Iran Said to Have Nuclear Fuel for One Weapon
Iran has now produced roughly enough nuclear material to make, with added purification, a single atom bomb, according to nuclear experts analyzing the latest report from global atomic inspectors. Heritage experts discuss Iran's world without America. (See... http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed101708e.cfm

Newer Russian Nuclear Attack Sub Sought for 2010
The first of a new class of multipurpose Russian nuclear attack submarines currently in construction will be operational by 2010, a Russian news agency reported Nov. 19. The Severodvinsk "will be operational in 2010," Ria Novosti said citing naval official Nicolas Kalisstratov. Heritage experts discuss the new battle over the Arctic and how Russia is playing for keeps. (See... http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed110508c.cfm

Reports: Obama to Tap Arizona Gov. as Homeland Security Chief
President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, according to several media reports, citing unnamed Democratic officials. Please see Heritage's new report, "Homeland Security 3.0" (See... http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/sr23.cfm

Issue In Depth

Homeland Security: Disaster Relief

The wildfires raging through California raises the question of who can best handle disaster relief. Below is a compilation of research and articles focused on homeland security and disaster relief, and what the roles of the federal, state and local governments should be in dealing with such disasters.


Recent Research
nationalsecurity.org Blog: FEMA to the Rescue: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help California fight current wildfires, reports a recent news article. According to the article, the federal funding will reimburse “75 percent of the eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling the Tea Fire.” While the need for assistance during disasters is crucial, the question is whether or not the federal government is the best and only solution.

The Heritage Foundation: Congress Should Reassess the Allocation of Homeland Security Grants: On Friday, July 25, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the allocations for the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant program. The purpose of the UASI is to distribute funds to the highest risk urban areas in America. The funds have always been allocated based on risk or the combination of risk and the quality of investment justifications.

CNN.com: California fires could burn for days: Firefighters will need at least until midweek to get control of wildfires that have destroyed more than 700 homes in Southern California, a Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman says.

ReliefWeb: FEMA funding to help California fight Tea Fire: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help California fight the Tea Fire in Santa Barbara County.

The Heritage Foundation: Risk and Resiliency- Developing the Right Homeland Security Public Policies for the Post-Bush Era: Dr. James Jay Carafano’s June 24, 2008 Testimony before the Sub-Committee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, Committee on Homeland Security United States House of Representatives on Homeland Security Policy for the next Administration.

The Heritage Foundation: Beltway-Centric Approach to Disaster Response Is a Recipe for Disaster: On June 11, 2008, the House Homeland Security Committee (HHSC) held a hearing to examine whether the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ready to lead relief efforts in the event of a major U.S. catastrophe. Despite the vast amount of resources dedicated to improving DHS's disaster-response capacity, the consensus of the hearing was that the organization is unprepared to provide adequate post-disaster leadership.

The Heritage Foundation: The Local Role in Disaster Response- Lessons from Katrina and the California Wildfires: The increasing tendency since 9/11 to look to Washington for every answer regarding disaster response is troubling. The insistence that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) play an ever-expanding role in addressing day-to-day emer¬gency responses is hindering, not strengthening, the agency’s ability to prepare for the next national cata¬strophic disaster. Even worse, as the federal govern¬ment pledges to improve its response, state and local governments are getting a false sense of security, rely¬ing on Washington rather than preparing proper emergency responses themselves.