New Bush national security directive on maritime issues charts Administration course during his second term Martin

Edwin Andersen Editor, Port Security News January 18, 2005 On December 21, President Bush issued a national security decision directive on maritime security that is to become the linchpin of his Administration s second!term policy in the area, Port Security News has learned" The nine-page unclassified ational !ecurity "residential #irecti$e %1&'o(eland !ecurity "residential #irecti$e 1) pro$ides a strategy designed to coordinate federal, state and local go$ern(ental efforts with those of the pri$ate sector to protect ports and secure container cargos, while (aintaining sur$eillance o$er *+!+ territorial waters+ The directi$e, entitled ,Mariti(e !ecurity "olicy,- is designed to ,integrate and le$erage- e.isting federal policies and progra(s, such as the /ontainer !ecurity 0nitiati$e, the "roliferation !ecurity 0nitiati$e and 1peration !afe /o((erce, ,while ensuring inter-agency align(ent and focus,- according to sources fa(iliar with the docu(ent+ ,0t is (ostly a docu(ent loo2ing how these efforts are coordinated,- said one policy(a2er who has seen the plan+ The new directi$e specifically re3uires the de$elop(ent 4y the #epart(ent of 'o(eland !ecurity, in consultation with what it called 2ey industry sta2eholders, of ,(ini(u( federal standards- for (ariti(e reco$ery operations, as well as ,co(prehensi$e- reco$ery standards for national infrastructure and a plan to co(ple(ent those national preparedness goals and standards already set forth in a pre$ious national security directi$e+ The #epart(ents of #efense, !tate, Treasury, 0nterior, /o((erce and Transportation will also ha$e a role in the reco$ery standards initiati$e, according to these sources+ The lac2 of policy regarding (ariti(e reco$ery has 4een a 2ey co(plaint fro( industry leaders, who ha$e said recently that they were still in the dar2 a4out who would 4e in charge in the ports in the e$ent of a terrorist attac2+ The presidential (andate also included other policy actions, including re3uire(ents5 6 To create a Mariti(e !ecurity "olicy /oordinating /o((ittee to re$iew
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e.isting inter-agency practices, coordination and e.ecution of *+!+ policies and strategies and to reco((end i(pro$e(ents7 6 To de$elop a ational !trategy for Mariti(e !ecurity in an inter-agency process, under the direction of the secretaries of defense and ho(eland security, that ,4uilds on current efforts and capitali8es on e.isting strategies, tools, and resources+6 To design, under the direction of a new senior steering group for (ariti(e do(ain awareness co-chaired 4y representati$es of the secretaries of defense and ho(eland security, enhanced capa4ilities to identify threats ,as distant fro( our shores as possi4le+6 To de$elop a plan for glo4al (arine intelligence integration to utili8e current capa4ilities in order to integrate all a$aila4le intelligence on a glo4al 4asis on the ,location, identity, and operational capa4ilities and intentions of potential threats to *+!+ interests+9"articipating agencies include the #epart(ents of #efense and 'o(eland !ecurity, the /0A, the :;0 and the ational /ounter-terroris( +< 6 To coordinate international outreach efforts, under the direction of the !ecretary of !tate+ 6 To create a do(estic outreach engage(ent plan, under the direction of the 'o(eland !ecurity !ecretary and the Attorney =eneral, to ensure that the interests of state and local go$ern(ents, as well as the pri$ate sector, are ta2en into account in the de$elop(ent and i(ple(entation of federal (ariti(e security policies+ 6 To de$elop a ,co(prehensi$e- ational Mariti(e >esponse "lan, under the direction of the secretaries of defense and ho(eland security in coordination with the Attorney =eneral, reflecti$e of lead agency roles and responsi4ilities in responding to threats in the (ariti(e do(ain+ 9The (ariti(e plan, in which the #epart(ents of !tate, Transportation and /o((erce will also ha$e a role, is to supple(ent the ational >esponse "lan re3uired under 'o(eland !ecurity "residential #irecti$e 5, and to co(ple(ent critical infrastructure plans and do(estic all-ha8ards preparedness goals and structures found in '!"#? and '!"#8, respecti$ely+< The !"# %1&'!"# 1) also directs the de$elop(ent of reco((endations for i(pro$e(ents in national and international regulatory policy go$erning all pri$ate $essels, with #'! spearheading that part of the directi$e as well, with the participation of the #epart(ents of #efense, !tate, /o((erce and Transportation, as well as the *+!+ Trade >epresentati$e+
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:inally, the directi$e also calls for the creation of a co(prehensi$e (ariti(e supply chain security plan7 another effort headed 4y #'!+ 1n Thursday, outgoing #epart(ent of 'o(eland !ecurity !ecretary Ja(es M+ @oy said in Aashington that the depart(ent had (ade the presidential directi$e a top priority+ ,0 certainly recogni8e that of all things the president considers pro$iding a directi$e on, when he chooses one, itBs pretty i(portant and we 4etter 4e a4out the 4usiness of doing it,- @oy told the daily /ongressional Cuarterly&'o(eland !ecurity after his speech+ @oy did not di$ulge the contents of the presidential order at that ti(e+ The Ad(inistrationBs decision to issue the national security directi$e was first reported o$+ 1? in "ort !ecurity ews+ Aell-placed sources say that Ad(inistration plans to tru(pet pro(ulgation of the final docu(ent after /hrist(as were put on hold following the news of the de$astating !outh Asia tsuna(i+ #'! 4egan contacting leaders with the shipping industry last (onth to can$as their $iews on cargo security that were to 4e incorporated into the final docu(ent+ Announce(ent that the presidential decision directi$e had 4een signed last (onth was acco(panied 4y new warnings a4out possi4le terrorist attac2s in$ol$ing seaports+ 1n Thursday, >o4ert /+ ;onner, co((issioner of the #epart(ent of 'o(eland !ecurityBs ;ureau of /usto(s and ;order "rotection, noted that, ,for historical reasons, (ost *+!+ seaports tend to 4e located in the (iddle of so(e of our nationBs largest ur4an areasD ew Eor2, @os Angeles, ;alti(ore, and !eattle+ ,A %0-foot container loaded with a((oniu( nitrate would create a huge 4lastD 10 to 20 ti(es that of the 12laho(a /ity 4o(4ing,- ;onner added in a speech 4efore a trade organi8ation in Aashington, #+/+ ,;ut the Fsu( of all fearsB is a Fnu2e-in-the-4o.+B ,1ne does not wish to 4e an alar(ist, 4ut this (uch is 2nown5 ;in @aden has 4een trying to get his hands on a nuclear de$ice, or fissile (aterials to (a2e one, for at least si. years,- ;onner said+ ,'e reportedly (et with "a2istani nuclear scientists so(e years ago+Martin Edwin Andersen Mic2GAndersenHportsecuritynews+co( /opyright I 2005 "ort !ecurity ews
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