"I will therefore speak candidly about the urgent need to refocus our counter-terror approach to make it a shared endeavor . . . to make it more layered, networked and resilient . . . to make it smarter, and more adaptive.

And to get to a point where we are in a constant state of preparedness, not a
constant state of fear.

The challenge is not just using federal power to protect the country, but also enlisting a much broader societal response to the threat that terrorism poses.

A wise approach to keeping America secure should be rooted in the values that define our nation, values like resilience, shared responsibility, and standing up for what’s right.

These are values that led us to fight and win two world wars, and that were on display in the dark days after the September 11th attacks. We must embrace them again now.

So, how do we secure our homeland and stay true to our values?

With four levels of collective response.

It starts with the American people. From there it extends to local law enforcement, and from there up to the federal government, and then, finally, out beyond our shores, where America’s international allies can serve as partners in our collective fight against terrorism.

In the last four weeks alone, I have traveled nearly 30,000 miles—from Islamabad, Pakistan, to Seattle, Washington, engaging partners at each of those levels.

We’ve brokered international agreements, launched new partnerships, and challenged our citizens to play their part in our common security.

We do face a common threat – and it requires a collective response.

And we must face that threat, and coordinate that response, in an evolving and highly networked world.

This networked world takes on many forms.

The cyber network that runs our power grids, fires our critical infrastructure, and facilitates commerce is now itself a target, and is vulnerable to attack.

This networked climate forces us to rethink how best to protect our values and our security in a world where the tools for creating violence and chaos are as easy to find as the tools for buying music online or re-stocking an inventory.

We also live in a mobile world, with complex networks of people and information.

We can’t forget that the 9/11 attackers conceived of their plans in the Philippines, planned in Malaysia and Germany, recruited from Yemen and Saudi Arabia, trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and carried them out in the United States.

That’s why our homeland security network must be built to leverage “force multipliers”:

• the cooperation of international allies;
• the full powers of the United States federal government;
• the vigilance of police on the beat; and
• the untapped resourcefulness of millions of our own American citizens.

• In Ireland I will assess preparations for aviation preclearance operations, which are scheduled to begin on July 29.


• In the UK, I’ll be meeting with the new Home Secretary and the new Transport Secretary on a number of issues, including cyber-security, science and technology collaboration, countering violent extremism, and civil aviation security.


• In Portugal, we will discuss ways to improve and increase information sharing to counter threats in both of our countries.


• And in Spain we will discuss enhancing the security of air travel between our two countries, building off of the recent agreements we’ve made to improve criminal information sharing and science and technology cooperation.