| In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, our nation's | | | | The creation of the Department of Homeland |
| leaders began to realize the full extent of | | | | Security was announced on September 20th, |
| potential threats to our national security | | | | shortly after 9/11. Pennsylvania governor |
| that exist both internally and abroad. This | | | | Tom Ridge was appointed as director and was |
| newfound realization has resulted in the | | | | charged with the task of coordinating the |
| prioritization of security measures that are | | | | nation's intelligence gathering agencies and |
| designed to circumvent catastrophic events of | | | | the overall efforts to prevent future |
| this magnitude. In order to avoid future | | | | terrorist attacks. Since that time, a great |
| lapses of national security and combine the | | | | deal of changes to our nation's intelligence |
| resources and communication protocols of | | | | community have taken place. New positions |
| various agencies, the Department of Homeland | | | | have been created for the management of |
| Security was created. | | | | intelligence resources. Additional U.S. |
| | | | intelligence agents have been trained and are |
| The need for one U.S. government agency that | | | | currently working in the field. Intelligence |
| could oversee the administration of the many | | | | gathering and reporting methods have been |
| independent intelligence gathering entities | | | | updated to reflect the growing need for |
| was apparent in the post 9/11 aftermath. | | | | inter-agency cooperation. |
| Vital information that was gathered through | | | | |
| various investigative sources was deemed | | | | In addition to creating new positions in |
| inconsequential of its own merit. Putting | | | | intelligence and in the IT, human resources |
| this information into the overall scope of | | | | and administrative sections of the Department |
| events that led up to the catastrophe of 9 | | | | of Homeland Security, local and national law |
| 11, it was apparent that the disaster might | | | | enforcement and emergency management |
| have been avoided had some organization been | | | | personnel have been trained in emergency |
| able to put all the warning signs together | | | | preparedness procedures designed for large |
| into one cohesive picture. In order for that | | | | scale events such as those of September 11th. |
| to become a feasible reality by which we | | | | |
| could avoid future tragedies, intelligence | | | | Hopefully, the creation of the Department of |
| sharing and unilateral cooperation would be | | | | Homeland Security will ensure that we are |
| necessary. | | | | never again faced with such a devastating |
| | | | loss of life. |