Strengthening Security at Home
Abstract
The events of September 11, 2001, pierced the sense of invulnerability that most Americans had come to expect. Although the feeling of security at home waxed and waned with the perils of the Cold War--from duck-and-cover drills in the 1950s to detente in the 1970s--an expectation of being removed from any direct threat of war became common after the fall of the Soviet Union. As the sole superpower, the United States pursued its interests as a nation at peace. If the Persian Gulf War warned that were still threats around the world, it also reinforced the idea that America would fight its wars far from home. As one Pentagon wag quipped in the 1990s, the Armed Forces only played away games. In the decade following Desert Storm, some defense analysts began to focus on asymmetric threats that could be directed at the homeland. At the same time the Clinton administration initiated various actions to help Federal, state, and local governments enhance their ability to defend against and coordinate responses to attacks on the United States. But Americans remained either unaware or unconvinced of any threat even after the attack on the World Trade Center in 1993. In the wake of the worst terrorist attack in the history of the Nation, homeland security has become the top priority. Before September 2001 there was a growing commitment among many government officials to guard against such threats to the United States. Since then there has been an urgent public demand and an unprecedented political will to do whatever is necessary to enhance homeland security as quickly as possible. Congressional approval to give the President $40 billion in an emergency supplement-- twice the sum requested--was indicative of the new mood.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA524613
Entities
People
- Michele A. Flournoy
Organizations
- National Defense University