Joint Action

 

Unprecedented casualties and consequent hysteria caused by 9/11 lead to an increasing concern with domestic security on all levels. Intelligence communities, governmental organizations and agencies are engaged in protecting Americans at home.

Yet such great engagements, the efforts of millions of people, exorbitant sums of money hide a pitfall in them.� Agencies� functions overlap, cross-agency cooperation is complex, and there is no distinct hierarchy for the organizations and no oversight establishment.

Still, there is a paradigm that first advanced by 9/11 commission in �The 9/11 commission report�. This is a base on which domestic security organizations operate now. This Principle is JOINT ACTION.

 

How is joint action different from cooperation?

�When agencies cooperate one defines a problem and seeks help with it. When they act jointly, the problem and options for action are defined differently from the start. Individuals from different backgrounds come together in analyzing a case and planning how to manage it�

 

What caused JOINT ACTION?

• High secrecy and complexity of intelligence and security structures
• No system to oversight and mange cross-organization operation
• Obsolete types of managing within every organization and agency involved in preserving domestic security

 

 

Principles of JOINT ACTION:

• Unity of effort in sharing information.
• Strengthening congressional oversight.
• Strengthening the FBI and Homeland defenders in order to organize a better American� defense

 

Sharing Information

An unfortunate impediment to higher efficiency of counterterrorism organizations is the elevated secrecy and complexity.

Before 9/11 each agency had its own database. Restructuring agencies and organization involved after 9/11 aims at horizontal (inter-agency and cross-network) information sharing. The perspective is to create a cross-agency database searchable for every organization involved.

A stronger presidential involvement in domestic security develops wide governmental concepts and standards and creates an information upheaval within the system.

 

Congressional Oversight

When so many organizations with no distinct hierarchy are operating together, there should be a good oversight system over their joint action.

The 9/11 commission suggested a strong and capable congressional committee structure it oversight support and leadership, a joint committee for intelligence to be clearly accountable for their work. The officials from Homeland Security Department report to 88 committees in Congress. This is an impediment for efficient work. That is why a single principal oversight and review for homeland security and other organizations involved would facilitate their work along with supervising it and reporting to Senate and the House.

 

 

Strengthening Departments and Agencies. General Principals.

Most agencies and organization devoted to homeland security were established mainly during the Cold War. After 9/11 2001 many people saw that operating principles of domestic security organizations were not inefficient, or even obsolete. The amount of work and energy extends far beyond the borders of one agency plus the agencies share similar information. America cannot use the work-frame anymore.

�Significant changes are being made on every level and for every specific organization involved. The objectives of such changes are:

1. Drawing relevant intelligence: creating a pool of experts in counterterrorism to be used for all agencies via joint management and planning.
2. Assigning responsibilities across agencies, along with determining clear delineation between specific agencies� functions.
3. Infusing responsibility and accountability: track progress, report to Congress and resolve obstacles

4* A good suggestion would be heading towards �Adhocracy� as defined by Toffler. It will eliminate bureaucratic barriers and bring experts from different fields and organizations together. This will gear up the process when action is needed urgently.�