Assessment & Reform of NATSEC Policy

Decision Making for the future. Remembering the past

By: William Cody Garton

OUTLINE
Three Perspectives of Reform: I. Problems -- Amos Jordan II. Project on NATSEC reform III. Congressional Research Service 1.) American National Security: Problems: I. There are excessive centers of Power and interests involved in the National Security Decision Making Process. A. Expansion of the number of agencies involved begins to complicate things. B. Inclusion of Homeland Security Administration, adds too many and diverse issues to the set agenda. II. The diffusion of power makes it difficult to adopt innovative policies and strategies (too many veto points) and becomes to cautious in its search to reach consensus. III. The process is too crisis oriented to the neglect of long-term planning. B. National Security Decision Process is hindered by the multiplication of enemies and threats. 2. Enemies (state and non-state). 3. Threats (military, economic, space, pandemics, failed states, homeland security, insurgents, etc.) IV. There are no obvious priorities.

V. Domestic and Electoral Politics may becoming too involved in the National Security Decision Process. D. Example: Iranian Policy & AIPAC & PM B. Netanyahu (Israel). Short-Term Solution: Presidential Management The key to success is the leadership that is exercised by the President, in order to shape and map out the US National interests, priorities, policy and strategy. 2.) Project on National Security Reorm: Problem #1: Current system is built of too many disjointed stovepipes. Crisis management supersedes strategic management. Turf wars are too common among agencies and institutions, which prevent whole of government approaches. Departmental missions too often supersedes U.S. National interests and missions. No national strategy planning. No match of resources to priorities. Little information sharing between agencies. Breakdown of the interagency process of management and oversight. Fragmented Congressional Oversight. The United States must be able to anticipate and respond effectively to the next crisis. An overall strategy that drives, plans, actions and resources and incorporates the broad range of national power options is required. Solutions to the Problems: Strategic Management in the NSC Manage from beginning to end the national security interagency system process. Parallel beginning to end, the national security management at the departmental level. Develop a strategy, planning and resource management capacity in the National Security Council. Improve the Flow of Knowledge & Information Shift from: Need to know to Need to share. Create mechanisms for the oversight and resourcing of integrated national missions. No committee in Congress has oversight of the whole of government perspective on national security. Oversight and resourcing is done at the departmental level.

3.) Congressional Research Service: Problems: Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and response to Hurricane Katrina indicate inadequacies in meeting security challenges. Deep flaws in the ability to make timely decisions, to develop prioritized strategies, integrated plans, and to resource efforts and execute complex missions. National Security structure was designed for a bipolar world with a single peer competitor state with an expansionist ideology and massive military force. There are limited civilian capacity in executing US National Security Goals. US defaults to DOD because there is no alternative. DOS has most responsibility, but DOD has most of the resources. National Security Council is not very rigorous and it is up to the President to use it. A president may not support disciplined adversarial debate when needed. National Security strategies do not prioritize, do not describe how the elements of national power are to be applied and integrated to each goal. Budgeting of resources is based on agency needs, not on resourcing goals. Need for more horizontal coordination and integration across agencies. Now What? Decide what are the most critical issues that we need to address going forward? What is the harm we will face immediately and down the road, if we choose to be inactive and do nothing. What are the poor decisions? What are the best decisions? Where do we draw the line with security and civil liberties? How do we inform the American people, yet keep secret our nations most vital resources?