Security News
The Daily Signal covers the latest threats, from cyber to national defense, and examines policies designed to protect American communities.
-
Attack in Ottawa: Facts Remain Scarce But Reality of Security Threat Remains
Gunshots rang out at multiple locations across Ottawa this morning, including at the War Memorial and in the Parliament buildings. Much is unknown at the moment and the operation is ongoing. As of right now, police are reporting that one Canadian soldier, who was guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier at the War Memorial,…David Inserra -
The Scary Security Threat You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
WASHINGTON — Physical and cyber threats from radical Islamists dominated a Senate hearing on Wednesday, but Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., raised another challenge that may be even more pressing–an electromagnetic pulse brought on by terror attacks or solar activity. Johnson said security experts are worried the civilian world is unprepared to handle a catastrophic EMP,…Josh Peterson -
Government Insider Warned of HealthCare.gov Security Risks: ‘I Am Tired of the Cover-Ups’
Government insiders who flagged security issues prior to the launch of HealthCare.gov were right to be concerned. That’s according to a new audit by the Government Accountability Office, which concluded that security weaknesses are putting “the sensitive personal information” contained by HealthCare.gov and its related systems at risk. HealthCare.gov security problems put “sensitive personal information” at risk,…Sharyl Attkisson -
6 Takeaways From the Benghazi Panel’s First Hearing on Security Failures
The House special committee investigating the Benghazi terrorist attacks today convened its first public hearing, examining progress in implementing security improvements at U.S. embassies and other missions abroad. Although no fireworks erupted, the State Department’s failure to follow through on an independent group’s No. 1 security priority after the attacks proved a major highlight. Here’s…Josh Siegel -
At One Border Hot Spot, Concern That Federal Prosecutors Have Cooled on Security
Officials in Yuma County, Ariz., a border region long a hot spot for illegal immigration, say the Department of Justice is scaling back an established program that uses prosecution and imprisonment to discourage illegal border crossings. Arizona’s two U.S. senators wrote U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder seeking confirmation that federal prosecutors based in the state…Josh Siegel -
Visa Waiver Program Is No Threat to National Security
Recent reports of foreign fighters from Europe and the U.S. in Syria and Iraq have caused speculation regarding the security of the U.S.’s Visa Waiver Program (VWP). While there have been concerns regarding the security measures of supplementary VWP requirements and lack of information sharing, these worries are outdated. The program as a whole has…Riley Walters -
Two Questions on Iraq and the Islamic State for Bush’s National Security Adviser
Stephen Hadley, national security adviser for President George W. Bush from 2005 to 2009, has experienced insight into what U.S. strategy in Iraq should entail. In a brief interview with The Daily Signal after a Heritage Foundation event yesterday on President Obama and Iraq, Hadley commended the administration for taking action against the terrorist force known as the Islamic State…Melissa Quinn -
Krauthammer: Wrong and Right on Border Security
On Fox News, conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer rightly took President Obama to task for his tragic mismanagement of border security and immigration reform. With the numbers of those attempting to enter the U.S. illegally swelling and matched by more border violence, criminal activity, and public health risks, the president’s answer is to hold out the…James Carafano -
Q&A: Ebola in Africa Not Yet a National Security Issue
This latest outbreak of the Ebola virus is getting a great deal of attention, as it should. Here are some questions that need to be asked and some answers you need to know: What is Ebola? The Ebola virus is a severe, often fatal disease that is in the hemorrhagic fever category. The symptoms include…Charlotte Florance -
The Fall of a Former Chinese Domestic Security Chief Is a Major Event
Reports from China indicate that retired senior leader Zhou Yongkang is under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the equivalent of the “Internal Affairs” division of a police force. The investigation into Zhou constitutes a major event in Chinese politics. No other Politburo Standing Committee member has…Dean Cheng -
Why Mexico’s Southern Border Security Strategy Is Not Enough
Last week, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina launched a program aimed at regulating the influx of immigrants from Guatemala to Mexico called Southern Border or “Frontera Sur.” Intended to improve the system for cataloging migrant movements between both countries, the program aims to increase information on migrants, and thus help…Andrea Rodriguez -
Steve Moore Demolishes Obama’s Argument for More Border Security Funding
“When you look at the actual funding for border security over the last 10 years, it has more than doubled. And over the last 15 years, it’s almost tripled. So it’s not a lack of funding. It’s the fact that this administration has sort of turned a blind eye to this and in fact has…Stephen Moore -
Cartoon: Border Security Under President Obama
Despite statements from past and present Obama Administration officials that the U.S. border is secure, the recent influx of thousands of illegal aliens from Central America proves otherwise.Glenn Foden -
Obama Isn’t Prepared to Face Security Challenges
Flip through the latest National Security Strategy and the Pentagon‘s Quadrennial Defense Review — these are the documents describing how President Obama envisions using foreign and defense policy to keep the United States safe, free and prosperous in a world that appears increasingly unfriendly to America’s interests. The words “strategic early warning” don’t figure in…James Carafano -
Obama Administration Landmine Policy Harms U.S. National Security
Right now, myriad crises around the globe require U.S. leadership: a radical Islamic army on the march in Iraq, chaos in Syria, Russia and China bullying neighbors, and near daily violence in Nigeria. Yet, the Obama Administration has chosen to focus its attention on landmines. The White House announced today that the U.S. will no…Daniel Kochis -
GAO Report: U.S. Embassies at Risk Because of Security Gaps
Security at U.S. diplomatic posts is falling short, and Benghazi is only the most visible example. A new report on “Diplomatic Security” by the Government Accountability Office — GAO-14-655 — demonstrates the problem is systemic, leaving U.S. personnel serving overseas at unnecessary risk. At a time of rising security threats from metastasizing Al Qaeda spinoffs…Helle Dale -
Ex-Im Bank Isn’t Necessary for National Security
Who needs that Export-Import Bank? There is healthy debate going on in Washington. The side that wants Washington to agree to extend the bank charter has pulled out the national security card, suggesting that the bank’s continued existence boosts our security. But they can’t provide a convincing argument that promoting the bank provides for the…James Carafano