Part 4

An Alternative Approach: Some Major Elements Involved
in Defining and Addressing the Homeland Security Problem

Some major elements involved in defining and addressing the homeland security problem include the following:

~ The goals or purposes of addressing homeland security problems, challenges, and threats;
~ The kinds of weapons and threats challenging the post 9/11 world;
~ The range of potential impacts that terrorist actions and threats can have;
~  Elements of critical infrastructure, critical infrastructure protection and critical infrastructure security/continuity;
~ Support functions and efforts needed for maximizing homeland security efforts; and
~ Some specific initiatives. 

These will be considered in turn.

The Goals or Purposes of Addressing Homeland Security Problems, Challenges, and Threats in An Alternative Approach

The goals or purposes of addressing homeland security problems, threats, and challenges may be seen as including the following: 

~ the nurturing and preservation of human life;
~ the fostering of civilized behavior and the preservation of civilization;
~ national security;
~ economic stability and security;
~ societal stability and security;
~ individual security;
~ critical infrastructure security/continuity;  and
~ the preservation of natural resources and the environment. 

An Approach to Describing the Kinds of Weapons and Threats Challenging the Post 9/11 World

In describing the nature and scope of the problem, it is important to recognize the kinds of weapons and threats challenging the post 9/11 world.  These may be seen as including the following:

~ Chemical weapons;
~ Biological weapons;
~ Nuclear weapons;
~ Radiological weapons;
~ Explosives;
~ Hazardous materials releases as a result of sabotage or a terrorist act;
~ Suicidal bombers and terrorists;
~ Cyber-warfare and cyber-terrorism or other sabotage of cybersystems;
~ High frequency emitters, electromagnetic pulse, and other kinds of electronic weapons;
~ Other conventional and unconventional weapons and tactics, including missile launchers, truck bombs and the use of airplanes or vehicles as weapons, random sniper or bombing attacks, and destruction of data and records through non-cyber-related means;
~ Psychological warfare leading to debilitating psychosocial reactions that can accompany attacks or remain after attacks or that can evolve as a result of an ongoing climate of fear and uncertainty or new threats;
~ Incitement of civil unrest; and
~ Simultaneous or sequential use of mixes or different kinds of weapons and tactics. 

A Way of Describing the Range of Potential Impacts That Terrorist Actions and Threats Can Have

In describing the nature and scope of the problem, it is important to recognize the range of different kinds of potential impacts that terrorist actions and threats can have in the post 9/11 world.  These may be seen as including the following:

~  destruction of human life;
~  material destruction;
~  the weakening or destruction of the viability of civilization;
~  the weakening or undermining of national security;
~  the weakening or undermining of economic security and stability, including the viability of businesses and industries;
~ the weakening or undermining of societal and individual stability and security, including the possible unraveling of the social fabric;
~ the weakening or undermining of critical infrastructure security and continuity; and
~ the destruction of natural resources, the harming of the environment, and weakening or destruction of the viability of the environment. 

Elements of Critical Infrastructure, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Critical Infrastructure Security and Continuity in the Alternative Approach

Any of the following sectors or sub-sectors can be categorized under the heading of critical infrastructure or critical infrastructure concerns.  It is important to recognize the interdependent character of critical infrastructure and the potential for terrorist acts to trigger cascading impacts.  Terrorist actions could conceivably include or impact any of the following: 

~ Water supply, water quality, and water distribution systems
~ Water treatment facilities
~ Solid waste treatment facilities
~ Food
~ Agriculture
~ Livestock
~ Airports and air transportation
~ Ground transportation
~ Maritime transportation and ports
~ Rail transportation
~ Highways, bridges, and tunnels
~ Postal services, freight, and shipping
~ Cybertechnology, including information systems and networks
~ Digital control systems/Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems
~ The Internet
~ Telecommunications
~ Fiber optic cable and phone lines
~ Satellites and Global Positioning System (GPS)
~ Financial investments, financial services and the financial sector
~ Insurance services and the insurance industry
~ Real estate investments, real estate services and the real estate industry
~ Energy
~ Electric power plants and facilities
~ Nuclear power plants
~ The coal industry
~ Oil and gas facilities and pipelines
~ Fuel availability, quality, and distribution
~ Chemical facilities, including chemical manufacturing plants, pipelines, and storage tanks
~ Nuclear weapons facilities
~ Hazardous materials facilities, including nuclear waste storage facilities
~ Dams
~ Hospitals and health care services
~ The availability, quality, and distribution of pharmaceuticals
~ The pharmaceutical industry
~ Public health and safety
~ Critical government services, including the continuity of government
~ Emergency management services and emergency medical management services including: emergency preparedness, mitigation, contingency planning, crisis management, consequence management, response, and recovery
~ Infrastructure preparedness, protection, contingency management, crisis management, consequence management, response, and recovery
~ Law enforcement and peacekeeping
~ Domestic intelligence
~ Foreign intelligence
~ National defense and defense capabilities
~ Defense facilities
~ Defense industrial base
~ Military support to homeland security
~ Border security and immigration policies and procedures
~ Large scale buildings and building complexes
~ Landmarks and national monuments and icons

Return to Paula Gordon's Homeland Security Page or to Part 5