Connecting the Spots: Combating Transnational Terrorist Groups Through Leveraging Indigenous Security Forces
Abstract
Historical evidence shows that effective policing and intelligence have the greatest impact on defeating terrorist groups. Unfortunately, US efforts to develop and enhance indigenous security forces (ISF) to combat transnational terrorist groups have been uncoordinated and fragmented. The lack of an effective counterterrorism (CT) coordinating agency and the lack of a comprehensive interagency CT strategy have severely hampered US Government (USG) efforts to provide counterterrorism training and assistance to ISF. Antiquated Congressional legislation prohibiting the training of foreign police forces has further constrained the USG's ability to provide effective assistance and created an extremely fragmented USG approach to providing CT training and assistance. This paper proposes four key USG actions to develop, enhance, and leverage ISF abroad to combat transnational terrorist groups: (1) rescind or amend the legislative prohibition on training foreign police, (2) institute an interagency coordination group to synchronize and assess CT training and assistance globally, (3) improve information sharing with ISF, and (4) apply a global oil spot strategy to ISF development. These actions will allow USG agencies and international organizations to optimize resources in order to better leverage ISF worldwide. Additionally, through the combined development of ISF and information sharing networks in at-risk nations, "oil spots of security" can be incrementally expanded and connected to isolate and defeat transnational terrorist groups.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA539688
Entities
People
- Mack-jan H. Spencer
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College