A Multi-Dimensional View of Security

Security means freedom from fear and freedom from want. Around the world, most people feel secure when they have adequate education, employment, healthcare and other basic needs for their families and when they don't have to fear the impact of environmental disasters, infectious diseases or attacks on their communities or their dignity.

People in the U.S. feel the impact of global insecurity when we fill up our cars with gas, when we travel, in the stock market, and in the insecurity we feel sometimes even in our own communities. In our globalized world, U.S. security is interconnected with global security. The U.S. can only address cross-border issues like global warming, infectious diseases, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons in partnership with other countries.

While a nuclear terrorist attack on the United States or Europe would have a devastating impact on the whole world, so would the spread of a new deadly disease in a poor country with no effective health-care system to prevent its spread globally. Avian flu could put hundreds of thousands of people at risk. The proliferation of nuclear weapons creates the possibility for the destruction of entire cities. And the weather changes brought on by global warming threaten the survival of huge portions of the world's population. These different problems require diverse solutions.

A 3D Security Toolkit
For many people, the word security quickly brings to mind the military or the defense department. But a poster on the wall at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, tells a different story. Detailing dozens of different "Tools of National Security," the military is merely one of the tools listed."If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." Security requires a variety of tools in addressing complex threats. The toolkit includes hundreds of different tool like treaties, negotiation, advocacy, law enforcement, economic development, and trade policies. These tools can be categorized broadly under the headings of Development, Diplomacy and Defense; the 3D's of security. 3D security is a well-rounded security "toolkit." 3D security has been promoted by countries like Canada and the U.K. for a number of years. Now bi-partisan Congressional leaders and the Bush administration promote 3D security as a new vision for rethinking security as detailed in the 2006 National Security Strategy. According to the U.S. National Security Strategy published by the White House in March 2006, the U.S. security portfolio should include development, diplomacy and defense.

Investing and Planning for 3D Security
Much like investors are encouraged to invest in a diverse retirement portfolio, so the nation should invest in diverse security tools. Yet the U.S. spends less than 5% of the discretionary federal budget on development and diplomacy security tools while it spends over 50% of the discretionary federal budget on defense. U.S. and global security require investing in a 3D security toolkit.

But more money alone won't build our security. It is important to spend security dollars more wisely. Some kinds of development, diplomacy, and defense efforts are a waste of money.

The 3D Security Initiative explores which Development, Diplomacy, and Defense initiatives are most likely to be effective and faithful to American values. The 3D Security Initiative is a broadly-based effort to encourage a more balanced approach to U.S. security policy. Sponsored by the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University, many of the perspectives contained in our website come from a variety of other constituencies.

While we approach security from a development and diplomatic perspective given our background, this document seeks to lay out a full range of opinions about a new vision for U.S. and global security including a discussion of defense using insights from military experts. Therefore, the opinions in these pages do not necessarily represent the official position of Eastern Mennonite University. We invite readers to consider how development and diplomacy are security strategies and how our understanding of defense may need to change in our globalized world.

Development refers to efforts that build economic, social, and political foundations and stabilize communities and societies. Here in the U.S. and abroad, government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) work to improve the quality of life through development programs like building schools and healthcare centers, digging wells for clean water, providing funds for people to start small businesses, and training community leaders in democratic decision-making processes. Development programs address the root causes of terrorism since fragile and failed states make ready hosts for terrorist organizations, are unable to monitor loose nuclear weapons, and lack capacity to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like AIDS, SARS, or Avian Flu. Development programs create jobs, strengthen local democratic political institutions, and address competition over natural resources. Many conflicts can be prevented by international partnerships that work to relieve the conditions of poverty, corruption, and indignity that extremists exploit. A 3D security approach requires not only more development aid, but also better, more effective development policies and programs. Effective forms of development support local people in their efforts to better their lives.

Diplomacy refers to communication or negotiation tactics that use political and legal channels to address conflicts. Official government negotiations are widely referred to as "Track I" diplomacy. Unofficial diplomacy, known as "Track II" diplomacy, refers to negotiations, dialogue or relationship building by religious, business, or other civil society leaders. Track I and Track II diplomatic efforts have successfully prevented violence between groups in many parts of the world by creating a space for leaders to work out their problems through democratic dialogue. The U.S. has a successful history of solving complex problems through diplomacy. The U.S. negotiated with the former Soviet Union while under threat of nuclear attack. A 3D security approach uses diplomacy as a foreign policy tool, not as a reward for good behavior. A 3D security approach encourages increased investments in Track I and Track II diplomacy, thus boosting the number of people engaged in constructive and diplomatic negotiations.

Defense currently refers to a wide range of military tasks directed by the U.S. government including the logistical coordination of humanitarian aid after the 2004 Tsunami, peacekeeping operations in places like Haiti and elsewhere, policing in places like New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, deploying special units to security zones and conflict areas, as well as waging a full scale war in Iraq. However, many military and political experts believe the military requires new tools and training. According to these experts, the U.S. has become overly reliant on expensive hardware developed to fight large powers like the former Soviet Union. Many recognize the ineffectiveness of using overwhelming military force for addressing many and perhaps most of the security threats facing the world today. To be effective in a 3D security framework, defense strategies need to change to adapt to the new global security challenges.

The 3D Security Initiative offers thanks to www.USintheWorld.org for their contributions to help Americans talk about global issues.