Publications
Strategies for the War on Terrorism: Results of a Special Study
On September 13, 2001, the first day after the attacks of September 11 that Sandia National Laboratories re-opened, Vice President Gerry Yonas entirely redirected the efforts of his organization, the Advanced Concepts Group (ACG), to the problem of terrorism. For the next several weeks, the ACG focused on trying to better characterize the international terrorist threat and the vulnerabilities of the US to further attacks. This work culminated in a presentation by Dr . Yonas to the Fall Leadership Focus meeting at Sandia National Laboratories on October 22. Following that meeting, President and Lab Director, Paul Robinson, asked Dr. Yonas and the ACG to develop a long-term (3-5 year) technology roadmap showing how Sandia could direct efforts to making major contributions to the success of the nation's war on terrorism. The ACG effort would communicate with other Labs activities working on near-term responses to Federal calls for technological support. The ACG study was conducted in two phases. The first, more exploratory, stage divided the terrorism challenge into three broad parts, each examined by a team that included both permanent ACG staff and part-time staff and consultants from other Sandia organizations. The ''Red'' team looked at the problems of finding and stopping terrorists before they strike (or strike again). The ''Yellow'' team studied the problems of protecting people and facilities from terrorist attacks, as well as those of responding to attacks that occur. The ''Green'' team attempted to understand the long-term, ''root'' causes of terrorism, and how technology might help ameliorate the conditions that lead people to support, or even become, terrorists. In addition, a ''Purple'' team worked with the other teams to provide an integrating vision for them all, to help make appropriate connections among them, and to see that they left no important gaps between them. The findings of these teams were presented to a broad representation of laboratory staff and management on January 3, 2002. From the many ideas explored by the Red, Green, and Yellow teams, and keeping in mind criteria formulated by the Purple team, the ACG assembled a set of five major technology development goals. These goals, if pursued, could lead to major contributions to the war on terrorism. With some rearrangement of team members and coordinators, a new set of teams began fleshing out these five ''Big Hairy Audacious Goals'' for the consideration of Laboratory leadership. Dr. Yonas briefed Sandia upper management on the work of these teams on February 4, 2002. This report presents the essence of that work as applicable to the R&D community of the nation interested in the development of better tools for a long term ''War on Terrorism.''