North American Security Perimeter Called Good Idea

Answer from Jack Devine, president and founding partner of the Arkin Group LLC, and a former CIA deputy director and acting director of operations: Establishing a 'security perimeter' is an important goal for the United States, Canada and Mexico. The task of defending large and open societies such as ours is enormous and can best be done in a systematic and coordinated manner. Since the passage of NAFTA, the three countries have become more economically linked than ever. More than 16 million containers of goods arrive in the United States by ship, truck, and rail each year, with the vast majority coming from Canada and Mexico. Still, our efforts to integrate operations along the borders-from the physical screening of goods and people to the sharing of watch lists, law enforcement data and intelligence-remain lacking. Since Sept. 11, we in the United States realize the possibility that terrorists might infiltrate the country via our northern and southern borders, and we have sought to strengthen and streamline our homeland security by increasing the information sharing among federal and state government agencies. Canada and Mexico have taken steps to increase their own security as well. Now, as the tri-national task force rightly suggests, it's time for the three countries to work together. Answer from Andre Belelieu, assistant director at the U.S. office of Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue: The proposal to establish a common security perimeter in North America is feasible, but will require a sustained level of political will that has not always been present in intra-North American relations over the past few years to overcome sovereignty issues and policy differences. Whether such a solution is feasible is very different from whether all three countries would ultimately see it as desirable. Portions of Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor run each Wednesday and Saturday. Original article: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11759760.htm [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on May 30, 2005]

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