Thinking Strategically About Protecting the Homeland and the Nature of the Challenge

The narrative of Homeland Security is one of great complexity, requiring an historical perspective and a strategic approach.  Its treatment goes to the core purpose for the founding of the nation and the basic mission of the government.  The application of all resources of the state (i.e., the federal government) must be brought to bear on the nation’s survival, prosperity and values.  Such deliberations require that the decision makers engage in strategic thinking at the highest level possible, making the best possible assumptions about the geopolitical environment and choosing priorities as to what the nation, can, should, and must do when confronted with a homeland security issue.  

In taking a strategic overview of the context, there is empirical knowledge about the players and the processes, ethical and moral considerations, leadership, and a sense of vision which affect the direction of the policies, its relevance to our lives and our security.  The stakes are, of course, very significant:  the existence and safety of the nation and its citizens; the free flow of persons and ideas; the balance between security and privacy; and, the preservation of freedom.

Ultimately, this lesson, and this course, are not about teaching empirical knowledge, or trying to address all the data pertaining to homeland security.  Rather, they are about teaching how to think about protecting and assisting all aspects of a society, before, during and after a catastrophic event or disaster.  Thus, the strategist must be aware of the many variables and develop a knowledge base, and ultimately the wisdom to do the right things well!  The consummate practitioner must sense where to find the center of gravity in an issue and how to learn what he or she does not know.

There are various categories of issues associated with strategic thinking about homeland security:

• Security issues requiring strategic thinking and a plan to mitigate, prevent, protect, respond and recover.
• Emergency or crisis management issues requiring strategic thinking and a plan to mitigate, respond, and recover.
• Societal issues requiring strategic thinking and a plan to preserve justice, values, the economy, and culture.
• Government issues at all levels (federal, state, and local) requiring strategic thinking and a plan concerning organization, policies, and global relations.

There have been several instances when the United States has developed successful strategies to respond to challenges, from wars to economic crises.  The Cold War strategy continued for 50 years, while the plan (within that greater context) to prevail during the Cuban Missile Crisis lasted less than two weeks.  The newest set of challenges associated with terrorism may become another long campaign which could take decades to resolve.