The news on Monday that a 36-day security sweep in Baghdad turned up a cache of identity cards and passports highlights one of the most important capabilities in biometrics: assured access. If you're going to establish secure areas in which to operate, whether a physical area such as the Green Zone, a network or some database, you have to be certain that the people getting in aren't working for the enemy.
But the Associated Press reported on Monday that Operation Arrowhead turned up two identity cards that would give the holder access to the Green Zone and another ID card with access to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
How did these cards get into the hands of insurgents? That question hasn't been answered. In fact, during a press conference with reporters on Monday, Army Col. Steven Townsend, commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade that led the mission, never even mentioned the ID cards. Although, to be fair, he did say that as a result of the operation "3,200 roadside bombs have been prevented, 42 terrorists were jailed, and enough weapons and explosives were captured to outfit an enemy infantry battalion."