Political Change Thread - What It All Means in Homeland Security Funding

[SIW Editor]

Rumsfeld steps down, to be replaced by former CIA Director Robert Gates. The Democratic Party seems to have taken control of both the House and the Senate. Share your thoughts on what these events will mean for funding for ongoing security projects (like TWIC, HSPD-12, Border Security), general DHS emergency equipment funding, and more.

Should security system vendors be afraid? Will government security integrators be seeing continued windfalls or lean times? Let us know.

[This is not the place to argue Democrat vs. Republican vs. Libertarian vs. Independent; it's a chance to offer your armchair predictions on what this week's political shifts mean for security spending.]

--Geoff

[HotelSecurity]

Hopefully it will change the requirements of Americans needing passports to return to the US after visiting us here in Canada. Predictions from our tourism officals have said that if the proposed rules go into effect short trips to Canada from Americans will drop alot & since most of the people who stay in my hotels are American......

[N. A. Corbier]

I fully expect to see DHS overhauled, their IT Security Initatives killed as "not working," and most of the first responder money channeled specifically to law enforcement only.

I expect to see a backlash against privatization of law enforcement and border security services, while a small group of security contractors are given a larger budget to "augment" law enforcement services through the use of "special federal law enforcement officers," in other words... GSA Lease-A-Cops (SPO grade employees.)

[mike booth]

Border security, port security, airport security could all get a substantial boost in funding. This could have bought a lot of Homeland Security!

[Rooney]

I'm not sure we will see a large change in the security field. The border issues may become less important under the new House and Senate. The majority of the now majority party were against doing too much at the border because they say that a large part of thier constituants are Hispanic Americans. I don't necessarily agree but it is worth noting. I do feel however that security spending in general is on the rise and I think that will continue for the near future. As an integrator and manufacturer of security platforms and systems I have seen a large partisonship when it comes to security. It seems that there is still that fear of "Big Brother is watching" with the ACLU and other organisations. I have seen many debates in the UK on public surveillance as well. People feel that you are violating thier freedom by video taping them. Yet when something happens, like a terrorist attack or other major crime, they are happy that the cameras were there.

I hope it will increase spending and discussion on security. Only time will tell though.

[Bill Warnock]

Geoff:
I would like to see the Foreign Affairs Chairmen from both the Senate and the House look into the purported spending by Saudi Arabia of $200 million daily, much in the United States to support the building of schools, Mosques, distribution of literature and other acts hostile to our Country and the West in general.
This has a direct bearing on Homeland Security and unless something is done to pinch off this proliferation of hate from a supposedly friendly country, the task of Homeland Security will become an almost impossible task.
The British Secret Service, M-5, recently broke up 20 planned attacks in the UK with 20 more such plans under active investigation. Much of the funding is coming from Saudi Arabia according to tonight’s TV news on both CBS and NBC.
With active recruitment of young Moslem men for radical acts of terror, one can only hope our intelligence is as active and as accurate as that of the UK.
Saudi officials have been able to fend off any meaningful investigations as we do not wish to offend our major supplier of oil.
Enjoy Veterans Day,
Bill

[HotelSecurity]

Geoff:
I would like to see the Foreign Affairs Chairmen from both the Senate and the House look into the purported spending by Saudi Arabia of $200 million daily, much in the United States to support the building of schools, Mosques, distribution of literature and other acts hostile to our Country and the West in general.
Bill

Mr. Warnock

Can you clarify for me how the building of schools & mosques is hostile?

Thanks

Neil

[Bill Warnock]

Mr. Warnock

Can you clarify for me how the building of schools & mosques is hostile?

Thanks

Neil

Neil:
There is nothing wrong with building schools and mosques; however, in these schools like the one's in DC and in some of the mosques they teach and preach hate of this Country.
They can build all the schools and houses of worship they want to, that in itself is a good thing. Having written that, they cannot teach and preach their followers, especially the impressionable young that destruction of this Country and the West is preordained by Allah (God) and must be accomplished.
They teach and preach we support Israel, the oppressors of the Palestinians in particular and Moslems generally.
I valued my 27-months stationed in Morocco and meeting and visiting their homes. I learned and loved their culture. Before leaving, I was given a beautifully leather bound copy of the Koran in both Arabic and English which I still have.
Somewhere along the line radicalism has set in and this Country is in its crosshairs.
I just wish I knew why. Perhaps some of the newly elected officials will be able to find out why there is such hate.
We are spending countless sums circling the wagons.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[rollingrock123]

Engineer

As an Engineer involved with Homeland Security on transportation systems there are sooo many holes to fill that haven't been previously addressed it's hard to say where do we start.... As an open society we're so susceptable because we seem to do things as a reaction, not proactively like what transpires in Israel with security. I've tried numerous times to convince railcar manufacturers that having Homeland Security technologies installed at the factory sells more railcars, and makes for more secured transportation systems. Can't even budge em! Won't do it unless their spec'd into the design which security dictates, then passes along recommendations to engineering. Of course, theirs no budgets in any passenger rail system that operates in the black, so unless a disaster occurs we can forget about railcars having any kind of IMS installed. Another weak area is in the entertainment arenas. Large volumes of people with easy access bodes for a disaster in waiting! Maybe, the new Congress will start better funding, but I'm not holding my breath. I am looking for steady employment in this field as I have great versatility, so if anybody needs an IMS/X-ray Engineer give me a shout!

[mdb]

Teaching Terror

In invite you to watch this movie. There is a 12 minute short to preview.

https://www.obsessionthemovie.com

This should scare the heck out of you!

[N. A. Corbier]

In invite you to watch this movie. There is a 12 minute short to preview.

https://www.obsessionthemovie.com

This should scare the heck out of you!

The thing that frightens me the most about when a cleric or jihadist gets up on stage is the fact that he can barely form words because he's so hyped up. There's a lot of that, they're so hyped up that they can barely force "Allah Akbar" out.

So swept up in the mob mentality that they can barely maintain their own individual identity, as well.

[rollingrock123]

Engineer

mdb, I agree 100% from from the last posting. Most Westerners are quite concerned, but the lack of urgency is what I'm most concerned about from our government. We've only taken small strides after 9/11 in securing our infrastructure, and transportation systems that are still vulnerable. I had seen this first hand on two seperate occasions after the tradgedy in 2001. Corporate profiteering seems to be the driving force in providing the needed technologies to ensure our safety even on the smallest scale. Proactivity, not reactivity is the key! My suggestion would be to do all we can, even the smallest change signals a willingness to fight back!