Obama's HS Plan Beginning to Emerge

Following his recent victory, President-elect Barack Obama's homeland security strategy is beginning to come to light. The strategy is significantly different from existing policy and may indicate a positive step forward in securing the country.

Obama's goals for homeland security are:

• Prevent 21st Century Attacks Against the Homeland
• Defeat Terrorism Worldwide
• Ensure Nuclear Security
• Strengthen American Biosecurity
• Protect Our Information Networks
• Improve Intelligence Capacity and Protect Civil Liberties
• Prepare for Terrorist Attacks and Natural Disasters
• Protect Critical Infrastructure
• Restore America's Aging Infrastructure

The administration's approach differs from the past in three key are

• It places more emphasis on prevention and preparation measures.
• The plan transitions to a risk-based assessment to distribute HS funding.
• It strives to create closer partnerships with local, state and private sector in prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.

The last point is an important recognition of the concept that all disasters are local. As such, local and state authorities really run the show and use federal resources to assist where needed, not the other way around.

The details of Obama's policy remain vague at the time of this writing, but by most accounts, it is off to a good start. As the particulars emerge I will report on the impact, particularly as it pertains to the private sector.

An outline of the report may be read here.