Burns Law Library Q&A

"national security — A collective term encompassing both national defense and foreign relations of the United States with the purpose of gaining: a. A military or defense advantage over any foreign nation or group of nations; b. A favorable foreign relations position; or c. A defense posture capable of successfully resisting hostile or destructive action from within or without, overt or covert."

"homeland security — A concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, major disasters, and other emergencies; and minimize the damage and recover from attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies that occur."

(Source: DOD [Department of Defense] Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms)

For more information, please consult our National Security Law Resources research guide.