Assignment: Intelligence Challenges in Homeland Security
Please respond to at least 2 other students. Responses should be a minimum of 250 words(500) and include direct questions.
Michael McGarvey
There are a vast array of issues and challenges that face the intelligence community in protecting the homeland; liberty or security? "America has avoided the fate of nations that have traded freedoms for promises of security, or security for unlimited freedom, and achieved neither" (Larkin, P. 2011). However, as the government grows and new powers are granted to the intelligence community one cannot think that the civil liberties of the people are disappearing. A striking thought to this is the ones in power today would be the ones protesting the amount of government oversight and surveillance on the American people in the 1960s.
Moreover, the security and liberty should not be against one another and just because a policy is written that can make America more secure does not mean that more liberties are lost. American citizens should read the Constitution, and through that reading they will see that the founders believed the same thing. This is a small example of that thinking from the founders; "we "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity." A threat to America's security is also a threat to Americans' liberties" (Larkin, P. 2011). The challenges being faced today by the intelligence community are no different than they have ever been. The only real change is the extensive ability to monitor the media and the use of technology.
President Reagan dealt with the issues of increased government size and his concerns seem to find there way to every citizen that believes the government is abusing the powers they have. His words, "The kind of government that is strong enough to give you everything you need is also strong enough to take away everything that you have" (Larkin, P. 2011). There is so much truth to that, and so many countries have seen their governments turn against them, but as long the Bill of Rights exist the concern with losing liberty should not be an issue. For the individuals that love to use Benjamin Franklin's quote of "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" (Larkin, P. 2011).
The willingness to sacrifice liberty for any security will, in the end, achieve neither (Larkin, P. 2011). This could not be better said and it is so easily understood by anyone that understands the landscape of America.
Michael
Reference:
Larkin, P. (2011). How Must America Balance Security and Liberty. In Heritage Foundation.
Kenneth Nati
Keeping America and its citizens have been one of the top priorities of the Department of Homeland Security but this has also cause challenges for the intelligence community (IC).
One challenge that the IC has been forced to face is how to scene people trying to come to the United States from war torn countries or countries that have a high terrorist threat. James Clapper stated that "the diversification of terrorism ... loosely connected and globally dispersed ... as exemplified by the Boston Marathon bombing and by the sectarian war in Syria." (2014) Congress, with the help of the IC, needs to find a way to balance the security of the United States and what America was founded on when it comes to immigrants coming here for the freedoms that America provides.
Another challenge is that terrorist are beginning to shy away from big glamorous attacks like 9/11 and finding that "lone wolf" attacks are easier to carry out. Former FBI Director James Comey was recorded saying that "These individuals present unique challenges because they do not share the profile of an identifiable group. Their experience and motives are often distinct, but they are increasingly savvy and willing to act alone." Due to the fact that there are no cells or groups to track it has made it hard for the IC to determine who is a possible "lone wolf" and who isn't.
Using state, local and tribal analysts is also a huge challenge that the IC faces. As seen throughout this course, state, local and tribal law enforcement has become a pivotal part of homeland security. With this said there needs to be guidance on how all intelligence is reported and this needs to be the same across the intelligence community. This would allow all offices, agencies and departments to be on the same page of music and all take the same lingo.
These challenges are just the wave top of what the IC is faced and I didn't even get into how intelligence is collected because I think we all kicked that dead house last week.
Thank for last eight weeks
Ken
References:
Clapper, James. (2014). Current and Future Worldwide Threats to the National Security of the United States Delivered to the Senate Armed Services Committee. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Comey, James. (2014). Statement before the Committee on Homeland Security House of Representatives Entitled Worldwide Threats to the Homeland Security. U.S. Department of Justice.
Homeland Security Advisory Council. (2008). Top Ten Challenges Facing the Next Secretary of Homeland Security. Homeland Security.