Homeland Security flunks cybersecurity prep test

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Homeland Defense

Hi, vinnym.

You said:

"Where is china's department of homeland security? Where is russia's? Where was ours 10 years ago, when I felt just as safe as I do now. Are we in more danger now than then, and if so, why?"

Russia and China have nothing *but* homeland security. China, in particular, allows its citizens almost no personal freedoms. For them to have Homeland Security departments would be redundant. People who have no freedoms never have a chance to pose a threat. The DHS (at least, in theory) is supposed to balance our personal freedoms with internal security. We make tradeoffs like subjecting ourselves to searches when we go on airplanes to avoid letting enemies get the drop on us.

It *does* trouble me that the DHS is wasting its time with pirates, rather than devoting those agents to fighting terrorists.

Listen, the whole world will never like us, and that's not really the goal of international relations. Nations aren't people. It's not necessary (or even possible) for everyone to "like" us. The United States (regardless of who's President) does what it needs to do, and what's possible. We need certain countries to cooperate with us, but that's not the same as liking us.

I would also assert that it's counter-productive to modify our behavior so that those trying to attack us are more favorable to us. Accomodating such behavior simply encourages it. Asking why they hate us is a useless exercise. That's where your analogy falls short: They're not trying to attack us because they hate us (although they might). They've got a political goal in mind, and the point of the attacks is to achieve that goal (whether it's withdrawl from Iraq or withdrawl from an alliance with Israel). 9/11 wasn't about "hate", per se. It was an attack aimed at getting us to retreat.

To answer your question: No, we don't want ever-thicker walls protecting us, because ultimately, all walls can be breached. What we need is to empower as many people as possible, so that they see us as allies and benefits to them. To that end, we're donating huge sums (50 million, I think) to the Palestinians, and helping Iraq and Afghanistan to build responsive governments. Generally speaking, democratic nations don't have people willing to strap on explosives and send themselves on one-way trips to the Hereafter. There's a certain percentage of the world that's never going to like us, because of who we are. The goal is to make sure that these people aren't in the position to harm us.

Posted by: bhartman36   Posted on: 05/27/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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