National Security

Essay

National security once meant a strong dollar, a strong border and

the confidence of a people in their government. Now, maintaining our

national security depends upon our ability to communicate effectively in

other languages and across cultures.

A new definition of national security strategy is emerging that

must confront issues across the spectrum from dictators to disease, from

nation-states to stateless movements, from foreign to domestic

battlefields and from outer space to cyberspace. Policymakers must be

correctly informed to protect the homeland and to advance and protect

American interests abroad.

Our national security purview now encompasses environmental security,

military security, political security, and security of energy and natural

resources around the globe. To ensure this security, we must not

only be vigilant about our nation's strengths but we must be informed

about other countries' weaknesses that may threaten our security and the

global economy.

Nowhere is this more evident than in our relationship with the

Middle East.

The Middle East is home to 65 percent of the proven global oil

reserves and 45 percent of its natural gas. The concentration of so much

of the world's hydrocarbons in this geographical location means that the

Middle East will continue to play a key role in global politics and

economy -and in the national security interests of the U.S. as well.

To maintain our national security we must foster security and

stability across regional and religious boundaries in the Middle East. To

do this we must have adequate intelligence that supports both diplomacy

and our military in times of war and peace.

In the wake of the Iranian revolu...

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...at the grassroots level.

It would also provide critical language skills, vocabulary and

experience in my development as a naval officer who is capable of

speaking the regional dialects and possessing a deep multi-domain

understanding of the Middle East.

Most importantly, living and breathing in Syria, meeting and

speaking with the Syrian people in their own dialect, engaging in face-to-

face discussions with language partners regarding cultural, political,

religious and ethical issues, and understanding the role of Islam in

their lives would provide me with not only the necessary skills,

training, life experiences and facility with the language but it would

also serve our national security interests through forming bonds,

friendships, cross cultural understandings and communications between

ordinary Americans and ordinary Syrians.