When Disaster Strikes

On February 25, 2011, the New America Foundation hosted Professor William C. Banks of Syracuse University. At the event, Mr. Banks released and discussed his newest paper, “The Legal Landscape for Emergency Management in the United States,” which offers an in-depth look into the rules, regulations and institutions governing America’s response to terrorism, natural disasters and more.

Mr. Banks identified the federal government’s practical and legal failures when it comes to protecting the United States. While they can be useful, current arrangements offer too many opportunities for signals to be lost and mismanagement to go unchecked. Vulnerability, according to the speaker, as well as the limited resilience of essential systems like transportation, also proves the federal government has much to do when it comes to communal security. Poor planning and direction from federal government has also contributed to interagency issues; Mr. Banks noted FEMA’s struggles as an example of how bureaucracy and overlapping portfolios can hurt agencies. Also problematic is the disconnect between federal and state authorities and the potential when dealing with public health catastrophes.

The speaker’s comments were a powerful reminder that homeland security is an ongoing project that requires reassessment and substantive criticism. Along with his paper, the arguments offered on February 25 serve to enhance American security by dealing with it with informed frankness.

Participants

Featured Speaker
William Banks
Director, Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism
Syracuse University College of Law
Author, “The Legal Landscape for Emergency management in the United States”

Moderator
Peter Bergen
Director, National Security Studies Program
New America Foundation
Author, The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda