Title: United States. The National Strategy for Homeland Security - Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Our Nation learned a terrible lesson on September 11. American soil is not immune to evil or cold-blooded enemies capable of mass murder and terror. The worst of these enemies-and target number one in our war on terrorism-is the terrorist network Al-Qaeda. Yet the threat to America is not limited to Al-Qaeda or to suicide hijackings of commercial aircraft. The threat is much broader, as we learned on October 4, 2001, when we discovered that a life-threatening biological agent-anthrax-was being distributed through the U.S. mail.

Unless we act to prevent it, a new wave of terrorism, potentially involving the world's most destructive weapons, looms in America's future. It is a challenge as formidable as any ever faced by our Nation. But we are not daunted. We possess the determination and the resources to defeat our enemies and secure our homeland against the threats they pose.

Today's terrorists can strike at any place, at any time, and with virtually any weapon. Securing the American homeland is a challenge of monumental scale and complexity. But the U.S. government has no more important mission.


National Strategy for Homeland Security

This document is the first ever National Strategy for Homeland Security. The purpose of the Strategy is to mobilize and organize our Nation to secure the U.S. homeland from terrorist attacks. This is an exceedingly complex mission that requires coordinated and focused effort from our entire society-the federal government, state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people.

People and organizations all across the United States have taken many steps to improve our security since the September 11 attacks, but a great deal of work remains. The National Strategy for Homeland Security will help prepare our Nation for the work ahead in several ways. It provides direction to the federal government departments and agencies that have a role in homeland security. It suggests steps that state and local governments, private companies and organizations, and individual Americans can take to improve our security, and offers incentives for them to do so. It recommends certain actions to the Congress. In this way, the Strategy provides a framework for the contributions that we all can make to secure our homeland.

The National Strategy for Homeland Security is the beginning of what will be a long struggle to protect our Nation from terrorism. It provides a foundation upon which to organize our efforts and provides initial guidance to prioritize the work ahead. The Strategy will be adjusted and amended over time. We must be prepared to adapt as our enemies in the war on terrorism adjust their means of attack.


Homeland Security Defined

In the aftermath of September 11, "homeland security" has come to mean many things to many people. It is a new mission and a new term. The federal government defines homeland security as follows:



Definition Homeland security is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur.


Each phrase in the definition has meaning.

Concerted national effort. The federal government has a critical role to play in homeland security. Yet the nature of American society and the structure of American governance make it impossible to achieve the goal of a secure homeland through federal executive branch action alone. The Administration's approach to homeland security is based on the principles of shared responsibility and partnership with the Congress, state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people. The National Strategy for Homeland Security belongs and applies to the Nation as a whole, not just to the President's proposed Department of Homeland Security or the federal government.

Prevent. The first priority of homeland security is to prevent terrorist attacks. The United States aims to deter all potential terrorists from attacking America through our uncompromising commitment to defeating terrorism wherever it appears. We also strive to detect terrorists before they strike, to prevent them and their instruments of terror from entering our country, and to take decisive action to eliminate the threat they pose. These efforts-which will be described in both the National Strategy for Homeland Security and the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism-take place both at home and abroad. The nature of modern terrorism requires a global approach to prevention.

The National Strategy for Homeland Security attaches special emphasis to preventing, protecting against, and preparing for catastrophic threats. The greatest risk of mass casualties, massive property loss, and immense social disruption comes from weapons of mass destruction, strategic information warfare, attacks on critical infrastructure, and attacks on the highest leadership of government.

Terrorist attacks. Homeland security is focused on terrorism in the United States. The National Strategy for Homeland Security characterizes terrorism as any premeditated, unlawful act dangerous to human life or public welfare that is intended to intimidate or coerce civilian populations or governments. This description captures the core concepts shared by the various definitions of terrorism contained in the U.S. Code, each crafted to achieve a legal standard of specificity and clarity. This description covers kidnappings; hijackings; shootings; conventional bombings; attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons; cyber attacks; and any number of other forms of malicious violence. Terrorists can be U.S. citizens or foreigners, acting in concert with others, on their own, or on behalf of a hostile state.

Reduce America's vulnerability. Homeland security involves a systematic, comprehensive, and strategic effort to reduce America's vulnerability to terrorist attack. We must recognize that as a vibrant and prosperous free society, we present an ever-evolving, ever-changing target. As we shore up our defenses in one area, the terrorists may exploit vulnerabilities in others. The National Strategy for Homeland Security, therefore, outlines a way for the government to work with the private sector to identify and protect our critical infrastructure and key assets, detect terrorist threats, and augment our defenses.

Because we must not permit the threat of terrorism to alter the American way of life, we have to accept some level of terrorist risk as a permanent condition. We must constantly balance the benefits of mitigating this risk against both the economic costs and infringements on individual liberty that this mitigation entails. No mathematical formula can reveal the appropriate balance; it must be determined by politically accountable leaders exercising sound, considered judgment informed by top-notch scientists, medical experts, and engineers.

Minimize the damage. The United States will prepare to manage the consequences of any future terrorist attacks that may occur despite our best efforts at prevention. Therefore, homeland security seeks to improve the systems and prepare the individuals that will respond to acts of terror. The National Strategy for Homeland Security recognizes that after an attack occurs, our greatest chance to minimize loss of life and property lies with our local first responders-police officers, firefighters, emergency medical providers, public works personnel, and emergency management officials. Many of our efforts to minimize the damage focus on these brave and dedicated public servants.

Recover. As an essential component of homeland security, the United States will build and maintain various financial, legal, and social systems to recover from all forms of terrorism. We must, therefore, be prepared to protect and restore institutions needed to sustain economic growth and confidence, rebuild destroyed property, assist victims and their families, heal psychological wounds, and demonstrate compassion, recognizing that we cannot automatically return to the pre-attack norm.



Objectives of the National Strategy for Homeland Security Homeland security is an exceedingly complex mission. It involves efforts both at home and abroad. It demands a range of government and private sector capabilities. And it calls for coordinated and focused effort from many actors who are not otherwise required to work together and for whom security is not always a primary mission. This Strategy establishes three objectives based on the definition of homeland security: Prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; Reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism; and Minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur. The order of these objectives deliberately sets priorities for America's efforts to secure the homeland.



Principles of the National Strategy for Homeland Security

Our efforts in the war on terrorism are rooted in the same core American strengths and characteristics that led us to victory in World War II and the Cold War: innovation, determination, and commitment to the democratic tenets of freedom and equality. With these strengths and characteristics as our guide, eight principles have shaped the design of the National Strategy for Homeland Security.

Require responsibility and accountability. The National Strategy for Homeland Security is focused on producing results. When possible, it designates lead executive branch departments or agencies for federal homeland security initiatives. As the President announced on June 6, 2002, the Strategy calls for creating the Department of Homeland Security to clarify lines of responsibility for homeland security in the executive branch. The new Department would take responsibility for many of the initiatives outlined here. The Strategy also makes recommendations to Congress, state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people.

Mobilize our entire society. The National Strategy for Homeland Security recognizes the crucial role of state and local governments, private institutions, and the American people in securing our homeland. Our traditions of federalism and limited government require that organizations outside the federal government take the lead in many of these efforts. The Strategy provides guidance on best practices and organizing principles. It also seeks to empower all key players by streamlining and clarifying federal support processes.

Manage risk and allocate resources judiciously. The National Strategy for Homeland Security identifies priority programs for our finite homeland security resources. Because the number of potential terrorist acts is nearly infinite, we must make difficult choices about how to allocate resources against those risks that pose the greatest danger to our homeland. The concluding chapter of the Strategy identifies a set of priorities for the Fiscal Year 2004 Federal Budget.

Seek opportunity out of adversity. The National Strategy for Homeland Security gives special attention to programs that improve security while at the same time advancing other important public purposes or principles. We will build, for example, a national incident management system that is better able to manage not just terrorism but other hazards such as natural disasters and industrial accidents. We will build a medical system that is not simply better able to cope with bioterrorism but with all diseases and all manner of mass-casualty incidents. We will build a border management system that will not only stop terrorist penetration but will also facilitate the efficient flow of legitimate commerce and people.

Foster flexibility. The National Strategy for Homeland Security emphasizes the need for a flexible response to terrorism. The terrorist threat is ever-changing because our terrorist enemies can strategically adapt their offensive tactics to exploit what they perceive to be weaknesses in our defenses. Therefore, the Strategy builds managerial, budgetary, and structural flexibility into the federal government's homeland security structure and suggests similar measures for the rest of the Nation. It allows for the reassessment of priorities and the realignment of resources as the terrorist threat evolves.

Measure preparedness. The National Strategy for Homeland Security demands accountability from every government body responsible for homeland security initiatives. Every department or agency will create benchmarks and other performance measures by which we can evaluate our progress and allocate future resources.

Sustain efforts over the long term. Protecting the homeland from terrorist attack is a permanent mission. Therefore, the National Strategy for Homeland Security provides an initial set of initiatives for moving closer to our homeland security objectives. Lead departments and agencies should plan to sustain homeland security initiatives for years and decades, not weeks and months.

Constrain government spending. The National Strategy for Homeland Security does not equate more money spent to more security earned. So in addition to new or expanded federal programs, the Strategy also calls for government reorganization, legal reform, essential regulation, incentives, cost-sharing arrangements with state and local governments, cooperative arrangements with the private sector, and the organized involvement of citizens. The Strategy recognizes that the capabilities and laws we rely upon to defend America against terrorism are closely linked to those which we rely upon to deal with non-terrorist phenomena such as crime, natural disease, natural disasters, and national security incidents. The Strategy aims to build upon and improve the coordination of these existing systems. It also seeks to harness the extraordinary strength and creativity of the private sector by allowing the market to solve homeland security shortfalls whenever possible.


Implementing the National Strategy for Homeland Security

The National Strategy for Homeland Security establishes, for the first time in our Nation's history, a statement of objectives around which our entire society can mobilize to secure the U.S. homeland from the dangerous and evolving threat of terrorism.

The National Strategy for Homeland Security aligns and focuses homeland security functions into six critical mission areas: intelligence and warning, border and transportation security, domestic counterterrorism, protecting critical infrastructure and key assets, defending against catastrophic terrorism, and emergency preparedness and response. The first three mission areas focus primarily on preventing terrorist attacks; the next two on reducing our Nation's vulnerabilities; and the final one on minimizing the damage and recovering from attacks that do occur. The Strategy includes the President's proposal to establish, for the first time, clear responsibility and accountability for each of these critical mission areas-most importantly, a Secretary of Homeland Security who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

The National Strategy for Homeland Security provides, for the first time, a framework to align the resources of the federal budget directly to the task of securing the homeland. Every homeland security dollar in the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2004 will correspond with the strategy's critical mission areas. The Strategy also describes four foundations-unique American strengths that cut across all of the mission areas, across all levels of government, and across all sectors of our society. These foundations-law, science and technology, information sharing and systems, and international cooperation-provide a useful framework for evaluating our homeland security investments across the federal government.

The National Strategy for Homeland Security is, however, only a first step in a long-term effort to secure the homeland. The federal executive branch will use a variety of tools to implement the Strategy. The Administration will work with Congress to craft future federal homeland security budgets based on the Strategy, providing every department and agency involved in homeland security the required resources to execute its responsibilities. Each lead department and agency will plan and program to execute the initiatives assigned by the National Strategy for Homeland Security.

Each department and agency will also be accountable for its performance on homeland security efforts. The federal government will employ performance measures-and encourage the same for state and local governments-to evaluate the effectiveness of each homeland security program. These performance measures will allow agencies to measure their progress, make resource allocation decisions, and adjust priorities accordingly.

Under the President's proposal, the Department of Homeland Security will play a central role in implementing the National Strategy for Homeland Security. In addition to executing its assigned initiatives, the Department would also serve as the primary federal point of contact for state and local governments, the private sector, and the American people. Working with the White House, the Department therefore would coordinate and support implementation of non-federal tasks recommended in the Strategy.

Issuance of the Strategy overlaps with Congress' consideration of the President's proposal to establish the Department. Recognizing that Congress alone can create a new Department, references to a "Department of Homeland Security" are intended only to provide the strategic vision for the proposed Department.



Homeland Security and National Security The Preamble to the Constitution defines our federal government's basic purposes as "... to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity." The requirement to provide for the common defense remains as fundamental today as it was when these words were written, more than two hundred years ago. The National Security Strategy of the United States aims to guarantee the sovereignty and independence of the United States, with our fundamental values and institutions intact. It provides a framework for creating and seizing opportunities that strengthen our security and prosperity. The National Strategy for Homeland Security complements the National Security Strategy of the United States by addressing a very specific and uniquely challenging threat - terrorism in the United States - and by providing a comprehensive framework for organizing the efforts of federal, state, local and private organizations whose primary functions are often unrelated to national security. The link between national security and homeland security is a subtle but important one. For more than six decades, America has sought to protect its own sovereignty and independence through a strategy of global presence and engagement. In so doing, America has helped many other countries and peoples advance along the path of democracy, open markets, individual liberty, and peace with their neighbors. Yet there are those who oppose America's role in the world, and who are willing to use violence against us and our friends. Our great power leaves these enemies with few conventional options for doing us harm. One such option is to take advantage of our freedom and openness by secretly inserting terrorists into our country to attack our homeland. Homeland security seeks to deny this avenue of attack to our enemies and thus to provide a secure foundation for America's ongoing global engagement. Thus the National Security Strategy of the United States and National Strategy for Homeland Security work as mutually supporting documents, providing guidance to the executive branch departments and agencies. There are also a number of other, more specific strategies maintained by the United States that are subsumed within the twin concepts of national security and homeland security. The National Strategy for Combating Terrorism will define the U.S. war plan against international terrorism. The National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction coordinates America's many efforts to deny terrorists and states the materials, technology, and expertise to make and deliver weapons of mass destruction. The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace will describe our initiatives to secure our information systems against deliberate, malicious disruption. The National Money Laundering Strategy aims to undercut the illegal flows of money that support terrorism and international criminal activity. The National Defense Strategy sets priorities for our most powerful national security instrument. The National Drug Control Strategy lays out a comprehensive U.S. effort to combat drug smuggling and consumption. All of these documents fit into the framework established by the National Security Strategy of the United States and National Strategy for Homeland Security, which together take precedence over all other national strategies, programs, and plans.