Unit 1 – Discussion Board 2
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Assignment Overview
Type: Discussion Board
Unit: Assessing the Homeland Security Enterprise
Assignment Details
Assignment Descriiption

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

This Discussion Board assignment will compare and contrast independent assessments from the General Accounting Office (GAO), Congressional Research Service (CRS), think tanks, and academia on the status of the homeland security (HLS) enterprise. You are required to research federal audits and reports by think tanks and academia to provide a critical analysis on the posture of the homeland security enterprise as it is assessed by independent organizations. Discuss the following:

Using 1 of the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) mission areas and goals, how well is the enterprise performing in GAO’s view? What are the issues or gaps that need to be addressed?
Based on the QHSR mission areas, what are the key issues that the CRS estimate require congressional attention? Do they impact the effectiveness of the enterprise?
Research a think-tank that has a homeland security program. How does the government’s homeland security enterprise performance assessment compare to its assessment of the effectiveness of the enterprise? Are there any critical gaps or issues?

References

Larsen, R., & McIntyre, D. (n.d.). A primer on homeland security: Overview. Retrieved April 6, 2009, from http://www.homelandsecurity.org/bulletin/overview.htm

Sauter, M. A., & Carafano, J. J. (2005). Homeland security: A complete guide to understanding, preventing, and surviving terrorism. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Snowden, B., & Johnson, D. (2007). U.S. Embassy bombings. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from Infoplease.com Web site: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newsfacts-sudanstrikes.html

USS Cole bombing (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2009, from globalsecurity.org Web site: http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/profiles/uss_cole_bombing

Presidential Decision Directives (PDD): Clinton Administration 1993–2000. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Federation of American Scientists Web site: http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/pdd/index.html

Quadrennial Homeland Security review report: A strategic framework for a secure homeland. (2010, February). Retrieved from the Department of Homeland Security Web site: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/qhsr_report.pdf

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.atf.gov/

Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fema.gov/

North American Aerospace Defense Command. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.norad.mil/

Official New York City Police Department. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/home.shtml

United States Northern Command. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.northcom.mil/

About the department. (2009). Retrieved June 16, 2009, from U.S. Department of Homeland Security Web site: http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/strategicplan/