Terrorism an International Problem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tucker Muse

Period 2

3/1/04

Background of Terrorism

 

            The first time I remember seeing terrorism for the first time was when I was when eight years old and saw a 1996 Olympic bombing take place at a concert that was being held at the Olympics. There were dead people on the television screen. People that were bleeding, dying, and had lost limbs; people that were screaming, and panicking and not being able to fathom the shock. At the time this confused me but I had no clue why people were killing and injuring other living human beings. To tell you the truth today it still puzzles me on why these people still attack innocent people. These terrorist seem to live to kill and just reek havoc on the human society. Sometimes they act for what they believe in other times its because there angry. All I know it that they have no cares about any humans, and just want to see people suffer.

            The first acts of terrorism began to occur around WWII when these no state anarchist groups began to bomb and kill people. One of the first if the not first act of terrorism is when a group by the name of Irgun Zvai Le’umi. This group bombed Jerusalem’s, King David’s hotel. They killed over 91 people and injured 45. That has led to attacks to today such as the attacks on the World Trade Centers and The Pentagon which killed around two to three thousand people. Also with suicide bombers killing innocent people in Iraq day in and day out. Lastly the biggest attack to occur recently is the attacks on the train station in Spain killing about 200 people. As you can see this is a growing problem and is greatly affecting people all throughout the world. With problems growing it is hard to say what can be done. Through attacks, threats, and with counter terrorists only being able to do so much, terrorism has become a major unsolved problem of the world.

Current status

 

Ever since the attacks of 9/11 security has been beefed up everywhere. This is mostly to know what and where attacks could be happening on the United States or even any other countries as well. As of right now there have been many attempts of attacks on the United States and our current attack status according to home land security is yellow (elevated). This means that things are happening such as increase is surveillance, coordination of emergency plans, and also assessing refinement of assessing further refinements of protective measures.

            Although there are no truly recent attacks on the United States from terrorist’s attacks it is quite different throughout the rest of the world. There has been daily suicide bombings are happening all throughout the Middle East in places like Palestine, Iraq, and Israel are all taking a beating of suicide bombers day in and day out. Less than a month ago there was a suicide bombing on Jerusalem. It killed over 8 people. These 8 people were killed to show the government to anger them and give the radical-terrorist groups strength against government and what they control.

            Most recent attack with a shocking effect left around the world was the attacks on Spain’s Subway System. This attack occurred in earlier March killing around 190 people and wounding many as well in Madrid Spain. As it seems the attacks have gotten greater and greater over the decades. With little concern with terrorism in the 90’s it is obviously become a growing cult killing with major attacks occurring more frequently on countries like the United States, Spain, and other countries as well in this decade.

 

 

Analysis

            Terrorism has become a problem because people have decided to use violence, killing, and hiding as a form of getting a point across. They do this through bombings, nerve agents and using things such as cars or planes or anything to carry out there point. When charged with these attacks most groups claim “common law” to justify the acts they carry out. (Gary E. McCuen 22)

            Terrorist use many different types of weapons to carry out these acts of terror. Sometimes it involves use of a vehicle such as a car or plane. They use things like ricin which is a very easily found toxin that is one of the most deadly toxins known to man. (Gary E. McCuen 28) Also they use explosives such as illegally purchased weapons, and terrorist are known for using guns such as the AK-47 assault rifle. However one of the most worried about acts of terrorism is biochemical warfare.(Gary E. McCuen 34) They use this by planting microorganisms in the air. These toxins used by terrorist can then enter your body. Another weapon used by terrorist is chemical weapons. These are pound for pound considered the most deadly with just 100g having the capacity to kill millions upon millions of people. (Gary E. McCuen 38)

            Terrorist are also recruiting people to carry out these attacks. Using these people to carry out attacks they also need a steady income of these people coming in as well. They use terrorist training camps which can be found on three different continents. They usually recruit men of Muslim decent and program these people to hate America and get them infuriated with rage against America and the war on Iraq. Using these people and there hate they create a man that has officially dedicated his life to the death and killing of the American and groups like the Al- Queda use this type of recruitment to make a radical army against the American.

Previous attempts

            Many methods have been used to control terrorist but when your enemy is running and hiding all around the world it is a very daunting task. We now have task forces used as a defense against terrorist. They are usually referred to as counter terrorist. Counter-terrorist usually deal with capturing the terrorist where ever they may be. Then they prosecute the terrorist for there illegal actions as well. (Hoffman Bruce web) These groups also accumulate intelligence on who, what, where, why, and how these attacks are taken out.

            There are many organizations that help out with counter-terrorism. Counter terrorists groups are the Coast guard, Border Patrol, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and Security Administration. (Hoffman Bruce web) Also Organization such as Department of Homeland Security helps a great deal with counter terrorism. Created in 2002 the Department of Homeland Security has done a great deal to help with counter terrorism. (Hoffman Bruce web) They have created methods of alerting the people such as the threats and protection advisory system which is a 5 color system ranging from green (low alert) to red (severe alert). Thanks to ideas like this and other ideas the United States hasn’t suffered a major terrorist attack since September 11.

            Although these great systems have been created to help protect against terrorism it has been a slow process. This is because it is hard to prevent terrorism throughout the whole world when you have such little permission by countries to get in there country with our forces it becomes very difficult to detect and destroy all the terrorists. Although these organizations are working as hard as they are with attacks still occurring and not being able to shut down all training camps it they will be unable to stop terrorism.

 

Prediction

            Terrorism is an unsolved problem of the world without any questions. Still, is it a growing problem or getting smaller? Well currently a few nations such as the United States and countries like England that are against terrorism are trying to crackdown there network. Although in the last few years a lot has seem to change on security and what not, terrorism has also been growing as well. With countries harvesting terrorist through these terrorist training camps it is hard to tell in what direction this problem is going in. I Personally I think that it is currently even and it is going to stay that way. Until the whole world and every country in it is willing to fight against terrorist we will be unable to get ride of it. These groups need so little to train there recruits until we having the whole world working together as one unit we will not be able to eliminate every terrorist. However I feel a key component of this is if we pull our troops out of the Middle East. I strongly believe that if our troops and other countries that have units based in the Middle East pull out it will go to there same corrupt ways. In the Middle East when you try to create a peaceful environment it is seen as a weakness and you will get attacked by the opposing force because they feel that you are weak and therefore they feel it is necessary to take over your territory than create peace. That is why it is so vital to keep our troops in there even once Iraq’s new government is set up. Without our forces I predict that the Middle East is once again doomed for failure.

 

 

 

 

Solution

            Like stated in the paragraph before I feel that there is only one true solution to this problem, you can think all you want but terrorism will stick around as long as it has a place to create forces. It is like wasp creating a nest anywhere where it will feels and fit to survive and breed more wasps to reek more and more havoc. Although is sound ridiculous its truly the only way to get ride of this problem. Every nation from Russia to Antarctica need to unit. Working as one we will be able to find the problem and solve it by getting rid of it. Then the individuals affiliated with showing acts of terrorism must suffer the consequences. Terrorism is a serious matter and as long as countries are allowing them to recruit forces for there sadistic ways they can’t be stopped.

            In the end it might seem that terrorism is too big and that it is near impossible to get rid of all the forces, but I believe if everyone can get passed there differences and the troubles they have had in the past and just make the effort to get ride of this one problem. By doing that this, the earth will be a better place for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

•         Biological Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction. Hubso: Gary E. McCuen 1999

•         Macfarquhar Niel. “Al-Qaida promises more attacks on U.S.” Orange County Register 25 Feb, 2004, national ed:+

•         Hoffman Bruce. “Terrorism” Encarta 2004 25 Feb, 2004 http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopidia_761564344_3/terrorism.html.

•         Calabresi, Massimo “The Axis of Evil:Is it for Real?” Los Angeles Times Feb 2002

•         Hosenball,Mark. “Unringing the Bell.” Newsweek Jan, 2004, 38