Free Republic

As the U.S. government continues to expand surveillance and monitoring systems to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars within the borders of the United States, a recent announcement regarding the country’s southern air defense systems is raising eyebrows. Our southern border is, in part, protected by the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), which utilizes moored balloons hovering at about 15,000 feet to identify low flying aircraft and missiles that may penetrate the border and cross into U.S. airspace. The system is utilized by the U.S. Air Force, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and U.S. Customs and Border...

Obama should press forward with missile defense By E. THOMAS MCCLANAHAN The Kansas City Star Barack Obama’s first test came pretty quickly. But we still don’t know how he will respond. The day after the election, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reiterated Moscow’s threat to place short-range missiles near Poland if the U.S. builds a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. NATO has endorsed missile defense for Europe. The U.S. and Poland have agreed that missile interceptors will be placed on Polish soil. The question is whether Obama will back away from that in the face of Russian threats....

National Security: Does it make sense for a political operator such as Leon Panetta to head the CIA? Maybe. The flawed agency has a checkered history, and has had repeated run-ins with presidents of both parties.Obama's choice of Panetta — a former Clinton-era chief of staff, Democratic House Budget Committee chairman and Republican operative in the Nixon administration — is viewed as a strong signal of departure from the national security policies of President Bush. But when it came to making effective and innovative use of the spy agency, the president has succeeded tremendously. Terrorist plots were foiled and dozens...

But Obama hedged support for missile defense, saying he would back a "pragmatic and cost-effective" system that "does not divert resources from other national security priorities until we are positive the technology will protect the American public." And he broadly warned against the "weaponization" of space. Once in the White House, President Obama will need to clear up such ambiguities. Poland and other allies are watching. To dispel dangerous doubts, Obama should move quickly on his promise to "spare no effort to protect Americans from the threats posed by nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles."

President-elect Barack Obama will hold a national security meeting today in Chicago. Attendees are expected to include: Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Secretary of State-designee Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Atty. Gen.-designee Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security-designee Janet Napolitano, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, UN ambassador-designee Susan Rice, National Security Adviser-designee Jim Jones, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, White House Chief of Staff-designee Rahm Emanuel and White House Counsel-designee Greg Craig. Later in the day, Obama will hold a news conference at the Drake Hotel to discuss the nation's energy and environmental...

Bill O'Reilly on right now talking about how Obama can't find anyone to head the CIA.

CHICAGO (AFP) – US president-elect Barack Obama Monday vowed his incoming administration was "absolutely committed to eliminating the threat of terrorism." "We cannot tolerate a world where innocents are being killed by extremists," Obama said in the wake of Mumbai attacks in which more than 170 people were killed, including six Americans. "We have to bring the full force of our power, not only military but diplomatic and political, to deal with the threats," he told a Chicago press conference as he unveiled his national security team.

National security team nominees are prepared to meet today's challenges and tomorrow's emerging threats, U.S. Vice President-elect Joe Biden said Monday. "I hope and believe that the American people will come to feel as I do that we brought together one of the most talented national security teams ever assembled," Biden said at a news conference in Chicago, during which President-elect Barack Obama introduced his national security team. "A team prepared to meet the serious challenges we face today and the emerging threats that will confront us tomorrow."Obama designated Sen. Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state and said he...

OBAMA ANNOUNCING NAMES FOR HIS CABINET LIVE ON THE RADIO NOW. HILLARY SPEAKING FIRST AND ANNOUNCING HER DEPARTURE FROM THE SENATE