ANNUAL EDITIONS: Homeland Security, Second Edition
Unit 1 The Concept of Homeland SecurityNew! 1. Homeland Security, Benjamin M. Friedman, Foreign Policy, July/August 2005
In this article, Benjamin Friedman argues that the Department of Homeland Security “should focus more on what is probable and less on what is possible.” His article discredits many of the common myths surrounding the security of the United States, especially in regard to terrorism. New! 2. Terrorism: How Much Are We Willing to Take?, Amanda Ripley, Time, August 21, 2006
Despite efforts to improve security after September 11, 2001, we still “walk in the shadow of risk.” Amanda Ripley discusses the improvements that have been made in homeland security, especially as they relate to travel. New! 3. Lethal Fantasies, Sharon Ghamari-Tabrizi, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2006
Sharon Ghamari-Tabrizi argues that while the United States is focused on a “universal adversary,” it has failed to prepare for “foreseeable catastrophes.” New! 4. Why We Don’t Prepare, Amanda Ripley, Time, August 28, 2006
While the United States prepares for another terrorist attack, the country is left vulnerable from other, more probable threats. Amanda Ripley articulates the dangers posed by natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and wildfires, and the lack of general preparedness in the United States. Unit 2 The Department of Homeland SecurityNew! 5. Are We Ready for the Next 9/11?, Veronique de Rugy, Reason, March 2006
Veronique de Rugy identifies four major reasons why, despite increased homeland security spending, the United States remains vulnerable to attack. She argues that to be effective, Congress must overcome its self-interests. New! 6. Revisiting Homeland Security, Tim Starks, CQ Weekly, June 26, 2006
Tim Starks argues that the forced merger of various agencies, poor management, and the lack of resources has made the Department of Homeland Security a bureaucratic joke. Starks examines the potential effectiveness of reforms debated in Congress. New! 7. Shifting Priorities: Congressional Incentives and the Homeland Security Granting Process, Patrick S. Roberts, The Review of Policy Research, July 2005
Patrick Roberts believes that “Congress has funded counterterrorism initiatives without serious risk analysis.” He offers a number of solutions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the funding process. New! 8. Airport Security Screening: Privatize or Federalize?, Keith Mew, Public Works Management and Policy, July 2005
Despite new rules and procedures implemented by the Transportation Security Administration, airport security remains ineffective. Keith Mew examines the implications of privatizing airport security. Unit 3 The Federal Government and Homeland SecurityNew! 9. The Doom Boom, David Von Drehle, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, April 17-23, 2006
September 11th created an economic boom in Washington D.C. As security, technology, and military supply firms thrive under lucrative new government contracts, David Von Drehle questions if the spending craze has truly made Americans any safer. New! 10. Immigration and National Security, Jan C. Ting, Orbis, Winter 2006
According to Jan Ting, illegal immigration is one of the gravest threats to national security. Ting examines potential loopholes in border security and immigration policy. New! 11. Senators Say Scrap FEMA and Start Over, Tim Starks, CQ Weekly, May 1, 2006
FEMA became notorious for its failures during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Now lawmakers debate whether FEMA should be abolished, renamed, or simply made independent of the Department of Homeland Security. Unit 4 State and Local Governments and Homeland SecurityNew! 12. Terrorism’s Impact on State Law Enforcement, Chad Foster and Dr. Gary Cordner, State News, March 2005
Foster and Cordner discuss common characteristics of state law enforcement agencies. They examine how these agencies are adapting to new homeland security-related demands. New! 13. State of Readiness, Doug Brandes, Fire Chief, June 2006
Kerry Pettingill, Director of the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security, answers questions regarding a new regional disaster response system. Pettingill identifies factors that must be considered in developing an agile multi-tier response system. New! 14. New York State of Mind, Jamie Deal, The Weekly Standard, June 8, 2006
Jamie Deal examines the Department of Homeland Security’s 2006 allocations in the wake of criticism that the DHS has ignored cities like New York for smaller cities like Louisville and Omaha. New! 15. Blame Amid the Tragedy, Bob Williams, The Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2005
Williams argues that the U.S. disaster relief system is set up primarily on the state and local level. He blames Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin for the failures in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Unit 5 First RespondersNew! 16. Antiterrorist Policing in New York City After 9/11: Comparing Perspectives on a Complex Process, Avram Bornstein, Human Organization, Spring 2005
Avram Bornstein examines three perspectives that have influenced the institutional changes made in the New York City Police Department following the events of 9/11. He offers insights into these developing changes. New! 17. Community Policing and Terrorism, Matthew C. Scheider and Robert Chapman, Journal of Homeland Security, April 2003
Matthew Scheider and Robert Chapman argue that community policing, which requires citizen involvement, will lead to more effective terrorism prevention and response and will help reduce both fear of an attack and fear during an attack. New! 18. D.C. Deploys Wireless Net for First Responders, Carolyn Duffy Marsan, Network World, August 31, 2006
A new partnership known as the Capital Wireless Integrated Network (CapWIN) is creating an interoperable communication capability in the Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. Carolyn Duffy Marsan takes a closer look at how the program started and how it has progressed. New! 19. The Front Line in Training for Disasters, Ben Gose, Chronicle of Higher Education, October 28, 2005
Ben Gose examines the role of community colleges in training first responders. He discusses the cost of such programs and the challenges community colleges face in securing homeland security funding. Unit 6 New Technologies in Homeland SecurityNew! 20. Guarding Against Missiles, Fred Bayles, USA Today, April 13, 2003
Fearing future terrorist attacks with shoulder-fired missiles on passenger planes, members of Congress have proposed the use of antimissile systems on U.S. aircraft. While some support the installation of “countermeasures” on passenger aircraft, others believe that there are less costly ways to address this potential threat. New! 21. Modernizing Homeland Security, John D. Cohen and John A. Hurson, Blueprint, March/April 2002
John Cohen and John Hurson argue that in order to respond more effectively to terrorism we must continue to improve communications. They advocate the linking of data systems and the integration of emergency response systems. New! 22. Hesitation at Homeland Security, Lorraine Woellert, Business Week, March 27, 2006
Bush administration officials are worried about the threat posed by portable missiles to passenger airlines. The high cost of missile defense systems, however, may influence the government’s willingness to fully address this vulnerability. New! 23. Thanks, Dubai!, Tomas Kellner, Forbes, March 27, 2006
The public outcry generated by the Dubai ports deal has highlighted continuing deficiency in U.S. port security. As a result, major companies are working on new technologies to reduce the vulnerability of U.S. ports. Unit 7 Vulnerabilities and ThreatsNew! 24. Thwarting Nuclear Terrorism, Alexander Glaser and Frank N. von Hippel, Scientific American, February 2006
Glaser and von Hippel argue that terrorist organizations have ample opportunities to steal or buy enough highly enriched uranium to build a primitive atomic bomb. They believe that governments need to redouble their efforts to limit the availability of highly enriched uranium. New! 25. Bioterrorism—Preparing to Fight the Next War, David A. Relman, New England Journal of Medicine, January 12, 2006
David Relman warns that our over-reliance on historical precedent in regards to bioterrorism is dangerous. He argues that we need to develop more flexible defenses capable of adjusting to the continuing changes in science. New! 26. These Chemicals Are So Deadly, Amy Barrett, Business Week, March 20, 2006
Amy Barrett focuses on the vulnerability of trains carrying dangerous chemicals throughout the United States. She argues that to reduce the threat of terrorist attacks we should, when possible, re-route or disguise them. New! 27. Port Security Is Still a House of Cards, Stephen E. Flynn, Far Eastern Economic Review, January/February 2006
Stephen Flynn argues that efforts to secure domestic ports and monitor foreign points of origin have not been successful. Flynn highlights three important weaknesses of the maritime security apparatus and offers policy recommendations designed to address these issues. Unit 8 Civil Liberties and Civil RightsNew! 28. Island Mentality, Spencer Ackerman, The New Republic, August 22, 2005
Spencer Ackerman argues that the Bush administration’s position on Guantanamo does not address the “moral, legal, and strategic” problem that Guantanamo presents. He argues that unless these shortcomings are addressed they will undermine the war on terror. New! 29. The Truth about Torture, Charles Krauthammer, The Weekly Standard, December 5, 2005
This article addresses both sides of the debate over government use of torture as an interrogation tool. Krauthammer argues that the U.S. government must find guidelines that severely restrict the use of torture to prevent widespread abuse. New! 30. Civil Liberties and Homeland Security, Valerie L. Demmer, The Humanist, January/February 2002
Valerie Demmer believes that Bush administration policies to prevent terrorism such as the U.S. Patriot Act have led to the “…erosion of civil liberties.” According to Demmer, the government’s “…McCarthy-like tactics strip citizens of their fundamental rights while not being effective in—and often not having anything to do with—stopping terrorism.” 31. Homeland Security and the Lessons of Waco, Mary Zeiss Stange, The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 11, 2003
Mary Zeiss Stange claims that the steps taken by the government in the war on terrorism are similar to the steps taken in the 1993 Waco incident. The problem with this is that the cult members’ civil rights were violated in 1993 and the same sort of rights violations are being made legal today for the purpose of preventing terrorism. 32. Heading in the Wrong Direction, The Economist, March 8, 2003
This article compares the U.S. government’s indefinite detention of Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen, to the 1962 arrest of Nelson Mandela in an apartheid regime in South Africa. It notes that unlike Padilla, “Mandela was given access to lawyers and his prosecutors had to follow rules of due process.” 33. Mining Personal Data, Robert O’Harrow, Jr. Washington Post National Edition, January 31-February 6, 2006
There has been an increase in the number of private companies gathering personal data after 9/11. Robert O’Harrow argues that there must be oversight of these companies to protect the civil liberties of the American people. Unit 9 Intelligence and Homeland SecurityNew! 34. U.S. Intelligence: A Losing Proposition, Angelo M. Codevilla, The American Spectator, September 2004
Angelo M. Codevilla identifies numerous problems within the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He argues that these problems undermine the credibility of the Intelligence Community. New! 35. In Defence of the Intelligence Services, Efraim Halevy, The Economist, July 31, 2004
Efraim Halevy explains the difficulty of collecting and interpreting accurate intelligence. He argues that intelligence officials and policy makers share the blame for intelligence failures. New! 36. Can Spies Be Made Better?, The Economist, March 19, 2005
This article proposes that the office of the Director of National Intelligence may enable the Director of Central Intelligence to focus on reforming the Central Intelligence Agency. New! 37. We Have Not Correctly Framed the Debate on Intelligence Reform, Saxby Chambliss, Parameters, Spring 2005
Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss highlights the continuing need for reforms in the areas of human intelligence, military intelligence, and organizational leadership. Unit 10 The Future of Homeland SecurityNew! 38. Department of Homeland Security: Charting a Path Forward, Michael Chertoff, Heritage Lectures, March 20, 2006
The Secretary of Homeland Security highlights his goals to improve homeland security. He emphasizes the importance of preparedness, the problem of illegal migration, and the need for the protection of critical infrastructure. New! 39. The Terrorism Index, Foreign Policy, July/August 2006
Is America winning the war on terrorism? More than 100 of America’s top foreign-policy experts from both sides of the aisle were asked this question, and most said no. Most of the experts in the survey believe “that the battle has just begun.” New! 40. Building an Agile Homeland Security Establishment, Vince Kasten and Ralph Welborn, Hudson Institute, March 1, 2005
Kasten and Welborn argue that despite bureaucratic restructuring, the Department of Homeland Security remains incapable of adjusting to an unpredictable enemy. They offer a plan for fostering agility in an overly rigid structure. New! 41. Fighters, Not First Responders, Mackubin Thomas Owens, The Weekly Standard, October 24, 2005
Many Americans believe that the military should have a larger domestic role, especially in the event of a national catastrophe. Owens points to a reason: “we should not be blurring further the distinction between military activities and domestic affairs.”
