Security Concerns
Peace and stability in the age of globalization is under constant assault by multiple
complex threats, many of which can be countered only through international govern-
mental and military cooperation. To illustrate the continuing need for intercultural
communication in the national security arena, we will address a few of the ongoing
challenges and operations in the following paragraphs. You should try to keep in
mind the many different languages and cultures involved among participants in the
programs and operations discussed.
Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), which include nuclear, chemical, and bio-
logical armaments, carry the potential to inflict the greatest number of causalities and
are a concern for almost every nation. The desire to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons is exemplified in the multinational efforts to dissuade Iran from further
development and to terminate the North Korean program. Negotiations with Iran
involve representatives from China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom,
and the United States. In addition to North Korea, the Six Party Talks involve
China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. The removal and destruc-
tion of Syria’s chemical arsenal in 2013–2014 involved Syria’s acquiescence, an agree-
ment between the United States and Russia, a UN Security Council Resolution, and
supervision by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Ships from
Norway and Denmark provided transport services. Logistic sites were used in Cyprus
and Italy. The chemical weapons and associated materials were destroyed aboard a
U.S. merchant ship and at sites in Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the
United States.^27 The role of intercultural communication in these cases is self-
evident.
We are constantly reminded of the danger of global terrorism as it spreads around
the world. With the exception of Antarctica, acts of terrorism resulting in loss of life
occurred on every continent in 2014. Nor is there any indication that the threat will
diminish anytime soon. The ability ultimately to meet the challenge of terrorism will
require the cooperation of the entire international community. The Combined Mari-
time Forces (CMF) offers an example of how the international community can suc-
cessfully engage and neutralize an asymmetrical threat. Composed of naval units from
30 nations, the CMF maintains a presence in the Arabian Gulf, Northern Arabian
Sea, and the Indian Ocean, encompassing“approximately 2.5 million square miles of
international waters.”^28 This all-voluntary force conducts continuous security opera-
tions and has effectively quelled Somali-based maritime piracy. The implementation
of these hugely complex operations takes an extraordinary degree of coordination, all
anchored in communication that must pass through numerous language and cultural
filters.
The UN peacekeeping operations offer another example of international coopera-
tion that must overcome countless cultural and language obstacles. As of January
2015, more than 120,000 uniformed and civilian personnel from 128 nations were
deployed to 16 international locations. These men and women were working to main-
tain peace, protect civilian populations, sustain the environment, and promote
human rights at 16 sites in Africa, the Balkans, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and
South Asia.^29
Just as globalization has changed the economic and social landscape, it has given
rise to a series of emerging security threats. These include extant and developingSecurity Concerns 13Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).