TERRORISM AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Terrorism and International Security

Terrorism and International Security

Introduction

There have been several terrorist acts committed in the United States of America, not by terrorists that live in other countries and despise the American ways and ideas, but by our own citizens who live and work in the United States of America. Domestic terrorism is done by a person or group of persons who reside here, who are not acting on behalf of a foreign power, and who may be conducting criminal activities in support of terrorist ideas and whose acts are aimed at elements of the U.S. Government or population. Those objectives range from distrust of the government, to hatred of a specific type of person or people or their beliefs. They organize around civil rights, war, feminism and other political themes.

Discussion

The 9/11 Attacks

Domestic terrorism was again visited after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World trade Center in New York when anthrax attacks occurred in Washington, New York and Florida. Top FBI and CIA officials believe that the anthrax attacks on Washington, New York and Florida were likely the work of one or more extremists in the United States (Woodard, B., Eggen, D., 2001). And the FBI said in June 2004 that eco-terrorism -- acts of violence, sabotage or property damage motivated by concern for animals or the environment -- was the nation's top domestic terrorism threat.

The attacks on the United States and its people by its own citizens, has shocked many Americans. Americans feel that after 911, the sense of patriotism and support for the government should have been at an all time high. However, strict government reforms and new laws that have tightened and, what some feel, interfere with some of our freedoms since 911 have drastically upset many of the extremist groups and militias. Militia members have intense hatred or fear toward the government and believe that there are federal conspiracies in which the government is planning to disarm its citizens. Hatred for the government grows out of these faucets as it faces these groups with opposition and attempts to expose them. Anti-government extremists are a large part of the radicals that cause a lot of the domestic terrorism. They are driven by their strong beliefs and goals and believe that they are correct in their thinking and the government is wrong. Domestic extremists are driven by internal factors and pursue a domestic agenda.

Terrorists in the 21st Century

Terrorists in the 21st century will exploit the weaknesses of Western democracies: their visibility? their lack of secrecy? their need to maintain popular support? and their slowness to react to altered circumstances. Terrorists? by contrast? can operate in secret? they have fewer qualms about using violence? they can move quickly? and they can make use of surprise (Moussalli, 1999).

In these new conditions of asymmetric warfare? Western nations need to find ways of overcoming or minimizing the capabilities of terrorists. They must identify the terrorists' points of vulnerability? and exploit them with equal ruthlessness and ...