Homeland Security Strategies - Research Paper Example

Homeland Security Strategies Abstract The security of a nation is paramount and has to be given much focus and attention by the government. This is done to ensure that citizens of a nation are free from any threat of external or internal aggression such as terrorist attacks or cross boarder conflict. At times, the security of a nation may be threatened by internal conflicts such as inter-ethnic fighting and other forms of insecurity. Other forms of security threats that a nation must be prepared to safeguard its citizens against are those resulting from natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and droughts. The United States of America has taken several measures in ensuring that its citizens are protected from any form of security threat by establishing a Homeland Security Council. The paper will look at an overview of Homeland Security Strategies and its economic, social, and legal implications. Homeland Security Strategies Overview of America’s National Strategy for Homeland Security America has been at war with terrorist adversaries whose main aim has been to attack the homeland and cause destruction to both property and human life. It is also factly that the American people have been so vulnerable to natural catastrophes such as tsunamis, perennial floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and manmade disasters such as the recent oil spill in the ocean. Certain diseases have also been of major concern to the United States of America and have to be eradicated in order for the nation to be free, safe, and friendly. Because of these security issues, the United States of America have put in place a National Security for Homeland to address the issues of terrorist and catastrophic events due to their implications on Homeland Security (Executive Office of the President, Homeland Security Council, 2007). The purpose of the strategy is to ensure that the nation’s Homeland Security is well organized, unified, and guided to ensure that it achieves its goals of preventing and destroying any form of terrorist activities; ensure that the citizens of the United States are protected, infrastructure maintained and the resources safeguarded (Howard, Forest, Moore, 2006). It also ensures that the Homeland Security pursues its goal of providing quick response and recovery from the occurrence of security threats, and to strengthen their vision (Executive Office of the President, Homeland Security Council, 2007). The Strategy is meant to ensure that the Homeland Security continue to reinforce the underpinning so that the nation achieve its long terms success, by transforming the principles of Homeland Security, its institutions, structures and systems. This entails development of a good culture of disaster preparedness, ensuring that there is in place a compressive approach to disaster management, improving incident management, leveraging mechanism of national command and influence, improved application of science and technology, and building a stable Homeland Security management (Bellavita, 2005).. The Homeland Security is not one sided but needs the support of the nation as a whole with shared responsibilities and purposes in protecting and defending the United States Homeland. For this reason, The Homeland strategy controls the power and capabilities of the government, communities, citizens, non-profit sectors, and the private organization. This is because the strategy recognizes the fact that security threat has no boundary and can strike anywhere at any time, thus needs to involve all sectors of the nation. The National Homeland Strategy ensures that a partnership is built with other nations across the globe to help the United States in dealing with security issues especially those that have to do with external aggression and terrorist attacks (Bellavita, 2005). Economic Implications of Homeland Security Strategy The economy of the United States has been at threat due to security issues whether it arises from terrorist attacks, natural catastrophes, manmade disasters, or diseases. The security issue has been seen to affect mostly certain parts of the economy of the United States. The main sectors of the economy mostly affected include infrastructure and key assets of the nation. The Homeland Security has ensured that this sector of the economy is protected from effects of terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The critical infrastructures include buildings, roads, railway lines, offices, and public places. The Homeland Security has, therefore, ensured that these infrastructures are protected from any form of security threat since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which saw the economy of the United States dwindled. The scenario has, however, changed due to preventive measures put in place by the Homeland security. This has seen the United States infrastructure revamp leading to improvement of the economy (Alperen, 2011). The agricultural sector of the economy has been under a lot of threat that required the Homeland Security to find better strategies that can be employed to ensure its protection. The food and agricultural sectors have faced the problems of diseases and contamination. The government has, however, tried to work hard in collaboration with industries in the past to mitigate the effects of diseases and contamination of food. However, their efforts did not bear much fruit. It was established that the best way of dealing with the issue was to detect the disease entry points of the diseases and deal with them at these points. This saw the establishment of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure agriculture and food security is maintained. The Department of Homeland Security has worked in conjunction with UADA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in trying to find better ways of providing protection to these sectors of the economy (Alperen, 2011). Health sectors also contribute greatly to the gross domestic products of the United States. This sector of the economy is significantly impoacted by Homeland Security issues. The Homeland Security has ensured that hospitals and health centre are maintained in a manner that can be easily accessible to by the people in case of a disaster. The strategy also ensures that health facilities are protected from any security threats that may put threat to the lives of those in hospital. Hospitals in the United States are now more prepared to disasters and diseases than never before as a result of the Homeland Security strategies that require them to be prepared at all times (Ward, Kierman and Marbrey, 2006). Water plays a great role in the economy of the United States and as such has to be protected. This is so because water is used for several purposes both in hospital and industrial or domestic use. The Department of Homeland Security through environmental protection Agency has ensured that vulnerability assessment is carried out to find ways of how to protect this form of infrastructure. The industries depend on the water especially to act as a coolant, remove waste products, manufacture of safe drinking water. All these contribute greatly to the economy of the US. The Department of Homeland Security has therefore been working with the Environmental Protection Agency (APA) to ensure that water system is safe for purposes of industrial development. Because of protection from the Homeland Security strategy, this has seen the United States water remain safe for both industrial and human consumption. This has led to economic growth of the country in the areas that require water supply (Alperen, 2011). The strategy of Homeland Security is geared towards safeguarding the energy sector of the economy. The energy sector is one area that the United States economy is very much dependent. These are natural gas, oil, and electricity. Without energy, the economy cannot function since power is needed for the industries to operate. This was evident when the United States experienced an oil spill in the ocean, which had a devastating effect on its economy. The Department of Homeland Security through it strategies has ensured that this sector of the economy is protected from manmade disasters. The strategies are also geared towards protection of industries from terrorist attacks or manmade disasters. For example, the oil and gas industries are very flammable and any human error can lead to a fire outbreak that may result in the loss of property and lives. The security strategies of the Homeland have ensured that proper disaster preparedness measure is put in place to deal with any security issues in gas and oil industries (Ward, Kierman and Marbrey, 2006). Electricity contributes greatly to every sector of the economy be it in hospitals, businesses, schools, homes and manufacturing sectors. It is also needed in the production of other sources of energy used in the United States. It is because of the importance of electricity to the economy of the US that the Homeland Security deviced strategies toensure that the electricity sources are protected from any forms of threat. This has seen the Department of Homeland Security work hand in hand with the energy regulatory authorities such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) by devising strategies to ensure that the sector is safe. The result of these strategies has seen a tremendous increase in safety and electricity supply throughout United States leading to development of the economy (Bellavita, 2005). Chemical sector is an area that contributes greatly to the economic development of the United States. The chemical industries include those involved in the manufacture of fertilizers polymers manufacture and water purification. This chemical poses many health hazards to employees and the surrounding areas and, therefore, need to offer safeguard. The Homeland Security has devised strategies to ensure that those who work in chemical and hazardous industries are protected from effects of chemical from these industries. The Homeland Security has also devised strategies to ensure that the industries are protected from any effects of terrorist attacks. Their strategies have seen the development and improvement of the health of the employees making them work in a protected environment leading to economic development (Alperen, 2011). The United States depends much on the postal and shipping industry. A survey show that more than seven hundred and fifty million mails pass through the United States’ postal system (Ward, Kierman and Marbrey, 2006). It also employs several employees who take part in the delivery of mails among other activities. Ward, Kierman, and Marbrey (2006) observed that the mailing and shipping sector contributes close to $200 billion yearly. This shows the extent to which this sector is important. The DDepartment of Homeland Security has been in the forefront of maintaining safety and ensuring that the sector is secure from terrorist attacks and other security related issues. The Homeland Security is working in collaboration with the Postal Inspection Service and other agencies to assure safety of mails being transited across US boarders. The strategy employed by the Homeland Security has ensured that the postal, and shipping sector of economy remain safe and this has lead to economic growth and sustainability (Alperen, 2011). The United States economy depends a lot on banking and finance. These financial institutions are the bedrocks of the nation since they act as places where money is stored, exchanged, and even to a large extend offer employments to the people. The institutions have been of major threat especially due to bank robberies, fraudulent dealing, and sabotage. The United States has, for example, witnessed many cases relating to ban k robberies in the past and fraudulent cases. This acts leads to economic down fall and as such has to be safeguarded from any kind of security threat. The Homeland Security strategy has ensured that measures are put in place to safeguard the banks and other financial institutions from any form of security threats. This has seen a reduction in fraud and bank robbery cases in the United States. They have also devised measures that ensure banks are free from foreign aggression (Ward, Kierman, and Marbrey, 2006). The transport sector is very much important to the economy of the United States. The United States derives a lot of revenue from the transport sector; rail transport, air, road, and water. The transport sector of the economy has been of major threat as it has been the most targeted infrastructure by the terrorist (Bellavita, 2005). This was witnessed during the September 11 year 2001, when the terrorist hijacked two United States passenger planes and used them to hit the World Trade Centre. This shows how transport sector is vulnerable to security threats. Some have been witnessed in other modes of transport. In fact, the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks led to the formation of the Homeland Security. The effects of the attack are still being felt in the United States economy to date. However, since then, the Homeland Security has devised strategies that ensure that the terrorist’s activities are curtailed, by eliminating their networks through collaboration with foreign countries. The Homeland Security, through it strong network, has seen the mastermind of the September 11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden, killed while in his hiding place in Pakistan. As a result, the transport sector is now on its recovery stage. It contributes million of dollars in the economy of the United States, as now travelers perceive the transport sectors to be safe due to the strategies used by the Homeland Security in the form of screening of passengers and luggage before entry into the plane and major public transport (Alperen, 2011). Social Implications of Homeland Security Strategy Since insecurity issues resulting from terrorist attacks, natural disasters and health issues may have a social impact to the American people as it results in massive displacement of people, the Homeland Security have put on strategies in place to ensure that assistance is given to the displaced persons. The Homeland strategy has ensured that the displaced persons are providing with housing, medical care and treatments to the affected in the society. Hospitals are being built and emergency preparedness strategies bveing implemented to ensure that the lives of the affected people are not put at risk (Ward, Kierman, and Marbrey, 2006). The Homeland Security also recognizes the right of the American people to engage in social activities including sports activities. Due to security threats that sometimes result from internal fighting between supporters of opposing teams or any imminent threat from external terrorist attacks. The Homeland Security ensures that stadiums where the sports are being held are provided with adequate security. Their strategy is also geared at ensuring that insurance companies to those who attend the matches provide an insurance cover (Forest, 2006). Legal implications of Homeland Security Strategy Before the Homeland Security strategy was established, law enforcement in the United States was much concentrated on preventing and unraveling crimes pertaining to robbery, burglary, and theft, which only had instant impacts on people in terms of affecting their quality of life. However, since the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks on World Trade centre, the scenario has changed with the formation of a Homeland Security that has developed strategies within the legal system to adapt to policing strategies in order to be able to meet the requirement of the Homeland Security in dealing with acts of terrorism. This has seen the law enforcement agencies in the United States fighting with a paradigm of how to handle terrorist issues. This change in approach was observed by Forest (2006) when the International Association Chief Police (IACP) in his summary speech argued that the law enforcement agency could no longer concentrate on traditional crimes but instead should now focus much on a new threat to the community, which is terrorism. The result of which now the local law enforcers have now focused on intelligence gathering, crime prevention and information sharing in support of the Homeland Security strategy (Ward, Kierman and Marbrey, 2006). The Homeland Security has had an impact on the approach to law enforced. It has resulted in a move away from a traditional approach to insecurity that was based on fear, crime, and social disorder to one that focuses on prevention of terrorist activities and deterrent of such further acts in the United States of America. The strategy has therefore ensured that the law enforcers become aware that getting involved in war against terrorism must involve accepting responsibility. For this reason, community policing is being worked on by law enforcement agencies in the United States in order to be able to come up with an effective preventive and terrorist response management for Homeland Security (Bellavita, 2005). In conclusion, the Homeland Security strategy has helped the United States of America in eliminating most of the security threats that the country has been prone to especially since the terrorist attacks that resulted in the formation of a homeland security. The threats that the Homeland Security has been fighting against include terrorist threats, natural disasters such as earth quarks, hurricane, tsunami, and perennial flooding. Others threats it has been trying to eliminate or prevent are diseases and manmade disasters such as fire disasters and other industrial risks. The strategists that have been used by the Homeland Security vary depending on the nature and type of disaster being handled. These include risk management strategies, prevention strategies, and emergency preparedness strategies among others. To achieve its goals, the Homeland Security has ensured that all arms of the government take part in ensuring that the United states is free from any form of security threats. It has also involved other groups such as the non-governmental organizations, the community, private sectors and individuals citizens to ensure that everyone participates. The strategies have also had certain economic, social, and legal implications. Economically it has affected the manner in which the agricultural and infrastructural facilities that contribute to economic development of the nation are managed with security in mind. The areas of economy affected in this case are the agriculture, water, energy, electricity, chemical industries, postage and shipping industries and the transport sectors. The strategy ensures that those affected by disasters are provided with proper housing and medical healthcare and other social amenities. Homeland Security strategy has also changed the legal systems approach to disasters and security issues from traditional to development of systems that deal with terrorisms. Reference Alperen, M. (2011). Foundations of Homeland Security: Law and Policy. New Jersey: Willy & Sons. Bellavita, C. (2005). What is Preventing Homeland Security? Homeland Security Affairs I(1): pp1-14 Office of the President, Homeland Security Council (2007). National Strategy for Homeland Security. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. Howard, R., Forest, J., Moore, J. (2006) Homeland Security and terrorism: readings and interpretations. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group. Ward, R., Kirman, K., & Mabrey D. (20006). Homeland Security: An Introduction. Ohio: Elsevier. Read More