The Homeland Security Dilemma: Fear, Failure and the Future of American Insecurity

The paradox of the Security Dilemma in international relations explains why rational decisions to enhance power actually diminish security by promoting unstable spirals in competitive defence spending - a common account of escalating military budgets throughout much of the Cold War. The homeland security dilemma represents the post-9/11 equivalent for domestic politics in the 'war on terrorism'. The book makes the following counterintuitive argument: the more security you have, the more security you will need. Not because enhancing security makes terrorism more likely (although the incentive for terrorists to attack may increase as extremists feel duty-bound to demonstrate their ongoing relevance), but because enormous investments in security inevitably raise public expectations and amplify public outrage after subsequent failures. Public confidence, trust and satisfaction have steadily declined since 9/11, and the arguments and evidence presented in this report suggest that there are no easy solutions, because the most rational and logical policy options are part of the problem.Harvey, Frank is the author of 'The Homeland Security Dilemma: Fear, Failure and the Future of American Insecurity' with ISBN 9780415775151 and ISBN 0415775159.