National Security Policy Vs. Democracy
Democracy issues are critical in the national security policy because they help to both prevent violence and manage conflicts. The respect for human rights and public representation is important in meeting the objectives of human development (Schoultz, 2014). The U.S National security policy has collided with democracy in various ways. First, the national security policy demands for increasing investment of resources towards dealing terrorism and violent extremism and thus, leaving minimal resources for promoting democratic administration and equality in the society. For instance, the national security policy has emphasized on the increased global efforts to counter violent extremism in the United States. Terrorism is still one of the greatest dangers of the global security (Chubin, 2014). Today, the U.S federal government is more focused on global security and thus, foregoing domestic security and democracy.
Following the 9-11 attacks, the U.S national security policy was characterized by increased suspicion of non-Americans and more aggressive foreign policy. The Arab, Muslims and Asian Americans were highly perceived to be threats to the U.S security. This explains the conflicts of national security policy and democracy in the country. Since, the residents of the United States who were non-Americans were discriminated upon violating their democracy and human rights (Colaresi, 2014). Cultural and demographic tensions are usually attributed to the rising demand of resources and lack of inclusive security strategies in the nation. The government should ensure that the national security policy considers the impact of security resource allocation to the overall economic resource allocation to promote equal redistribution of resources and wealth.
Secondly, the transition of the current National Security policy appears more dynamic and thus, accumulating circumstances for political and democratic conflicts. Since, the changes in the national security policy expect the society to adapt swiftly. Of which, the expected transitions does not occur as expected creating some democratic tensions among the involved parties. Another way in which the national security policy collides with democracy is presence of low capacity of the transitioning frameworks to deal with the conflicts brought about by the setting up of the new national security policy. The national security institutions and bodies are weak and poorly equipped to deal with the conflict resolution processes needed to minimize the democracy (Johansen, 2014). When new national security policies are created, there are emerges oppositions from interested groups such as Human Rights Activist groups. The inability of the institutions to handle the conflicts creates more frictions between the national security concerns and democracy in the society.
Some of the contemporary examples of national security policy include the counterinsurgency objective. The U.S has sought to engage in increased interagency cooperation and communication with Muslim nations across the word to promote global peace. This security policy would help in stabilizing the democracy and economic growth of the countries (Schoultz, 2014). However, the policy overlooks the need to build strong domestic policy to promote domestic security. Domestically, the U.S is struggling with racial abuse and drug cartels. The counterinsurgency policy would affect the ability of the government to promote democracy in the society.
However, in 2015, the President issued a revised National security policy that focuses on protecting the national needs and universal in the country. The recent security approach is best suited in dealing with the conflicts between the security policy and democracy. Another contemporary national security policy is explained by the recent efforts of the U.S eradicate nuclear weapons in the world (Colaresi, 2014). The U.S has taken a center in advocating for the eradication of nuclear weapons. Such efforts have questioned the U.S political superiority and influence in the world in influences the sovereign rights of other independent countries.
References
Chubin, S. (2014). Wither Iran?: Reform, domestic politics and national security. London, UK: Routledge.
Colaresi, M. P. (2014). Democracy declassified: The secrecy dilemma in national security. Evans Road Cary, NC: Oxford University Press.
Johansen, R. C. (2014). The national interest and the human interest: An analysis of US foreign policy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Schoultz, L. (2014). National security and United States policy toward Latin America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
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