The Steady Drip

Building an Effective, Sustainable Partnership Between the Government and the Private Sector: Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age. (Connecting the Dots: The Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age, The Brookings Institution (think tank) & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Brookings

James B. Steinberg

December 1, 2003

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/building-an-effective-sustainable-partnership-between-the-government-and-the-private-sector-markle-task-force-on-national-security-in-the-information-age/

Introduction

The challenge of preventing and responding to the new security threats is very different from the one we, as a nation, faced in the Cold War. Today, the private sector is on the frontline of the homeland security effort: Its members are holders of information that may prove crucial to thwarting terrorist attacks; stewards of critical infrastructure that must be protected and dangerous materials that could be used to do harm; and important actors in responding to attacks. As we said in our first Task Force report, private sector information is essential to counterterrorism, and government agencies should have timely, needed access to that information, pursuant to guidelines that give confidence that the information will be used in a responsible way.

Government agencies already have access to certain kinds of privately held information. However, the rules governing access to it have evolved haphazardly and are confusing and sometimes contradictory. Moreover, the rules and practices fail to take into account the dramatic evolution of information technologies that can substantially increase the value of such data in helping to prevent acts of terror. The time has come for a fresh look at how the government can make the most effective use of the information that it truly needs to meet emerging security challenges.

At the same time, if our government is to sustain public support for its efforts, it must demonstrate that the information it seeks to acquire is genuinely important to the security mission, and that it is obtained and used in a way that minimizes any negative impact on privacy and civil liberties. Current privacy protection laws and procedures are not in synch with the challenges and possibilities that rapidly advancing technologies are bringing; there are few reliable processes to ensure that information is accurate and up-to-date; and some of the proposed information-related programs seem to offer little added value and may impose substantial costs on industry. Plus, there are inadequate mechanisms of oversight and accountability to prevent unauthorized access to, and use of, information.

Co-chairs of Working Group II are Gilman Louie and James Steinberg. Members are Zoë Baird, Stewart Baker, Jim Barksdale, Jerry Berman, Wesley Clark, James Dempsey, Esther Dyson, Amitai Etzioni, David Farber, John Gage, Margaret Hamburg, John Hamre, Danny Hillis, Jeff Jonas, Arnold Kanter, James Lewis, Jeffrey Smith, Abraham Sofaer, Paul Schott Stevens, Michael Vatis, Philip Zelikow, and Jim Zimbardi. This paper was written by James Steinberg.

This paper was published as part of the Task Force’s second report, “Creating a Trusted Network for Homeland Security.” The first report, “Protecting America’s Freedom in the Information Age,” was published October 2002.

Protecting America’s Freedom in the Information Age

The Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age, including James B. Steinberg

Brookings

October 1, 2002

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/protecting-americas-freedom-in-the-information-age/

Many Americans understandably believe that technology is the source of America’s military and economic power. They believe this so much that they often seek technological solutions to essentially human problems. But America’s technological achievements—in weaponry, commerce and science—are merely the reflections of strengths in our society, a society that has evolved and is organized supremely well to unleash and promote human initiative. Though we need technology to secure our nation, a successful domestic intelligence and information strategy should start with the way we organize people to take advantage of innovation.

The way we obtain and use information will determine how well we can protect freedom while striving to attain the objectives set forth in the President’s National Strategy for Homeland Security, to:

prevent terrorist attacks within the United States

reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism; and

minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur

Our vision starts with development of a networked and national homeland security community in agencies, firms and neighborhoods. In connecting for security, we outline the elements of a next-generation national security infrastructure. We also discuss the organization of domestic intelligence collection and analysis in Washington, D.C., within a framework that respects our nation’s traditions and liberties.

Connecting the Dots:

Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age is a national-security project for the Markle Foundation.

R. Rand Beers is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and was the Homeland Security undersecretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Ashton B. Carter is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and was the defense acquisitions czar for the Barack Obama administration.

Mary DeRosa was the deputy counsel to the president for national security affairs for the Barack Obama administration and is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age.

Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age is a national-security project for the Markle Foundation.

Suzanne Nora Johnson is a director at the Markle Foundation and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Zoe Baird is the president of the Markle Foundation, a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

James B. Steinberg was a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age, the deputy secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration, a director, foreign policy studies for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

John A. Gordon is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age.

Arnold Kanter is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Judith A. Miller is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Wesley K. Clark is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James B. Steinberg is a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Newton N. Minow was an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a managing director at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Robert S. Osborne is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the EVP & general counsel for Booz Allen Hamilton.

Booz Allen Hamilton is a contractor for Obamacare.

Booz Allen Hamilton is a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).

Richard Wilhelm was the information warfare director for the National Security Agency (NSA), the EVP for Booz Allen Hamilton and a member of the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age.

Edward Snowden was an employee at Booz Allen Hamilton and leaked information about the National Security Agency (NSA).

Charles O. Rossotti is a director at Booz Allen Hamilton and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.