It is clearly seen in the USS Cole Commission Report that in the focus of defence is terrorism. As the Cold War ended, the situation in the country changed advantageously until the moment the number of terrorist attacks increased greatly. Thus, it is not surprising that it is stated in the USS Cole Commission Report that “the vulnerability of in-transit forces to terrorist attacks” is one of the main issues faced by the port.
It is also reported that the routes and ports require a decent assessment to ensure their safety (DoD USS COLE Commission, 2001, p. 4). New military equipment is required as well as commercial technologies are required. There should be more local providers of goods and services. The staff should receive decent training to be able to protect the port and, as a result, the whole country from terrorists (Kenneth, 2009).
The USS Cole Commission Report is rather useful for Congress, as it defines a range of issues that are currently observed and points out what solutions are recommended to cope with them. Congress can use this information to consider defence budget and design policies. In this way, the report provides it with credible information that can be used when implementing advantageous changes.
The USS Cole Commission Report also provides benefits for Proliferation Security Initiative. First of all, as the initiative tends to consider the way, in which ports operate, as it wishes to stop weapons trafficking. It gains an opportunity to see if the port is able to prevent possible issues or not. In this case, the report showed what steps should be done to enhance security, and Proliferation Security Initiative can assist.
The National Strategy for Combating Terrorism presupposes that the ports are as vital as borders when considering antiterrorism protection. That is why it is critical to support port security and protect the country in this way. Thus, the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism supported port security in the framework of intelligence.
It is stated that after the Cold War the priorities and resources shifted so that their repriotization is needed. Both human and signal intelligence should be focused on the protection against terrorism. The issue is claimed to be so significant that it should be considered by the Office of the Secretary of Defence. The designation of the Assistant Secretary of Defence is recommended to evaluate the situation and implement changes.
Antiterrorism protection physical security requirements are designed. A special fund is created to support antiterrorism programs. With its help, the remaining life-cycle costs will be surely funded. The initiatives within this framework should receive funds that will ensure their further development. Moreover, the resources are likely to be used to enhance “language skills required for the support of combating terrorism analysis and collection” (DoD USS COLE Commission, 2001, p. 7).
The paper written by Steven Tomisek examines how the role of defense altered with the course of time. The author underlines that after September 11, DOD changed its focus and started to pay more and more attention to terrorist attacks. Different types of activities targeted at the protection of the country are underlined.
Tomisek identifies the forces that are engaged in them as well. The Homeland Security Council system is described as well as the key goal and missions. This paper provides enough detailed information related to the protection of the country so that people who are not familiar with it can realize in what way the homeland security is ensured (Tomisek, 2002). Even though this reading does not provide any relevant data, it allows grasping main ideas that are the same even today.
References
DoD USS COLE Commission. (2001). USS COLE Commission Report. Web.
Kenneth, C. (2009). Port Security Management. Danvers, MA: Taylor & Francis Group.
Tomisek., S. (2002). Homeland security: The new role for defence. Web.