Introduction
Immense terror attacks planned and orchestrated by self-financed individuals and organizations are posing serious threats to the security of United States nation, its neighboring countries, partners, and friends worldwide. While lives are lost in instances of terrorism attacks, the country incurs more costs in saving lives, providing medical attention, compensating lost resources and rebuilding its economy amongst other expenses. Hence, to deal with the unplanned attacks, the country’s governance has to prepare for such incidences for purposes of ensuring that its citizens and resources are under safety. In reference to the United States Department of Homeland Security (2016), from the time of the 9/11 incidence that got Americans and the rest of the world off guard, security stakeholders in collaboration with the Homeland Security Department are working towards defending the nation against threats. Moreover, they are ways of minimizing risks and maximizing response over attacks and disasters.
Impact of Terrorism on Homeland Security Policies
The guidelines provided by implemented security policies in the United States to curb terrorism constitutes collaboration with international partners to combat terrorism, diplomacy, application of economic sanctions, the use of military forces and covert action amongst many other policies. According to Raphael F. Perl (2007), a specialist in international affairs, the 1970 – 1990 anti-terrorism policy in the United States was focused on dealing and hindering the sponsors as compared to mainly dealing with the terrorist groups. With changes in the policies from time to time, the 9/11 attack influenced the anti-terrorism policy that was geared towards facing the enemy – Al-Qaeda at his ground. The system constituted the need to protect the homeland and its citizens from terrorist attacks which led to the deployment of military forces on the country’s borders, increasing the ability to manage consequences and allocate intelligence resources.
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As Dr. Daniel Pipes (2010) emphasizes that security measures on international transportation like the airlines and ships have been boosted with technology and strict checkpoints and searches that help identify suspects stop any possible attacks. Moreover, visa application for citizens of alleged nations undergoes extreme scrutiny to ensure that no individual has a chance to commit terrorist attacks either in the means of transportation or on arrival to the intended country.
Diplomacy, on the other hand, has influenced the allocated measures that play a significant role in combating conflicts. It was through the use of diplomacy that America was in a position to formulate coalition that is against Taliban. While it may have its weaknesses, diplomacy enables international countries to collaborate and formulate measures that help in deterring the operations of terrorists in and around their borders. Other effective policies on fighting terrorism include the application of economic sanctions that directly affects terrorist groups in particular countries targeting the United States of America. For instance, the United States banned its relations with Cuba and Iran, particularly on investment and trade. The use of sanctions, in this case, was out of the need to identify international terrorism supporters and hence be in a better position to deal with them. Moreover, America uses sanctions to target acquired assets of terrorists and organizations. In fulfilling this, the government has the power and authority to freeze the property of possible suspects within the country.
A powerful impact on the anti-terrorism policies is the use of law enforcement cooperation with other international countries. For instance, US has been in a position to deploy FBI agents to other nations whose responsibilities include investigating on terrorist attacks, crime and the structures of terrorist groups. Moreover, America sends its military forces to suspect Nations on peacekeeping missions and anti-terrorism operations. The military missions in target countries like Afghanistan and Iraq are considered more useful as compared to other policies like the carrying of investigations in different nations.
Roles of Local Communities and Law Enforcement Agencies
While it is the duty of the American government to ensure that its borders are safe from terrorist attacks and other forms of insecurity, every individual and organizations must play a part to facilitate safety within the country. According to Jose Docobo (2005), the 9/11incidence influenced the local law enforcement on anti-terrorism attacks. While many consider local communities to only be in a position to help in curbing crimes like burglary and theft among many other local crimes, through proper policing, local law enforcement can contribute to hinder terrorism. Local law enforcement agencies make use of the partnership with community members, private and public sectors to handle the core reasons for crimes within the communities. Besides, in the implementation of the homeland security policies, the local law enforcement agencies through the current security policing model address aspects that involve gathering of intelligence, prevention of crime and allocation & sharing of information. Among the roles of community, agencies include the ability to partner with community members for purposes of sourcing out the relevant resources and information (Waxman, 2009). Besides, local law enforcement agencies are responsible for the formulation and implementing strategic tactics that can be used to find solutions to underlying insecurity issues. Furthermore, the local law enforcers focus on the need to transform police institutes and patterns for purposes of working together with the homeland security departments and help in the fight against terrorism.
Conclusion
Terror attacks have become the norm in the current days, and hence different governments must formulate effective measure that can be used to tame terrorists from accomplishing their plans. Considering that the attacks find most governments unprepared, measures are being put in place to ensure that anti-terrorist policies help in the fighting of the vice. Implementation of policies and improvement of existing ones has provided that America keeps its citizens, borders, neighbors and international partners out of reach from the jaws of the terrorists, their organizing groups, and sponsors. For example, as explained earlier, the use of sanctions has empowered the US government to monitor and identify assets acquired from acts of terrorism. Moreover, the sponsors are hindered from injecting their resources towards the menacing activities, hence suffocating terrorist operations. America has also initiated the movement of stopping suspect nations from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.
References
Docobo, J. (2005, June). Community Policing as the Primary Prevention Strategy for Homeland Security at the Local Law Enforcement Level . Retrieved April 10, 2017, from Homeland Security Affairs: https://www.hsaj.org/articles/183
Perl, R. F. (2007). International Terrorism: Threat, Policy, and Response. Congressional Research Service.
Pipe, D. (2010). SECURITY THEATER NOW PLAYING AT YOUR AIRPORT. Journal Of Political Commentary & Analysis , XII (3).
U.S Department of Homeland Security. (2016, February 9). Preventing Terrorism and Enhancing Security . Retrieved April 10, 2017, from Department of Homeland Security: https://www.dhs.gov/preventing-terrorism-and-enhancing-security
Waxman, M. C. (2009). Police and National Security: American Local Law . Journal of National Security Law and Policy.
