Former Homeland Security Official Calls For Increased Information Sharing In War On Terror

By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Former Homeland Security Adviser Frances F. Townsend called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Monday to focus on information sharing among local governments and other government entities, warning that a failure to do so could impede the Department's ability to prevent future terrorist attacks.

“If we do not get information sharing right, when there is another attack ... there will be a problem with information sharing,” Townsend said during a presentation at the Heritage Foundation.

Townsend said the issue of information sharing often falls down the list of priorities for the current administration, but could be vital in the prevention and response to terrorism.

“This is not a sexy issue but it is one that will absolutely be our downfall in terms of stopping an attack,” she explained.

The DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis outlined their key intelligence initiatives and reforms in a hearing before the house subcommittee on intelligence late last week. One priority mentioned included improved coordination and information sharing.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said the fundamental goal for protection is to better information sharing so that it occurs in a regular and timely manner.

“The key for protecting the homeland from attack is disseminating useable intelligence and information to our state, local, tribal and private sector partners, getting similar intelligence and information back from those partners for analytic work by Office of Intelligence and Analysis and the national Intelligence Community, and ensuring this two-way exchange happens on a real-time basis,” Napolitano said.

Townsend said drastic circumstances should not be necessary before this issue gets the attention it deserves.

“I think people sorely underestimate the consequences of a large scale cyber attack,” Townsend said. “There will be a cyber 9/11 and regretfully I think that is what it will take before people pay attention to these security issues.”

Communication key to security

In a discussion at the Center for American Progress (CAP), Former Director of the New York City Department of Emergency Management Jerome Hauer said there is "a loss of credibility" at the Department of Homeland Security. He said that the Bush administration has tried to "distract the public" on homeland security while not basing their warnings on solid evidence. Hauer said the American public does not like getting security warnings "on a regular basis," and the next administration cannot look like they are "crying wolf."


Former Assistant to President Bush on Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Frances Townsend said that while the Bush administration struggled to communicate security issues, there is "no playbook to play off of." She said that communication has to be improved at "a grassroots level." Townsend said the next administration should form a communications plan quickly.

Director of Homeland Security at the CAP Action Fund P.J. Crowley said Al Qaeda has "the capability and the intent" to attack the U.S. on a big scale. He also criticized the Bush administration saying that while we lost up to $200 billion in the September 11 attack, we will spend over $1 trillion in our response. Director of the CAP Homeland Security Presidential Transition Initiative Michael Signer warned the public and the next administration saying "the threat level will likely be elevated during the new president's first year."