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Neglected Defense: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Support Homeland Security
Title: Neglected Defense: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Support Homeland Security
Author: Flynn, Stephen E. and Daniel B. Prieto
Date: March 2006
Institution: Council on Foreign Relations
Bibliographic Entry: Flynn, Stephen E. and Daniel B. Prieto. “Neglected Defense: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Support Homeland Security.” Washington, DC:
Council on Foreign Relations, CSR No. 13, March 2006.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/10457/neglected_defense.html
Electronic Link: http://www.cfr.org/publication/10457/neglected_defense.html
Key Words: Critical Infrastructure Protection, Public, Private, Regulation, Security Strategy, Private Industry
Summary of Key Issues, Points, Conclusions:
In this article, Flynn and Prieto argue that the federal government has taken a hands-off approach to critical infrastructure protection. The Bush administration believed market mechanisms would catalyze private industry into adequately protecting the infrastructure it controlled. This belief has proven unfounded, the authors say, and private sector security efforts have gone largely untapped. They believe the U.S. government needs to adopt a new critical infrastructure paradigm.
According to Flynn and Prieto, any new paradigm must address a number of issues. Currently there is no list of national priorities for critical infrastructure exists. Reorganization of the federal government’s organization has made it difficult and costly for private sector to work with it. Government and private industry do not share information. The government has not offered the private sector any meaningful incentives or standards. Sectors unhampered by regulation or regular terrorist threats do not protect themselves. The government has not integrated private industry into its response and recovery planning. The government’s only plan for dealing with a terrorist attack is to close entire economic sectors. Lastly, they believe, the government must continue to sustain the insurance market.
The authors propose ten actions the government can take to solve these issues:
1) Take a proactive role; provide leadership.
2) Create a national list of priorities for critical infrastructure protection.
3) Hold government officials accountable for failing to share information.
4) Hire more qualified employees for the Department of Homeland Security.
5) Establish security standards and regulations.
6) Offer targeted tax incentives.
7) Offer federal liability protection to adhering companies.
8) Hold more exercises and better integrate private industry into them.
9) Identify specialized supplies/capabilities and work with private industry to vouchsafe their availability.
10) Create an award program for security achievement.
Name of Researcher: Rian Bobal
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security
Date: 06/16/06