ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that profound new threats to the security of nations are arising and that these need to be fully considered along with the traditional ones. The concern for the security of a nation is undoubtedly as old as the nation state itself, but since Second World War the concept of "national security" has acquired an overwhelmingly military character. Commonly veiled in secrecy, considerations of military threats have become so dominant that other threats to the security of nations have often been ignored. Worldwide, the military claims of national budgets exceed health-service appropriations. Most countries spend more on "national security" than they do on educating their youth. National security cannot be maintained unless national economies can be sustained, but, unfortunately, the health of many economies cannot be sustained for much longer without major adjustments. Analyzing and understanding the nature and scale of the new threats to national security will challenge the information-gathering and analytical skills of governments.
