Professionalism of the executing security responsibilities, international diplomacy to thwart terrorism, the protection of foreign dignitaries and missions, certain intelligence and alerting processes, physical security standards, and the substantial building program that is required.

Over the past few years, many demands have accumulated requiring more resources, both financial and human, in the area of security. Security has not traditionally been given a high priority by diplomatic establishments. The large, important, and growing security demand at home and abroad requires a competent professional organization with a sense of mission and identity legislatively defined and yet accountable to the traditional authority of management.

A recommendation is also made that responsibility for diplomatic activities in the field of international terrorism be transferred from the  Office for Counter Terrorism and Emergency Planning (M/CTP), which reports to the Under Secretary for Management, to the Office of the Under Secretary for Political Affairs.

International diplomacy on terrorism may not produce substantive results, but an aggressive, determined effort must be undertaken and that can best be carried out from the Department’s foreign policy office rather than its management office. The other functions of the current ISP private security company should be subsumed in the office of the new Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security. These include two areas of heightened importance: Emergency Action Planning (EAP), which includes crisis simulation and contingency planning, and the Anti-terrorist Assistance Program (ATA).

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