Richard Ullman Sustaining Security Analysis

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Word Count: 1046 Similar to grains of sand slipping through the too tightly clenched fist, the United States government’s use of force to protect its national security has actually in turn lead to it slipping through their fingers. This is the main thesis in Richard Ullman’s paper, Redefining Security. From Ullman’s perspective United States government administrations have time in and time out chosen to address national security issues in military locution. In turn, they have focused much unnecessary energy on preparation for military conflict and have failed to acknowledge non-military issues that are just as imperative to national security (Ullman, 1983,129). Ullman argues that these nonmilitary threats to national security are going to…show more content…
The few interstate issues over land would be concerning thinly, if at-all, populated land. Ullman (1983, 140) predicted, “Such struggles over resources will often take the form of overt military confrontations whose violent phases will likely be short”. His prediction extends into today in an issue very close to home. Canada, Russia, and other coastal countries have made claims over Artic sovereignty in efforts to control the abundant resources and strategic passageways in those waters. Furthermore, militarization in the area is not meant as an act of aggression but merely effective enforcement, as sovereign countries have the right to protect their land; the military manifestation and coast guard is present for policing purpose, they have a similar role to the RCMP on mainland. Ullman goes on to argue that this prizefight for resources will pose further problems not only for the United States but also the international community (Ullman, 1983, 141). This struggle for resources will be tested even further as our population continues to grow rapidly. Ullman predicts that all these factors will take a turn for the worse in a terrible chain of events (Ullman, 1983, 141-142). Overpopulation will quickly take over government agendas as they struggle to allocate resources; this will be the dawning of revolutions. People…show more content…
I need not find an event foreign to America to find evidence of Ullman’s ideas and ideals. The bulk of what he says, although it was decades ago, still stands today. Governments have been using military to instill the political will to the people because it is convenient and leaves the people filled with trepidation (Ullman, 1983, 135). I would love to see what the reactions of the founding fathers would be if they could return and see what the political climate is like today and how much we believe we are free and living under the democracy they founded; when in reality we are ruled by an oligarchy complete with the illusion of the America they envisioned. America has been hijacked and the people manipulated and controlled with fear. Political dissent is tantamount to treason and free speech is relegated to 'free speech zones' far away from political candidates. Whilst all of this is happening around us, the people are stuck on the impression that threats to security are merely military threats from outside sources and fail to comprehend the danger of these terrorizations brought on by our own government within our own borders. More specifically, the Patriot Act blatantly tramples on the Bill of Rights yet is tolerated and even supported by the majority of Americans as a necessary evil against terrorism. In this sense Ullman’s notion of the transaction between liberty and security is very tangible today (Ullman,
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