Some assorted thoughts on security.
1. Great power war - While the reading we did for class came from eras where great power war was a primary concern, our class discussion focused far more on terrorism and immigration than border disputes and arms control treaties. I can certainly tell in my own thinking that I have trouble understanding a fear of war between major powers. Not because it wouldn't be bad but because: A) It seems very, very unlikely in this day and age. The US literally killed 200 Russian contractors fighting for the Kremlin's interests in Syria, and neither side felt the need to escalate at all. B) War between powers would be apocalyptic. The scope of forces that can be brought to a major conflict today almost defies comprehension, even without considering nuclear annihilation. Worrying about the US and China fighting a direct war seems like worrying about an asteroid. It might be really bad, but there isn't much we can do to mitigate it's impact. 2. I visited the holocaust museum today for the first time, and it made me think about a different kind of fear than what we discussed in class, namely the fear of harm coming to others. If you asked the average American why it was important for their country to intervene in Kuwait, invade Afghanistan, or try and disassemble the North Korean regime today, chances are the words "Hitler" or "holocaust" would come up within minutes. Generally, I will credit people and say this is because they don't want to sit by while oppressive regimes slaughter innocent people. Is this because Americans believe repressive regimes will eventually threaten the free world? Or because they are concerned for the safety of people suffering under oppressive governments? Regardless of the logic, it is interesting to consider that the well-being of people in other countries is a security issue for the US. 3. Some of the most interesting facets of security may well be within national lines. As much focus as I have seen authors give to the way governments "construct threats" that are not part of their own country, I would be curious to see these same concepts applied to threats constructed within national borders. Consider the ongoing dilemma of mass shootings in the US, which are an omnipresent concern in today's life, whether through active shooter drills at schools, offices, or nightclubs. The specter of gun violence (at least in mass-shooting form) certainly exceeds the reality, and many aspects of security theater are visible in the way drills are conducted, as well as the way politicians use shootings to secure public support (by reveling in each tragedy's media coverage, endlessly describing a problem of apocalyptic proportions facing the country, and then pretending their initiatives such as banning bump stocks or silencers or increasing age limits will solve the problem, when in reality such measures are only ever intended to achieve a fractional improvement).
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AuthorAmerican University Class of 2021. Interested in state-building and economic governance. Archives
December 2018
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