Some of the Top Issues in National Security for 2009

Issues in National Security and What the U.S. Needs to Do about Them
Heading into 2009, there are many issues in national security that the U.S. needs to invest resources in addressing. At the top of the list of issues in national security: the war in Iraq, the ongoing war on terrorism, missile defense, the issue of space, and the growing threat of Iran. These issues in national security are not the only ones, but they represent a substantial part of what threats face America today.

The War in Iraq Needs to be Completed
Ongoing U.S. support will be necessary to aid Iraqi security forces in sustaining peace during this transition time as the U.S. reduces its presence and hands the nation back over to the Iraqi people. Issues related to this that pertain to the national security of the U.S. lie in the threat of terrorist organizations coming back into Iraq and using it much like they are using Afghanistan and Pakistan, as safe havens.

More Cooperation Between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India in Stopping Terrorism
A vital issue to U.S. national security still lies in the safe havens located in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where terrorist organizations, primarily Al-Qaeda, are allowed to train, plan, and recruit new fighters. Eliminating these sanctuaries will serve a crushing blow to the stability of these organizations. The cooperation of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India will be necessary if these groups are to come to an end. At present, the effort is not a sure bet.

Missile Defense a Key Component to National Security
The threat of ballistic missile attack on the U.S. and its allies around the world is only growing stronger as more and more nations seek ways to obtain their own nuclear weapons. This issue in national security needs to be addressed with more intent than it has been to date. While the U.S. does have some land- and sea-based defense systems in place, they are insufficient to deal with multiple threats at once. As nations like Iran aggressively seek nuclear weapons, it seems like it will only be a matter of time before there is either an accidental launch or an intentional detonation of a nuclear weapons somewhere in the world. America needs to commit more resources to designing and developing more missile defense installations both in the U.S. and in strategic locations around the globe such as in Poland and the Czech Republic. These installations will be critical in the termination of any type of ballistic missile attack.

The High Frontier and Issues Related to National Security
The frontier of space is no longer limited to just the United States and Russia. Several countries now have the capabilities of using space for peaceful and harmful purposes. With space being used for both commercial and military purposes, the last frontier has the potential to become the next great battle ground. The U.S. is vulnerable to attacks by other nations on its space-based assets such as satellites. Space presents an issue in national security which is very significant since it is one of the only locations that allows enemies to deliver a ballistic missile directly to American soil without any interruption or interference. America needs to take the lead and start developing missile defense systems for space to eliminate any incoming threats to the country and to its space-based assets.

Iran and the Intents of Their Nuclear Program
For years, the ongoing pursuit of nuclear weapons by Iran's President has been an issue to the national security of the U.S. and its allies. Iran has stated quite clearly that they intend on destroying Israel. Furthermore, their ongoing hatred toward the U.S. is well documented. If and when Iran does get their nuclear weapon, they will use it to threaten their neighbors and whoever is within reach of their delivery vehicle. Initially, they only have the Shahab-3 missile, which is capable of delivering a warhead into Southern Europe and most all parts of the Middle East. However, Iran is working with North Korea in the development of two and possibly three stage missiles which would be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to any location within the United States. Iran poses an issue in national security that cannot be ignored or minimized. Their plans to build a nuclear weapon need to be stopped in some way or another, either by the U.S. or another country.

Discover more about the issues in national security facing the United States in 2009. Read the article, "National Security Resolutions for 2009"  HERE to learn about the 10 most immediate threats to U.S. national security. There are serious issues facing the national security of the U.S. in 2009, and Washington needs to take some immediate steps toward ending some of these issues. One of the foremost responsibilities of government is to protect its citizens. At the moment, the citizens of the U.S. are not being protected.