Community of Professionals and the Long War

The recent failed bombing of Northwest Flight 253 highlights an emerging reality that was documented in the book by James Carafano and Paul Rosenweig , Winning the Long War. We are in a long global war with transnational terrorists that is no t going away regardless of our routine changes in political leadership. http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/the-long-war.cfm

This year alone we have experienced successful terror attacks in Arkansas and Fort Hood and several foiled plots in Dallas, Illinois, and New York.

We must continue to focus on the long term development of our Homeland Security and Emergency Management community to keep pace with the circumstances that face us.

The fact is that in the Department of Defense military planning and readiness is a process that has at least a decade long horizon. The development of people is done in career long cycles that span 20-30 years. Changes in political leadership do not change the underlying capability of our defense infrastructure easily.

Long term issues like Critical infrastructure resilience and the radicalization of our youth are just two examples of the challenge we face in domestic security.

If a flight were to break up over a major metropolitan area it would be a nightmare for emergency management professionals. Securing the debris field and managing collateral casualties on the ground are just two issues that must be imagined and planned out.

The role of English speaking clerics educated in the United States like Anwar al - Awlaki who was a trained engineer at Colorado State University creates a radicalization problem we have to confront.

Since the early 1990’s and the first world trade center bombing, front line professionals have been developing their understanding of the evolving domestic security challenge.

Developing the career path for tomorrow’s interdisciplinary senior leaders and executives is more important than ever.

Thanks for Checking in.

Dennis

http://www.drs-international.com/