Security From What?-By Gary Hart

[kpete]

Security From What?
By Gary Hart - June 12, 2008, 9:26AM

In response to an earlier post, several respondents suggested that elaboration on a formula of security based on national self-confidence rather than based on fear would be helpful. This has been the task of years and several books. But the essence is this: Whereas the perceived Cold War threat was based on the fear of Soviet encroachment into Europe and the threat of a nuclear exchange, threats to security and stability in the 21st century include the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, viral pandemics, failed states, climate change, mass migrations, jobs lost to globalization, and a host of similar new realities. These threats cannot be solved by military means and they cannot be solved by a single nation alone. Thus, we are led to the need for a new era of internationalism, the creation of new cooperative alliances similar to that of 1945-48, and a more inclusive understanding of what it takes to make us secure.

The fear that Ms. Huffington very rightly warns us to expect in yet another national election year, the Rove formula it might be called, reduces all threats to terrorism and claims that the Republicans, the Daddy Party, is more muscular in dealing with terrorists than the Democrats, the Mommy Party. Security is reduced to biology: testosterone versus estrogen. This would be laughable were it not for the fact that it has worked in the past. And it is not accidental that Bill Clinton won his elections during the interim between the Cold War and the war on terrorism and that John Kerry was defeated by "swift-boating".

Democrats have relied on the argument that this is delusional, fear-mongering promoted by commercial interests and cynical right-wingers. But this has not worked very well. What will work well, in my judgment after working this side of the street for three decades, is to broaden the meaning of security (as I attempt to do in abbreviated form above). As someone once said, If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger. By making security bigger, thoughtful people can reduce the fear factor in politics and help Americans understand their true security interests again.

more at:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/12/security_from_what/