Terrorism And The Homeland Security

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the United States and other developed countries changed their assumed view of the threat from terrorism. Massive amount of resources were mobilized in a very short time to counter the perceived and actual threat from terrorists and terrorist organizations. In the U.S., this change was pushed as a necessity for what was called "Homeland Security”. It went through the enactment of hundreds of statutes and regulations, substantial changes in policy initiatives, the most massive governmental reorganization since 1947, and brought the new business of homeland security to the face of American awareness. Soon after the terrorist attacks, Congress passed various new laws and enhanced some existing ones

The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. “The establishment of this organization provided this nation with a real opportunity for making vast improvements within our communities social and economic infrastructures to combat all threats, mainly terrorism” as stated by Bullock, (2013, P. 1). The 9/11 attacks exposed a

Bush, he announced that the United States was becoming a hit target for the terrorists threatening the civil liberties (GOA, 2014). For that very reason, he created the Department of Homeland Security. Currently, the DHS's strategic plan focuses on preventing terror attacks and enhancing security. "Preventing terrorist attacks on the homeland remains and ought to stay the foundation of homeland security" (GOA, 2014). However a review of DHS's programs, including those related to counterterrorism, nurture inquiries about whether preventing terror attacks is the core mission of the agency. Additionally, checking on whether the programs initiated has recorded any progress in safeguarding U.S from threats of terror attacks (Department of Homeland Security,

The United States has developed a multitude of advancements to aid toward the prevention of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. First and foremost, the United States government created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS was created in lieu of the 9/11 terrorist attack. There are sixteen different agencies combined to make up what is known today as the DHS including, just to name a few, the Federal Emergency Management Agency; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and The Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Each one has its role in keeping the U.S. a safer place.

As previously mentioned, the purpose of the Department of Homeland Security is to promote concerted nationwide efforts in securing the American homeland and way of life. This purpose is achieved through securing the nation's borders, thwarting terrorist attacks, and responding to threats effectively. The department also works to thwart, contain, and counter threats from international criminal activities and national disasters. As part of accomplishing its objectives, the Department of Homeland Security has

The essence of Homeland Security is “Preparation for an attack that could come at any time, affect any number of targets, and result in casualties and damage to people and national infrastructure” (Gaines & Worrall, 2012) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created through the integration of all or part of 22 different Federal departments and agencies into a unified, integrated Department, creating a strengthened homeland security enterprise and a more secure America that is better equipped to confront the range of threats we face. A 2011

Per the National Strategy for Homeland Security, the meaning of homeland security is a collective national determination to avert terrorist attacks within the United States, helping with the reduction of America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur.

Today, domestic terrorism is one of the major threats to the national security of the US. Since 9/11, the US intelligence services and law enforcement agencies viewed international terrorism as the major threat to the public security of the US but the threat of domestic terrorism has been underestimated. At any rate, American law enforcement agencies conduct active campaigns to prevent international terrorism but domestic terrorism become a serious threat to the national security of the US. In such a way, the US needs to develop effective strategies to prevent the rise of domestic terrorism. Otherwise, the US may face a threat of the consistent growth of domestic terrorism as do some European countries, such as the UK, for instance. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should focus their attention on the prevention of domestic terrorism because, even though domestic terrorism is unseen, it may be even more dangerous than international terrorism. Domestic terrorists undermine the country from within, while international terrorists attack the US from the outside and the US can raise barriers to protect Americans from the foreign threat, while domestic terrorism needs effective work of law enforcement agencies nationwide. Therefore, domestic terrorism is a serious threat to the national security of the US and American law enforcement agencies along legislators and the public have to unite their efforts in the struggle against domestic terrorism.

After the attacks on September 11th, 2001 the United States was forced to reassess its policies over the defense of the country within its borders. Until that time the United States’ homeland security was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice (Masse, O’Neil, & Rollins, 2007). After the attack the Executive branch of the government created a new organization that would be responsible for deciding where the biggest threats to the country were. This was the birth of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for assessing all risk to the Nation within its borders and developing way to mitigate these threats before a disaster can take place. One of the documents that the Department of

I do believe that domestic terrorism is still a treat within the United States because of the current violence against civilian population like black lives matter, the KKK or those that randomly attack our police officers. There attentions are to intimidate the everyday law bidding citizens in an attempt to their way of thinking our beliefs. “Homegrown terrorists are produced a number of ways. The first involves individuals who become radicalized by personal experiences. The second might involve a similar pat to radicalization, but it also involves some type of foreign connections.” (White 2014 p. 323) These are the ones that may have parents or other family members from another country and attempt to attack U.S. citizens. I believe that

But how is this new threat and the creation of the DHS affecting state police functions in

“We have learned as a Nation that we must maintain a constant, capable, and vigilant posture to protect ourselves against new threats and evolving hazards. But we have also learned that vigilance and protection are not ends in and of themselves, but rather necessary tools in the service of our national purpose.”(Napolitano, 2010, p.iv) In the wake of the September 11th, 2001 attacks our nation has taken upon itself extreme vigilance to ensure the security and defense of the American people. The relationship between homeland security and homeland defense is one that is tightly knit. Each has a very distinct mission set but somewhere along the spectrum they cross over and mutually support each other in the best interest of the nation.

Later, the federal, state, and local government responses to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina expanded the concept of homeland security to include significant disasters, major public health emergencies, and other events that threaten the United States, its economy, the rule of law, and government operations (2). Homeland security is the combination of law enforcement, immigration, disaster relief, and terrorist activities within the United States’ borders. This would be based on the local agencies and civilian departments to safeguard the people from any threat within while being assisted by the government. In some aspects of terror attacks, there will be a combination of both homeland security and homeland defense. 9/11 is the perfect example as homeland security was responding to the local disasters and threats while the homeland defense, military, was deploying to get to the root of the threats. This is essential to the way homeland security operates because this will stop the attack on the nation’s soil before it reaches the borders and local government agencies are required. The biggest issue with the homeland security aspect is that the

On September 11, 2001, the world realized the tragedy and destruction caused by terrorism. Marwan Abu Ubcida, a terrorist in training, said, “Yes, I am a terrorist. Write that down: I admit I am a terrorist. [The Koran] says it is the duty of Muslims to bring terror to the enemy, so being a terrorist makes me a good Muslim.”(Friedman) That enemy happens to be anyone against what they believe. One such enemy meaning the US because we are against terrorism. There is no justification for terrorism and no reason for the government to try to justify it. According to Seifeldin Ashmawy in a meeting for the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Near East and South Asian Affairs, “The mask of religion must be torn from their [extremist]

By breaking down the two key words, security and defense, you find how each of these items are married together. Security and defense are to very similar words, one you are securing a given item and the other you are defending. So, wouldn’t you think that homeland defense and homeland security would be the same? You would, but they are not. Homeland defense is the of its self is the infrastructure used to defend us against any sort of external threat. Whereas Homeland Security is the strategy that is used with to combat these sort of things. It goes without saying that the primary mission of homeland security and defense, is to protect the citizens of the United States of America. Within the mission is the tasks, and each individual department has its own specific task. Now, with the specific task comes specific duties, responsibilities, and operations. From personal experience, most operations of within the homeland security/defense real are in some way, shape, or form joint operations. Now each individual knows their specific tasks, duty, and responsibility. Take for example the current situation in New York City and Elizabeth, New Jersey, you have on the ground investigating, the local law enforcement agencies, the ATF, the FBI, and Homeland Security agents. Each agency has their own job and their own input on what needs to be done while on scene. Here is simple breakdown of those task, the local law enforcement agents are first own the scene. They are going to