My Threatcon Column: President Biden's Afghanistan Surrender To The Taliban

My Threatcon column on President Biden’s shameful surrender of Afghanistan to the terroristic and murderous Taliban was posted online at Counterterrorism magazine's website. 

You can read the column below:

 

President Biden’s Afghanistan Surrender to the Taliban 

By Paul Davis 

As I follow the news of the fall of Afghanistan, my thoughts are of the Vietnam War. 

My role in the Vietnam War was a minor one. I served as an 18-year-old seaman on the USS Kitty Hawk as the aircraft carrier performed combat operations on "Yankee Station" off the coast of North Vietnam in 1970 and 1971. 

Like most Vietnam veterans and many Americans, I felt a gut-punch when the Congress cut off funds to South Vietnam in 1975, ensuring a swift Communist victory over the South Vietnamese after America had expended so many lives and funds to hold the North Vietnamese aggressors at bay. 

Now, once again, to our shame, we are abandoning a country where we have expended many American lives and funds. In my view, the withdrawal from Afghanistan is another dark day in American history.  

Former CIA Director and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates noted famously in his memoir that Joseph Biden “has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades." 

Biden’s latest error in judgement, the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan and surrender to the terroristic and murderous Taliban, will go down in history as a colossal blunder with deadly affects. 

I suspect that a second war on terrorism will commence once again from Afghanistan. 

Kenneth R. Timmerman, a Middle East correspondent who was held prisoner in 1982 for 24 days by Fatah guerrillas in Lebanon, offers a piece at the New York Post on Biden and Afghanistan. 

“For decades, Joe Biden has touted himself as a foreign policy genius. As a United States senator, he never had to make a decision or bear responsibility for running off at the mouth. As vice-president, he was given backwaters such as Ukraine that he reportedly turned into a family piggy bank,” Kenneth R. Timmerman wrote in the New York Post. “But now he is president. He owns the utter disaster that Afghanistan has become; and the sudden about-face of the Pentagon to send 3,000 fully armed combat troops back into the fray shows that even the woke military bosses Biden installed can wake up and smell the coffee.” 

Retired four-star general and Fox News senior strategic analyst Jack Keane stated on Fox, “It's a sad, frustrating moment to watch an ill-conceived -- and I emphasize ill-conceived, hasty withdrawal -- turn into what is now an embarrassing retreat. And why is that? Well, the IG from the Pentagon just reported the Taliban offensive began in May of this year, a month after President Biden made the announcement that we were pulling all U.S. troops out by August 31. 

“The Taliban knew full well that the United States, in that short period of time, had to close seven military bases, that the focus of the U.S. leadership and its troops would be on just that. No time and no resources to help the Afghan security forces during a major Taliban offensive. And by that I mean sustained, decisive air support, which they always had in the past, to stop normal Taliban offensives that occur in that period of time.” 

Keane, perhaps the best military mind in America, noted that warfare in Afghanistan is seasonal. He said that the Taliban begins fighting in the spring and the fighting ends in the fall. 

“And the Taliban pack up their bags and go to Pakistan during the winter. So why are we doing a withdrawal right in the middle of the fighting season, in the heart of it? The withdrawal should have been done during, what? The winter. And we should have extended our withdrawal out until sometime next year to get all of that done and make certain that as the Taliban offensive came this year, we were able to provide the resources to counter that offensive.” 

In an earlier appearance on Fox, Keane warned that Al Qaeda could very well set up safe havens if the U.S. completely leaves Afghanistan. 

"Al Qaeda did the same prior to the 9-11 attack. They bombed two embassies in Africa and the U.S.S. Cole. If we had destroyed the Al Qaeda safe haven in Afghanistan, there wouldn't have been a 9-11. Safe havens are critical to the radical Islamist movement,” Keane said. “"The president mentioned it himself. The reason why we're in Syria, Iraq, Eastern Africa is to prevent those organizations, radical Islamists, from having what? A safe haven from which to attack the United States. This is a multi-generational war. That is why we're still doing that. To walk away from Afghanistan and say this is not a multi-generational conflict is to ignore the reality of what is taking place." 

Who are the Taliban? 

According to the BBC, the Taliban, or "students" in the Pashto language, emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban, once in power, introduced or supported punishments in line with their strict interpretation of Sharia law, such as public executions of convicted murderers and adulterers, and amputations for those found guilty of theft. Men were required to grow beards and women had to wear the all-covering burka. 

“The Taliban also banned television, music and cinema, and disapproved of girls aged 10 and over going to school,” the BBC noted. “They were accused of various human rights and cultural abuses.” 

In closing, one should remember that the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were planned in Afghanistan by bin Laden and al-Qaeda, who were protected and supported by the Taliban. 

President Bush took them out. President Biden let them back in. 

Paul Davis, a long-time contributor to the Journal writes the online Threatcon Column. 

Note: The U.S. Defense Department released the above photo.

My Q&A With Former LAPD Detective Sergeant And Best-Selling Author Joseph Wambaugh

Counterterrorism magazine published my Q&A with former LAPD Detective Sergeant and best-selling novelist and true crime author Joseph Wambaugh.

You can read the Q&A via the above and below pages (click on them to enlarge) or the below text:

The IACSP Q&A with former LAPD Detective Sergeant and Best-Selling Author Joseph Wambaugh  

 August 4, 2021   

Interview by Paul Davis

Joseph Wambaugh, 84, is a 14-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and a popular police novelist and true crime author. He is the author of classic crime novels such as “The New Centurions,” The Choir Boys,” and “Hollywood Station.” He is also the author of true crime books such as “The Onion Field,” Echoes in the Darkness” and “The Blooding.”

 

His books are known for their stark realism, blunt language and abundant humor. Many critics and reviewers believe that no other writer describes the cop world’s twin masks of comedy and tragedy as well as Joseph Wambaugh.

 

Joseph Wambaugh was born in 1937 in East Pittsburgh. The son of a police officer, Wambaugh joined the Marines at 17, married his wife Dee in 1955, and graduated from California State University in 1960. He joined the LAPD that same year and served as a patrolman and later as a detective sergeant. He retired in 1974 to become a full-time writer.

 

Wambaugh received the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Allan Poe special award for nonfiction for “The Onion Field” in 1974, and he won another Edgar award for best screenplay, “The Black Marble” in 1981. He also won the International Association of Crime Writer’s Rodolfo Walsh Prize for Investigative Journalism for “Lines and Shadows” in 1989.

Many of his novels and nonfiction books have been made into successful films and television programs, and he was the creator of “Police Story,” an award-winning and influential television program.

 

You can visit Joseph Wambaugh’s website at www.josephwambaugh.net/

 

Joseph Wambaugh was interviewed by Paul Davis.     

IACSP: As a former police officer and a writer who covers police matters, what do you think of the current anti-cop sentiment across the country, which has become widespread since the death of George Floyd? 

Wambaugh: I would simply revert to a bit of basic math. There are approximately 700,000 cops in the U.S. serving about 18,000 police departments. The police engage in about 55 million citizen contacts every year. The terrible George Floyd killing triggered other highly publicized accusations alleging unlawful deadly force. Let’s assume that the accusations continue to grow until there are as many as, let’s say, 55 in the U.S. this year. 

And let’s pretend that after investigations are concluded, the complaints are all affirmed – that is not the case, but let’s assume the worst for the sake of argument. Therefore, in a perilous job involving ever-present possibility of violence, the numbers would come to about one allegation of unlawful deadly force per one million citizen contacts.  

The George Floyd incident was horrible to watch, but I wonder what other dangerous profession involving instant life-and-death decisions can claim a better record than one in a million? Perfection will never be possible in a cop’s highly imperfect world. 

IACSP: Chokeholds are being banned by many police departments. Is this a mistake?

Wambaugh: Let’s hear from people who have engaged in physical confrontations on the streets with someone who was bigger, stronger, and more bent on extreme violence. Upon being on the verge of losing, knowing that a loss may result in serious injury or death, the chokehold is often a cop’s only hope, that is, if the chokehold can even be applied during violent grappling. It has saved more cops than batons and tasers and all other defensive devices combined.

IACSP: How do you feel about the idea of defunding the police?

Wambaugh: This is so silly I don’t know where to begin or what to say, other than social workers would have a very hard time of it if their subject suddenly produced a weapon and began using on them during an attempt at street counseling. This is something that cops face all the time.

IACSP: Are police officers systemically racist?

Wambaugh: It goes without saying that these critics are only talking about white cops. So, let’s take a look at my Department, the LAPD, which is often accused of this. So how does the LAPD manage to be systemically racist in 2021when only 29% of the police department is white?

IACSP: Many cities are eliminating bail. How do you feel about the no bail movement?

Wambaugh: That would be ending the only thing we have to keep dangerous offenders in custody for a while as they await trial.

IACSP: In today’s climate, many cities are increasing oversight and micromanaging police departments, as well as calling for federal oversight. You’ve been very critical of the federal oversight of the LAPD in the past, and you mock the political correctness as well. How much do you think federal oversight affects officer morale, which of course affects good police work?

 

Wambaugh: Oh, it’s crushing to morale. The cops were just overwhelmed with paperwork. They felt that 9,300 of them are being punished for the acts of about four. Going back to the so-called Ramparts scandal resulted in two cops going to prison. That’s what brought on the federal oversight, that and the Rodney King affair. You have thousands of cops saying, you show me another profession or vocation where only three or four out of 9,300 are crooks. Hell, the U.S. Congress can’t boast those numbers.

 

IACSP: Or attorneys.

 

Wambaugh: Right. Cops feel it’s grossly unfair, and as a matter of fact, they caught their own crooks! In the Ramparts scandal, the two bad cops were caught by other cops. So it’s not as though the feds are coming in and catching the occasional bad apple. No, the LAPD are catching their own bad apples.

IACSP: As a former police officer and a writer who covers police matters, what do you think of the current anti-cop sentiment across the country, which has become widespread since the death of George Floyd?

 

Wambaugh:  I think because there are so many problems in life that are insoluble that people like crime stories because usually things get wrapped up, and the world seems like a more orderly place than it really is.

But not in my books. I don’t write typical crime or mystery stories. Very often, the cops don’t even solve the crimes in my books. Sometimes they solve themselves and sometimes they don’t, but very seldom do the cops do it.

As a matter of fact, my stories could never fit into the thriller or mystery category because there are no extravagant serial killers, there are no flamboyant master criminals.

IACSP:  I’ve read that you interview a good number of police officers and used their stories in the books, but how do you plan your novels? Do you start out with developed characters in mind, or a theme or plot, and then incorporate the stories you hear?

 

Wambaugh: No. I start out with nothing but phone calls to cops. You’ll notice in the acknowledgment page on Hollywood Station that I believe I interviewed 52 cops, and for “Hollywood Crows” I think it was 54.

 

I start out with nothing, and I start interviewing the cops at drinks and dining sessions, four at a time until I get enough anecdotal material, dialogue and ideas to begin writing a story.

I have no outline; I have nothing in mind when I sit down with these cops. Nothing at all. They act, I react.

IACSP: Well, it certainly works well for you. I talk to a lot of police officers, and I go out on a lot of ride-alongs, and I’ve found that most police officers are really good storytellers. Why do you think cops are such good storytellers?

Wambaugh: They get good material in their work. Most of us in life, including me right now, sitting in this house, I don’t gather material. I lead a boring life. They don’t. They’re out there seeing people, doing things. So they are out there occasionally having fun when they do good police work, and they are gathering material whether they know it or not. And once in a while someone like me will pop up and say, hey, tell me a few stories. And often they are eager to do it.

IACSP: I especially like the black humor, which I saw in the military as well. I’ve read that one of your original goals in writing novels was to humanize the image of police officers – if that’s so, do you think you’ve largely succeeded with your novels, the films and the TV series “Police Story”?

 

Wambaugh: Oh, yeah, sure. If I don’t humanize them, that is make them come to life as human beings, then no one is going to read my stuff and I’m a failure. That’s what I mean by humanize, bring them to life. I don’t mean clean up their image.

IACSP: Did you want to become a police officer before you desired to become a writer? What came first?

Wambaugh: I was an English major when I got out of the Marines. When I graduated, I was going to be a teacher, but the LAPD was paying a lot and I decided to give it a try. I wanted to be a teacher and ended up being a cop. I thought this would be a good career for me for about 20 years, and then I could become a teacher.

But in the meantime, the writing bug bit, as it does for all English majors, and I started writing short stories. I was a closet writer.

IACSP: Lastly, would you recommend that young men and women become police officers today?

 

Wambaugh: Yes, I would advise certain young people to become police officers. Because I believe that doing good police work can provide the most fun that they will ever have in their entire lives. This was spoken by the old LAPD sergeant dubbed “The Oracle” in my novel, “Hollywood Station.” But police work is not for the types who are utterly crushed by confrontation and negative criticism. My advice to those young people would be, if you want love, join the fire department.

IACSP: Thank you for speaking to us. 

My Threatcon Column: FBI's InfraGard Program Celebrates 25 Years Of Protecting America

 My Threatcon column was posted online today at www.iacsp.com. 

You can read the column below: 

This year marks a milestone for the InfraGard program, a critical partnership between the FBI and the private sector.

According to the FBI, the National InfraGard Program began as a pilot project in 1996 when the Cleveland FBI Field Office asked local computer professionals to assist the FBI in determining how to better protect critical information systems in the public and private sectors. From this new partnership, the first InfraGard chapter was formed to address both cyber and physical threats.

When InfraGard went national in 2001, then-FBI Director Louis J. Freeh applauded the success of the program.

“Computer crime is one of the most dynamic problems the FBI faces today,” Freeh said. ‘I am proud of the progress we have made in dealing with this problem by establishing the InfraGard initiative and opening the lines of communication between the public and private sectors and the law enforcement community. I am confident that we will continue to work together to further develop the capabilities to meet the computer crime problem, in all its facets, head on. Our economy and public safety depend on it.”

The InfraGard program connects business owners within critical infrastructure to the FBI and provides education, information sharing, networking, and workshops on emerging technologies and threats. According to InfraGard.org, vetted membership includes business executives, entrepreneurs, lawyers, security personnel, military and government officials, IT professionals, academia and state and local law enforcement—all dedicated to contributing industry-specific insight and advancing national security.

The requirements to be an InfraGard member includes being a U.S. citizen, 18 years or older. One must be affiliated with a critical infrastructure sector. Members must consent and pass an FBI security risk assessment and periodic re-certifications. Members must notify the FBI of any pending criminal matters. Members must sign and adhere to a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement and agree to adhere to InfraGard’s Code of Ethics and Information Sharing Policies.

Member Benefits include:

Access to InfraGard’s Secure Web Portal, www.infragard.org

FBI accredited website with secure messaging that promotes communication among members.

FBI and DHS threat advisories, intelligence bulletins, analytical reports, and vulnerability assessments in real time.

Access to iGuardian, the FBI’s cyber incident reporting tool designed specifically for the private sector Unique Networking Opportunities.

FBI and other government agency presentations to InfraGard Member Alliance events • Special Interest Groups (SIGs) • Peer-to-peer collaboration across InfraGard’s broad membership.

Information sharing and relationship building with FBI and law enforcement at all levels Training and Education • Information Sharing Initiative (ISI) training program.

FBI and other government security awareness training programs.

Local and online training and event discounts • Free or discounted local seminar.

Today, the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is comprised of 77 chapters—aligned with local FBI field offices—and more than 75,000 members across the United States.

“As Americans, our lifestyle, economy, and national security are supported by a complex framework of businesses and services,” noted the INMA. “The central role of these critical infrastructures and key resources (CIKR), makes them especially vulnerable as targets for both physical and cyber-attacks. The mission FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution. Our vision is to remain ahead of the threat through leadership, agility and integration.

“In an era where threats to our country and risks to private enterprise are escalating and intersecting, building mutual respect and cooperation between the FBI and the private sector has never been more important. The majority of infrastructure in the U.S. is owned and operated by the private sector; therefore, cultivating partnerships and incorporating key industry stakeholders is crucial to support the government in protecting critical infrastructure. InfraGard provides a vehicle for seamless public/private collaboration; expedites the timely exchange of information; and promotes mutual learning opportunities relevant to CIKR defense.”

The INMA said it leverages the expertise of a wide range of private sector partners who own, operate, and hold key positions within approximately 85 percent of the nation’s critical infrastructure. The INMA said its InfraGard’s subject matter experts include business executives, entrepreneurs, lawyers, military and government officials, IT professionals, security personnel, academia, and state and local law enforcement. Each of them is dedicated to contributing industry-specific insight and advancing national security. Through this partnership, the INMA noted, both the FBI and private sector gain an improved understanding of the threatscape and share valuable intelligence.

“We are grateful to our hundreds of volunteers, our thousands of dedicated members and our FBI partners for making InfraGard the valuable organization it is and for being such an incredible asset to America’s national security,” said Maureen O’Connell, the President of the InfraGard National Members Alliance. In

Paul Davis, a longtime contributor to the Journal, writes the IACSP online Threatcon column.

My Threatcon Column: The Threats Facing The Upcoming Presidential Election

Counterterrorism magazine's website published my Threatcon column today. 

Threatcon: The Threats Facing the Upcoming Presidential Election

By Paul Davis 

The upcoming presidential election will no doubt be contested hotly by both sides with accusations of voter fraud, political dirty tricks and illegal political contributions.

And like 2016, there will be accusations of foreign election interference.

On August 7th, William Evanina (seen in the above photo). the director of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), offered an election threat update to the public.

Evanina had previously pledged to provide unclassified overview of foreign threats to the 2020 election.

“Today, we are making good on that promise by sharing additional information with the public on the intentions and activities of our adversaries with respect to the 2020 election,” Evanina said.

The NCSC stated that prior to the 2020 U.S. elections, foreign states will continue to use covert and overt influence measures in their attempts to sway U.S. voters’ preferences and perspectives, shift U.S. policies, increase discord in the United States, and undermine the American people’s confidence in the democratic process. According to the NCSC, these foreign states may also seek to compromise election infrastructure for a range of possible purposes, such as interfering with the voting process, stealing sensitive data, or calling into question the validity of the election results. .

The NCSC is primarily concerned about the ongoing and potential activity by China, Russia, and Iran.

The NCSC stated that China prefers that President Trump – whom Beijing sees as unpredictable – does not win reelection. “China has been expanding its influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to China’s interests and deflect and counter criticism of China. Although China will continue to weigh the risks and benefits of aggressive action, its public rhetoric over the past few months has grown increasingly critical of the current Administration’s COVID-19 response, closure of China’s Houston Consulate, and actions on other issues. For example, it has harshly criticized the Administration’s statements and actions on Hong Kong, TikTok, the legal status of the South China Sea, and China’s efforts to dominate the 5G market. Beijing recognizes that all of these efforts might affect the presidential race.”

The NCSC stated that Russia is using a range of measures to primarily denigrate former Vice President Biden and what it sees as an anti-Russia “establishment.” “This is consistent with Moscow’s public criticism of him when he was Vice President for his role in the Obama Administration’s policies on Ukraine and its support for the anti-Putin opposition inside Russia. For example, pro-Russia Ukrainian parliamentarian Andriy Derkach is spreading claims about corruption – including through publicizing leaked phone calls – to undermine former Vice President Biden’s candidacy and the Democratic Party. Some Kremlin-linked actors are also seeking to boost President Trump’s candidacy on social media and Russian television.”

The NCSC stated that Iran seeks to undermine U.S. democratic institutions, President Trump, and to divide the country in advance of the 2020 elections. “Iran’s efforts along these lines probably will focus on on-line influence, such as spreading disinformation on social media and recirculating anti-U.S. content. Tehran’s motivation to conduct such activities is, in part, driven by a perception that President Trump’s reelection would result in a continuation of U.S. pressure on Iran in an effort to foment regime change.” 

You can read the rest of the column via the below link:

https://www.iacsp.com/threatcon.php?nid=231438&mnid=1 

My Threatcon Column: Semper Paratus, The Coast Guard is Always Ready

I live within minutes of a potential terrorist target - the Port of Philadelphia - so I'm thankful for the diligence and dedication of our intelligence, law enforcement, military and homeland security personnel.

Philadelphia is a target due in part to the Delaware River, which is one of the world's largest freshwater ports and the second busiest in the country in terms of tonnage. The river also supports one of the world's largest petro-chemical industrial complexes, with six major oil refineries along the river.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with the U.S. Coast Guard personnel who are responsible for guarding the Delaware River and its assets. I reported to the Marine Safety Office/Group Philadelphia's offices in South Philadelphia.

Called "Station Philadelphia," the Coast Guard pier-side facility is shared with the Philadelphia Marine Police and a Philadelphia Fire Department Unit. The Coast Guard operates a number of utility boats, including two 27-foot Boston Whalers and the newly acquired 25-foot Defender Class Response boats.

I met with Lt Commander Timothy E. Meyers, who gave me a tour of the station and explained the Coast Guard's many missions. Myers, an army brat who traveled widely with this soldier-father, said the longest he ever stayed in one place was the four years he attended the Coast Guard Academy.

Meyers joined the Coast Guard because he wanted to do something for the country and because he was interested in the wide range of exciting missions the Coast Guard performs.

"The Coast Guard performs missions such as search & rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties, recreational boating safety, marine environmental protection, short range aid to navigation and last and most importantly, homeland security," Meyers told me.

Meyers said that the Coast Guard coordinates their patrols with local law enforcement agencies, not only on the water, but also in the air. The Coast Guard is a member of a port security committee that meets monthly. The committee includes a large number of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as industry representatives.

"The Coast Guard is a member of the armed forces and a law enforcement agency as well," Meyers explained. "Now, with this new emphasis on homeland security, and as a new member of the Department of Homeland Security, there's a lot we can bring to the table."

Meyers said they identify incoming vessels 92-hours out from where they plan to enter port. Sea Marshals, the Coast Guard's law enforcement officers similar to Air Marshals, go out to the vessel and they'll "ride it in." A Coast Guard ship will often accompany the vessel into port.

During my visit I boarded one of the Coast Guard's 25-foot Defender Class Response Boats and we shoved off down the Delaware River. The boats have twin-Honda 225hp outboard engines and they can go more than 45 knots on the water.

That's fast.

The boats are armed with M16 MOD 8 mounts, fore and aft, and the boats also have advanced communications gear.

I rode with the crew on one of the two boats as they ventured out on patrol. I told the boat crew that I was a Navy veteran, so I knew something about boats and working on the river. After serving two years on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War, I went on to serve another two years on a Navy harbor tugboat at the nuclear submarine base in Holy Loch, Scotland.

Onboard the boat were a couple of members of the Coast Guard's Maritime Security and Safety Teams (MSSTs). The young petty officers were friendly enough to a writer and a ex-Navy guy, but they were a tough interview. They didn't want to talk about threats, targets or their training. With my own Navy/Defense Department security background, I understood and respected their reluctance to talk to the press.

One of the petty officers, who asked that I not use his name, told me that he had recently reenlisted in the Coast Guard for another six years.

"I love what I'm doing and I think it is important work," the petty officer told me over the noise of the boat's engines and the splash of the water as we sped along the Delaware River.

The MSSTs are a rapid response force assigned to vital ports like Philadelphia. Meyers, who came along for the ride, said that MSSTs were formed specifically for this mission after 9/11. All of the teams have designations that begin with 911 and the first one was 91101. The Philadelphia Detachment's designation is 91110.

"The MSSTs are SWAT teams on the water," Meyers said. "The MSSTs are rapid deployable. They can be sent where needed at a moment's notice."

The two Defender Class boats performed remarkable maneuvers out past the docked and anchored freighters and cargo ships. We also sped past the mothball fleet at the now-closed Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

Based on my Navy background, I can attest to the fact that the Defender Class boats can out-run and out-maneuver nearly any craft on the water. With these boats on patrol, I doubt that any boat loaded with explosives could slam into a ship, as we saw with the attack on the USS Cole.

Perhaps the "Coasties," as the Coast Guard sailors liked to be called, were trying to make the old Navy man sea sick, as the boat made several fast, tight turns on the gray, choppy river. Thankfully, I upheld the Navy's reputation during the patrol.

"The Coast Guard is a humanitarian organization," Meyers explained when we returned to the pier. "Most people think of the Coast Guard as lifesavers and our homeland security duties are the same type of mission. It's keeping America safe, it's keeping our homeland safe."

My Q & A With New Jersey Homeland Security Director Richard L. Canas

My Q&A with the New Jersey Homeland Security Director appears in the latest issue of The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International (www.iacsp.com/publications.php), a quarterly magazine for more than 100,000 law enforcement, government and the military world-wide.

You can read the interview above and below: