Comments on: Book Review: Clark Kent Ervin’s “Open Target” http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/05/14/book-review-clark-kent-ervins-open-target/ News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security today. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:26:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Independent Conservative http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/05/14/book-review-clark-kent-ervins-open-target/comment-page-1/#comment-4058 Independent Conservative Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:35:19 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=700#comment-4058 <strong>Clark Kent Ervin, Patriot or Crybaby?...</strong> Clark Kent Ervin is the former Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security. During his time on the job he issued some fairly critical reports and spoke of various security vulnerabilities. He was let go back in 2004 and it appears it w... Clark Kent Ervin, Patriot or Crybaby?…

Clark Kent Ervin is the former Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security. During his time on the job he issued some fairly critical reports and spoke of various security vulnerabilities. He was let go back in 2004 and it appears it w…

]]> By: Homeland Security Watch » Blog Archive » The inconsistency of Clark Kent Ervin http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/05/14/book-review-clark-kent-ervins-open-target/comment-page-1/#comment-2603 Homeland Security Watch » Blog Archive » The inconsistency of Clark Kent Ervin Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:24:33 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=700#comment-2603 [...] Mr. Secretary, don’t waste your time. As loyal readers know, I panned the book in a review a few weeks ago, citing among other flaws its “inconsistent grounds for criticism.” Ervin has provided a new data point in support of my contention with his response to the homeland security grant imbroglio. [...] [...] Mr. Secretary, don’t waste your time. As loyal readers know, I panned the book in a review a few weeks ago, citing among other flaws its “inconsistent grounds for criticism.” Ervin has provided a new data point in support of my contention with his response to the homeland security grant imbroglio. [...]

]]> By: Homeland Security Watch » Blog Archive » HLS in DC, May 22-26, 2006 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/05/14/book-review-clark-kent-ervins-open-target/comment-page-1/#comment-1932 Homeland Security Watch » Blog Archive » HLS in DC, May 22-26, 2006 Fri, 19 May 2006 20:57:16 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=700#comment-1932 [...] 5/22: Contingency Planning Exchange DC Chapter kickoff meeting. 1615 H St, NW, 8am. 5/22: Brookings Institution briefing on “Prospects for the U.S. Intelligence Community: The Hayden Nomination, Electronic Surveillance, and the Question of Reform.” 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 10am. 5/22: NAPEO conference features lunch remarks by DHS special assistant Al Martinez-Fonts. Ritz Carlton Pentagon City, 12 noon. 5/22: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) briefing on “Avian Flu: Innovations in Pandemic Preparedness by Local Public Health Departments.” Rayburn B-338, 12:30pm. 5/22: Potomac Institute event on “The Future of the European Union and the War on Terrorism.” National Press Club, 529 14th St NW, 1pm. 5/22: HSGAC meeting to vote on the nomination of David Norquist as the new CFO of DHS. Capitol Building S-216, 5:30pm. 5/23: Morgan Keegan Homeland Security Conference. Palace Hotel, NYC, 8:30am. 5/23: Center for American Progress event with Clark Kent Ervin on his new book “Open Target.” (Here’s my review of the book). 1333 H St NW, 10th Fl., 9:30am. 5/23: Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on “Biodefense and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness.” Dirksen 192, 10:30am. 5/24: CSIS and Pan American Health Organization event on “Responding to an Influenza Pandemic in the Americas.” 1800 K St NW, 9am. 5/24: HSGAC hearing on the nomination of David Paulison to head FEMA. Dirksen 342, 9:30am. 5/24: House Armed Services Committee hearing on “Border Security - Mission of the National Guard.” Rayburn 2118, 10am. 5/24: AEI event on “Successes and Challenges in Terrorism Prosecution: An In-Depth Look at Department of Justice Terrorism Cases After 9/11″ with Deputy Atty General Paul McNulty. 1150 17th St NW, 12 noon. 5/24: House Government Reform Committee hearing on “Getting Ready for the ’06 Hurricane Season.” Rayburn 2154, 1pm. 5/24: Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the ” 2006 Hurricane Forecast and At-Risk Cities.” Dirksen 562, 2:30pm. 5/25: Coast Guard change of command ceremony. Fort McNair. Time TBD. 5/25: Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on “Preparing for the Pandemic Flu.” Dirksen G-50, 10am. 5/25: House Armed Services Committee hearing on “Applying Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina: How the Department of Defense is Preparing for the Upcoming Hurricane Season.” Rayburn 2212, 10am. 5/25: House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Alien Smuggling: Issues and Responses.” Rayburn 2141, 2pm. 5/25: House International Relations Committee hearing on “The A.Q. Khan Network: Case Closed?” Rayburn 2255, 2pm. [...] [...] 5/22: Contingency Planning Exchange DC Chapter kickoff meeting. 1615 H St, NW, 8am. 5/22: Brookings Institution briefing on “Prospects for the U.S. Intelligence Community: The Hayden Nomination, Electronic Surveillance, and the Question of Reform.” 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, 10am. 5/22: NAPEO conference features lunch remarks by DHS special assistant Al Martinez-Fonts. Ritz Carlton Pentagon City, 12 noon. 5/22: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) briefing on “Avian Flu: Innovations in Pandemic Preparedness by Local Public Health Departments.” Rayburn B-338, 12:30pm. 5/22: Potomac Institute event on “The Future of the European Union and the War on Terrorism.” National Press Club, 529 14th St NW, 1pm. 5/22: HSGAC meeting to vote on the nomination of David Norquist as the new CFO of DHS. Capitol Building S-216, 5:30pm. 5/23: Morgan Keegan Homeland Security Conference. Palace Hotel, NYC, 8:30am. 5/23: Center for American Progress event with Clark Kent Ervin on his new book “Open Target.” (Here’s my review of the book). 1333 H St NW, 10th Fl., 9:30am. 5/23: Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on “Biodefense and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness.” Dirksen 192, 10:30am. 5/24: CSIS and Pan American Health Organization event on “Responding to an Influenza Pandemic in the Americas.” 1800 K St NW, 9am. 5/24: HSGAC hearing on the nomination of David Paulison to head FEMA. Dirksen 342, 9:30am. 5/24: House Armed Services Committee hearing on “Border Security – Mission of the National Guard.” Rayburn 2118, 10am. 5/24: AEI event on “Successes and Challenges in Terrorism Prosecution: An In-Depth Look at Department of Justice Terrorism Cases After 9/11″ with Deputy Atty General Paul McNulty. 1150 17th St NW, 12 noon. 5/24: House Government Reform Committee hearing on “Getting Ready for the ’06 Hurricane Season.” Rayburn 2154, 1pm. 5/24: Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the ” 2006 Hurricane Forecast and At-Risk Cities.” Dirksen 562, 2:30pm. 5/25: Coast Guard change of command ceremony. Fort McNair. Time TBD. 5/25: Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on “Preparing for the Pandemic Flu.” Dirksen G-50, 10am. 5/25: House Armed Services Committee hearing on “Applying Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina: How the Department of Defense is Preparing for the Upcoming Hurricane Season.” Rayburn 2212, 10am. 5/25: House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Alien Smuggling: Issues and Responses.” Rayburn 2141, 2pm. 5/25: House International Relations Committee hearing on “The A.Q. Khan Network: Case Closed?” Rayburn 2255, 2pm. [...]

]]> By: William R. Cumming http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/05/14/book-review-clark-kent-ervins-open-target/comment-page-1/#comment-1542 William R. Cumming Mon, 15 May 2006 07:38:53 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=700#comment-1542 I have not read the book. I did hear the author on NPR. Quite articulate and seemingly in possession of some fairly unique knowledge and understanding. Still, the DHS story, both its formation and early years is a very complicated story, involving personalities and organizational rivalry. With the closing of the first 5 years after 9/11 it will be interesting to watch DHS in its fourth appropriation cycle. It does appear that we have a disfunctional DHS, CIA, FBI and DOD. Is this a pattern? In the realm of Homeland Security it will be interesting to see how closely analysis of performance focuses on the White House Office of Homeland Security, its separation from the National Security Council, its issuance of what will probably be less than 20 HSPD's since its establishment, and what kind of seminal thinking came out of the that White House organization and its advisory committee structure. Did the best and brightest blow it or did the political hacks win the day? At the moment it looks like DHS with its primary culture being gun and badge, even many personnel being uniformed, has not succeeded in contending with the older bureaucracies like DOJ, DOD and CIA but who knows for sure. Much is still classified. As Liddell Hart, the British Military Historian once said, "The Audit of war is the best measurement." Perhaps a misquote but history is going to measure the performance of this system. Other organizations may be capable of learning lessons from 9/11 that have escaped DHS and the White House. Some of these won't be friendly. Ervin's book provides apparently some contribution, even though more could be expected. Where is the Tom Ridge book? Why did Gordon England flee the Pentagon then flee DHS? Are we really as short talent as a country as it appears? Perhaps we are not only deindustrializing but deintellectualizing. It is one thing to fight a war with Detroit at full tilt, and another to fight one with Walmart as your key economic enginge. The next 25 years will tell a lot about where the US is really going to end up in the long run of history. Ervin's book is a very tiny calibration point. I have not read the book. I did hear the author on NPR. Quite articulate and seemingly in possession of some fairly unique knowledge and understanding.
Still, the DHS story, both its formation and early years is a very complicated story, involving personalities and organizational rivalry. With the closing of the first 5 years after 9/11 it will be interesting to watch DHS in its fourth appropriation cycle. It does appear that we have a disfunctional DHS, CIA, FBI and DOD. Is this a pattern? In the realm of Homeland Security it will be interesting to see how closely analysis of performance focuses on the White House Office of Homeland Security, its separation from the National Security Council, its issuance of what will probably be less than 20 HSPD’s since its establishment, and what kind of seminal thinking came out of the that White House organization and its advisory committee structure. Did the best and brightest blow it or did the political hacks win the day? At the moment it looks like DHS with its primary culture being gun and badge, even many personnel being uniformed, has not succeeded in contending with the older bureaucracies like DOJ, DOD and CIA but who knows for sure. Much is still classified. As Liddell Hart, the British Military Historian once said, “The Audit of war is the best measurement.” Perhaps a misquote but history is going to measure the performance of this system. Other organizations may be capable of learning lessons from 9/11 that have escaped DHS and the White House. Some of these won’t be friendly. Ervin’s book provides apparently some contribution, even though more could be expected. Where is the Tom Ridge book? Why did Gordon England flee the Pentagon then flee DHS? Are we really as short talent as a country as it appears? Perhaps we are not only deindustrializing but deintellectualizing. It is one thing to fight a war with Detroit at full tilt, and another to fight one with Walmart as your key economic enginge. The next 25 years will tell a lot about where the US is really going to end up in the long run of history. Ervin’s book is a very tiny calibration point.

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