Homeland Security

Return to Common Sense

August 23, 2010

Section: Domestic – Homeland Security

“Homeland Security has become an unwieldy government amalgam, and still appears to be in react mode, without a clear sense of priorities, driven more by political considerations than security”

“Distrust and caution are the parents of security.” Benjamin Franklin.

Philosophy (Background, Issues, Objectives):

Constitution Preamble identifies a key role of Federal government to “…provide for common defense…”

President shall be the commander in chief of the armed forces, and of the militia.
Federal government will protect States “...against invasion …against domestic violence.”

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formed in 2002 to lead the unified national effort to secure America.

Homeland security includes 22 separate federal agencies operating out of 70 buildings at 40 different locations in the Washington, DC area.
Prevent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and respond to threats and hazards to the nation.
Ensure safe and secure borders.
Welcome lawful immigrants and visitors.
Promote the free-flow of commerce.

DHS has set strategic goals for fulfilling its mission.

· Identify and understand threats, assess vulnerabilities, determine potential impacts and disseminate timely information to our homeland security partners and the American public.

· Detect, deter and mitigate threats to our homeland.

· Safeguard our people and their freedoms, critical infrastructure, property and the economy of our Nation from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

· Lead, manage and coordinate the national response to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

· Lead national, state, local and private sector efforts to restore services and rebuild communities after acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

o Federal Emergency Management Agency was ill prepared to respond to Hurricane Katrina.

· National Infrastructure Protection Plan finalized in 2006.

o More than one third of homeland security spending in 2006 was devoted to protecting what DHS calls “critical infrastructure and key assets.”

o Electromagnetic pulse has the potential to destroy or significantly disrupt the infrastructure services.

Federal Emergency Management Agency’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

· The 1988 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (PL 100-707) amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (PL 93-288) so the federal government pays at least 75% of disaster response so long as FEMA has issued a declaration.

· Beginning in 1993, the federal government played an ever-increasing role in natural disasters across America, with FEMA declaring more and more “disasters.”

· 29 states send their tax money to FEMA only to end up footing the disaster response bill for the other 21 states.

Committee on Foreign Investments in United States (CFIUS) was implemented in 1988.

Provide objective, non-partisan review of foreign investments that may threaten national security.
Block rare investments that fail this national security review.

Islamo-fascist attacks have continued in the U.S. since 9/11, although for PC reasons, not labeled.

July 2002 – Egyptian Muslim killed one and injured another at the LA airport El Al counter.
October 2002 – American Muslim was one of the Washington beltway snipers who killed 20.
October 2005 – Muslim student blew himself up outside an Oklahoma football game.
December 2005 – Palestinian Jordanian Muslim drove car into Home Depot in Arizona.
March 2006 – Iranian Muslim rented an SUV and drove into a crowd of students at UNC injuring nine.
July 2006 – Afghani Muslim gunman killed one and injured five others at Seattle Jewish Federation.
April 2007 - Non-Muslims, such as at Virginia Tech, are being inspired by Islamic-fascist terror exploits.
June 2009 – American Muslim convert killed one and injured one in an attack on a military recruitment center.
November 2009 – Malik Nadal Hasan, an American Muslim, killed 13 and wounded 20 at the Fort Hood, TX Soldier Readiness Center.

United States has disrupted over thirty serious terrorist plots since September 11:

December 2001 - Richard Reid convicted for planning to blow up plane in England.
May 2002 – Jose Padilla convicted for planning to explode “dirty bomb” in the United States.
September 2002 – Lackawanna Six (Sahim Alwan, Faysal Galab, Shafal Mosed, Yasein Taher, Yahya Goba and Mukhtar al-Bakri)convicted for providing support to al Qaeda.
May 2003 – Lyman Faris pled convicted on conspiracy (collapse Brooklyn Bridge) and providing support to al Qaeda.
June 2003 – Virginia Jihad Network convicted on conspiracy to support terrorist organizations.
August 2004 – Dhiren Barot convicted for plotting to attack the New York Stock Exchange.
August 2004 – James Elshafay and Shahawar Matin Siraj convicted for plotting to bomb a subway station near Madison Square Garden.
August 2004 – Yassin Aref and Mohammad Hossain convicted for plotting to murder Pakistani diplomat in New York City.
June 2005 – Umer Hayat and Hamid Hayat Convicted for supporting terrorism.
August 2005 – Levar Haley Washington, Gregory Vernon Patterson, Hammed Riaz Samana, and Kevin James convicted for conspiring to attack Los Angeles National Guard facilities.
December 2005 – Michael C. Reynolds convicted for plotting to blow up Wyoming natianol gas refinery.
February 2006 – Mohammed Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, Zand Wassim Mazloum convicted for conspiring to kill or injure people in the Middle East.
April 2006 – Syed Haaris Ahmed and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee convicted for conspiring to attack potential targets in Washington, DC.
June 2006 – Narseal Batiste, Patrick Abraham Phanor, Naudimar Herrara, Burson Augustin, Lyglenson Lemorin, and Rotschild Augustine convicted for planning o blow up Sears Tower.
July 2006 – Assem Hammoud convicted for plotting to attack underground transit links with New Jersey and New York City tunnels.
August 2006 – British arrested 24 Pakistani Muslims planning on blowing up U.S. passenger airliners and convicted three guilty of conspiracy to murder.
March 2007 – Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmad al Hawsawi, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, and Walid Bin Attash pleaded guilty of planning multiple attacks.
May 2007 – Five men were convicted on conspiracy to attack Fort Dix.
June 2007 – U.S. arrested Muslims planning to blow up fuel tanks and pipelines at JFK airport in New York City.
January 2008 – Mohammad Jabarah was arrested for plotting to bomb U.S. embassies in Singapore and Phillipines.
March 2008 – Hassan Abujihaad, a former American sailor, was convicted of supporting terrorism.
June 2008 – Christopher Paul convicted on conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction against targets in Europe and the United States.
January 2009, Bryant Neal Vinas of Long Island was convicted for allegedly giving Al Qaeda information on the subways and Long Island Rail Road.
January 2009, Twelve Americans were indicted for allegedly supporting Al Shabaab, a terror group seeking to overthrow the Somali government.
May 2009 – James Cromite, David Williams, Ontra Williams, and Laguerre Payen arrested for plotting to attack a New York synagogue and an Air National Guard Base.
September 2009 – Najibullah Zazi, a Afghani Muslim, was arrested for plotting to detonate TATP bombs on the New York City subway.
September 2009 – Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, a Jordanian Muslim, was arrested for plotting to plant a bomb in a Dallas skyscraper.
September 2009 – Michael Finton, an American Muslim, was arrested for attempting to detonate a car bomb in a Springfield, Illinois federal building.
September 2009, Brooklyn-born Betim Kaziu was charged with trying to join an Al Qaeda affiliate in hope of killing U.S. troops.
October 2009 – Tarek Mehanna, an American Muslim, was arrested for plotting to kill two U.S. politicians and civilians in local shopping malls in Boston.
December 2009 - Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian engineering student living in London, attempted to detonate a device as his plane began to land in Detroit.

· February 2010, Najibullah Zazi and pals were convicted for planning to a suicide-bomb attack on Grand Central and Times Square subways.

March 2010, Colleen LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, was charged with plotting to kill a Swedish cartoonist who had depicted the Prophet Mohammed.
March 2010, Sharif Mobley, a 26-year-old New Jersey man, was arrested in a roundup of Al Qaeda suspects in Yemen.
May 2010, Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized citizen from Pakistan, was arrested for placing a bomb in New York’s Times Square.

A Muslim Brotherhood document, titled "The Rulers," was seized in a 2004 raid and describes how the organization will try to overthrow the U.S. Constitution in five phases:

Phase I: Discreet and secret establishment of elite leadership.
Phase II: Gradual appearance on the public scene, and exercising and utilizing various public activities.
Phase III: Escalation, prior to conflict and confrontation with the rulers, through the mass media.
Phase IV: Open public confrontation with the government through the exercise of political pressure.
Phase V: Seizing power to establish an Islamic nation, under which all parties and Islamic groups will become united.

· "The Rulers" makes plain that all the above-mentioned phases "are preliminary steps to reach the (fifth) phase."

Principles:

Homeland Security is not a partisan issue.

Ultimate responsibility for security can not be delegated or outsourced.
Operational elements can be delegated or outsourced.

Homeland Security must be based on three core principles:

Prevention
Preparedness
Resilience

Preemptive attack avoidance is always better than attack reaction.

Stop the “knee jerk” overreaction to past threats.
Profile potential attackers, not potential weapons.
Homeland security begins at the ports of entry (land, sea, air, cyberspace).

Homeland Security investments can be “principled:”

Fund for the long term first with consistent and sustained funding.
Build a national homeland security system of preparedness.
Prepare for catastrophic terrorism that would overwhelm state and local response.
Invest with the “biggest bang for the buck” prioritizing largest threats first.
Watch information technology (IT) spending to ensure meeting expectations.
Fund human capital programs to develop and sustain long term career employees.

Recommendations:

Prioritize investments in homeland security based on a realistic threat assessment.

Conduct Quadrennial Security Reviews (QSR) to assess program performance and strategies.

o Require DHS to use risk and Target Capabilities List capability gaps to allocate funds; and

o Limit the number of urban areas eligible to the 35 highest risk cities in any given fiscal year for the UASI grant program, and use cooperative agreements instead of grants.

Conduct inter-agency preparedness exercises on National Planning Scenarios.
Improve Visa Security Coordination Between the department of State and Homeland Security.
Expand the Visa Waiver Program to improve international information sharing.
Prepare for future threats instead of over-reacting to prevent past threats.
Protect chemical plants with same priority as nuclear power plants.
Fully fund the Coast Guard modernization program to support expanded missions.
Develop a National Strategy for Air Security
Update CFIUS to be more transparent and responsive and include Homeland Security participation.
Stop state and local political leaders underfunding their law enforcement agencies and thereby preventing those agencies from building robust counterterrorism programs.
Encourage border states to form State Defense Forces (SDFs).

Separate FEMA from Homeland Security to handle national catastrophes, not routine emergencies.

Amend the Stafford Act so FEMA will reduce the number of disaster declarations issued.

o Establish clear requirements, such as international disaster scales, to limit the situations in which federal emergency declarations can be issued.

o Eliminate entirely certain types of disasters from FEMA’s portfolio.

o Reduce the cost-share provision for all FEMA declarations to no more than 25% of the costs to ensure that at least 75% of the costs of a disaster are borne by the taxpayers living where the disaster took place.

· Implement a decentralized approach to preparedness adhering to baseline preparedness standards but operating under grassroots structure tasked with on-the-ground implementation of disaster response efforts.

o Demand that state and local governments pay greater attention to mitigating disaster risks and bear the consequences of responding to disasters exacerbated by poor policies.

Privatize the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) airport screening transferring the responsibility to each airport.

Fund information technology investments to enable more efficient and effective operations.

· Develop “Terrorstat” program to gather and analyze all useful threat information.

· Develop “Borderstat” program to consolidate all illegal border crossing and capture information.

· Develop “Readystat” program to measure localities preparedness against risks.

· Implement “Secure Flight” program to flag suspicious passengers for additional screening.

· Implement Incident Command System (ICS) to standardize emergency protocol to reduce potential miscommunications during initial phases of incident response.

· Step up the implementation of Real ID.

References:

“How the Left Undermined America’s Security Before 9/11” by David Horowitz, dated March 24, 2004, published on Front Page Magazine at http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15021 .

“Port Security and Foreign-Owned Maritime Infrastructure” by James Jay Carafano, dated March 9, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/tst030606a.cfm .

“Port Security and Port Sales: An Action Plan for Congress” by James Jay Carafano, dated March 13, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/wm1013.cfm .

“America Needs a Security Strategy for Safer Skies” by James Jay Carafano, dated March 21, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/em996.cfm .

“After Dubai Ports: Getting CFIUS Reforms Right” by James Jay Carafano and Daniella Markheim, dated May 17, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/wm1081.cfm .

“The Need for CFIUS Reform to Address Homeland Security Concerns” by Daniella Markheim, dated May 24, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/hl944.cfm .

“Learning Katrina’s Lessons: Coast Guard Modernization Is a Must” by James Jay Carafano and Laura P. Keith, dated July 7, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg1950.cfm .

“Coast Guard Modernization is Integral to the Success of the Secure Border Initiative” by James Jay Carafano and Laura P. Keith, dated August 7, 2006, published by the Heritage Foundation on http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/em1009.cfm .

“Knee-Jerk Security” by Veronique de Rugy, dated September 26, 2006, published by The Cato Institute at http://www.cato-unbound.org/2006/09/26/veronique-de-rugy/knee-jerk-security/ .

“Container Security at U.S. Ports” dated November 27, 2006, published on The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/wm1260.cfm .

“Five serious counter-terror ideas for Dems” by Richard A. Clarke and Rob Knake, dated December 13, 2006, published in New York Daily News at http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/479552p-403480c.html .

“Homeland Security Spending for the Long War” by James Jay Carafano, dated January 30, 2007, published on The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/hl989.cfm .

“Terror Porn” by John Stossel, dated March 7, 2007, published on Human Events Online at http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=19699 .

“The DHS Budget for FY2008: Time for a Comprehensive Approach to Homeland Security” by Mackenzie M. Eaglen, dated March 8, 2007, published on The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2013.cfm .

“Thinking for the Long War: Strategic Planning and Review for the Department of Homeland Security” by James Jay Carafano, dated March 21, 2007, published on The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/tst032107a.cfm .

“Improving Emergency Communications: Lessons from Grading America’s Cities” by James Jay Carafano and Richard Weitz, dated March 29, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2021.cfm .

“Stopping Surprise Attacks: Thinking Smarter about Homeland Security” by James Jay Carafano, Frank J. Cilluffo, Richard Weitz, and Jan Lane, dated April 23, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2026.cfm .

“FEMA and Federalism: Washington is Moving in the Wrong Direction” by James Jay Carafano and Matt A. Mayer, dated May 8, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2032.cfm .

“Department of Homeland Security Recent 4-Year Anniversary Review” by Jim Kouri, dated September 24, 2007, published by American Daily at http://www.americandaily.com/article/20375 .

“National Disaster Planning Slowed by Inadequate Interagency Process” by Matt A. Mayer and James Jay Carafano, dated October 24, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2079.cfm .

“Desperate Race to Stop Next 9/11” dated December 10, 2007, published by News Max at http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/Terror_Watch/2007/12/10/56021.html .

“Grassroots Disaster Response: Harnessing the Capabilities of Communities” by James Jay Carafano, Jennifer A. Marshall, and Lauren Calco Hammond, dated December 28, 2007, published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/bg2094.cfm .

“The Resilient Society” by Rudolph W. Giuliani, dated December 31, 2007, published by Front Page Magazine at http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=52B0F647-57D6-46CE-8489-4C38AD40B725 .

“Next Steps for Homeland Security” by James Jay Carafano dated April 9, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/tst040908a.cfm .

“The Local Role in Disaster Response: Lessons from Katrina and the California Wildfires” by Matt A. Mayer, Richard Weitz, and Diem Nguyen dated June 2, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2141.cfm .

“Beltway-Centric Approach to Disaster Response Is a Recipe for Disaster” by Jena Baker McNeill dated June 18, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm1960.cfm .

“Risk and Resiliency: Developing the Right Homeland Security Public Policies for the Post-Bush Era” by James Jay Carafano dated June 25, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/tst062408a.cfm .

“Congress Should Reassess the Allocation of Homeland Security Grants” by Matt A. Mayer dated August 6, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2011.cfm .

“As Gustav Lands, There Are Lessons to be Learned” by James Jay Carafano dated September 1, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2041.cfm .

“Invisible Nuclear Threat” by William Graham dated September 3, 2008 published by Front Page Magazine at http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=35A6E9BA-1F49-474A-B340-708E570B1373 .

“Building Infrastructure Resiliency: Private Sector Investment in Homeland Security” by Jena Baker McNeill dated September 23, 2008 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/bg2184.cfm .

“Man-Made Disaster” by Jeffrey Rosen dated December 24, 2008 published by The New Republic at http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=5248f065-cbd3-4264-ac58-cffdfd947a22 .

“15 Steps to Better Border Security – Reducing America’s Southern Exposure” by Jena Baker McNeill dated March 9, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/bg2245.cfm .

“The Jihadi Virus in Our Jails” by Michelle Malkin dated May 22, 2009 published by Town Hall at http://townhall.com/columnists/MichelleMalkin/2009/05/22/the_jihadi_virus_in_our_jails .

“Jihad Returns to America” by Robert Spencer dated June 4, 2009 published by Front Page Magazine at http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=35094 .

“Effective Counterterrorism State and Local Capabilities Trump Federal Policy” by Matt A. Mayer dated June 3, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/cda0902.cfm .

“Terrorist Watch: 23 Plots Foiled Since 9/11” by Jena Baker McNeill and James Jay Carafano dated July 2, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/bg2294.cfm .

“26 Foiled Terror Plots Show Success of Information Sharing” by Jena Baker McNeill dated September 29, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2634.cfm .

“States: Stop Subsidizing FEMA Waste and Manage Your own Local Disasters” by Matt A. Mayer dated September 29, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/upload/bg_2323.pdf .

“Another Terror Plot Foiled: 27 Since 9/11” dated October 21, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2663.cfm .

“Jihad at Fort Hood” by Robert Spencer dated November 6, 2009 published by Front Page Magazine at http://frontpagemag.com/2009/11/06/jihad-at-fort-hood-by-robert-spencer/ .

“After Detroit: Presidential To-Do List for Plugging Gaps in Stopping Terrorist Travel” by James Jay Carafano dated December 30, 2009 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2743.cfm .

“The Real Reason They Hate Us” by Frank Gaffney dated April 9, 2010 published by Town Hall at http://townhall.com/columnists/FrankGaffney/2010/04/09/the_real_reason_they_hate_us .

“Get the Government Out of Airport Screening” by Robert Poole dated April 13, 2010 published by Reason Magazine at http://reason.com/archives/2010/04/13/get-the-government-out-of-airp .

“What Comes After Quadrennial Homeland Security Review?” by James Carafano dated April 29, 2010 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Testimony/What-Comes-After-Quadrennial-Homeland-Security-Review .

“The Federalization of Homeland Security” dated August 17, 2010 published by The Heritage Foundation at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/08/The-Federalization-of-Homeland-Security .