Short Research Paper on Intelligence and Homeland Security

The Right to Liberty versus National Security Surveillance Measures Name American Public University System INTL613 Instructor Rank and Name Month Day, Year Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc163157960 \h 3Introduction PAGEREF _Toc163157961 \h 4Liberty is Security PAGEREF _Toc163157962 \h 4Balancing Liberty and Security PAGEREF _Toc163157963 \h 4Civil Liberties and Surveillance PAGEREF _Toc163157964 \h 6Civil Liberties PAGEREF _Toc163157965 \h 6Surveillance PAGEREF _Toc163157966 \h 7The Dangers of Surveillance PAGEREF _Toc163157967 \h 7The Snowden Leaks PAGEREF _Toc163157968 \h 9Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc163157969 \h 11References PAGEREF _Toc163157970 \h 12 Abstract The balance between the right to liberty and measures taken by the government for national security reasons has come under scrutiny. Authorities use surveillance as a legal approach for mitigating national security threats. The dilemmas that uncensored surveillance presents include dangers to the privacy of the citizens, intrusion into personal space, especially in online and social media networks, infringement of the freedom of individuals, and lapses in democratic governance. Intelligence and Homeland Security are required to honor the civil liberties of United States citizens as they carry out their daily duties. The expansion of surveillance capabilities facilitated by technological advances raises concerns about the unchecked power of government agencies and the potential for abuse. The leakage by Edward Snowden, which showed how federal government officials could misuse public data retrieved for security purposes, was a wake-up call for citizens. However, the extent of privacy violations done by any surveillance action is scrutinized mostly when the public has been alerted about it. Introduction Intelligence and homeland security allow the federal government to oversee its national security functions. Intelligence involves gaining important information for political or military purposes. Homeland Security is concerned with the public's safety in the United States. Balancing liberty and security constitutes a complex dilemma for the national security agency. The right to liberty focuses on protecting citizens from unreasonable detention and intrusion into personal space. Surveillance by the federal government is a security measure that was adopted in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in 2001. This paper will analyze intelligence and homeland security in light of the concept of liberty in security, national security surveillance, and the Snowden leaks. Liberty is Security The relationship between national security measures in the United States and citizens' freedoms is complex. On one hand, liberty implies protecting individual rights, privacy, and freedoms from undue government intrusion. On the other hand, security suggests safeguarding a nation from external threats, including terrorism, espionage, and other forms of harm (Homeland Security, 2024). Balancing these two principles is often a challenge for governments, especially in the context of civil liberties and surveillance. Safeguarding the freedoms of citizens is not antithetical to ensuring their safety; rather, it is a recognition that a contemporary society that respects and protects individual rights is inherently more secure. Balancing Liberty and Security The U. S. and its allies face significant security threats, and future generations will feel their impacts. Common peace threats include the increase in weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, and cyber warfare and espionage. It should be noted that most adversaries to homeland security operate within the confines of complex communications technologies. This means the country should have an advanced intelligence collection ability to obtain relevant security threat information to keep it safe and secure. However, the nation is also committed to protecting individual privacy and civil liberties; actions involving excessive intelligence may limit this fundamental commitment (Homeland Security, 2024). Henceforth, the government should base its decisions on the costs and benefits of its policies. National intelligence should rely on evidence and data, not anecdotes and intuitions. Moreover, surveillance decisions should constantly be scrutinized to monitor progress and correct errors. Homeland security is a duty of the government, and law enforcement bodies have been entrusted with overseeing this task. The U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment outlines that citizens have the right to be secure in their papers, houses, persons, and effects against unnecessary seizures and searches. The central task here is risk management, and the federal government must take all those risks in creating sensible safeguards (Homeland Security, 2024). Risks to national security and privacy risks, risks to the United States' relationship with other nations, risks to freedom and civil liberty on the internet, and risks to trade and commerce should be considered immediately. Some types of safeguards may not be subject to balancing at all. For example, surveillance of political enemies has been a norm, yet it has been sugar-coated as an approach to ensuring homeland security. Surveillance can be misused to suppress legitimate criticism and dissent, benefit or burden specific races, genders, ethnicities, and religions, provide local companies with a competitive advantage, and help preferred industries or companies to excel. Civil Liberties and Surveillance Civil liberties and surveillance are two crucial aspects of modern governance that are often antagonistic. Civil liberties encompass the fundamental rights and freedoms that the United States citizens are entitled to within the society. Civil liberty allows citizens to enjoy the protection given by laws established for society's good, especially the freedom of speech and action. On the other hand, law enforcement agencies are supposed to undertake surveillance activities to establish legitimate claims of infringement of public safety and prevent disorder or crime. Surveillance involves monitoring and collecting information to maintain national security and law enforcement. Richards (2021) analyzed the dangers of surveillance and particularly stressed that the governments of the day could not command their ind...