Suchergebnisse

In this chapter, the author examines the changes made to America's national security strategy in the wake of 9/11. The author argues that the Bush Doctrine has caused more damage to both US & international security than it has to improve these issues. The embrace of preventive war, unilateralism, & militarism has damaged the traditional fabrics of international relations. D. Miller

The relationship between energy & security changed throughout the 20th century to end up with a US-centric system of alliances & multilateral cooperation on selected issues. More globally integrated energy markets present new security challenges because interdependence is uneven. Since US energy independence is impossible, US policy now includes the stabilization of global energy markets, open transportation channels, & infrastructure security. Antitrust regulation & environmental protection also inform policy & must be balanced with the security dimension. In the next 2 decades, energy consumption will grow & supply disruption & environmental degradation will increase. Under these conditions, energy security policy demands a global approach based on a realistic appraisal of competing national interests between the US, Europe, the People's Republic of China, Russia, & the Middle East. 4 Figures. M. Pflum

Argues that migration control is not an answer to security difficulties created by the "undocumented immigration problem" & security agencies do not develop new policies in response to political challenges/threats. Rather, the production of discourses that link migration & security is part of the "political game" played by Western democracies. Security agencies have their own view of threats & their own methods of control. They compete with each other for inclusion of their goals in politicians' platforms by constructing problems that allow them to implement their traditional solutions. The social construction of threats by various members of the community of security professionals is analyzed, along with the diminishing lines between internal & external security; the emergence of immigration as a global security problem; & ways the discourse about illegal immigrants is framed by "struggles for a monopoly of the definition & hierarchy of threats." Bureaucratic games, the media's role, blurred lines between military & police activities, & identification of the immigrant as a common adversary are explored. 106 References. J. Lindroth

As the essays in this volume indicate, security problems need to be approached within the framework of three dimensions: continuing/changing/emerging, military/nonmilitary, & interstate/intrastate/transnational; examples of the intersections of these three dimensions are presented. Near-term prospects for international security are grim. The US will retain military superiority, but many problems are intractable & nuclear, biological, & chemical weapons continue to proliferate. With international integration, new economic, demographic, & environmental challenges arise. Information technology & genetic engineering can cause catastrophes. Current policy responses are inadequate & slow. Security policies need less military focus, broader agendas, & more complexity, global scope, & multilateralism. 1 Table. M. Pflum

"Human security is commonly understood as prioritising the security of people, especially their welfare, safety and well-being, rather than that of states. Instead of examining human security as a measurable or specific condition, however, the focus here is how human security as a technology of governance facilitates the way that populations living within the territories of ineffective states are understood, differentiated and acted upon by aid institutions emanating from effective ones. In order to do this, development is first defined biopolitically, that is, as a security technology related to promoting the life of populations that, compared to the inhabitants of developed societies, are essentially "non-insured". Of special interest in this paper is how human security as a relation of governance has continued to evolve in relation to the war on terrorism. At the close of the 1990s, human security encapsulated a vision of integrating existing aid networks into a coordinated, international system of intervention able to complement the efforts of ineffective states in securing their citizens and economies. Compared to this more universalistic notion of human security, in which development and security were regarded as 'different but equal', the war on terrorism has deepened the interconnection between development and security. In particular, it is refocusing aid resources on those subpopulations, regions and issues seen as presenting a risk to homeland security. While some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are concerned over growing threats to independence, for others new possibilities and opportunities for state/ non-state interaction have emerged." (author's abstract)

The role of technology in international security since the end of the Cold War is examined after reviewing several theories on military change & military revolutions in the past. Military change requires the incentive of an enemy & the influence of factors other than military hardware technology. After the 1990-1991 Gulf War, analysts predicted the emergence of a revolution in military affairs, but differed on the vision: either new weapons, emerging technologies like information technology, or the dominance of air power. Information technology & improved communications will play a decisive role in future military activity, & states without major investment in science & technology will fall behind in military & economic power. In the short term the US will remain the superior military power, but the proliferation of technology will eventually reshape the international system. M. Pflum

Cyber attacks to computer networks can disable security communications as well as spy on them, compromising security. The number & severity of cyber attacks has risen dramatically in the last few years, including defacements of Web sites, computer viruses, denial of service, & fraud. These increases come from 7 trends: spread of information technology (IT), increased integration of computers into real-world processes, increased mobility of information, development of hacking tools, improvements in IT performance, new vulnerabilities, & new information security challenges. New attacks are expected in the future, & even an unusable Internet. Attacks may come from criminals, thrill-seeking young adults, nation-states, & (cyber)terrorists. Policy initiatives in the US to protect critical infrastructure are described. M. Pflum

Population size & structure, fertility, mortality, & migration affect security. Eventually, the populations in the developing world with rapid population growth will contrast starkly with those in advanced countries with lower fertility & an aging demographic. Population growth can drive political violence & threats to security due to resource scarcity, unemployment, migration, & lack of access to power. The UN & other agencies are dealing with the rapid population growth that has an affect on sustainable development & international stability with programs to reduce fertility levels through family planning. Policy responses to the HIV-AIDs epidemic, refugee movement, & population aging are discussed. Since demographic factors, especially migration, indirectly contribute to security, but are not amenable to military solutions, they need to be addressed in a security agenda. M. Pflum

Cleary examines the forces that drive China's nuclear policy & the various considerations that shape its direction. The country's national security interests & strategic culture (primarily minimalism, strategic defense, & deliberate ambiguity) are reviewed, showing how they influence the preferences of the Chinese elite with regard to nuclear policy. Of considerable importance to the elite are comprehensive national power, the role of the Communist Party in China's overall development, & a stable security environment. While technology & the economy are not the constraints they once were in nuclear development, it is unlikely that they will be utilized to create a greater nuclear strike force. The country's aim seems to be modernization of its strategic capabilities &, eventually, development of a "small but modern nuclear war-fighting force.". J. Stanton

Environmental disruption in the 20th century is described, focusing on freshwater & energy, two components relevant to security concerns. Irrigation, the main usage of freshwater, decreased in the 20th century while industrial use of water increased. The increase in energy use in the 20th century has been the primary cause of tumultuous environmental changes. The propositions that environmental change may create security problems or that resource competition may provoke war are analyzed. A third proposition -- the lack of security affects environmental change -- is advanced. Environmental changes are likely to play a greater role in security in the future because environmental resources like water & energy are scarcer than in the past, provoking more competition & population migration. 3 Tables. M. Pflum