Housekeeping

I've been away for more than a week, with a family emergency. Here are a few things that are catching my eye:

Evan Kohlmann's note from the Counterterrorism Blog on the Nine Eleven Finding Answers (NEFA) Foundation's new reports on terrorist threats against the U.S. since 9/11. The first two focus on foiled threats in L.A. and Miami.

Also on the CT Blog, Aaron Mannes posts his WSJ article on the rising threat of cyber attacks, using as an example the recent attack against the cyber infrastructure in Estonia. A key quote: "In Estonia, [hackers] prevented the national government from explaining the situation, hampered financial transactions and interfered with telephone systems, which rely in part on the Internet to function." The disruption of the phone system is worth noting, because one of the most likely applications of a cyber attack is to coordinate it with a physical attack. Disrupted communications would be especially troublesome in a time of emergency.

Bruce Schneier seems rather sanguine about DHS' plans to inventory stocks of "chemicals of interest" (in any amount) on U.S. university campuses.

DHS Secretary Chertoff warned New Yorkers to be prepared for a hurricane like the infamous Labor Day Hurricane of 1938.

NTI reports that even a nuclear "fizzle" would be a success for a terrorist group. (Not really a surprise, when you think about it.) In somewhat related news, NTI also points to a new SIPRI report that indicates nations around the world are making their nukes smaller. Hmmm....

James Jay Carafano of the Heritage Foundation writes about the threat of small-boat attacks in U.S. waters.

More to come...