The definition of a state's national security helps it in discerning and defending itself against any threats to that security. Conventionally, national security entails the protection of a state's sovereignty and territorial integrity, coupled with its critical interests abroad (Hamilton, 2020; Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020). There is a consensus on this definition in the United States (US). However, securing a broader definition of national security has been challenging. On the one hand, some people suggest that other pressing issues should also be incorporated into the definition. Notable among these include protection of key partners and allies, protection of basic human rights and democracy, upholding a world order that fosters stability, climate change, and lastly pandemic diseases (Hamilton, 2020). On the other hand, others reckon that non-traditional threats such as pandemic diseases should not be included in the definition because they do not merit. Despite these conflicting opinions, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic presents a homeland security issue and thus should be incorporated in the definition of US national security.
United States National Security Strategy under President Trump
Traditionally, the National Security Strategy (NSS) in the US is a product of the National Security Council (NSC). The NSS is reflective of a presidential administration’s worldview and the role of the US in it. Previously administrations, notably the Obama and George W. Bush administrations were characterized by a broader definition of national security and likely threats to it. Conversely, President Trump’s strategy focused on a narrow list of national interests and likely threats to them (Hamilton, 2020). In particular, while Presidents Obama and Bush paid attention to threats posed by pandemic diseases, President Trump did not. Consequently, he left the US ill-prepared to deal with the outbreak of a pandemic disease such as COVID-19.
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President Trump’s exclusion of pandemic diseases in his 2017 NSS is justifiable from several perspectives. Firstly, such threats are often neither tangible nor traditional. Secondly, pandemic diseases can be considered latent threats. This implies that while the potential for the emergence of highly communicable and deadly diseases exists, the outbreaks are always few and far between. Thirdly, pandemic diseases are considered collective action problems (Hamilton, 2020). This implies that if most or all states do not work together in fighting a pandemic, the efforts of a single state are insufficient. Likewise, since such efforts have financial implications, it is irrational for one state to spend its money while knowing that others will not do the same. These perspectives, when coupled with Trump’s ‘America first’ narrative, justify the exclusion of pandemic diseases in the 2017 NSS. However, this exclusion has come at a cost.
The Ideal Conceptualization of National Security in the 21st Century
Threats to the US national security in the 21st century take broader forms compared to the past. Therefore, to successfully protect its territory, economic might, and citizens, the US needs to be better positioned and prepared to handle a wide variety of threats. This was not the case for the COVID-19 outbreak (Hamilton, 2020; Klarevas & Clarke, 2020; Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020 ). The government failed to implement ideal response plans. Specifically, any COVID-19 response plan should have begun with the top leadership coordinating all government efforts. All arms of the government, including transport, security, finance, diplomacy, trade, commerce, and information should be involved. President Trump deviated from this course by creating an ad hoc task force that was mostly comprised of infectious disease and public health experts. Thus, as opposed to developing a comprehensive approach to dealing with the pandemic, Trump’s task force represented his worldview.
The US federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic remains short-sighted. This is partly due to Trump’s focus on state-based and traditional threats as contained in the 2017 NSS. According to the document, pandemic diseases do not deserve the attention of the bodies tasked with the responsibility of making the national security policy. This strategy left the US exposed since COVID-19 can be categorized as a deadly yet non-traditional threat (Hamilton, 2020; Klarevas & Clarke, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented impacts on the US healthcare systems and caused widespread social disruptions. In this regard, a much broader inter-agency approach to dealing with the pandemic is required.
The lethal nature of COVID-19 has raised scientific awareness about the national security dimensions of such pandemics. There is a consensus that national security goes beyond the protection of non-state and state actors. Instead, it should encompass protection from various emerging infectious diseases as well as other health outcomes that are likely to threaten the economic vitality of the country and its citizenry's way of life ( Klarevas & Clarke, 2020; Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020). Emerging pandemic diseases such as COVID-19 and their pandemic potential pose far greater national security threats. This is especially true in the age of globalization since the diseases are likely to spread more rapidly compared to the previous eras (Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020). As a result, human security practitioners and experts conceptualize catastrophic infectious diseases as national security threats owing to their disruptive and destructive nature.
The Reasons Why COVID-19 is a Homeland Security Issue
The COVID-19 should be considered a homeland security issue for three reasons. The first reason is that the pandemic is responsible for the mortality and morbidity of a considerable proportion of the population. The outbreak of infectious diseases capable of reaching pandemic levels has always been a possibility, and this possibility has always been part of human societies for generations. Consequently, human history is laden with stories of epidemic infections. Often, the epidemics have followed a cyclic pattern. The pandemics increase immunity in their survivors, implying that the microbes have to wait for a new generation of hosts to infect.
The disease-causing microbes may migrate to other immunologically vulnerable and geographically distant populations resulting in a global outbreak and thus producing a pandemic ( Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020; Peterson, 2002). Pandemics in the 21st century should be considered direct threats to individual countries national security. However, while the possibility of a pandemic disease outbreak ought to increase the need for national pandemic preparedness, national leaders often ignore this reality, choosing to adopt reactionary interventionist measures instead. Such short-sighted measures inevitably result in increased mortality. The latter is the case for COVID-19. Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China in November 2019, the virus has spread to all countries in the world.
The total of COVID-19 deaths has reached 1.5 million globally. However, the U.S leads with 273,077 deaths and 13,750,608 infections (Murphy, 2020). The most affected countries in the world are the major powers, indicating their unpreparedness for the global pandemic. Since COVID-19 fatalities deviate from the traditional national threats, they are often ignored. However, the rising number of fatalities is a reminder that infectious diseases are lethal and may kill more individuals than a war. Given the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 in the US, the pandemic cannot be ignored as a key national security threat.
The second reason for considering COVID-19 a national security issue is that lack of adequate pandemic preparedness is likely to increase the vulnerability of the US to bioterrorism and its associated repercussions. In particular, the pandemic may fuel opportunistic terror attacks (Davidson, 2020). Other consequences include eroded trust in public institutions and political/social violence and unrest. The homeland security should anticipate increased terrorist recruitment, especially as the pandemic slows down anti-radicalization efforts. Major terrorist groups are likely to see the global pandemic as an opportunity for expanding their operations (Swan, 2020). Owing to local emergency restrictions and lockdown, individuals are increasingly becoming agitated with signs of social disorder becoming noticeable in various parts of the globe.
The third reason for considering COVID-19 a homeland security issue is that the infectious disease is likely to limit the ability of the US armed forces to sufficiently respond to both external and internal security threats. The ability of the disease to cripple important operations and military operations of the U.S is the most crucial national security dimension of the pandemic ( Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020). Criminal and rogue groups are likely to take advantage of the situation when a pandemic disrupts readiness of the military by making the servicemen sick. Such a scenario was experienced when the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier. The ship was affected by COVID-19 in the pacific while on patrol duty and had up to 100 infection cases by the end of March. Brett Crozier, the captain, was forced to ask for emergency interventions from the navy. Since its docking in Guam, more soldiers in the carrier ended up testing positive. The fact that COVID-19, as opposed to a non-state or state enemy, was successful in stopping the operations of USS Theodore Roosevelt is a testament of the security threats that the virus poses.
There have been growing numbers of COVID-19 infections within the U.S military. Considered alarming, these infections have affected military decision making even at the highest level of the military authority. For instance, the army was forced to suspend most of its training efforts before changing this stance later. All US services, including the Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard, Air Force, and Army have thousands of diagnosed cases ( Oshewolo & Nwozor, 2020). The USS Kidd, a US Navy ship, was also exposed to the virus, forcing it to abort its counter-narcotics mission. Besides the US, the COVID-19 virus has affected the military operations of numerous other nations globally. These nations have been forced to scale down or cancel their military deployments and operations.
According to Oshewolo & Nwozor (2020), i nfectious diseases are likely to affect a nation’s military in two profound ways. Firstly, while infections may not raise mortality and morbidity among the key military personnel, the quarantine measures imposed as a result are likely to cause widespread disruption of vital military operations. Secondly, deploying the armed forces to offer supportive emergency services that are needed to combat infections undoubtedly has an opportunity cost. Specifically, such a deployment affects the military’s readiness for combat and strategic operations. Based on the recorded infection rates, an infectious disease such as COVID-19 has the ability to disorient even the most organized national defence and security programme. Such possibilities make the COVID-19 virus a home security issue requiring a national security priority.
Traditionally, national security covers the protection of a country's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as its critical interests abroad. However, it is impossible to decouple national security from pandemics given the impacts of COVID-19 on military operations, terrorism, and national mortality. The US has to begin treating catastrophic and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 with urgency and seriousness. In particular, greater investments in its control and prevention are needed for a start. The pandemic disease has to be treated as a homeland security issue to ensure the success of this initiative.
References
Davidson, H. (2020, April 10). Coronavirus threat to global peace and stability, UN chief warns. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/10/coronavirus-threat-to-global-peace-and-stability-un-chief-warns
Hamilton, R.E. (2020, July 9). COVID-19 and pandemics: The greatest national security threat of 2020 and beyond. Retrieved from https://www.fpri.org/article/2020/07/covid-19-and-pandemics-the-greatest-national-security-threat-of-2020-and-beyond/
Klarevas, L. & Clarke, C.P. (2020, August 6). COVID-19 is a threat to national security. Let’s start treating it as such. Retrieved from https://www.justsecurity.org/71870/covid-19-is-a-threat-to-national-security-lets-start-treating-it-as-such/
Murphy, J. (2020, November 28). U.S. counts 13M Covid-19 cases, its fourth million-milestone of November. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-counts-13m-covid-19-cases-its-fourth-million-n1249172
Oshewolo, S., & Nwozor, A. (2020). COVID-19: Projecting the national security dimensions of pandemics. Strategic Analysis , 1-7.
Peterson, S. (2002). Epidemic disease and national security. Security Studies , 12 (2), 43-81.
Swan, B.W. (2020, March 27). How the coronavirus is reshaping terrorists' attack plans. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/27/coronavirus-terrorism-justice-department-150870
