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Return to Article: Updated White House homeland security strategy criticized

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  I agree with the majority of the comments listed to date. Seems as though there are no actual products being delivered; chasing of one's tail seems to be the norm. The agency needs strong leadership with true background in what is truly going on and what needs to actually be done. The National Response Framework as mentioned previously is a joke, the private sector was left out nearly all together. There just might be too many Air Force Colonels and underlings involved with little background in what really needs to be done. Leave the emergency management decisions up to the first responder community. Infrastructure Protection can barely take care of it's own mess with the NIPP. Get rid of all of the egos and get something done for a change. Truly, no good idea shall go unpunished at DHS.

  Disgusted Employee Posted October 17, 2007 9:27 AM
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  The Private/Public healthcare sector continue to be the "weakest link in the Homeland Security chain". The White House document appears to be a rehash of previous guidance. The triple threats of: Evolving Infectious Diseases; More Robust Natural Disasters; and Increasing Evidence that Terrorist view Clustered Urban Healthcare Facilities as Soft and desirable targets call for the industry to meet its voluntary partnership role in Homeland Security. Approximately 90% of the nation's healthcare delivery capacity is owned by the non-federal sector. The country can ill afford another Katrina/New Orleans healthcare readiness/response or wait for some "Evidence-Based" serial all-hazards events justification to meet their duty to a trusting public.

  Sleepless in Nashville Posted October 14, 2007 2:57 PM
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  It is amazing how these so called experts plan the future. I've seen first hand how the managers task some of the brighter individuals to prepare threat assessments for the various ports and then utilize these reports as though it was their own evaluation. Now I read these high level names in the administration and wonder how qualified they really are! This agency is a joke. Every week another report touts the accomplishments of the agency administration. I've never seen so much arrogance or pretention. Why don't they just do the job quietly?

  Another disappointed worker Posted October 11, 2007 11:27 AM
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  Being on the inside of DHS looking out, this document seems a twin to the recently issued "National Response Framework" - just a lot of platitudes.

  Platitudes, not substance, are what get released to the public. Platitudes are easy to sell - but hard choices on what to do and how much to spend are difficult to get agreement on within DHS, let alone the larger Executive Branch. It may be that only platitude laden documents can get through the "vetting" process - isn't that a cheerful thought.

  Do the folks producing these documents see themselves as "agents of change"? I don't think they have a clue as to what is needed to really get us to a more secure stance. They point to the released document as the only "product" they need to "produce".

  Ditto that for the Congress. A hearing that makes the national news is the product...

  Six years and counting from 9-11.

  Disgusted in DC Posted October 11, 2007 10:51 AM
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  Tell me one project of this administration that has been a success since Mr. Bush has been in office. It is the most corrupt, secretive, inept, and dangerously incompetent government I have have had the pleasure(?) to work with in my lifetime.

  Disgusted in PA Posted October 11, 2007 7:18 AM
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  The Congressional response to a good homeland security strategy is the same old carping by Congress. How about Rep. Thompson showing some leadership here? That would be a new concept...

  Tom Conley Posted October 11, 2007 12:34 AM