Senior Vice President of National Security Policy Jamie Barnett, Jr., RDML USNR (Ret.), recently served in an IPA assignment as Chief of the Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB). He contributed comments to The Wall Street Journal for a story about cell phone outages in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, noting that carriers may ultimately pass on the costs of making networks more reliable. Click here to read the article in full.

Senior Vice President of Academic Programs and Research Jamie Barnett, Jr., RDML USNR (Ret.), recently served in an IPA assignment as Chief of the Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB).  In an interview with CBS radio Los Angeles affiliate KNX 1070, he addressed concerns about the operation of cell phone service during a disaster such as a major earthquake. The interview follows a massive cell phone outage after the Virginia earthquake of 2011, and came during the Great California Shakeout earthquake preparation drill.  Click below to listen.

{saudioplayer}Jamie Barnett KNX 10-18-12.mp3{/saudioplayer}

The Potomac Institute Cyber Center blog, PotomacCyber, features a new post this week by PICC Fellow Khatuna Mshvidobadze on an alleged case of illegal exports of high-tech electronics to Russia.  She notes that according to an FBI press release, "These commodities have applications and are frequently used in a wide range of military systems, including radar and surveillance systems, missile guidance systems, and detonation triggers." Click here to read the post in full.

The Potomac Institute Press release of  Al-Qa’ida: Ten Years After 9/11 and Beyond,  is more timely than ever in light of recent events. The arrest of a man who allegedly claimed al-Qa'ida ties and planned to blow up the Federal Reserve building in New York, along with reports that the deadly attack on the US consulate in Benghazi could be linked to an al-Qa'ida affiliate, are stark reminders that the terrorist group continues to exert influence despite severe blows to its command and control structure.   To learn more about why this is a threat that just won't go away, now is the time to read  Al-Qa’ida: Ten Years After 9/11 and Beyond (Potomac Institute Press, 2012) by ICTS Director Prof. Yonah Alexander and Institute Chairman and CEO Michael S. Swetnam.   Click here to find the book on Amazon.com: click here for the Kindle edition.

Read more: Al-Qa'ida Again in Headlines: Book Provides Background