Global poverty
American people and the United States government struggle to respond to the idea of global poverty, they should bear in mind well that this issue is not only a hip not a solely humanitarian problem. As discussed by Rice (2006), in realistic ways, this issue can threaten the national security of the nation. Presently, it is estimated that about 1.1 billion people in the world are living in extreme poverty, with more than half living on less than $2 daily. Poverty is generally a killer and a security threat these people face. Poverty is also a driver of conflicts with studies showing that a country with a declining income nationally and a low GDP per capita results in accelerated civil conflicts. On an average, any country with a GDP per capita of $250 has a 15% risk of experiencing civil wars, and one with a $5,000 GDP per capita has a 1% risk of experiencing civil wars (Rice, 2006). Conflicts in other distant countries also tend to impact the US more directly, as they result in refugee influx in the nation, which causes an interruption in the commodities supply and also a security threat, at some levels, in the nation. Poverty has also been associated either directly or indirectly with narcotics flow, terrorism, international crime, weapons proliferation, and illegal immigration. Addressing global poverty is crucial to maintaining national security in the US (Ferraro, 2003).
To ensure that the nation thus stays safe, the US National Security Policy should prioritize on joining other donor countries and world organizations in ensuring that aids are flowing into the developing nations and the poor citizens in the country as well. The major donor nations include the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Greece which have been dedicating to finance their gross national income for combating global poverty (Rice, 2006). Poor nations are generally fragile and poorly control their territories, with increased corruption, therefore making them vulnerable to the flow of contraband products, piracy, and terrorists, who also serve as a threat to other nations including the US. With global poverty, both the poor and the rich countries are held in a hostage situation (Ferraro, 2003). With the advent of globalization, security heat in the US can arise from the majority of these poor nations, through any means. Funding these nations to alleviate poverty will ensure that potential dangers and threats into the US are deceased to some certain extent, and for the nation to be at peace. Through foreign aids, the developing nations will jumpstart into being rapidly growing nations economically, therefore helping in countering transnational security threats as supported by