This book examines the recent intersection of national security and public health regarding biological threats to the U.S. populace and proposes improvements to the executive and legislative development of U.S. policy addressing biological threat mitigation.
Over the last 20 years, the national security community has engaged with disease-related issues that have traditionally been the scope of public health agencies. The federal government’s response has been to create a single national biodefense strategy, which has been largely ineffective in improving conditions due to poor terminology, a lack of leadership, and a failure to assess government programs.
Applying a public policy framework, Albert J. Mauroni examines how the government addresses biological threats—including disease prevention, bioterrorism response, military biodefense, biosurety, and agricultural biosecurity and food safety. He proposes a new approach to countering biological threats, arguing that lead agencies should focus on implementing discrete portfolios with annual assessments against clear and achievable objectives.
Features
- Examines each of the five biological threat sectors and identifies who develops and executes the policy for those sectors, what funding they receive, how each policy area's objectives are implemented, what congressional committees are involved, and who advocates for them
- Covers policy evolution since the beginning of the 21st century and identifies the major milestones in biological threat mitigation
- Unveils the real issues behind public health challenges, such as funding for disease prevention programs
- Clarifies commonly misunderstood terminology, such as health security, biosecurity, and biodefense
Albert J. Mauroni is the director of the U.S. Air Force Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL. He has more than 35 years of experience in Department of Defense counter-weapons of mass destruction (WMD) policy and program development. In his current position, he oversees the development and execution of Air Force education, research, and outreach initiatives relating to counter-WMD and nuclear deterrence operations. He also teaches electives and advises student research at the Air University. He is the author of eight books and numerous journal articles.
Reviews
"Al Mauroni’s biting critique of American biodefense policies should be required reading. Even those who reject his conclusions will benefit from engaging with his often-controversial perspectives. Based on his extensive knowledge of how the military counters biological warfare threats, Mauroni offers an often-surprising argument against dealing with natural and accidental infectious disease outbreaks with a similar national security framework."—W. Seth Carus, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of National Security Policy, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, National Defense University
"Albert J. Mauroni provides a comprehensive examination of how U.S. government policy has shaped the civilian and military national biodefense community and vice versa. He guides the reader with a thoroughly detailed review that few others with his extensive knowledge and experience have previously attempted. His book should be required reading for all who seek to understand and contribute to our national biodefense strategy and policy."—Zygmunt F. Dembek, Associate Professor, Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Former Chief of Biodefense Epidemiology and Education & Training Programs, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
"Now more than ever, the national security and public health communities need new strategies for managing the distinct challenges posed by biological weapons and by pandemics. In this book, Albert Mauroni provides a trenchant critique of existing policies and provides practical recommendations for a more constructive way forward.”
—Gregory D. Koblentz, Director, Biodefense Graduate Program, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University
"Albert Mauroni sees a national crisis in how the United States government addresses biological threats, understood broadly to include health issues, and the mechanisms that it uses in attempts to establish a national policy on “health security.” In particular, he is concerned with the role that the U.S. Department of Defense plays in this effort. Drawing on 35 years of experience in Army and Air Force service and as a consultant to the Department of Defense, Mauroni provides a thorough and highly informed review of the issues and problems."—Milton Leitenberg, Senior Research Associate, Center for International and Security Studies, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland
Praeger Security International
International security in the 21st century is not a topic that can be adequately addressed in nightly news soundbites or online articles intended to be relevant for 24 hours or less. Comprehending these complex issues requires insight from foreign policy specialists, diplomats, military officials, peace scholars, historians, and security experts—participants and observers on all sides of each conflict. This series provides the tools for understanding security issues in our uncertain, unstable world.
Covering global hot spots from Iran to Venezuela and subjects ranging from terrorism and cyber warfare to food security, books in the Praeger Security International series give readers access to carefully considered and highly informed viewpoints on the critical security issues that threaten to destabilize our world. With titles authored by diplomats, academic researchers, journalists, military leaders and combatants, legal experts, psychologists, and other knowledgeable specialists, these books offer in-depth analysis and international perspectives that are unavailable in the mass media. These titles represent an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and policymakers as well as for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of the complex issues that affect our lives and future.Features
• Provides reliable, comprehensive information on all matters relating to security that is ideal for students, teachers, researchers, and professionals
• Offers insightful commentaries written by a diverse group of scholars and experts who provide interdisciplinary treatments of newsworthy events and important historical occurrences
