Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff and his new Deputy Secretary Michael P. Jackson have asked you to assist them in preparing the Homeland Security Strategy 2005-2007 to secure vital infrastructure and the safety of US citizens. Please detail the four most important elements of your strategic approach, justifying your priorities and indicating how you would accomplish your objectives.

Author: Jonathan B. Smith
March 13, 2005

Michigan State University 's School of Criminal Justice
Issues in Terrorism
Professor Robyn R. Mace, Ph.D.
Module 6: Technology and Terrorism

Homeland security was one of the major issues in the 2004 Presidential Election and for good reason. Homeland security priorities rank right up there with the economy, healthcare and education.

There are a multitude of topics, issues and information that we have covered throughout the semester; given the consequences of many of them it is very difficult to prioritize the importance of one over another. Therefore, I have chosen to focus this response upon strategic policy issues versus implementation of tactical security measures.

Partnerships at Home and Abroad - Stephen Flynn, Senator Carl Levin and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge have emphasized the need to develop and maintain our community and foreign relations. My position is that "Homeland Security is Everyone's Responsibility" and I have reiterated this theme throughout the semester. If we can enlist the collective intelligence and cooperation of the nation and the entire world, it is my belief that we will win the "War on Terror."

Consistent Critical Infrastructure Security Regulation - Eighty five percent of our nation's critical infrastructure is in the hands of private industry and is seriously vulnerable to terrorist attack (The White House, 2003). Without a substantial public/private partnership and additional regulations by the appropriate governing bodies, the security of critical infrastructure assets will vary widely in quality and scope. The only way to mitigate the risks posed is to ensure that universal security regulations are imposed upon the private sector trustees of these assets. When the requirements are imposed on all critical infrastructure owners equally, the cost of the additional security is borne by the entire nation, similar to how insurance risks are pooled and shared through insurance companies and reinsurers (Flynn, 2004).

Improved Intelligence Gathering and Analysis - There has been a great deal of debate and politicking in Washington this week about our nation's intelligence capabilities and plans to improve it. We did not spend a great deal of time on this aspect of homeland security, except for the fact that we touched on it a bit during Module 7: Private Sector Role and Impacts in Homeland Security. I believe improving the overall intelligence process and enlisting the assistance of our citizens and allies are two key elements of a winning strategy for the "War on Terror."

Food for Thought

• How do you feel about the Spanish Muslims' issuance of Fatwa against Bin Laden?
  • Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran)
  • Does this mark a potential global movement against al Qaeda?
  • Is al Qaeda going to experience the same fate as the Tuparamos?
• Do you favor policy shifts to counter al Qaeda? Or tactical operations? Or Both?
• Do you think there is a single silver bullet solution to the problem?

Works Cited

Flynn, S. (2004). America the vulnerable: How our government is failing to protect us from terrorism.
New York: Harper Collins.

The White House. (2003). National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets. Retrieved September 7, 2004, from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/physical_strategy.pdf

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