Hierarchy of Security

Considering the National Security Strategy of the USA’s implications for the post 9/11 world and the structure of the War on Terror, realism might be the first theoretical perspective that would come to mind, in a sense that the attainment of homeland security is of top priority and must be dealt with urgently and pragmatically. The attainment of security for the homeland and the control and stabilization of countries suspected of supporting and harboring terrorist organizations are the primary goals of the tactical guidelines to be implemented. The spread and support of the American ideals of democracy and freedom are reiterated as of foremost importance to stabilizing a particularly thorny area while, at the same time, ensuring US security from such an unconventional, idealistic, and religiously radical enemy. However, after the first levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are attained and immediate danger on one’s own soil is controlled, for example, the source and maintenance of a country’s competence and income centers on the table. In the case of the US, and liberally speaking, free trade, political and economic agreements, and a stable world market between “rational” and democratic nations leads to its prosperity as well as the prosperity of others. Therefore, security, when viewed in the long run, means a need to ensure a stable growth pattern and an upward path of achievement for both oneself, and others, as others need to be stable and involved in the market in order for all to benefit. The US is self-interested in its pursuit of negotiation and agreements with other democratic nations, yet this free trade, personal freedom, and some level of democracy would also be beneficial to the development of areas in the grip of radicalism. After all, autocracy robs people of motivation to take responsibility for themselves and creates an environment where they feel out of control, which creates fertile ground for radicalism. Constructively, the USA has learned from the experiences of 9/11 and has changed its approach to the outside world by developing the National Security Strategy, as parts of the world no longer act according to its expectation. The failures in Iraq after the initial military action, for example, forces the USA to learn from them and adjust its security strategy, in cooperation with its allies and, in the case of Iraq, with the Iraqi government as well.