The threat of jihad from radical Islam on a global scale is the national security challenge of our generation.  In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the President established the Department of Homeland Security to assist in the planning and coordination of federal efforts to combat terrorism.  Since then, the President has issued a series of directives communicating presidential decisions on homeland security policies.

The last directive was issued on May 9, 2007.  This directive ordered all federal agencies to prepare emergency plans for a surprise “decapitating” attack on the federal government in Washington.  The directive called for the creation of a national continuity coordinator to oversee this project.  The goal of this directive is to ensure our recovery from a catastrophic national emergency. The threat that we face today is not going away and we must be prepared.  The directive is in response to an attack on our homeland and not an action attempting to circumvent the “separation of powers.”