Threats at Our Threshold

The Consortium for Homeland Defense and Security in America’s second annual symposium, “Threats at Our Threshold – Securing and Defending the United States in the 21st Century” took place on 14 and 15 November 2007.  The event was held at the historic Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Consortium, consisting of the Army War College’s Center for Strategic Leadership, the George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Heritage Foundation, hosted the forum.

Concerns surrounding homeland security and defense continue to encompass measures taken to prevent, prepare for, or respond to a host of challenges ranging from natural disasters to manmade catastrophes, and emanating from within and beyond our borders. The response to this expanse of threats to our people and nation is a national responsibility with international implications, requiring actions taken across all governmental sectors, and calling upon both public and private organizations to participate in our common defense. This symposium sought to examine the broad scope of constantly evolving requirements to meet these needs, fully aware that each new solution must be viewed in the context of a frequently unpredictable environment and a highly adaptable enemy.

This year’s symposium centered on four panels conducted over two days’ time, devoted to topics of growing concern to the wellbeing of our people:

• Homeland Defense and Security through the Americas
• Combating Domestic Radicalization: Lessons Learned from Abroad
• Nuclear and Biological Attacks: Old Threats, New Concerns
• Missile Defense over North America

Each panel consisted of three subject matter experts and a moderator. The panelists presented from policy papers prepared especially for the symposium, aimed at promoting high level discussions among key decision makers in the field. Each panel was then followed by a question and answer/discussion session eliciting insights from an expert audience, well-schooled in the growing discipline surrounding homeland defense and homeland security. Finally, in addition to the panels, four top officials associated with each of the chosen topics served as featured speakers interspersed through the days’ activities.

For video of this event please visit the event video & program page.