What is Homeland Security ?
Although the concept itself was born in the United States of America, as a direct derivative of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, there are at least 3 different philosophies of homeland security. Here we will attempt to present a brief yet thorough view of the notion in the current state of affairs.
The American Standpoint (homeland security)
In the US, the concept of homeland security gave birth to a federal ministry that comprises, since October 2003, 22 previously autonomous agencies: the Department of Homeland Security – DHS. It is the internal security watchdog for the US. Defined in the National Strategy for Homeland Security, the American vision is one of a concerted national effort to “prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s visibility to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur” (http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/book/).
Since it includes FEMA, DHS deals as well with emergency preparedness and disaster relief. However, it is generally admitted that homeland security in the US has largely given the priority to the fight against terrorism. Furthermore, as demonstrated by Katrina, there are still considerable efforts to be done in terms of emergency preparedness, whereas the Patriot Act and subsequent legal provisions have made it possible to handle if not all, at least most forms of terrorist threats.
The Nordic Countries’ Approach (societal security)
The Nordic States feel arguably less threatened by global terrorism than the rest of Europe. Furthermore, ever since the end of the Cold War, traditional external threats have become, if not impossible, at least highly unlikely. The Nordic states that had previously adopted the concept of Total Defence developed a new stance. This “All hazards approach” takes into account the entire spectrum of threats our societies might actually be confronted to (ranging from environmental and health hazards to terrorist threats and natural disasters).
Termed societal security, this approach is closer to “human security” types of theories, or critical theories in security.
The Approach of the European Union (internal security)
The European Union, under the impulsion of the Commission, has been developing for many years a number of policies in the field of vital infrastructures protection, as well as environment and civil protection. 9/11 triggered a new momentum. And although the evolutions in the field of security were not as fast as in the United States, changes were undertaken in a different way, culminating with the adoption of a new philosophy, itself departing from the American vision of security. It was reflected in Mr. Solana’s European Security Strategy in 2003 (http://ue.eu.int/uedocs/cmsUpload/78367.pdf).
Besides, several new institutional and judicial instruments were set up. However, this evolving construction is still incomplete. The Commission tends to stress as an absolute priority the protection of citizens.
This global approach of security is also gaining grounds at the state level, although unevenly, be it as a response to the terrorist peril or to threats of another nature, which the European states are dealing with.
How to best protect the European borders?
How to increase the crisis management capacity of states and local communities? How to optimize the current security capacities in order to attain better response and prevention, within restricted budgetary constraints? What should be the role of the EU (Commission and Council) in this redeployment? How to rapidly enhance the protection of populations against the gravest hazards, and notably against global terrorism or massive natural threats?
The concept of Homeland Security might not be consensual as it is, but it still represents a threefold stake: political, economic and social.
Political, through the responsibility of the national European communities of ensuring their citizens’ safety; Economic, due to the predictable dimension of the security market within Europe and because of the American competition; finally Social, due to each citizen’s awareness and acknowledgment of having to deal with this formidable challenge, which impacts upon security, trust and freedom.
©2006 EHSA