“Security depends upon preparation.Preparation depends upon institutions.Institutions depend upon people.” — Alina Vey, The Hollow Shield There is a tendency to think about national security in terms of what can be seen: armed forces, aircraft, ships, intelligence systems, technology and the infrastructure that supports them. These capabilities matter. But they represent only the visible part…
By Alina Vey17 September 2026 · Geopolitics & International Affairs For much of modern history, war had a recognisable form. Armies crossed borders. Aircraft entered airspace. Ships confronted one another at sea. Infrastructure was destroyed, territory was occupied and governments formally acknowledged that a state of war existed. Today, that distinction is becoming increasingly difficult…