Keeping Us Safe - by Arthur S Hulnick (Hardcover)

About the Book

How can the United States guard against a clever unknown enemy while still preserving the freedoms it holds dear? Hulnick explains the need to revamp U.S. intelligence operations from a system focused on a single Cold War enemy to one offering more flexibility in combating non-state actors (including terrorists, spies, and criminals) like those responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001. Offering possible solutions not to be found in the federal commission's official report, Hulnick's groundbreaking work examines what is really necessary to make intelligence and homeland security more efficient and competent, both at within the United States and abroad.

The U.S. government's progress in establishing a system for homeland security is considerable, yet, besides shifts in alert status, most U.S. residents are unaware of the work being done to keep them safe. Describing the system already in place, Hulnick adds further ideas about what more is needed to protect Americans in the ever-changing world of intelligence. To create a truly valuable program, it is suggested the the United States consider not only new strategies and tactics, but also the need to break down the barriers between intelligence agencies and law enforcement.

Book Synopsis

How can the United States guard against a clever unknown enemy while still preserving the freedoms it holds dear? Hulnick explains the need to revamp U.S. intelligence operations from a system focused on a single Cold War enemy to one offering more flexibility in combating non-state actors (including terrorists, spies, and criminals) like those responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001. Offering possible solutions not to be found in the federal commission's official report, Hulnick's groundbreaking work examines what is really necessary to make intelligence and homeland security more efficient and competent, both at within the United States and abroad.

The U.S. government's progress in establishing a system for homeland security is considerable, yet, besides shifts in alert status, most U.S. residents are unaware of the work being done to keep them safe. Describing the system already in place, Hulnick adds further ideas about what more is needed to protect Americans in the ever-changing world of intelligence. To create a truly valuable program, it is suggested the the United States consider not only new strategies and tactics, but also the need to break down the barriers between intelligence agencies and law enforcement.

Review Quotes

"Art Hulnick is one of the most thoughtful writers and reformers with a focus on the U.S. intelligence community. In this book on intelligence reform, he brings together his insider's experience as a former CIA officer and his more recent years of teaching and research to examine key proposals for improving the performance of the CIA and America's other secret agencies. One does not have to agree with each of his conclusions to note that this is an outstanding guide to the key issues. It ought to be read by anyone interested in trying to avoid more intelligence failures like those associated with the 9/11 attacks and the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq."-Loch K. Johnson Regents Professor of Public and International Affairs University of Georgia

"Hulnick has expertly combined his nearly five decades of professional experience as an intelligence officer and university professor to comment thoughtfully and succinctly on U.S. Intelligence Community issues of major importance, this time in the interest of protecting America's domestic security in the dangerous, perplexing, and controversial post-9/11 era."-Richard R. Valcourt Editor-in-Chief International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence

?[H]ulnick presents a synthesis of what many insiders and outsiders have been promoting for the last two years, such as improving communication between specific intelligence agencies and general law enforcement entities; restructuring the intelligence organization of the government; and balancing and continuing US freedoms with antithetical laws to fight terrorism. Hulnick is one of the rare authors who incorporates spies and espionage into the importance of homeland security. This alone separates the book from others. Recommended. General readers and lower-division undergraduate collections.?-Choice

?[O]ffer[s] a useful and generally dispasionate overview of the American intelligence community as it pertains to homeland security.?-49th Parallel

?The U.S. government's progress in establishing homeland security processes has been considerable, but more work is needed and more adjustment of systems: Hulnick shows just where work should be revised to create a valuable program with new strategies and tactics.?-MBR Internet Bookwatch/Library Bookwatch

?This book is for all Americans who want to be more informed about homeland security and who want to learn how all intelligence agencies could operate more efficiently and competently.?-Library Media Connection

"ÝH¨ulnick presents a synthesis of what many insiders and outsiders have been promoting for the last two years, such as improving communication between specific intelligence agencies and general law enforcement entities; restructuring the intelligence organization of the government; and balancing and continuing US freedoms with antithetical laws to fight terrorism. Hulnick is one of the rare authors who incorporates spies and espionage into the importance of homeland security. This alone separates the book from others. Recommended. General readers and lower-division undergraduate collections."-Choice

"ÝO¨fferÝs¨ a useful and generally dispasionate overview of the American intelligence community as it pertains to homeland security."-49th Parallel

"[O]ffer[s] a useful and generally dispasionate overview of the American intelligence community as it pertains to homeland security."-49th Parallel

"The U.S. government's progress in establishing homeland security processes has been considerable, but more work is needed and more adjustment of systems: Hulnick shows just where work should be revised to create a valuable program with new strategies and tactics."-MBR Internet Bookwatch/Library Bookwatch

"This book is for all Americans who want to be more informed about homeland security and who want to learn how all intelligence agencies could operate more efficiently and competently."-Library Media Connection

"[H]ulnick presents a synthesis of what many insiders and outsiders have been promoting for the last two years, such as improving communication between specific intelligence agencies and general law enforcement entities; restructuring the intelligence organization of the government; and balancing and continuing US freedoms with antithetical laws to fight terrorism. Hulnick is one of the rare authors who incorporates spies and espionage into the importance of homeland security. This alone separates the book from others. Recommended. General readers and lower-division undergraduate collections."-Choice

About the Author

ARTHUR S. HULNICK is Associate Professor of International Relations at Boston University and a veteran of 35 years as an intelligence professional. He began his service as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force and joined the CIA in 1965. He served in a variety of assignments in the U.S. and overseas before becoming the CIA Officer-in-Residence at Boston University in 1989, where he created and taught courses on aspects of intelligence. After retiring from the CIA in 1992, he continued to teach at BU and, in 1999, published his first book Fixing the Spy Machine (Praeger). In 2003 he taught one of the first courses in the U.S. on Intelligence and Homeland Security.