01510nas a2200157   4500000000100000008004100001653002300042653001300065653001500078653002700093100002000120245014200140300001100282490000700293520105200300       2022                            d10aIslamist terrorist10apolicing10aLeadership10aevidencebased policing1 aTimothy Parsons00aDebates around Britain’s National Security Are  Characterized by a Paucity of Effective Leadership and a Surfeit of Political Cowardice  a55-66 0 v523 aLeadership, both political and operational, in policing and security is essential in a highly conflicted world. In Britain, politicians avoid discussion of crime and terrorism challenges they are reluctant to confront and have no idea how to resolve. There is much displacement activity, public discourse is directed away from recurring issues and offender behaviours and towards vacuous debates about online commentary and civility in public life. Britain’s disastrous neo-colonial adventure in Afghanistan has taught politicians few lessons and continues to exercise a malign influence on counter-terrorism strategy and attitudes to global security. Instead of a robust review and rapid reform of policing and security responses to crime and terrorism at home, a new pseudo-scientific approach to policing and public security has emerged. This paper roundly condemns and flatly rejects this untested and unwanted reform. The fundamentals of good policing and community security are well-rehearsed and understood. They should be revisited.