<<  <  >  >>

Addressing envi-

are so serious as to affect national

pollution. The recent, often indis-

security? Who decides which prob-

criminate, use of depleted uranium

ronmental issues

lems constitute such threats? Most

armaments by U.S. aircraft in the war

is one thing; treat-

important, how do they actually

over Kosovo contrasts starkly with

ing them as a

threaten security and what tradeoffs

DoD's efforts to deal with nuclear

do counteractions entail? Without

waste in Russia, demonstrating that

threat to national

clear and consistent answers to those

DoD's environmental security mis-

security is quite

sion is fraught with contradictions.1 0 1

questions, the term "security" itself

becomes virtually meaningless.

Reassessing the role of all pertinent

another.

· Set Thresholds: The current administra-

agencies in formulating and carrying

out policies to counter environmental

tion exhibits a tendency to make com

-

"threats," once properly defined, is

mitments that it can't, or shouldn't,

therefore a good step toward avoiding

keep. The execution of sensible

some of the pitfalls awaiting environ-

national security policies requires a

mental security policies. Although

level-headed look at what goals are

there may still be a role for the mili-

worth pursuing, as well as which ones

tary in environmental protection, it

are  possible  and  cost-effective.

should be far more limited than it is

Thresholds need to be set to help

currently.  Environmental  policy

determine at what point an environ-

belongs in the civilian sphere unless

mental problem rightfully constitutes

there are clear, traditional national

a threat. What degree of risk are we

security implications.

prepared to endure before taking

action? How do the benefits compare

The broad redefinition of security that is

with the costs, either of intervening or

taking shape sets too many dangerous prece-

of standing by? What should rightly

dents, as the study of environmental security

be left to other countries to deal with?

shows. International order will be severely

Those are the operational questions

destabilized if the United States becomes fix-

that need to be asked.

· Reassess the Role of Federal Agencies: At

ated on solving every problem that arises

around the globe. The expansion of the con-

the moment, a whole host of federal

cept of security also faces a double bind. If it

entities, ranging from DoD, DoE, and

results in militarization of policy previously

the CIA to EPA, the National Oceanic

restricted to the civilian sphere, as is happen-

and Atmospheric Administration,

ing in areas such as the environment and

and the Department of State, is

drug-trafficking control, the cost to society

involved in environmental security

will be very high. If it instead leads to every-

activities. They are all involved in set-

thing in the civilian sphere's being called an

ting or executing both national secu-

issue of national security, then the govern-

rity and environmental policy--as well

ment will be able to bypass existing checks on

as foreign policy in some cases. A cer-

its power by invoking "national security." At

tain amount of overlap is inevitable

that point, anything is possible and abuses

even in traditional security policy, but

are probable.

it is disturbing to see so many agen-

It is important to proceed with greater

cies involved, all with competing

caution and broader debate instead of blun-

agendas and conflicting goals. This is

dering ahead regardless of the consequences.

especially so where civilian and mili-

Addressing environmental issues is one

tary activities coincide. There is also

thing; treating them as a threat to national

something bizarre about DoD, one of

security is quite another. By failing to differ-

the world's worst polluters, being

entiate reasonably between the two concepts,

involved in overseas efforts to reduce

20