Homeland Security and International Cooperation

¶ … Perl (2008), the goals of terrorists are economic as well as political in nature. In addition to protecting high-profile political targets of the kind that were the focus of the 9/11 bombers, it is also essential to prioritize economic targets in a security policy. Perl argues that terrorism is given a relatively low ranking in terms of threats to energy infrastructure, it is often listed behind such factors as political instability and organized crime. Yet one could argue that many of these factors, particularly civil unrest, are critically linked to the risks posed by terrorism. In terms of recommendations, Perl suggests pursuing a more sustainable energy strategy regarding green power as the ultimate long-term 'back up' solution to the risks posed to sources of fossil fuels.

In the short-term, given the critical interdependence of the energy structures of the world on one another, cooperation between different nations is vital for the collective security of the developed and developing world. There must also, on a national level, be a complete reevaluation of the nation's supply chain, to ensure it is capable of withstanding a terrorist onslaught. Of course, creating such effective ties is more easily said than done. But Pearl's advice ultimately seems both balanced and characterized by admirable foresight: while environmentally-sound energy policy is economically as well as politically desirable, there must also be protection for likely targets in the here and now as well as planning for the future.

Secretary Napolitano's "Letter of intent," issued jointly with Qatar, is an example of an attempt to foster such national cooperation. It specifically discusses the possibility of information-sharing between the two governments in regards to exercising vigilance against terrorist threats. Cooperation between the TSA and Qatar in regards to passenger screening heads the list of security initiatives, including sharing technology designed to improve border protection ("Letter of intent," 2011). Both education of personnel combined with new devices to better screen for the possibility of terrorism must be combined to make the world a safer place.

Qatar, as an Arab, oil-producing nation, is obviously a high-risk state in terms of becoming a site of a potential terrorist attack or harboring terrorists (Lambert 2011). Although the U.S. And Qatar have very different cultures and worldviews and do not share perfectly cohered national interests, the possibilities of cooperation between the two nations due to specific mutual interests are still present. The next step would be drawing up a specific plan to ensure that the rather idealistic information-sharing outlined in the agreement is capable of being realized. Sharing top-level security information with another nation, particularly a nation such as Qatar (a non-democratic country with a distinctly different culture) is not something that can be entered into lightly and the types of information and education that will take place must be clearly defined.

Q2. Comment on the most recent natural or manmade disaster, answering: When? Where? What? Why? How?

One of the most recent natural disasters of note was the devastating earthquake which occurred in Nepal. Although all earthquakes are potentially catastrophic, the ones in Nepal were particularly noteworthy given that it occurred in a poor, developing world nation with few resources to adequately deal with the subsequent aftermath. Although aid came pouring in from donors worldwide, ultimately the quake and the aftershocks killed more than 8,000 people. The first quake measured 7.8 in magnitude on the Richter scale and occurred in Nepal's capital, one of its most densely populated areas (Galimberri 2015). The damage was structural as well as considerable in terms of its human toll and Nepal must rebuild the heart of its developing economy. The next quake took the form of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake 47 miles east of Kathmandu and the aftershocks caused further devastation in the capital (Galimberri 2015). It also carved a path of destruction in many rural areas which are "more susceptible to flooding and mudslides during the grips of monsoon season" (Galimberri 2015). Villages were buried. These series of shocks fostered a state of terrible social disorganization.

Now there are fears that the coming monsoon season will create further problems for the nation. International relief workers are "rushing to provide proper shelter before torrential rains slow efforts by nearly 50%… monsoon season brings the threat of heavy thunderstorms, flooding and strong winds at times" (Galimberri 2015). Even in the best of times, this is a risky period for Nepal but now a substantial number of its citizens are without shelter and even more vulnerable than usual. "The earthquakes loosened the soil and that makes it more suspect to collapsing when heavy rain adds extra strain to both below and above the surface" (Galimberri 2015).