This article appeared in the Washington Times Forum page on 29 September 2001, under the title, "Establishing Homeland Security."

     After multiple commissions and reports, and the efforts of many in Congress, President Bush has appointed Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge to be director of the nation's Homeland Security Office. This is good news. Establishing some central direction and control is essential. The selection of a governor is wise-many resources required for homeland security belong to states and local authorities. He already has a personal relationship with the President, and that should give him essential access. Now what? Where should the new boss start?

     1. Explain the seriousness of the challenge. For the first time since 1814, the United States is facing on its own soil a foe capable of threatening our survival as a nation. The combination of a global economy and an information revolution provides even small states and non-state actors with access to weapons that can cripple our economy, paralyze our transportation and communication systems, eliminate virtually the entire top tier of government officials at one time, and loose an epidemic that might wipe out the majority of American citizens. The probability of these nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological, cyber and enhanced conventional attacks is open to question; their feasibility is not. There is no need to panic, but we should be realistic. The attacks on September 11 were horrible-but next time could be worse.

     2. Explain the strategy to be pursued. What do we want and how do we get it? We want to deter attack by establishing a reputation for denying terrorists success, and punishing their actions. Accomplishing this requires disciplined and coordinated efforts. In order to Deter we must: Protect our vulnerable areas; Preempt attack where possible, skillfully Manage Crises and their Consequences if they arise; Attribute blame to any who attack; and Retaliate in a way that destroys the attackers and makes an example before the rest of the world.

     3. Lay out the complexity of the problem. The Department of Defense and the Department of State oversee massive organizations to ensure national security. Homeland security is far more complex, involving at least four levels: federal, state, local and private. More than 43 federal agencies are directly involved in this effort. The leaders and agencies of 50 states and two U.S. territories also play roles; frequently they take the lead (as we are seeing in New York City today). Thousands of local agencies (fire, police, public health) will participate, usually under their own rules, subject to their own laws and jurisdictions. Tens of thousands of private organizations and millions of private citizens must be included in the effort. The first person to detect the next attack may be a mall security guard or a school nurse. These people must be trained and organized.

     4. Identify the specific missions to be accomplished. The seven strategic requirements above involve different players and require a different approach for each of the six major threats we face. For example, the people and organizations that conduct crisis management at each of the four levels of response will be different for a biological crisis than for a cyber attack or a chemical incident. The number of possible combinations of threats and players is almost overwhelming. The new homeland security boss must:

• Define the problem-seven responses to six threats means laying out 42 specific mission areas for action.
  
  
• Identify the players at every level (federal, state, local and private) and establish communications between them.
  
  
• Make an initial assignment of roles and responsibilities-give direction where possible, coordinate where necessary, but sort out who does what and when.
  
  
• Prioritize threats, actions, and resources. Threats are large. Dollars are limited. What do we buy first?
  
  
• Establish an exercise system. Even if it starts out as a communications check, get the players to practice together.
  
  
• Report-to the President, the Congress, and the American people. What needs to be done? What has been done? What will be done next? There is no substitute for accountability.

     This is an ambitious but essential agenda. However, before Governor Ridge can do any of this successfully, the elected representatives of the American people must answer a larger question: How much authority does he have? Who must obey when he issues an order? Our central failure up until now has been to stress "coordination," "communication" and "focal points," instead of giving someone the responsibility to make agencies cooperate and then hold them accountable. This is the only way to avoid disaster in the future.

     Governor Ridge can accomplish much by laying out the problem logically, identifying the players, linking them with solid communications and exercising those communications regularly. But until the fundamental question of authority is answered-until one person is placed in charge and everyone else understands what he controls in the way of money, personnel, and other resources-we will not be able to provide the homeland security required by the awful events of this month and by the terrible threats we could face in the future.

-Dave McIntyre, a retired military officer and former Dean of the National War College, is the Deputy Director for Research of the ANSER Institute for Homeland Security.