Big data is everything these days. There is absolutely no question that there is more information out there than ever before and more ways to collect it. Everyone from companies to police forces are getting into the game with a view to earning more money or making their jobs easier and more efficient. Nor is […]
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One thing I have learned over three decades of working in intelligence and counter terrorism is that perspective matters. As an analyst one of the gravest sins you can commit is to give in to what is called “mirror imaging”, the erroneous belief that everyone thinks like you do. When you do that, you are […]
By now I am sure that you are aware of the fact that a referendum carried out by the Colombian government on a peace deal with the FARC was narrowly defeated. The difference between those in favour and those opposed was razor-thin, something like 50.2-49.8% In other words, the vote could have gone either way. […]
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The bullet or the ballot?
Rarely in life is there a stark choice between two polar opposites. On most occasions responses to a problem or an issue can be spread out along a range of options from soft to hard, easy to difficult, or popular to divisive. The ways in which we have elected to deal with violent radicalisation and […]
Wouldn’t it be great if the whole were always the sum of its parts? That way, if we could ensure that we have all the ingredients and understand how they go together we could reliably predict what the end state would be. If only life were like math: 2 + 3 + 4 = 9 […]
One thing that is obvious is that terrorists love social media. They are all over it and are masters at using it to their advantage. This should surprise no one. Terrorists tend to be two things: young and smart. Young smart people know how to get their message out and are adept at modifying what […]
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When Monty Python meets terrorism
I was saddened to hear recently that a member of one of the funniest group of comedians ever to grace the screen is suffering from dementia. Terry Jones of the irreverent and very clever Monty Python troupe announced that he has the condition and will no longer be able to give interviews. A very dark […]
People react in different ways to terrorism. Some panic. Some lash out at what they think are those responsible (Muslims, people with head coverings, places of worship). Some take it all in stride – Keep calm and carry on – aware of the fact that terrorism, irrespective of what media images tell us, remains a […]
The US has suffered through two scary incidents in the past 24 hours. Fortunately, as of the time of writing, no one has died in either event. A man dressed in a security uniform knifed 8 people at a mall in central Minnesota. There are reports he talked of Allah and asked at least one […]
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Black and white and grey all over
Did you ever have one of those days where in a matter of minutes you were exposed to things that when you compared them turned out to be polar opposites? I had one of those days today. I had traveled from The Hague to Utrecht in the Netherlands to meet with a university professor. I […]