Rosenblum: Superpowers Are Supposed to Stay Open

Posted: January 21st, 2018

By Todd Rosenblum

Todd M. Rosenblum served as President Obama’s Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs at the Pentagon, as well as Deputy Under Secretary of Intelligence for Plans, Policy, and Performance Management at the Department of Homeland Security. Over the course of a 27-year career, Rosenblum held positions with the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Department of State, and began his professional career as an Intelligence Officer in the Central Intelligence Agency’s Office of Near Eastern Affairs.

At it again. This week’s government shutdown is an all-too-familiar refrain for those of us with lengthy government service. Shutdowns – and the impact of the supposedly temporary sequestration deal of 2013 – are annoying, diverting of precious time and attention from the national security missions of the United States, and corrosive to the essential bonds of staff, managers and leaders. But they are more than that.

Shutdowns have real world effect: they compel budgeteers; procurement officers and planners to defer and rework long-planned training, readiness and acquisition programs. They require managers to pick and choose who among their staff is “essential” and “non-essential.” They harm our standing with allies and adversaries. Outsiders may view this as a standoff between politicians angling for an advantageous news cycle, but to those on the inside, it harms our nation’s security.

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