Russian Navy – The Russian Navy’s decomissioned but not yet scrapped extensive fleet of nuclear submarines continues to pose an extreme environmental hazard, but the Russians will not accept outside help in trying to eliminate the problem.

• Associated Press: Old Russian Nuclear Subs Pose Risk

US Coast Guard – Aboard the USS Shamal, a Cyclone-class coastal patrol craft, showing how the US Navy and US Coast Guard are working more closely together in coastal defense.

• Associated Press: Navy, Coast Guard team up

Background – Islam – Thomas Friedman on how the US and Middle Eastern states need to tear down the walls of ignorance and dishonesty between them in order to achieve a lasting victory in the war on terrorism.

• New York Times: Wall of Ideas

Background – Terrorism – An excerpt from a new book that documents the presence and acts of Islamic terrorists within the US and how US law enforement agencies have been unable to address the threat due to legal restrictions on their operations.

• MSNBC: ëAmerican Jihadí – The threat from within the U.S. border