Homeland security
Introduction
After the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, terrified and horrified American citizens wanted the government to come up with the strategies to be used in protecting their country from further incidences of terrorist attack. To respond to such an overpowering public sentiment as well as o the vast sense of susceptibility revealed by terrorism, the government struggled to implement measures that answer public questions or concerns. Furthermore, such measures were meant to ensure that the nation has improved its ability to cope up with terrorist attacks. Ideally, the measures and the steps that followed after that were considered to be a program for ‘Homeland Security” (White, 2016). Initially, although this program was considered to least effective, it was later proven to be a national priority.
- Theoretical background on The Department of Homeland Security
After the 9/11 terrorist attack, the president had required the concerned authorities to create a White House staff that could represent and be in charge of all the tasks that were to be completed by Homeland Security. Headed by the director of Homeland security, his main duty was to ensure that necessary steps and measures have been taken so as to protect Americans from threats of Terrorist attacks. Moreover, Homeland Security Council was also established to act as the anti-terrorism member of the council representing the national security department. In connection with that, a document was released to highlight all the proposed objectives, aspirations, and strategies to be used by Homeland Security (Beckman, 2016). What this implies is the fact that the establishment of this department had the potential of representing the largest reorganization of the United States’ federal government.
- The impact the attacks of September 11th had on the United States
After the attack, thousands of innocent people lost their lives. Families and the American society remained terrified of this incident to the extent of living in fear each day. Thousands of toxic substances were spread throughout the country which in return continued to impact the health of people. Thousands of people died from toxic dust. The economy of the country declined considerably because of the closure of major governmental businesses and privately owned businesses. Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased greatly making the living standards to be difficult for the Americans. Geopolitics was extended into the society which in return impacted the dynamics of peoples’ culture. A great emphasis was placed on home life, regular church attendance, an increase in patriotism, the emancipation of the masses through social media, and so on (Jenkins et al., 2011). Legislations were also passed by various governments around the world aimed at combating terrorist attacks.
4.4.1. The development of Homeland Security
Fostering protection of American citizens from such attacks was understandable and perfectly natural. As a result of that, using Homeland Security was to make it easier for the government to explore all the steps that can be feasibly and prudently undertaken to reduce the exposure to such attacks. According to the perspectives of the American government, it was also logical to invest financial and organizational resources towards fostering the activities of that program. On the other hand, as a result of the establishment of the Homeland Security, also Americans wanted its agenda to be linked with that tragedy to ensure that rapid actions have been undertaken to assure the troubled population that their safety will be guaranteed (White, 2016). Regardless of that, dispassionate and honest evaluation had to be made for the available opportunities that can be used to improve protection against terrorist attacks.
4.4.2. The different components within Homeland Security
Homeland Security is made up of several operational components. They include;
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
- U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services
- United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- United States Secret Service (USSS)
- United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- Management Directorate
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office
- Science and Technology Directorate
- Office of Intelligence and Analysis
- Office of Operations Coordination
4.3. Security measures that were implemented (Post 9/11)
Nonetheless, preventing or hindering terrorist activities ultimately relies on intelligence. Apparently, in case the terrorists and their intentions are kept secretive, it becomes difficult to deny them the chances of attacking. Therefore, Homeland Security was to take that tasks that can improve the counter-terrorism intelligence of the United States. Despite that, it is evident that a vast amount of local or raw intelligence were collected after the 9/11 attack. Gathering of the intelligence data was not the only task to be performed. Homeland Security team was to take the responsibility of analyzing, integrating with other existing intelligence and evaluate it before communication to the concerned authorities in order to ensure that such data has been effectively used (David et al., 2017).
Ideally, after the 9/11 terrorist attack, the Bush administration ended up identifying intelligence and warnings as one of the United States’ integral cornerstones of its strategies and efforts for combating terrorism. This is what made it possible to launch various initiatives that could assist in improving analytic capabilities as well as enhance the coordination of Homeland Security with other intelligence agencies, like the Defenses Department, FBI, and CIA. This was imperative because it assisted in the conversion of intelligence into an immediate warning and warnings into effective response or actions. That also had to take into account the need for mapping out an explicit and sensible allocation of duties amongst these agencies (White, 2016).
The next step that was to be undertaken entailed making the borders of the United States less porous. After the 9/11 terrorist attack, it was found out that illegal entry of people and goods into the United States was something to worry about. Taking into account its lengthy coastlines and remote borders, the country faced numerous challenges in coming up with better means of preventing illegal border crossing. Efforts that have been put in place include strengthening border patrols, especially along the America-Mexico border. Moreover, although it is impossible to protect everything, the Bush Administration together with Homeland Security was required to ensure that their transportation systems and critical infrastructure have been made more secure through the use of surveillance systems (Johnstone & Elsevier, 2015). Health and decision-making personnel were also required to come up with techniques that can be used to protect and respond to any form of chemical attack. Strategies were also put in place to train individuals who will assist in facilitating quick response in case of an attack.
4.4. History of terrorist attacks in the United States
According to data collected, to date, the number of terrorist attacks that has occurred in American has reached 85. The terrorist attacks comprise of radical Islamist attacks and violent attacks from right-wing extremist members. Other cases involving terrorist attacks involve things like massacre through organized shooting, scalping, slave raid, assault, sacking, assassination, stabbing, and so on.
- Possible security solutions that can be implemented to prevent future attacks
In future, it is also desirable to ensure that the potential targets of terrorist attacks were not left susceptible to attacks. Moreover, Homeland Security should ensure that realistic strategies are put in place to increase protection as much as possible. It is logical to say that the so-termed as consequence risk management after terrorist attacks has the potential of minimizing adverse effects in various imaginable scenarios. Because of that, the future initiatives of the Homeland Security should entail reducing the chances of terrorist attacks as well as limiting the negative impacts of any attack that might occur. Therefore, from such a broad initiative flows a surplus of certain policy programs (Johnstone& Elsevier, 2015). With the prevention objective, an important task that has to be taken into account is to identify and prevent probable terrorist attacks through deny terrorists the means of attacking.
- Conclusion
The terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11 left a huge scar on American society and the world at large. Thousands of lives were lost during and after the incident. This compelled the government of the United States to come of strategies aimed at assuring the safety of its citizens. One of the steps that were taken was the establishment of Homeland Security. The objectives of the Homeland Security can be summed in three words that is preventing, protecting, and responding. Preventing terrorism is one of the ideal objectives of Homeland Security. The manner in which this program as assisted in protecting the American from incidences of terrorist attacks is what has made it be considered as being a point of concern in the future.
References
Johnstone, R. W., & Elsevier. (2015). Protecting transportation: Implementing security policies and programs. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann.
White, J. (2016). Terrorism and homeland security. Cengage Learning, Inc
Jenkins, B. M., Godges, J., & Dobbins, J. (2011). The long shadow of 9/11: America's response to terrorism. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.
Beckman, J. (2016). Comparative legal approaches to homeland security and anti-terrorism. London: Routledge.
David, H.M, Daniel, A.D, Robert, N, Jeffrey, V. S, & Michael, W. (2017). Introduction to Homeland Security. CRC Press
