Something that surprised me was that Bush mentioned "homeland security" all throughout his campaign, 2 years at least before the attacks. In spite of the intriguing stories about how the origins of this plan, the basic framework was already researched and recommended in a commission was established by William S. Cohen, Secretary of Defense in 1998. In January 2001, by the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century, chaired by Gary Hart and Warren Rudman, issued its final report (after two interim reports in 1999 and 2000) entitled “Road Map for National Security: Imperative for Change.”
The Washington Post makes passing reference to the report in a June 9 story:
According to Card and other sources, the work of the PEOC Group can be traced back to Bush's presidential campaign, when he and his opponent, then-Vice President Al Gore, agreed on the need to bolster the country against terror. This subject intrigued Cheney, who "did a deep dive" into the available research and theories, Card said.
Aided by a small staff, Cheney examined security proposals from commissions headed by former Virginia governor James S. Gilmore III, by former senators Gary Hart (D-Colo.) and Warren B. Rudman (R-N.H.), "and others, going back a ways," Card said in an interview Friday.
The first of the interim reports of the Commission, in September 1999, begins as follows:
”In 1947, President Harry Truman signed into law the National Security Act, the landmark U.S. national security legislation of the latter half of the 20th century. The 1947 legislation has served us well. It has undergirded our diplomatic efforts, provided the basis to establish our military capa-bilities, and focused our intelligence assets."
Sound familiar?
The final report, in January 2001, predicts that “attacks against American citizens on American soil, possibly causing heavy casualties, are likely over the next quarter century…These attacks may involve weapons of mass destruction and weapons of mass disruption.,” here’s a sampling of what the Commission recommended (most of these will also sound familiar):
- The President should propose, and Congress should agree, to create a National Homeland Security Agency (NHSA) with responsibility for planning, coordinating, and integrating various U.S. government activities involved in homeland security. They should use the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a key building block in this effort.
- To give this agency sufficient stature within the government, its director would be a member of the Cabinet and a statutory advisor to the National Security Council. The position would require Senate confirmation.
- The President should propose to Congress the transfer of the Customs Service, the Border Patrol, and Coast Guard to the National Homeland Security Agency, while preserving them as distinct entities.
- The President should propose, and the Congress should fund, the reorganization of the national laboratories, providing individual laboratories with new mission goals that minimize overlap.
- The basic structure of the U.S. intelligence community does not require change. The community has implemented many of the recommendations for reform made by other studies.
- The President should calmly prepare the American people for prospective threats, and increase their awareness of what federal and state governments are doing to prevent attacks and to protect them if prevention fails
- U.S. foreign policy should strive to shape an international system in which just grievances can be addressed without violence….Diplomatic success in resolving overseas conflicts that spawn terrorist activities will help in the long run.
- The United States must bolster deterrence by making clear its determination to use military force in a preemptive fashion if necessary. Even the most hostile state sponsors of terrorism, or terrorists themselves, will think twice about harming Americans and American allies and interests if they fear direct and severe U.S. attack after—or before—the fact. Such capabilities should be available for preemption as well as for retaliation, and will therefore strengthen deterrence.
- the Commission believes that a national campaign to reinvigorate and enhance the prestige of service to the nation is necessary to attract the best Americans to military and civilian government service. The key step in such a campaign must be to revive a positive attitude toward public service.
Considering the obvious impact of this particular report on this administration’s strategy since 9/11, it’s instructive to read the three phases of the report, particularly the sections on foreign policy recommendations,
here.
I posted this info on another thread a few days ago...
And just last year, the National Commission on Terrorism — chaired by former Reagan counterterrorism head Paul Bremer — issued a report with the eerily foreboding image of the Twin Towers on its cover. A bipartisan effort — led by Jon Kyl and Dianne Feinstein — was made to attach the recommendations of the panel to an intelligence authorization bill. But Sen. Patrick Leahy feared a threat to "civil liberties" and torpedoed the effort. After the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole, Kyl and Feinstein tried yet again. This time, Leahy was content with emaciating the proposals instead of defeating them outright. The weakened proposals died as the House realized "it wasn't worth taking up." President Clinton certainly could have encouraged Sen. Leahy to drop his opposition, but he didn't.
National Review
Full Copy of the Commission's Report