PDD-39 and HSPD-5 are very similar safety directives, united by the provisions concerning terrorism as a world problem and the attitude of the United States towards it. PDD-39 emphasizes the need to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks from the first lines of the directive (The White House, 1995). HSPD-5 also mentions this threat among the first, similarly accentuating the need for an effective unified system (The White House, 2003). However, significant differences between the directives lie in these texts’ subject matter and tone. While PDD-39 focuses entirely on counterterrorism measures, HSPD-5 is dedicated to “domestic incidents” (The White House, 2003). Thus, the newer directive captures significantly more issues and places less emphasis on counterterrorism efforts.
The reason for such changes is likely political and social changes associated with the fight against terrorism. In addition to 9/11, America was greatly affected by the subsequent declaration of the War on Terrorism. The announcement, and the following actions of former US President George W. Bush, have been widely criticized for their efficiency and cost implications. The War on Terrorism, which fits well with PDD-39, has violated many civil rights in the US and abroad. Thus, HSPD-5 was most likely refocused on a more general tone due to the population’s dissatisfaction with American aggression.
However, from my perspective, both directives are unsuccessful, as they did not achieve their goals. Despite the counterterrorism rhetoric, terrorism as a phenomenon remains relevant twenty years after President Bush’s announcement. On the other hand, HSPD-5 was intended to reduce the number of various disasters within the country by creating a unified management system (The White House, 2003). However, Hardy et al.’s (2009) study shows that most US residents delay or underestimate the need to develop emergency responses to various tragedies. Consequently, this task was also not completed in full, which makes it challenging to consider HSPD-5 a success.
This may be partly the fault of technological progress, which has consistently accelerated over the past twenty years. Since the early 2000s, more new technologies have appeared every year, including those that radically changed the population’s lives. Simultaneously, the issued directives could not adapt to such rapid changes, significantly reducing their effectiveness. However, the role of technology, in this case, is only additional, and the socio-political changes that have taken place, from my perspective, influence the situation much more strongly.
References
Hardy, V., Roper, K. O., & Kennedy, S. (2009). Emergency preparedness and disaster recovery in the US post 9/11. Journal of Facilities Management, 7(3), 212-223. Web.
The White House. (1995). Presidential Decision Directive/NSC-39. Web.
The White House. (2003). Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5. Web.