Quote Originally Posted by SSG Rock View Post
Why doesn't he knock some heads? Can he? Has he tried that approach?

Wouldn't the creation of a "Czar" require hammering out new laws? Creating support staff, in short, wouldn't it take a lot of time? And wouldn't the position inevitably be tainted by partisanship anyway? Why go through the trouble to create another position that ultimately will not help?

I think I'd hold a "come to Jesus meeting" and I'd lay it on the line, demand interagency cooperation on a scale never seen before, and I would tell them if this doesn't happen I'll fire you, and if I can't fire you I'll spend the rest of my term making your life as miserable as I possibly can.
SSG Rock,

The problem isn't the "come to Jesus meeting," which the President can easily pull together, it's the lack of ability to followup that causes the problem. That's why a "Czar" would be helpful. He has the full authority and support of the President along with the time necessary to make sure folks are getting their jobs done. My agency gets many tasks from the NSC and White House. Despite the fact they are Presidential/NSC initiatives, they don't always get the support you would think. We often fight for funding just to meet the minimum requirements (and we're not always successful).

If things worked as they should, each Department and Agency would review the National Security Strategy, figure out how they can support it, and put resources to the task. This simply doesn't happen in most (any?) departments or agencies.

Until the entire system is fixed, you need somebody who can crack skulls with the President's approval.

That's my view anyway.

Brian