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Safe at Home: A National Security Strategy to Protect the American Homeland, the Real Central Front
Title: Safe at Home: A National Security Strategy to Protect the American Homeland, the Real Central Front
Date: February 25, 2008
Author: P.J. Crowley
Institution: Center for American Progress
Bibliographic Entry: Crowley, P.J. “Safe at Home: A National Security Strategy to Protect the American Homeland, the Real Central Front.” Center for American Progress. February 25, 2008. http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/safe_at_home.html (accessed February 25, 2008).
Electronic Link: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/02/safe_at_home.html
Key Words: National Security Council, Homeland Security Council, strategic reassessment, rebalanced security budget, terrorism prevention, mitigation, response, recovery, disasters, Department of Homeland Security
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
Since the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, many studies have assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. With the upcoming change in presidential administrations, P.J. Crowley offers a critique of the Department of Homeland Security and its policies. He believes the DHS should undergo a strategic reassessment and develop a new comprehensive and balanced strategy with five objectives: prevent terrorist attacks, reduce vulnerability to terrorism, prepare to respond and recover from an attack or natural man-made disasters, sustain homeland security consistent with American values, and shape the global environment to reduce terrorist threats. He ends by offering suggestions of a rebalanced security budget.
As part of the proposed new strategy, Mr. Crowley urges the retirement of the concept of “war on terror”, shifting money and troops from Iraq to Afghanistan among others in order to prevent terrorism. To reduce vulnerability, he calls for the establishment of critical infrastructure priorities to guide policy and funding decisions. To prepare the country for effective response, he urges the reconsideration of national planning scenarios to be based on real-world work, changing the business model of FEMA and giving the Coast Guard enough resources to match its responsibilities. To sustain stronger homeland security, a new integrated security strategy needs to be created. In addition, he suggests the merging of the White House national and homeland security councils. To shape the global environment, Mr. Crowley states the U.S. should undertake a serious review of U.S. policies regarding the Islamic world, rebuild the strategic narrative of the U.S. and keep America’s doors open.
Name of Researcher: Julie Curry
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: February 28, 2008