A Flawed National Blueprint to Homeland Intelligence Reform: Right Idea, Wrong Approach

Abstract

Abstract : The ongoing conflict in Iraq against a determined insurgency highlights the unfortunate fact that the terrorist threat is more serious today than it was prior to September 11 2001. How prepared are we now to prevent another attack potentially with greater consequences? The cornerstone for homeland security is the capability of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies at all levels (federal state tribal and city) to timely collect analyze and disseminate critical actionable intelligence information. There is one critical aspect of intelligence sharing that has been substantively neglected in our national approach to address the problem. Specifically there are a number of deeply rooted cultural barriers that have become pervasive in law enforcement and intelligence agencies regarding the collection analysis and dissemination of intelligence related information. These cultural barriers or biases have also had a negative impact on the critical information linkage that must exist between federal and state intelligence and law enforcement agencies. This paper will specifically examine current cultural intelligence sharing challenges that are present between the federal and state I local levels of government followed by policy recommendations for a more comprehensive national approach.