Office Of The Inspector General - 1681 Words

Office of the Inspector General: Review of TOPOFF 2005 The Top Officials Exercise (TOPOFF) held in April 2005, is the third iteration of the mandated biennial national exercise for top officials and key personnel in emergency management, domestic response and consequence management; that included planning events and seminars in order to strengthen the U.S. to assist in the preparation to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a large scale attack (A Review, 2005). It has been sponsored by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Secuirty (DHS), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In 2009, it was announced that the exercise would be renamed Tier 1 National Level Exercises and would still be†¦show more content†¦According to the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) document (2005), the exercise starts 30 days prior to the simulated event and involves the Intelligence Community (IC). While the exercise is fictional, it is based off of real world events and actual terrorist groups . It was designed to test law enforcement personnel and the IC to detect and disrupt the terrorist strategy as early as possible and react to unclear and evolving information. The exercise was to let the IC and law enforcement agencies employ operational procedures, engage analysis, and provide timely and correct information to the participants of the exercise (â€Å"A Review†, 2005, p. 4). There were 15 different types of simulated attacks that played throughout the years. A 10-kiloton improvised nuclear device, explosives attack, biological attacks – anthrax, influenza, and plague, food contamination, and foreign animal disease (zoonotic); chemical attacks of blister agent, toxic industrial chemicals, nerve agent, and chlorine attacks; natural disasters (earthquake and hurricane); radiological attack, and a cyber-attack (â€Å"A Review†, 2005, p. 6). Event 1. TOPOFF 1, May 2000. TOPOFF took place before the events of 9/11 were realized, and was a congressionally mandated drill which lasted 10 days. The simulated bioterrorism attack in Denver and a chemical warfare attack (mustard gas) in New Hampshire were the main targets of the exercise. Lessons learned included the quick

Greece The Greek Debt Crisis - 877 Words

In 2009, The Greek debt crisis began. This crisis is still ongoing today, but there have been many changes that occurred in Greece. This is also known as the Greek Depression. It is part of the ongoing Eurozone crisis, which was generated by the global economic recession which started in October of 2008. It is said to be caused by a combination of a weak Greek economy and an overly high structural deficit and debt to the countries government debt and the gross domestic product. Later in 2009, the question/ fear of sovereign debt crisis, which is the failure or refusal of the government to pay back debt in full, developed concerning Greece’s ability to even meet its obligations of paying its debt. This all led to a full blown crisis and risk insurance on credit default swaps, which are pretty much giving out loans to help pay off some of their debts. There was a downgrade of the Greek government in April 2010 that alarmed the financial markets. Bond yields rose so high that private capital markets were no longer an option for Greece as a support foundation. In May 2010, the Eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund gave Greece a â€Å"bailout loan† of $110 billion, conditional on compliance with 3 conditions 1.)restore fiscal balance 2.) privatization of government assets worth $50 billion by the end of 2015 to be sustainable 3.) to improve competitiveness and growth prospects. Sadly, Greece worked slower than expected and they needed another year offer and moreShow MoreRelatedThe Greek Debt Crisis : Greece1831 Words   |  8 PagesIII. The Greek Debt Crisis 3.1 From Greece’s Perspective This section aims to discuss the root of two aspects of the Greek debt crisis. 1.) How did the development of financial system pave the way to Greece’s economic plight? 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The initial adoption of euro by entering the Eurozone, Greece’s economy grew rapidly on average of 4% annually, a rate extremely alarming for the sure fact that it wasRead MoreCauses of the Greek liquidity crisis; how conditions were before the crisis Events that happened1600 Words   |  7 Pages Causes of the Greek liquidity crisis; how conditions were before the crisis Events that happened preceding the crisis The structural economic support weakened –when Greece entered the euro zone in 2001 the convergence criteria which supposed to provide sound financial systems within the economy and the GSP were established to prevent financial and economicRead MoreThe Greek Sovereign Debt Crisis1418 Words   |  6 PagesThe Greek sovereign debt crisis has required multiple controversial bailouts; due to deflation and tense political that have caused Greek citizens to unsatisfied current economic condition. This is a large problem of economic stability and political unity facing the European Union. This study seeks to answer two main questions. Firstly, why should European Union help Greece bailouts its economy woes? Secondly, should Greece change its domestic economic policies in response to demands from the EURead MoreGreek Crisis Case Study1376 Words   |  6 Pages The Greek Crisis Case Study Kevette Woolfalk Georgia College and State University WMBA6030 Global Business Dr. Doreen Sams â€Æ' Table of Contents Introduction 2 Is Greece Responsible for the Crisis? 3 Alternative Solutions to the Greek Crisis 4 Conclusion 5 References 6 â€Æ' Greek Crisis Introduction At one point in time Europe operated as a zone of trade barriers which made doing trade beyond the border basically impossible. 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Rather than considering the markets as individuals, people in the macroeconomic field develops models to analyse the correlation between consumption, output, inflation, and other international related indicators. InRead MoreGreece - Debt Crisis890 Words   |  4 PagesBackground on Greece’s Debt Crisis â€Å"You cannot spend more than (what) you earn†¦you should not borrow more than (what) you can afford.† This, according to an editorial published by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, may be the lesson Greeks are now learning the hard way.1 Unrestrained spending of successive Greek governments over a long period may have driven the country’s budget and current account deficits.2 Greece borrowed heavily from international capital markets to finance public sector jobs,Read MoreThe Greece Crisis : Tragedy Or Opportunity?811 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greece Crisis ? Tragedy or Opportunity? Ram Subramonian (Buckeye Cohort), FT MBA ?17 How did Greece get into this difficult situation? Whose fault was it? Greece?s affair with the Euro began with huge hopes when it joined the multi-national currency zone in 2001. The, it went horribly wrong after that. At its core, the problems that face Greece today are to do with an economy reeling in debt and low productivity and in which, revenues don?t offset the massive piles of debt. So how did GreeceRead MoreGreece s Euro As A Solution Of Its Budget Deficits Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesGreece has joined Europe Union since 1981. In the 1990s, it steadily ran substantial budget deficits while using the Drachma as its currency. As a result, in 2001 Greece decided to adopt the euro as a solution of its budget deficits. After using euro, all went well for the first several years. Like other Eurozone countries, Greece benefited from the power of the euro, which meant lower interest rates and an inflow of investment capital and loans. Greece enjoyed a period of growth from 2001 to 2007

Phantom Warriors Essay Example For Students

Phantom Warriors Essay Title: Phantom Warriors ,book 1Author: Garry A.LindererMain characters: many LRRPs LRPs and Ranger nits in VietnamSummary: The book I read was about LRRPs (long range reconnaissance patrol) ,LRPs (long range patrols) , and Ranger units in Vietnam. The book told stories ofseveral different types of operations in the units most challenging times. The job of a unitof this type was to infiltrate a designated RA( recon area) stealth like as possible with afour to seven man team (sometimes larger). Once on the ground a team would set up anOP ( observation post) and would always try and remain undetected. Because of thesmall number of size an LRP would always avoid contact with the enemy but , the bookproved to me that when confrontation was inevitable the special forces units provedthemselves a truly deadly force. I would say at least ninety percent of the time LRPswould find themselves out numbered in a confrontation. If at all possible they would tryand escape but sometimes fighting your way out was the only way. The LRRPDetactchment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division had a problem like this. StaffSergeant Papy Lynch and his team where patrolling a high activity area when there teamwas abutted by fifteen or twenty Viet Cong. Off the bat three men went down twoseriously injured and the other shot in the head. There six man team was then a three manteam. The two men at camp where busy fending off the invaders while one man that wasoff doing his business was finding his way back. He too was cought up in theunexpected fire and went down. Staff Sergeant Lynch called in the coordinates and afterthe ammo and grenades where almost out , air support showed up. Most of the VC wherekilled or ran away in fear of Death from Above. This was one of the most heroic storiesin the book. Weaknesses: This was a good book. I couldnt find many weaknesses at all . Theone thing I did notice was the similarity in each of the stories. It seamed liked the samething would happen in a row. The team would usually end up running from a force oflarge amount. If he would have mixed up the accounts with the ones when the team didnthave to run it would have made the book more fun to read. Changes: In order to read this book you had to use the Abbreviation dictionary inthe back. It didnt bother me though. I learned a lot from it . So the only change was theone in the Weaknesses I wrote. I would only recommend this book to people who are interested in history orwars.

The Great Gasby free essay sample

Every day thousands of people think about what it means to live the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald is a well known American author whose most memorable book, The Great Gatsby, depicts characters with traits showing them living, which is the dream. The American Dream is a theme in this book that is essential to its plot development and several of the main characters encounter their own version of the American Dream. What is the true definition of the American Dream? It differs between many people and that it is no different in this book between the characters.Shaping the book into an interesting turn of events, Daisy, Nick, and Gatsby all stumble upon the American Dream, living their lives how each would want to. While Daisy’s life is taken over and fought over by the men in the book, Nick discovers love, Myrtle begins and ends a relationship with different people, and Gatsby finds out that life is not necessarily all about money and the woman that he loves, Daisy. Daisy is considered a beautiful girl, although to the peripheral reader she may seem a bit perplexing. Daisy has feelings for Gatsby that have altered throughout their lives. Later in her life, Daisy may only like Gatsby for his riches and because of their previous relationship. Gatsby also has lived â€Å"the American Dream,† according to some of Daisy’s beliefs. He is rich, elegant, and has made a living by working hard, or so she thinks until it becomes clear that Gatsby is a bootlegger. Daisy does not know exactly what he has done in order to make all this money, but she doesn’t argue with it or question it. Her current husband, Tom, can represent the average husband, but he is the type of man that can sweet talk his way out of anything.For this reason, he takes advantage of Daisy by having an affair, but also because he is big and just a plain bully. Like Daisy, Tom loves his spouse, but there are times when this may not be so apparent. They come together and seemingly make the perfect couple to an outside audience because they both like to have their fun with others, but when it comes down to their marriage, they do love each other because they do not have any other choice. After all, they both said their vows. â€Å"’You two start on home now, Daisy†¦. Go on.He won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over’† (142). Tom says this referring to Gatsby’s and Daisy’s flirtation ending. Daisy knows she would rather Tom than Gatsby and that her fling with Gatsby is over now for good. Unfortunately, Daisy’s wishes for her American Dream had little to do with money, although she does like her men rich. She wanted to have a husband and her true love too, but with Tom and Gatsby’s dislike for each other, it is not possible and her dream of true love is shattered.Nick is the epitome of the American Dream. He has lived a good life, does not have a ton of money, but still is somewhat happy, though lonely at the same time. His little home is in between two mansions on West Egg, an island in New York. He meets a woman through Daisy named Jordan Baker and cannot decide whether he really likes her or not but thinks that there may be a future between them but in the end decides that it will probably just be just a fling. For Nick, living the American Dream is having everything – money, women, and happiness.At this point in time for Nick, that is not a possibility. Nick has a strongly mixed reaction to life on the East Coast, one that creates a powerful internal conflict that he does not resolve until the end of the book. On the one hand, Nick is attracted to the fast-paced, fun-driven lifestyle of New York. On the other hand, he finds that lifestyle grotesque and damaging. His inner conflict is symbolized throughout the book by his romantic affair with Jordan Baker.He is attracted to her vivacity and her sophistication just as he is repelled by her dishonesty and her lack of consideration for other people. About Jordan, Nick says, â€Å"She was incurably dishonest. She wasn’t able to endure being at a disadvantage, and given this unwillingness, I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool smile turned towards the world† (63). Jordan has a lot to do with Nick’s American Dream but also plays a role in destroying it for him as well.The term â€Å"The American Dream† gets thrown around a lot, but it would appear to the exterior reader that Gatsby is the real deal in terms of really achieving the American Dream. He is rich, successful in his secretive business, and has many acquaintances who attend his famous, popular parties. Gatsby has everything he wanted in life, except for the one girl he wanted, who is Daisy. And even after he considers this, he thinks he has a chance to make up with her and make their relationship work, but he blows it and she oes back to her husband, Tom. More than anything else in the world is the desire that Gatsby has to get Daisy back; more than the riches, the reputation, and being a war hero. Fitzgerald uses this technique of delayed character revelation to emphasize the too good to be true quality of Gatsbys approach to life, which is an important part of his personality. Gatsby has literally created his own character, even changing his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby to represent his reinvention of himself.As his relentless quest for Daisy demonstrates, Gatsby has an extraordinary ability to transform his hopes and dreams into reality; at the beginning of the novel, he appears to the reader just as he desires to appear to the world. â€Å"This talent for self-invention is what gives Gatsby his quality of â€Å"greatness†: indeed, the title â€Å"The Great Gatsby† is reminiscent of billings for such vaudeville magicians as â€Å"The Great Houdini† (Millett). Referencing Gatsby, Nick states, â€Å"Gats by believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.