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"What Have We Learned?" August 13, 2009 #207
What Have We Learned?
On August 18th, 2005, we broadcast the first Just a Minute for Homeland Security. It was an educational commentary on the terrorist bombing of the London subway. Two hundred and seven shows later, this is our last program. Since each show is actually three minutes long, what did we learn from more than 10 hours of radio? Well, I will tell you, if you will give me Just a Minute for Homeland Security.
I’m Dave McIntyre, Director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M
Before approving out first show, our executive producer asked: “Is homeland security a big enough subject to make a weekly program interesting?” The answer is: “Oh yes – is it ever!”
Of course the topic begins with international terror, but also includes domestic security, as well as public safety and public policy, from major accidents and natural disasters to economics and education. We used to say that every aspect of university studies overlaps homeland security except for music and the arts. Then the arts became crucial to the recovery of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Clearly, this topic touches every aspect of American life.
But not all these subjects have the same priority. Some issues are important locally – like tornados – but don’t really impact the destiny of the nation. Other challenges – like a nuclear attack or a cyber Pearl Harbor, would be catastrophic for the whole nation. You might think we would address these big problems first, but in fact the bigger the problem the less progress we have made toward solving it.
The first reason for this dichotomy is jurisdiction. Our government was designed so national authorities would address national level issues, while state and local authorities dealt with state and local problems. But modern technology can give a local issue national impact – as with a WMD attack. So who should be in charge of what?
A second reason we have made the least progress against the biggest dangers is money – nobody wants to spend their own. State and local officials and private industry all want federal homeland security funding, for even the simplest problem. The federal government has responded by spending money it does not have. This is not sustainable.
Only two groups might shift the focus of efforts from our easiest problems to our hardest. The first is Congress – but it will not relinquish any authority. More than 80 committees jostle for control of DHS issues . . . and money. The second is America’s universities and faculties – but they will not accept responsibility for the interdisciplinary studies required to solve our problems.
So here we are with plenty to talk about and not enough done. No one will solve this for us. Maybe we will have to do something about it ourselves.
This is Dave McIntyre, Director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M, saying thanks for listening to the last 621 minutes of Just a Minute . . . for Homeland Security.