U.S. Policy and Objectives for Diplomatic SecurityJoe D. Morton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Director, Diplomatic Security ServiceRemarks to the 17th Annual National Defense Industrial Associations Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict Symposium Crystal City, Virginia March 13, 2006 Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with you today to discuss the role of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the challenges that we face. As the security and law enforcement arm of the State Department, we are tasked with maintaining a secure environment in which Secretary Rice has said that we are now in a period of transformational diplomacy, where our diplomats not only report what is going on in the field, but are actively partnering with nations to help them transform toward a democratic system of governance. This new age of transformational diplomacy, combined with the global war on terror, has placed demands on DS like never before in its history. We are being called upon to serve in places today where traditionally the State Department would have pulled out or minimized its presence. So now, in countries that are on the forefront of the global war on terror and where democracy is just starting to take root, we are putting more people and resources on the ground, not fewer. Intuitively, that means we are accepting more risk. In In recent years, DS has been called upon to protect the leaders of some of the most politically volatile countries on earth--on their soil. At this time, we are physically protecting world leaders in areas that are steeped in national and regional conflict; creating the basic and necessary stability for their leaderships to take their fledging democracies to the next level. For the last few years, DS has been leading the protection efforts of President Hamid Karzai in More recently, we have been providing protection to the newly elected Liberian president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, so that the vital affairs of During recent presidential elections in Clearly, these new demands and refocused priorities in this era of transformational diplomacy will require new solutions and new ways of thinking. We must seek new technologies from the private industry, to allow us to take on our newfound missions with confidence and success. We have allocated a great deal of resources to the research and development of new state-of-the-art structures that can withstand significant blasts. For example, we have sought new construction technologies so that buildings on our new embassy compound in high-risk environments will have overhead roof cover to protect our people from indirect rocket and mortar fire. Recently in We are working with offices within the Defense Department and the private sector, to develop new ways to detect and neutralize improvised explosive devices--the weapon of choice for insurgents in low-intensity conflicts. These roadside bombs have been used against civilian and the military convoys too often and too effectively. It is imperative that we quickly move to arm ourselves against these threats with technology and tactical know-how. While efforts I have just mentioned have resulted in the hardening of U.S. Government facilities, anti-American terror groups have increasingly viewed the American private sector as a much softer target. Many American restaurants and hotel chains have been repeatedly targeted worldwide. U.S. oil companies and defense contractors have experienced terrifying attacks on their housing facilities and personnel. To combat this, our Overseas Security Advisory Council or OSAC was set up in 1985 to foster cooperation and the exchange of security information between the U.S. Government and the Just as DS provides information to those organizations that are in need, we too, seek information from the general public to help us with our mission. Our Rewards for Justice program, one of the most valuable U.S. Government assets in the fight against international terrorism, offers rewards of up to $25 million for information that prevents or favorably resolves acts of international terrorism against In recent years, the growing technological sophistication that criminals and terrorists employ around the world has been of great concern. The growth of the Internet, as well as the ease of travel and communication around the world, have made possible the rapid movement of operatives, expertise, money, and explosives. As a result, we are concerned of cyber attacks against our vital information gateways that we so heavily depend on day after day. To combat this challenge, DS has established a cyber security division, to oversee and protect our information gateways at home, and at the Department’s approximately 285 overseas locations. I am pleased to say that our leading-edge cyber tool development efforts have been adopted by the U.S. Government and recently was recipient of a prestigious NSA an award. DS understands the significance in developing and utilizing technology to meet the challenges of today, and more importantly, the challenges of tomorrow. DS’ innovative use of technology provides the ability to remotely monitor the movements of employees in high threat environments, enabling immediate responses to incidents. Capabilities to monitor many of our overseas missions cameras in real time has also been implemented. DS instituted a reengineered, technology enhanced security clearances program that delivers clearances in less than 75 days, a Federal sector leader.
Protecting our information is not only the job of our cyber security specialists, but also falls on our agents and analysts in our Counter Intelligence Division. As State Department personnel are the most exposed U.S. Government employees to foreign intelligence threats, we have developed a strong defensive counterintelligence program. Through background checks, assignment restrictions, and thorough briefings, we prepare our employees for postings to countries with aggressive and hostile intelligence services. Our nation’s secrets are the responsibility of each and every employee. It is our responsibility to give them the information and situational awareness they need to counter these threats. While the Department is committed to the safety and securing of our assets overseas, we are equally determined to protect the integrity of our nation’s borders. Through our regional security offices overseas and our domestic field offices, including 25 Joint Terrorism Task Force locations, our 1400 agents are investigating allegations of passport and visa fraud, pursuing criminals and terrorists who seek entry into the I have mentioned just a few examples of the many challenges and solutions we are developing in our quest to secure our national interests ever more effectively. For wherever DS goes in the world--whether we’re securing the new president of Released on March 17, 2006 |