> Issues & Trends

2008 Presidential Elections (13) Controversial Technologies (11) Blogs (10) Human Rights (11)

Medical Research Makes Biological Warfare Headway
Medical researchers took an important step toward an antidote for botulinum toxin, one of the deadliest biological warfare or bioterrorism agents, in May 2008.

Waterboarding Torture
In February, 2008, the Justice Department decided to review the legality of previous memoranda that sanctioned the CIA agents' use of waterboarding and other torture techniques, when interrogating suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban members. The decision followed the revelation at the end of 2007 that in 2002 and 2003, waterboarding had been used on suspected al-Qaeda detainees.

Global Consensus on Security is a Challenging Problem
The fifth Worldwide Security Conference, held in Brussels in February 2008, demonstrated the challenges that violent extremism still poses to global security.

Would Solving the Israel-Palestine Impasse Reduce Transnational Terrorism?
The Israel-Palestine conflict is widely understood as a key challenge to stability in the Middle East, as well a driver of transnational terrorism. However, the creation of a Palestinian state is only a first step, since Palestine's symbolic power now has a life of its own.

China Human Rights Violations Parade as Counterterrorism
China takes advantage of the opportunity offered by the Global War on Terror to crack down on the the Turkic speaking, Chinese minority of Uyghur Muslims.

2008 Presidential Candidates on Terrorism, Iraq War and Homeland Security
Compare what 2008 presidential candidates have to say about terrorism, the Iraq War and homeland security

New Cyber Command Will Fight Wars and Battle Terrorist Attacks in Cyberspace
Many believe that wars and terrorist attacks in cyberspace are the next major threat. The United States has created a Cyber Command to lead and coordinate cyber warfare. But defining cyber warfare may change our definition of war itself.

Cyberterrorism: Latest Threat to National Computer Security?
There have been fears of cyberterrorism since the 1990s, but it was the 9/11 attacks made national computer security a high policy priority. What is cyberterrorism, how concerned should be about its threat, and what is being done now to protect national computer security?

U.S. Troops In Iraq: How Many Should There Be?
The number of U.S. troops in Iraq was an issue of controversy before the 2006 Congressional Elections.

Technologies and Terrorism: New, Updated and Controversial Counterterrorism Tech
Are Biometrics terrorism's best barometers at borders and ports? Will Artificial Intelligence and Smart Cards outsmart terrorists? Here, a compendium of new, updated and future technologies designed to thwart terrorism.

Sam Brownback on the War on Terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
2008 Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Mike Huckabee on the war in Iraq, terrorism and homeland security
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee hopes to win the Republican nomination for president. Here, Huckabee views on the war in Iraq, the war on terror and homeland security

Bill Richardson on the War on Terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Fred Thompson (R-TN) on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Former Senator Fred Thompson declared he'd run for president in September, 2007. Here are Thompson's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security.

Rudy Giuliani on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
2008 Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Mitt Romney on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
2008 Republican presidential candidate Sen. Mitt Romney's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

John McCain on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

John Edwards on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Barack Obama on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Hillary Clinton on the War on Terror, the Iraq War and Homeland Security
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Senator Joseph R. Biden on the Iraq War, the War on Terror and Homeland Security
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Joseph R. Biden's views on the war on terrorism, the Iraq War and Homeland Security

Profiling Passengers Pros & Cons
Airport security screening increasingly relies on passenger profiling techniques. Some argue passenger profiling helps identify terrorists, but others say it violates our civil rights.

First Indictment on Extraordinary Rendition on the Horizon
A hearing scheduled in Italy for January 9, 2007, may bring about inddictments of CIA and Italian intelligence for extraordinary rendition, the transporting of terrorism suspects for interrogation to third countries. This would be the first indictment for extraordinary rendition.

Philippine Labor Standards are a Terrorism Issue
Over 20 million migrant workers from Southeast Asia work in the Middle East; in a few Arabian Gulf countries there are more visiting workers than nationals. Militant extremists may be more than willing to help this vulnerable, highly exploited population.

Order and Liberty in a Time of Terror
Is there an effective way to protect civil liberties and counter terrorism? Criminal Justice expert Marvin Zalman contrasts two "models" of counterterrorism--a "war model" and a "criminal model," and argues that a criminal model better serves the need for both order and liberty.

Torture and Interrogation in a Time of Terror
Whether the use of torture to elicit information from would-be terrorists is justifiable became a lively topic after 9/11. Explore legal issues related to torture and extraterritorial detention, here.

Terrorism Blogs--Top 10 Blogs on Terrorism & Counterterrorism
Blogs on terrorism, the war on terror, counterterrorism and U.S. policy can critique, poke holes, poke fun, probe facts and pose questions that the mainstream media can't always.

Domestic Surveillance: Text of Dick Cheney's Response to Arlen Specter
In June, 2006, Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Judiciary requested that Vice President Cheney explain the White House decision to carry out domestic surveillance without judicial oversight. This is the Vice President's Response.

Information about Civl Liberties and National Security
Maintaining civil liberties while combatting the threat of terrorism has become a tricky balancing act for the U.S. government. Here, some of the areas where they clash most dramatically. Compiled by About Guide Tom Head.

Wiretapping Scandal Timeline
The ongoing NSA wiretapping scandal began in December 2005, when the New York Times revealed it had kept the story under wraps for a year, at White House request. Timeline provided by About Guide Kathy Gill.

Marvin Zalman biography
This is a biography of Marvin Zalman, the author of Criminal Procedure: Constitution and Society.