I was quite pleased with the diverse viewpoints regarding insecurity. The class addressed questions relating to the relationship between individual rights and security, what is security, and if the government should continue with an offensive strategy in the War on Terror. Well done UC World Politics!
Insecurity is not a lack of security, but simply a philosophy that advocates molding defense strategy to actual threats rather than perceived ones, saving resources and the hysteria of the public. By reacting to a terrorist attack in a rational and effective manner, far less money would be spent than on the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Insecurity addresses the here-and-now rather than what might be, the trick is, how do you teach the populace of a state to act rationally? Security is a state of mind, and terrorism often seeks to prey upon this personal sense of security, creating political instability within a nation. If somehow we can educate people to react in a level-headed manner, a state can stay politically stable and terrorisms goals are not accomplished.
I found what Ben said about educating people to act rationally through education and media policy interesting. While all people view their actions as rational, and everyone has their motivation for acting the way they do, lessening the sensationalism of news I feel could be beneficial and begin a gradual process away from the perceived state of chaos in the world to a more reserved viewpoint, effectively enabling the government to react to threats and eliminating the purpose of global terrorism.