Have we learned nothing from 9/11?

I know that the anniversary of Sept 11 2001 is still 5 days away but given the current crop of Presidential debates and questions of National security be answered by folks who instill no sense of competence what so ever I have to comment. For an example of incompetence see this article about Dennis Kucinich visiting Syria but saying “he won't visit Iraq on his trip to the region because he considers the US military deployment there illegal”.

But idiots aside, NationalDefenseMagazine.org has a story with the headline “Reluctance to Share Information Hampers Counterterrorism Efforts”. I can’t believe that this is still a problem (information sharing). This information sharing “wall” (which was built by Jamie S. Gorelick) was cited by Attorney General John Ashcroft as "...the single greatest structural cause for September 11...” and NationalDefenseMagazine.org reports that not too much has changed. The article states:

“But several years into this effort (to establish command centers where federal, state and local officials can share information.), these so-called “data fusion centers” are not functioning as originally planned, mostly because federal agencies have been reluctant to share intelligence with state and local officials.”

So what’s it going to take to remove the territorial boundaries that exist within these agencies? We have our intelligence and law-enforcement agencies trying to establish ownership of data and information when the focus should be on developing the necessary infrastructure to actually make a meaningful impact on this country’s safety and defense against threats to our security. Along with this we have a sandbox mentality that appears to lack any real long term strategy in achieving the necessary end goal or goals, which would be to remove the needless obstacles to making data visible, discoverable and accessible.

As we go to elect a President next year, whoever it is needs to move away from being a static observer and get involved in these issues through engaged staff. I am really disappointed in Michael Chertoff (Secretary of Homeland Security) and the Bush Administration for not being a bigger champion of getting this issue solved especially since this administration was on watch 6 years ago. Have we learned nothing?