In developing homeland security measures, assessing risks from international sources must be balanced with what critical internal focus?

Balancing risks from international sources with a focus on defending the homeland is critical because it emphasizes the importance of national resilience and protective measures. Defending the homeland entails a comprehensive strategy that addresses potential threats while safeguarding critical infrastructure, citizens, and national interests from various dangers, including those that may arise from abroad.

This focus is fundamental to homeland security because it encompasses prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery phases. By prioritizing defense, agencies can implement effective strategies such as intelligence gathering, threat analysis, and counterterrorism operations, which help to ensure a proactive stance against international threats. This approach ultimately builds a robust framework that supports overall national security while enabling better preparation against internal vulnerabilities.

In contrast, while urban preparedness, public awareness, and emergency response are all important components of a comprehensive homeland security strategy, they do not directly encapsulate the protective measures aimed specifically at thwarting or mitigating external threats, making the focus on defending the homeland essential.