INTL613 American Public University System US Homeland Security Discussion

Responses should be a minimum of 250 words and include direct questions. You may challenge, support or supplement another student’s answer using the terms, concepts and theories from the required readings. Also, do not be afraid to respectfully disagree where you feel appropriate; as this should be part of your analysis process at this academic level.

Respond to Brian:

Forum posts are graded on timeliness, relevance, knowledge of the weekly readings, and the quality of original ideas. Sources utilized to support answers are to be cited in accordance with the APA writing style by providing a general parenthetical citation (reference the author, year and page number) within your post, as well as an adjoining reference list. Refer to grading rubric for additional details concerning grading criteria.

One of the challenges I focused on for my paper was cyber security. Cybersecurity poses a significant risk for a few reasons.Nelson and Wise (2013) highlight them well:

“This threat will only grow more dire as information and communication technology continues to evolve at a rapid rate and state and non-state actors increasingly invest in cyber-capabilities. The danger posed by cyberattacks extends not only to critical infrastructure systems such as the power grid and water systems but to the nation’s economy as well” (Nelson and Wise 2013).

This first part is probably the hardest.This means the government and private sector will need to come up with a way to work together in security efforts.Much of the infrastructure of cyber operations is owned by private sector companies, but the vulnerabilities in these networks extend to the U.S. government.

“intellectual property theft represents “the greatest transfer of wealth in history”. This theft not only leeches billions of dollars from the nation’s economy each year, but also grants potential adversaries access to sensitive information regarding U.S. technologies, including those related to national security” (Nelson and Wise 2013).

This part has been a struggle that I think does not get a lot of attention.China’s local practices often force companies who want to operate in their country to hand over patents and technology to the state.It allows them to grow their own companies that will compete within the market.This along with the practice of educating and sending scientists to work within other states economies and send back information makes intellectual property theft one of the harder things to combat.

The second challenge I think needs addressing is our disaster response.Inserra (2017, 2) in his review writes, “[s]ignificantly reforming each of the major parts of the Federal Emergency Management agency (FEMa), including overhauling the Stafford act to return responsibility for localized disasters to state and local governments, where they have been handled historically; consolidating and streamlining grants to have a risk-based focus; and fixing the National Flood Insurance Program that is draining U.S. tax dollars: $13.5 billion.”

With the continued change of climate and the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the government has become extremely burdened with how to respond.This has led to inefficiencies and practices that could almost border on fraudulent. Citizens in various parts of Houston who have year after year received insurance payments for floods from natural disasters have made money on the tragedies.The government needs to find a more proactive approach to prevent destruction, but also stop incentivizing people to live in high risk areas that put themselves and their property at risk.

What do you all think?

Respectfully,

Brian

References

Inserra, D. (2017). Congress Must Re-Set Department of Homeland Security Priorities: American Lives Depend on It. The Heritage Foundation, SR-175, 1–65.

Nelson, R., & Wise, R. (2013, February 1). Homeland Security at a Crossroads: Evolving DHS to Meet the Next Generation of Threats. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/analysis/homeland-security-cr…

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