because the relationship between the U.S. and Iran doesn't look promising right now.
paigedeleeuw

U.S. Should Arm Ukraine to Help Check Russian Aggression - US News - 0 views

  • Despite President Barack Obama’s repeated assurances that Russia faces political isolation and an “economy in tatters,” Russia is still a very real threat to Ukraine – and potentially to other former Soviet satellites as well.
  • More than 5,400 people have been killed in the Ukraine conflict since Russian-backed rebels seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions last April.
  • Western pressure has not been able to successfully end the conflict.
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  • Russia’s military budget has still increased this year by 33 percent to 3.3 trillion rubles or more than $50 billion.
  • Moreover, some European politicians appear to be having second thoughts about maintaining sanctions against Russia.
  • current diplomacy is clearly failing.
  • On Feb. 12, Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko announced a peace deal after 17 hours of talks, yet these negotiations have not done much to end the conflict.
  • Russia has flouted the so-called Minsk II ceasefire, and Russian weaponry and soldiers continue to flow into Ukraine, with serious detrimental effects.
  • the need for the U.S. and its diplomatic partners to come up with a concerted strategy to push back against Russian imperialism. Increasing Ukraine’s military capabilities is a step in this direction.
  • Providing Ukraine with the weapons and training it needs in order to defend itself as part of a coordinated strategy to strengthen the Ukrainian state can contribute to stability by increasing the potential costs to Russia for its aggression.
  • supporting Ukraine will also ensure that Russia does not use its gains there as a precedent for invading other former-Soviet countries and re-establishing control.
  • Congress passed new legislation authorizing the provision of arms to the Ukrainian military.
  • Pentagon officials have confirmed that U.S. troops will deploy to Ukraine this spring to train four companies of the Ukrainian National Guard.
  • military aid to Ukraine will escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia and prompt retaliation from Moscow.
  • the provision of weapons and training to Ukraine’s troops may strengthen Putin’s cry for a united nationalistic front against the West.
  • But Russia’s government, and its proxies in eastern Ukraine, has demonstrated that it will not be easily satisfied.
  • If it is not stopped there, it is liable to set its sights on still more territory that it hopes to acquire.
  • For Moscow, Ukraine represents the first step in a larger imperial project.
  • The U.S. should follow through with Congress’ determination to arm Ukraine and thereby help Kiev to secure its borders – and its sovereignty.
campbellcondon

JSOC-ing Al Qaeda Around The World - 1 views

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    The new strategy for combating terrorist networks. This is a better system then the "global war on terror" idea. This will be a more effective way to deal with targeted terrorist threats using US military and the intelligence operation.
Joanne Kim

NATO's goal is to take Russia down - English pravda.ru - 1 views

  • The issue at hand is the creeping cloud of war being brought against Russia by the typical neo-liberal mechanism of incrementalization via the agency of NATO.
  • NATO's "wet dream" is and always has been to "finish" World War II, by taking down Russia.
  • NATO was set up as both a vehicle for maintaining American hegemony in Europe and as a means of doing an end-run around the requirement of consensus in the UN Security Council, thereby defeating the purpose of the United Nations in eliminating wars of choice and aggression.
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  • NATO must be disbanded and its activities must cease and not be carried on through other channels. Encirclement of Russia must cease.
  • Then finally, with US Exceptionalism, NATO and nuclear arms out of the way, we can make progress towards world peace
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    This article shows an opinion about NATO as an agency that exists to prove the supremacy of the USA. It talks about NATO's goal that has been continued since WW2.
milesreaviskappa

Chapter 18 - 0 views

http://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/political-science-and-government/military-affairs-nonnaval/national-0 This article goes over each time something major that happened and our nati...

ap government

started by milesreaviskappa on 04 May 17 no follow-up yet
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