Monday, August 1, 2011

Homeland Security plays cards face-side up

Where the heck is Jack Bauer when we need him. First, the geniuses at the FBI publicly ask Silicon Valley software execs to build back doors into the technology we export worldwide. Now, the DHS (Department of Homeland Security, which should be know as "Departure of Homeland Security") let it slip that we're scrapping plans to scan incoming cargo containers for nukes. Hopefully this is simple misdirection.
BTW, the URL www.JackBauerInABox.com is available!
One question, though, has to do with the overall strategy of basing nuke scanners in the ports. Shouldn't we be scanning cargo ships on the high seas, before they can come into port? Seriously, doesn't letting a nuke get all the way into a major port kind of defeat the purpose of a port-based scanner?

My own preference would be to fly over inbound sea lanes with an airborne scanner. That would give us time to stop and board suspect cargo ships before they came anywhere near major infrastructure assets.

Well, it's a good thing DHS isn't responsible for our cyber threat protection. Oops. Wait. DHS is kind of the overall intelligence umbrella. Awh heck!

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Implementation suggestions for THE MORGAN DOCTRINE are most welcome. What are the "Got'chas!"? What questions would some future Cyber Privateering Czar have to answer about this in a Senate confirmation hearing?