Chapter 15 & 16

Name:
Course:
Date:
Defense Policy and Homeland Security- Chapters 15 & 16
Chapter fifteen describes what factors inform the defense policy of most countries in the world. In the first paragraph, the authors say that these policies are a reflection of a nation’s interests and also the interests of other nations. The authors liken the process of formulating defense policies to the game theory. While choosing the appropriate defense policy, nations have to consider the military training required, personnel, military units, funding and much more. However, the end of World War II led to the rise of a new challenge; the impending nuclear threats, on states. Military powerhouses like the US had to devise new methods of dealing with this challenge. The US adopted the deterrence strategy which is founded on the view that a state can discourage a rival from attacking if the rival knows that their target has the ability to destroy them following an initial surprise attack on that state. Part of the solution also involved negotiations between the US and USSR in what is commonly referred to as Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). Later the US and Russia signed other treaties such as START I and START II, that limit the extent to which nuclear weapons can be used. Chapter 12 goes on to say that the deterrence strategy has worked for a long period, but loopholes have begun to emerge considering the rise of terrorism and irrational leaders (leaders who don’t fear to put the lives of their followers at risk of perishing).

In response to this new threat, nations were forced to sign new agreements such as Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and also led to the formation of NATO. However, the US seems to have repeated the same mistake it did in the war in Vietnam when it sent its troops to Iraq leading to many causalities. The chapter closes by highlighting that the Obama administration has since resolved to deploy soldiers to war only when it is necessary to do so. Chapter sixteen opens by expressing the need to consider a new defense strategy considering the upsurge of irrational terrorists who are willing to take even their own lives. The authors define terrorism as a political attack against innocent citizens. The terrorists aim to gain publicity through their acts. The authors acknowledge that terrorism has grown to become a global challenge with terrorists now using sophisticated techniques and have connections in many nations. Following a series of terrorist attacks on US soil and other parts of the world the US lists some countries as having affiliations to terrorists, and they include North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Iran, and a couple of other watch list nations. Also, following the 9/11 attack, the US took drastic measures such as the introduction of security checks and changing some laws. The new laws allow interception of communication, detention, property seizure and much more. Also, the FISA court was given more powers to carry out investigations. The National Security Agency (NSA) equally continues to collect data from intercepted calls and online communications. The US continues to detain hundreds of people without trial on the basis that they are terrorist and that they are a threat to national security. The formation of the department of homeland security was also a move by the government to counter terrorism and relies heavily on the intelligence community (a wide organized system of the national government that accumulates, studies and sends crucial information to top government officials and policy makers). However, some of the measures taken by the national government have been criticized because they violate the rights of Americas. Interestingly, Americans are willing to pay the price provided that they remain safe.