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Homeland Security Advisory System
From the thesis abstract: "In March of 2002, through the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3, the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) was developed. The original intent of the HSAS was to provide a warning mechanism for the federal government; other state and local agency responses were voluntary. However, the intent expanded to include a warning system for local, state, federal agencies, the private sector and the general public. Five orange alerts later, the confusion continues with a mix of complacency and misunderstanding. State and local officials complain about the general nature of the intelligence and the lack of specificity directed at regions or targets. The cost of orange protective measures is adding up into the billions of dollars. Warnings specific to New York City have a different value in Utah. Solutions require a new federal intelligence culture with a new name and location under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security distributing specific intelligence. We need highly trained intelligence analysts working with multi-agency state or metropolitan fusion centers. The media should help in educating the public on the HSAS and promoting volunteer organizations, encouraging participation to assist in Homeland Security and to reduce the fear of a catastrophic event. Customized HSAS should be developed for each community, state and private sector business to better utilize protective resources. Protective measures should be implemented with specific intelligence to support the elevation of the HSAS."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Behunin, Scott M.
2004-06
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Private Security as an Essential Component of Homeland Security
"This thesis argues that first preventers are not limited to law enforcement and/or intelligence personnel. Private security officers are our true first preventers because they control access to the myriad of facilities we enter and exit every day. They are the individuals with their boots on the ground in our efforts to recognize abnormal or unusual activity. Based on the observation by President George W. Bush in the 'National Strategy for Homeland Security' that 85% of the nation's critical infrastructure is owned by private agencies and organizations, one conclusion is incontrovertible: No one is in a better position to be a first preventer than the private security officer in America. In New York State, a professionally trained and licensed security officer's primary directive is defined as detecting, deterring and reporting on conditions which might harm life or property. It is incumbent upon government public security officials, and private security executives themselves, to cultivate and exploit this undervalued segment of our efforts to combat terrorism on a national basis. In order to do so, and to assure the public of the competency of the private security workforce, it is imperative that private security officers be mandated to meet minimum standards. Therefore, this thesis makes the argument that advocating nationwide, state controlled licensing and training of private security officers is essential to the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security to employ 'First Responder' and 'First Preventer' strategies in the war on terrorism."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Hetherington, Christopher John
2004-06
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Leveraging National Guard Counterdrug Assets for Homeland Security
"This thesis describes how existing capabilities in the National Guard
Counterdrug (NG CD) Support Program can be leveraged for use in Homeland Security (HLS) missions and explains what the implications are for organizing a NG HLS Support Program. National Guard CD assets should be made dual-use for HLS activities and additional missions should be added to the CD mission, leveraging existing resources for HLS prevention. The Governors will have the flexibility of having highly trained and equipped soldiers that can be utilized for HLS activities according to the needs of the state and the current threat level. An already established integrated program in West Virginia provided a suitable model for conducting a case study to determine additional missions to supplement the NG CD Support Program in other states. Examples of additional CD-HLS missions include CD intelligence analysts tracking suspicious activities and CD ground reconnaissance teams cross-trained to assist with the FSIVA mission for the protection of critical infrastructure. Potential challenges of integration identified include funding and personnel shortages along with legal restrictions. Solutions include developing stabilized and fenced funding with cross-leveling up to a designated threshold, adding more dual-use personnel and HLS core staffing, and amending the CD statute."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Wilkinson, Nachelle M.
2004-06
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Strategies to Build a Trusted and Collaborative Information Sharing System for State-Level Homeland Security
"At all levels of government, strategies to prevent terrorism will rely on the development and distribution of actionable information. It is essential that the United States strengthen its capacity to gather, share, analyze and disseminate such information. In the State of Utah, however, these efforts have been jeopardized by a failure to adequately understand the cultural impediments to building more effective information systems. Spending more money on "stuff" (hardware, communications systems, etc.) will not provide for better information sharing, unless cultural barriers to change are recognized and taken into account in State planning. Public safety officers in Utah are, in my experience, extremely dedicated and competent public servants. Nevertheless, the top priority in Utah should be building a new culture where trust and collaboration exist among the organizations involved in homeland security. This thesis argues that such collaboration does not exist today, and will not grow naturally on its own. Further, states such as Utah need to develop and implement a strategic plan to build a culture of collaboration. This thesis proposed such a plan, tailored to overcome the specific problems that my research has uncovered."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Flowers, Robert L.
2004-06
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Requirements Analysis and Architectural Design of a Web-Based Integrated Weapons of Mass Destruction Toolset
In 1991, shortly after the combat portion of the Gulf War, key military and government leaders identified an urgent requirement for an accurate on-site tool for analysis of chemical, biological, and nuclear hazards. Defense Nuclear Agency (now Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DTRA) was tasked with the responsibility to develop a software tool to address the requirement. Based on extensive technical background, DTRA developed the Hazard Prediction Assessment Capability (HPAC). For over a decade HPAC addressed the user's requirements through on-site training, exercise support and operational reachback. During this period the HPAC code was iteratively improved, but the basic architecture remained constant until 2002. In 2002, when the core requirements of the users started to evolve into more net-centric applications, DTRA began to investigate the potential of modifying their core capability into a new design architecture. This thesis documents the requirements, analysis, and architectural design of the newly prototyped architecture, Integrated Weapons of Mass Destruction Toolset (IWMDT). The primary goal of the IWMDT effort is to provide accessible, visible and shared data through shared information resources and team plated assessments of CBRNE scenarios. This effort integrates a collection of computational capabilities as server components accessible through a web interface. Using the results from this thesis, DTRA developed a prototype of the IWMDT software. Lessons learned from the prototype and suggestions for follow-on work are presented in the thesis.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jones, Richard B.
2004-06
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Carrot, Stick, or Sledgehammer: U.S. Policy Options for North Korean Nuclear Weapons
North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons has shaken the foundations of U.S. policy in Northeast Asia. Because of North Korea's record of state-sponsored terrorism, illicit activities, human rights violations, arms sales, and fiery rhetoric, its development of operational nuclear weapons is deeply disturbing. Although most agree North Korea should not possess nuclear weapons, nobody has a solution. This thesis evaluates three U.S. policy options for North Korean nuclear weapons: incentive-based diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, or military force. It analyzes them according to four criteria: the impact on North Korea's nuclear weapons, the impact on its neighbors (China, Japan, and South Korea), U.S. policy costs, and the precedent for future proliferation. This thesis shows that diplomacy will fail to achieve U.S. objectives for three reasons: lack of trust, DPRK reluctance to permit transparency, and the difficulty of conducting multilateral coercive diplomacy. Ultimately, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's question must be answered: "What price is the United States willing to pay to disarm North Korean nuclear weapons?" If Washington is unwilling to back a threat of military force, it should not risk coercive diplomacy. Likewise, U.S. leaders may need to decide between maintaining the U.S.-ROK alliance and eliminating North Korean nuclear weapons.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Orcutt, Dan
2004-06
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Infrared Face Recognition
This study continues a previous face recognition investigation using uncooled infrared technology. The database developed in an earlier study is further expanded to include 50 volunteers with 30 facial images from each subject. The automatic image reduction method reduces the pixel size of each image from 160x120 to 60x45. The study reexamines two linear classification methods: the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Fisher Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). Both PCA and LDA apply eigenvectors and eigenvalues concepts. In addition, the Singular Value Decomposition based Snapshot method is applied to decrease the computational load. The K-fold Cross Validation is applied to estimate classification performances. Results indicate that the best PCA-based method (using all eigenvectors) produces an average classification performance equal to 79.22%. Incorporated with PCA for dimension reduction, the LDA-based method achieves 94.58% accuracy in average classification performance. Additional testing on unfocused images produces no significant impact on the overall classification performance. Overall results again confirm uncooled IR imaging can be used to identify individual subjects in a constrained indoor environment.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Lee, Colin K.
2004-06
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Funding for First Responders from a Threat and Prevention Approach
It has been thirty-three months since the United States was attacked by terrorists on September 11th 2001. Yet, in distributing grants to States and localities to build their capacity for homeland security, the Nation continues to rely on funding formulae that are deeply flawed. Many grants are distributed in ways that ignore need-driven criteria, such as where terrorists are most likely to strike and which targets are most critical. This thesis develops an alternative formula that takes need into account (and therefore is much more likely to send funds where they are required). After reviewing need-driven formulae from a range of fields that might be applied to homeland security, the author uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to break the objectives of homeland security capacity-building into discreet, measurable components. He then analyzes the criteria that should be used to build a grant allocation process to accomplish those objectives, including population density, criticality of infrastructure, the threat to a municipality, vulnerability to that threat, and terrorism prevention. The resulting formula is far better structured than the current system to put homeland security grant funds where the Nation most needs them.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Weinlein, Michael
2004-06
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Multi-State Initiatives: Agriculture Security Preparedness
To defend American agriculture against foreign or domestic terrorism, it is essential that states build multi-state partnerships to provide for the collaborative plans, programs and operations needed to protect the nation's food security. The National Homeland Security Strategy puts states on the front lines in the war against terrorism---including the struggle to secure the agriculture industry from potentially devastating attack. The issues surrounding agro-terrorism are vast and complex and the resources of the Federal government to address these issues are limited and overextended. If states attempt to address this threat independently, important opportunities to reduce vulnerability and enhance capability will be lost. To achieve the capabilities needed for agro-terrorism detection, mitigation, preparedness and response, states must collaborate to build the partnerships and programs their citizens require. This thesis argues multi-state partnerships are critical to defeating this threat as well as providing a robust response to an attack. Whether intentionally introduced or naturally occurring, infectious diseases can easily cross state borders before an outbreak is even detected. States must be prepared to act quickly to mitigate the effects of any crisis. There is a significant opportunity for states to strengthen their abilities to provide for a stronger agriculture counter terrorism preparedness system. The states can further their ability to combat attacks on agriculture actively by demonstrating leadership in implementing administrative agreements and ultimately adopting compact(s) between states as well as with the private sector.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gordon, Ellen M.
2004-06
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Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center: A Model for State and Local Governments Role in the Intelligence Community
Since 9/11 there have been many demands for robust intelligence efforts and information sharing in the context of Homeland Security. This thesis focuses on the critical need for the inclusion of local and state intelligence collection efforts into the broader intelligence community and describes a model for states to follow when creating a statewide Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Key organizational and relationship principles are examined. Establishing state ISACs and including them as partners in the fight against terrorism benefits all levels of government at the strategic and tactical intelligence levels. Requirements for successful state level ISACs are identified through numerous cases studies focusing on the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
English, Charles D.
2004-06
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Is the Philippines Profiting from the War on Terrorism?
"The Philippines is one of the foremost supporters of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), responding to the call for robust counter-terrorism (CT) measures through policy and legislation, intelligence-sharing, and military and law enforcement cooperation. As a strategic ally, the United States (US) has renewed political and security relations with Manila, strained since the base closures in 1991; Washington has given hundreds of millions of dollars in military and economic aid since 9/11. However, instead of improving the country's CT capabilities to eradicate terrorism, the GWOT and related US policy have created a cyclical incentive structure: certain actors within the government, military, and insurgency groups in the Philippines profit politically and financially from US aid and the warlike conditions, and thus sustain, at a minimum, a presence of conflict and terrorism in order to continue drawing future benefits. This paper will investigate how such actors profit from the GWOT and perpetuate conflict, as well as examine the implications of these finding and recommendations on future US policy and Philippine counter-terrorism efforts."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bowman, Robin L.
2004-06
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Mission Tasking of Unmanned Vehicles
"Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are expected to be an integral part of the U.S. Navy's expeditionary and carrier strike groups and are quickly being integrated into maritime operations. Command and control issues must be resolved, however, in order to utilize unmanned systems as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets. The purpose of this research was to assess the current doctrine of mission tasking with respect to tactical unmanned vehicles (UVs) and determine a method for effectively tasking these systems. The problem was analyzed by applying the factors of METT-T: mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, and time available to UV-enabled maritime missions. The analysis identified specific implications for unmanned vehicles and emphasized important considerations for tasking and allocating UVs. METT-T analyses generally result in courses of action, however, tasking is a command and control issue, and therefore, four organizational structures emerge for tasking UVs. A significant finding of this study is that the current doctrinal framework of the composite warfare commander's concept can support tasking unmanned vehicles, but requires revision to effectively address UV allocation issues."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Johnson, Jada E.
2004-06
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Expanding the European Union's Petersberg Tasks: Requirements and Capabilities
"This thesis analyzes the 'updated Petersberg tasks' included in the draft treaty establishing a Constitution for the European Union. The original Petersberg tasks called for forces capable of humanitarian and rescue missions, peacekeeping operations and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. The updated tasks add conflict prevention, joint disarmament, military advice and assistance, post-conflict stabilization, and support to third countries in combating terrorism. The thesis focuses on the requirements of these tasks and the capabilities of the European Union's civilian agencies and military forces to execute them. It explores the meaning of the new missions, their specific capability requirements, and the prospects for the European Union to meet these requirements. It concludes that the European Union is currently capable of undertaking the missions that require mostly civilian tools or medium-level military forces for their conduct. The European Union does not at present have the relevant capabilities for the missions that demand more advanced military forces."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Papastathopoulos, Stavros
2004-06
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Dirty Bombs: The Technical Aspects of Radiological Dispersion Devices
"Considering the ever-rising threat of terrorist attack and disruption of the economy and of daily activity, the potential strength of a radiological dispersion device must be evaluated. A 'dirty bomb' is a weapon in the terrorist arsenal that is highly effective in creating chaos, panic and disruption. All of the immediate deaths caused by a 'dirty bomb' are due to blast effects, however the public association with radiation and nuclear devices is one of fear and hyperbole. The individuals and agencies that respond to this type of event will have the greatest impact on the general public. By looking at case studies and potential scenarios or exercises the first responder can appreciate the nature of radiation as well as its impact on response. The goal of this paper is to provide first responders with basic information on nuclear physics and expose relevant issues in responding to a radiological dispersion device. An understandable link between nuclear physics and radiation response does exist."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Visger, Benjamin Felix
2004-06
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Exploratory Analysis of Village Search Operations
"Following the cold war a new kind of threat emerged; terrorism became the most important threat used by individuals, organizations and countries to reach their goals. Turkey has suffered from terrorism for years. In Turkey, the main logistic resource for the terrorist is the villages located in remote areas. A search operation is one of the techniques used to capture the terrorists. Five village search operations scenarios are developed based on a previous study done for the New Zealand Army and the author's personal experiences. For this study, the agent-based model MANA (Map Aware Non uniform Automata) is used. To investigate the effects of 16 variables state-of-the-art Near Orthogonal Latin Hypercube Designs are used. With a personal computer and the computational capabilities of supercomputers run by Mitre for the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL) approximately 15000 runs are completed. In comparing the five scenarios, the significant effects on the outcome of a possible skirmish in search operations are the proficiency level of the soldiers, the employment of village guards and the support of the local people to the terrorists. The results of the analysis suggest that the most important factor affecting the Blue casualties is the initial speed and synchronization of the Blue search unit entering the village and the most important factor affecting the Red casualties is the Red Stealth."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Aydin, Mehmet
2004-06
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Bio-Terrorism: Steps to Effective Public Health Risk Communication and Fear Management
"A potentially serious gap exists in the preparedness of the public health system to respond to terrorism: risk communication. Unless this system is better structured to provide American citizens with a clear understanding of the potential risks and hazards associated with a terrorist event - particularly a bio-terrorism event - citizens not only run the risk of taking inappropriate protective actions, but also of experiencing increased (and potentially debilitating) levels of fear. This thesis is based on a survey conducted of public health officials in an eleven state regions which found that significant opportunities for improvement exist in emergency preparedness planning. Of particular concern, was the states' limited risk communication planning. Nonetheless, there was a high level of confidence in the states' perceived level of preparedness to respond and communicate risks during a potential bio-terrorism event."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jones-Hard, Susan
2004-06
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Tao of Special Forces: An Analysis of Counterinsurgency Doctrine
"The unwillingness to correct deficiencies in current COIN [counterinsurgency] Doctrine or to follow the correct methods within current doctrine will lead to continued instability and possible failure of counterinsurgency operations and governments in states with large Islamic populations. The conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq is insurgent in nature, therefore requires a Counterinsurgent strategy. Current US Army Doctrine focuses entirely on the Counterguerilla aspect of an insurgency, rather than viewing the insurgency in its entirety. Therefore, not only is the COIN doctrine is inadequate, it also requires an overall governing strategy which must include the engagements of both the populace, and the infrastructure of the insurgency, as well as counterforce operations against the guerillas. The entire hierarchy of COIN Doctrine is skewed in favor of the conventional units who write it. Currently all COIN operations fall under Support and Stability Operations, as do Counterguerrilla Operations in doctrinal hierarchy that is written by the US Army Infantry Branch. However, US Army Special Forces Branch writes Insurgency and Foreign Internal Defense Doctrine (COIN falls under FID for all Internal Defense and Development [IDAD] Programs). The unique qualifications of Special Forces units make them ideal for creating, developing, instituting, and commanding these operations. Special Forces soldiers are language and culturally trained to operate within these nations, and normally have habitual associations previously developed with the people and militaries of these nations."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Donahoe, Adrian A.; Reed, D. Todd, Jr.
2004-06
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Proceedings of the Center for National Software Studies Workshop on Trustworthy Software
Achieving what is often termed "software trustworthiness" has been an elusive goal, in part because of the lack of a clear understanding of why we sometimes succeed but often fail to produce trustworthy software. In order to better understand the challenges the United States faces in achieving the goal of producing and acquiring trustworthy software systems and products, a workshop on the subject of trustworthy software was held April 8-9, 2004 in Monterey, California. The results of the workshop are documented in this report and intended to be used as input to a national research and development (R&D) agenda on software trustworthiness.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Michael, James B.; Linger, Richard C., 1941-; Voas, Jeffrey M.
2004-05-10
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Estimation of Atmosphere and Ocean Surface Influence on Radar and IR Sensor Performance for MDP
Threat surveillance is an essential part of maritime domain protection, as seen in past attacks against naval vessels in the Northern Arabian Gulf and other conflict areas. Variations on radar and sonar details caused by lower atmosphere and ocean surface conditions can lead to a problematic situation involving dire consequences; this newsletter seeks to investigate some past situations where these shortcomings were evident, as well as suggesting methods such as integration, data transfer, and selection and adaptation of surveillance methods as a means of helping to promote heightened awareness and alertness.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
2004-05
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Maritime Domain Protection Task Force Project Update (May 2004)
This document reviews several research initiatives under the NPS Maritime Domain Protection Task Force (MDP-TF), which investigates issues concerning the protection of the United States, its vessels, and citizens, against terrorist threats originating from the maritime domain. This document reviews the MDP system architecture design process, threat and vulnerability assessment, maritime domain awareness, maritime domain protection gaming laboratory, applied at-sea technology, and additional task force news.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Kline, Jeffrey E.
2004-05
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Phase II Report on Intelligent Software Decoys: Intelligent Software Decoy Tools for Cyber Counterintelligence and Security Countermeasures
"One part of our research on the theory of deception (Rowe and Rothstein, 2004) looked at the classic deception methods of conventional warfare: concealment, camouflage, ruses, demonstrations, feints, false and planted information, lies, displays; and insight. Of the nine, concealment and camouflage of operations (as opposed to data) are difficult in cyberspace since so much of it is black and white: Either a file exists or not. Then domain name servers are quite willing to tell adversaries about what resources exist. Ruses are not helpful in cyberwarfare because identity theft is easy and lacks surprise. Demonstrations are hard to make convincing and likely counterproductive since shows of strength encourage attacks which cannot be defended. Feints are not helpful because it is so difficult to localize an enemy for a counterattack in cyberspace. False and planted information such as posting fake attack methods on hacker bulletin boards is certainly possible, but it may turn out to be easy to confirm most statements about cyberspace with sufficient time."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Michael, James B.; Rowe, Neil C.; Wingfield, Thomas C.
2004-04-28
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Introduction to Legal Aspects of Operations in Cyberspace
"There are three legal paradigms through which to characterize computer intrusion. These paradigms overlap each other. In addition, an intrusion can fit into any two or all three of the paradigms. These are: law enforcement, intelligence collection, and military operations. The legal challenge in any computer intrusion is properly characterizing the intruders' categorical legal identity. This will determine whether one or more of the above paradigms are applicable. Each as has strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Each also requires that an intrusion be dealt with according to its own precise standards."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Michael, James B.; Wingfield, Thomas C.
2004-04-28
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Art of Riverine Warfare from an Asymmetrical Approach
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines U.S. riverine warfare from an unconventional perspective in three Latin American countries to include: Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. U.S. forces in particular NSW was (and remains) instrumental in helping these countries establish riverine units and an active presence on their rivers. These three different programs all have the same mission to deny the uncontested use of the rivers and inland waterways by narco traffickers and insurgent forces for the use of illegal activities. This thesis compares and contrast the three cases and garnishes lessons learned for future endeavors of the same."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Willey, Paul F.
2004-03
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Command Structure of the Ballistic Missile Defense System
"The United States is embarking on a course of designing and fielding a Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) to protect the US and her citizenry against ballistic missile attacks. The BMDS will need a Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) organization/system to support military and national decision makers in times of crisis. The C2BMC must also be able to react quickly once a missile event has occurred. This thesis will cover the doctrinal issues with merging Theater Missile Defense (TMD) and the National Missile Warning System into one system, how the Unified Command Plan affects missile defense efforts, the lessons learned from Desert Storm, and presents alternative chains of command that might allow the BMDS to engage threat missiles in a timely and efficient manner. Preliminary findings indicate that a 'flattened' chain of command for missile defense forces seems to be a positive starting point for the initial deployment of the BMDS."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Weller, David B.
2004-03
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NPS to Host Threat and Vulnerability Assessment Symposium
Maritime domain awareness and protection are issues of vital importance to our nation and our neighbors. Due to the sheer size and scope of this issue, comprehensive threat and vulnerability assessments are not currently available. In an effort to address these concerns, NPS will host a Threat and Vulnerability Assessment Symposium from 15-17 June 2004 in Monterey, To identify weaknesses, discern the intensity of potential dangers, and help focus protection and forward action, it is essential to conduct thorough vulnerability and threat assessments. It is hoped that the MDP-TF symposium will contribute to this process and serve as a foundation for future efforts. Results of the symposium will provide input for both systems engineering and maritime awareness working groups. Presentations, discussions, vignettes, panels, and any questionnaires that are part of the symposium will be captured, packaged, and delivered to participating agencies and MDP stakeholders as an initial product evidencing the great work that is taking place literally throughout the world. EVENTS
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
2004-03
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Optimizing Electric Grid Design under Asymmetric Threat (III)
"This document is the final report on the project entitled 'Homeland Security Research and Technology Proposal (Optimizing Electric Grid Design Under Asymmetric Threat),' sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Domestic Preparedness. This research has developed new optimization models and algorithms, embedded in a graphical user interface with supporting database, to assess the vulnerability of electric power grids to physical attacks by terrorists, and to identify measures to reduce disruptions caused by such attacks. Such measures might include improving security of key infrastructure elements and adding redundant grid capacity. This report consolidates our previous findings and presents our prototypic tool VEGA (Vulnerability of Electric Power Grids Analyzer). We demonstrate VEGA on two U.S. power grids, ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) and WECC (Western Electricity Coordinated Council). We also show that there exists sensitive information available from public sources that could be used to plan physical attacks on the power grid."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Salmeron, Javier; Wood, Kevin; Baldick, Ross
2004-03
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NATO and the War on Terrorism: Objectives and Obstacles
This thesis examines the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the global war on terrorism. It focuses on NATO's objectives as well as the obstacles to its active and effective participation in countering this new security challenge. The thesis first analyzes NATO's response to the terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001 and the resulting transformation in NATO's strategic focus and capabilities, which is designed to ensure its relevance in the new security environment. The thesis then examines the key political and military factors that might, in some circumstances, undermine the Atlantic Alliance and hinder the important task of combating terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These factors constitute challenges that must be successfully met for the Atlantic Alliance to play a strong role in the war on terrorism.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bailey, Nathaniel A.
2004-03
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What Can the United States Learn from India to Counter Terrorism?
Terrorism is the principal threat to global and national security in the post-11 September world. Facing terrorist threats at home and abroad, the United States has declared counterterrorism its top priority. As the United States embarks on its global counterterrorism campaign, it must draw on the experience of other countries. Specifically India, with an extensive history of counterterrorism efforts, can reveal important lessons applicable to America's endeavors. India offers three primary examples of counterterrorism strategies: Punjab, its northeast region, and Kashmir, from which four findings emerge. First, aggressive military operations are central to beating terrorism. Second, economic and social development programs, though not enough to end terrorism alone, are essential components of the larger national strategy. Third, terrorism cannot be stopped without international assistance. Terror networks export personnel, knowledge, weapons and money across international boundaries with growing frequency. This cannot be effectively stopped without a coordinated national and international effort. Fourth, to be successful, a counterterrorism strategy must engender the public's support for the government and promulgate a sense of public ownership to the conflict. By applying these lessons from the Indian case study, America's efforts to end terrorism both domestically and internationally will be significantly more productive.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Latimer, William Scott
2004-03
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NATO's Global Role: To What Extent Will NATO Pursue a Global Orientation?
The geopolitical change and emergence of new threats, notably terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, forced a reappraisal of the political and security roles of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Alliance's post- Cold War development, operations in the Balkans, and differences across the Atlantic also provided grounds for a revision of NATO's purely self-defense dimension. The Alliance, after having permanent out-of-area debates, has realized that it can no longer be circumscribed by artificial geographic boundaries to meet the future. At its Summit in Prague 2002, NATO initiated a new concept transforming itself into an effective organization with a global approach. By establishing the NATO Response Force, balancing the burden-shifting, and opening the security dialog among likeminded allies, NATO renewed the essence of common transatlantic values. By analyzing NATO's role and its prevailing tendencies, this thesis contends that NATO is no longer a regional security organization but a collective security instrument with its first front abroad, in the Greater Middle East and Northern Africa. However, if NATO is to contribute profoundly to international peace, it needs an institutional framework with global legitimacy.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Svejda, Miroslav
2004-03
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Future of the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf
This thesis analyzes a range of possible future scenarios governing security conditions in the Persian Gulf, in order to determine future requirements for forward-deployed Naval forces in the region. Examination of the past 30 years of U.S. Naval activity in the Persian Gulf provides examples of a full spectrum of deployment options ranging from a nominal presence in the 1970's to the recent deployment of forces unmatched in naval history. Two contrasting scenarios, "best case" and "worst case" are proposed by way of establishing a framework to evaluate the naval presence requirements that may arise in the future. Factors that could effect naval presence in the Gulf are success or failure of nationbuilding in Iraq, the path Iran takes regarding weapons of mass destruction, the progress of the Global War on Terrorism and the perception of American forces by the Arab world. These scenarios reveal the need for sustained naval presence in order to meet the future trends in the Persian Gulf. The Navy's recently implemented Fleet Response Plan calls for "deployment for a purpose." The purpose of naval forces in the Persian Gulf is clear: to provide persistent maritime dominance, power projection and effective crisis response.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Johnson, Austin C.
2004-03
