National Security
Timothy Collins
2/10/2013
National Security: An Intuitive Understanding The debate over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is one with strong opinions on both sides of the issues. There are pros and cons to the extensive network of security that the federal government has created to combat domestic and international terrorism. National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic power, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II. Initially focusing on military might, it now encompasses a broad range of facets, all of which impinge on the non military or economic security of the nation and the values espoused by the national society. Accordingly, in order to possess national security, a nation needs to possess economic security, energy security, environmental security, etc. Security threats involve not only conventional foes such as other nation-states but also non-state actors such as violent non-state actors, narcotic cartels, multinational corporations and non-governmental organizations; some authorities include natural disasters and events causing severe environmental damage in this category. Survival of the state can no longer depend on the accustomed commensurate of National Security. What is national security really? As we know, the concept revolves around absolute protection or a philosophy of maintaining a stable nation. This is traced back to the Peace of Westphalia, a series of peace treaties from 1568 until about 1648. Both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes addressed this in many ways which shed light on the quest to achieve a free nation or a utopia respectively. These philosophers stressed the ideal of a “state of nature” in their very own novels. They believed and sought a state of perfect freedom, Locke contends this state of nature requires constant alertness against those who would violate this perfect
2/10/2013
National Security: An Intuitive Understanding The debate over the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is one with strong opinions on both sides of the issues. There are pros and cons to the extensive network of security that the federal government has created to combat domestic and international terrorism. National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic power, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II. Initially focusing on military might, it now encompasses a broad range of facets, all of which impinge on the non military or economic security of the nation and the values espoused by the national society. Accordingly, in order to possess national security, a nation needs to possess economic security, energy security, environmental security, etc. Security threats involve not only conventional foes such as other nation-states but also non-state actors such as violent non-state actors, narcotic cartels, multinational corporations and non-governmental organizations; some authorities include natural disasters and events causing severe environmental damage in this category. Survival of the state can no longer depend on the accustomed commensurate of National Security. What is national security really? As we know, the concept revolves around absolute protection or a philosophy of maintaining a stable nation. This is traced back to the Peace of Westphalia, a series of peace treaties from 1568 until about 1648. Both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes addressed this in many ways which shed light on the quest to achieve a free nation or a utopia respectively. These philosophers stressed the ideal of a “state of nature” in their very own novels. They believed and sought a state of perfect freedom, Locke contends this state of nature requires constant alertness against those who would violate this perfect