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January 29 - MARK RANDOL - "Homeland Security: Enough Already?"
The terrorist bombing and shootings on July 22, 2011 were Norway’s “9/11.” The tragedy reminds us that terrorism is a problem for all nations and that terrorist motivation cuts across the religious and ideological spectrum. A decade has passed since the devastating 9/11 attacks on our own country. The attacks profoundly affected America’s view of the terrorism threat and altered the nation’s approach to domestic and international intelligence and counterterrorism operations.
Since 2001:
• Billions of dollars have been spent;
• A vast new homeland security bureaucracy has been created;
• The U.S. Intelligence Community has swelled in size and spending;
• Expanded intelligence and investigative authorities have been granted – particularly through the USA PATRIOT Act,
• The FBI has been given significantly greater resources to transform itself into an intelligence-driven organization with a primary mission of terrorism prevention;
• And all Americans – including young children and the elderly – are subject to increasingly intrusive security measures, where we must disclose personal information, remove belts and shoes, and submit to revealing body scans or pat-down searches.
After all of these efforts, do we feel safer now than before 9/11? Do we spend too much, too little, or just the right amount of money on homeland security? How effective have our homeland security dollars been spent? In short, how do we know when enough homeland security is enough?
Mark Randol retired in May 2011 after 35 years of military and federal civil service. Prior to retirement, Mr. Randol served as the senior specialist in domestic intelligence and counterterrorism at the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in Washington, D.C. , where he provided non-partisan research and policy analysis for members of Congress and their staffs.
Mr. Randol currently consults on homeland security issues and teaches online undergraduate courses in terrorism and intelligence at Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Justice and Safety. Prior to CRS, Mr. Randol was the Director of Counterterrorism Policy at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) where he was responsible for ensuring the Secretary’s priorities were reflected in interagency counterterrorism plans and policies. In that role, he represented DHS at national-level coordinating bodies including the National Security Council’s Counterterrorism Security Group, charged with overseeing U.S. Government counterterrorism efforts.
Other professional assignments include serving as one of the original cadre of Transportation Security Administration Federal Security Directors. He has 14 years experience as a civil aviation security manager, inspector, and intelligence analyst with the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium. He also served as a Senior Aviation Security Officer with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). in Montréal, Canada.
Mr. Randol served for 8-1/2 years in the U.S. Air Force, with assignments in Taipei, Taiwan; Stuttgart, Germany; Osan, Korea; and Fort Meade, Maryland; as well as 3-1/2 years as a civilian on the Army Intelligence Staff at the Pentagon.
Mr. Randol is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, earned a Masters Degree in Government (National Security Studies) from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and has completed all Ph.D course work and comprehensive exams at the Catholic University of America; Washington D.C. He also graduated from the U.S. Government Senior Executive Service development program at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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