Measuring Progress in Iraq

A glance at various quality-of-life indicators and statistics on the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure... indicate a decided lack of progress. Electricity output has flat-lined. Potable water remains scarce. And despite holding one of the largest crude reserves in the world, Iraq still produces less oil than Brazil.

More important, says CFR Senior Defense Fellow Stephen Biddle, is whether Iraq's main ethno-religious identities—the Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds—are making progress toward reaching a communal power-sharing agreement. Only such an arrangement, he argues, can reduce the cycle of violence.

A recent poll backs up Biddle's claim. Security, not jobs or round-the-clock electricity, is what ordinary Iraqis desire most. They have relied increasingly on alternative means—local militias, insurgents, organized criminals—to fill in the government's security void.

Homebrew chemical terror bombs, hype or horror?

Security services themselves need to grasp this, to avoid deploying hundreds of operatives and millions of pounds (dollars) on investigations which in the final analysis do not add up. Essentially, they need to start doing risk assessment and to stop over-reacting on the strength of 'might'. While they're chasing 'might' they can all to easily be neglecting a whole stack of 'wills'.

Oh, but where would our media be without the Movie Plot Terrorist Attacks!? Can anyone recall when our own White House suggested folks wrap their homes with plastic wrap and duct tape? Local hardware stores ran out! I suggested a smaller, personal protection system -- seal yourself in a trash bag -- but no one would take me seriously.

Data Breach: Hotels.com Customers

Ernst & Young, which has been the outside auditor for Hotels.com for several years, notified the company of the security breach on May 3.

The computer contained personal information including names, addresses and credit card information of about 243,000 Hotels.com customers.

Both Hotels.com and Ernst & Young mailed letters to Hotels.com customers this past week encouraging them to take appropriate action to protect their personal information.

IT TOOK THESE CLOWNS A MONTH TO LET FOLKS KNOW THEIR CREDIT CARD HAD BEEN STOLEN!

The Perils of PC Posture

Ouch! Guilty as charged. Read the article and think about how you are sitting as you read it.