Environmental Security and the Imperative of Engagement
Abstract
Throughout most of our nation's history, the variables defining national security have been predominately military in nature. Security consisted of the physical defense of the nation, its people and possessions. There has been increasing realization that factors outside the traditional sphere of military operations have profound effects on the security of the United States. It is within this context that environmental issues have risen to prominence, and the term "Environmental Security" has entered the vocabulary of security planners, policy makers and environmentalists. while the term has come into common usage, There is little agreement as to its definition. With the conclusion of the Cold War," traditional concepts of the nature of national security and the methods to achieve it have changed. United States national security planning shifted from a strategy of military containment (of the Soviet Union) to an imperative of (world-wide) engagement employing all the sources of national power. Current National Security Strategy requires the synchronized efforts of the entire government to shape the international environment in support U.S. interests. This paper examines the concept of environmental security and how it is integrated into the international engagement strategies of the agencies of the United States government.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA378258
Entities
People
- Richard Thompson
Organizations
- United States Army War College