Article Review : Closing The Cyber Gap

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was formed more than a decade ago with a very significant mission of safeguarding America's homeland from hazards, threats, and national disasters. This department conducts its mission through securing the country's borders, preventing terror attacks, and responding to incidents or threats to its citizens (Miller, n.d.). Generally, the most important roles of the Department of Homeland Security are to lead a concerted national effort in securing the United States and preserving the American way of life. The department was established in 2002 in reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks and has since developed a nationwide strategic plan for evaluating and updating its mission statement and effectiveness of operations. These plans can be updated and transformed to accomplish the needs of the Department for Homeland Security and the American people.

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “The establishment of this organization provided this nation with a real opportunity for making vast improvements within our communities social and economic infrastructures to combat all threats, mainly terrorism” as stated by Bullock, (2013, P. 1). The 9/11 attacks exposed a

Budgets for defense related agencies have grown sky high. 9/11 changed many peoples attitudes and concerns about safety. This resulted in policies like the U.S patriot act that put defense and security above civil liberties. Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, homeland security was created and their budget in 2001 was 43

Homeland Security is a relatively new concept that became a national issue following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. There are multiple definitions that define what Homeland Security is. According to Defining Homeland Security: Analysis and Congressional Consideration, “Homeland Security, regardless of the definition or strategic document, is a combination of law enforcement, disaster, immigration, and terrorist issues. It is the responsibility of civilian agencies at all levels. It is a coordination of efforts at all levels of government” (Reese, 2013). The 2010 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review and Report defines Homeland Security as” a concerted national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive”. (Homeland Security, 2010) There are multiple Federal, State and Local agencies involved in

The United States Department of Homeland Security is a section of the U.S. federal government that protects the United States on a daily basis. The Department of Homeland Security is for the protection of the United States of America from terrorist attacks, man -made accidents and natural disasters. This department also has made a scale of terrorism threat which goes from low to severe. The Department of Homeland Security was formed on November 25, 2002, following 9/11. September 11, 2001, was proof that America was as a target to terrorism like other countries and killed 2,977 people. It was 2002 when The United States Department of Homeland Security was formed. Following 9/11, George Bush announced the creation of the Office of

Bush, he announced that the United States was becoming a hit target for the terrorists threatening the civil liberties (GOA, 2014). For that very reason, he created the Department of Homeland Security. Currently, the DHS's strategic plan focuses on preventing terror attacks and enhancing security. "Preventing terrorist attacks on the homeland remains and ought to stay the foundation of homeland security" (GOA, 2014). However a review of DHS's programs, including those related to counterterrorism, nurture inquiries about whether preventing terror attacks is the core mission of the agency. Additionally, checking on whether the programs initiated has recorded any progress in safeguarding U.S from threats of terror attacks (Department of Homeland Security,

First article I selected was written by Columbia University Press (2012), Homeland Security, United States Department of. The author’s research was taken from The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition. Columbia University Press conducted a tremendous research that provides readers clear insight on how and when the Department of Homeland Security was established and under what circumstances. The author indicates that DHS was established in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Pentagon and World Trade Center. The

After the attacks on September 11th, 2001 the United States was forced to reassess its policies over the defense of the country within its borders. Until that time the United States’ homeland security was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice (Masse, O’Neil, & Rollins, 2007). After the attack the Executive branch of the government created a new organization that would be responsible for deciding where the biggest threats to the country were. This was the birth of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for assessing all risk to the Nation within its borders and developing way to mitigate these threats before a disaster can take place. One of the documents that the Department of

When one thinks of security, they tend to think of being protected, free from harm or danger. There are various security threats that the world faces today. Threats could range from a series of cyber threats to terrorist attacks. We are incessantly encountered with catastrophic man-made and natural diseases. The Department of Homeland Security measures the nation 's vulnerabilities, meaning it takes initiative in leading and evaluating vulnerabilities and coordinating with other federal, state, local, and private entities to safeguard the most effective response. The creation of the country’s 15th Cabinet Department marked the largest reorganization of government since the Truman administration.

“The struggle against international terrorism is different from any other war in our history. We will not triumph solely or even primarily through military might.” (National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, 2003) And so to combat this in the post 9/11 time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was born. And as we have seen in the past event, DHS is needed more today than ever. But DHS was born out of not only necessity but also function.

Fifteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks there has been adjustments made since then when protecting the nation from threats that are unknown. In 2001, President Bush proposed a new department that will be in charge along with other government agencies to work together to make sure threats don’t get out of hand (Tom Ridge). This new department,The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and their main job is to protect the people. In order to execute this goal the Department of Homeland Security must “secure the nation against terrorist attacks, to protect against and respond to threats” (Andrew). Eleven days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks Tom

1. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 reduces the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism.

The terrorist attack on the United States on September 11th, 2001, exposed the country's preparedness to threats by an emerging threat of terrorism. The United States Department of Homeland Security was brought to life through the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Precisely, this was in response to the country's preparedness to stop such acts of terrorism on American soil. However, it was also mandated to response to such natural disasters such as hurricane as part of a wider responsibility to ensure people within the American borders were secured from all forms of danger (Kamien, 2006).

Since the attacks on September 11th, 2001, intelligence activities has been one of the most controversial issues facing this country with one of the most controversial being the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Created in November of 2002 and concepted just two weeks after the attacks, the DHS focuses in five goals; prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage the borders, enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard and secure cyberspace,

Therefore, it is important to reform current organizational deficiencies which hinder current cyber-warfare efforts, adopt a new doctrine relevant to the new threat, and make cyber-warfare one of the United States Government’s top national security priorities.