unit6essay

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Political Science

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Oct 30, 2023

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1 Unit VI Essay Brian Jones Columbia Southern University HLS3302-17E-4A21-S1, American Homeland Security Dr. George McCord, Jr March 02, 2021

2 Impacts of Terrorism on Society Terrorism has existed for centuries, stretching all the way back to the French Revolution, and possibly beyond. While modern terrorism is vastly different from earlier forms, the end goal and perceived outcomes are the same. Terrorism seeks to cause disruption, death, and destruction as a means to make a point. Originally, terrorism was used by a citizenship as a way to revolt against oppression, this was known as revolutionary terrorism and is defined by the use of guerilla style tactics by these groups. Fast forward to modern times and terrorism has evolved into a means to incite fear and cause disruption to a way of life. Modern terrorism has so evolved that there are as many definitions for what modern terrorism means as there are government agencies that monitor terror activities. Some agencies include the verbiage “politically motivated” while others use terms such as “unlawful use, or threat, of violence”. Possibly, the most comprehensive definition could be the one used by the Department of Homeland Security, “‘Any activity that involves an act that is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping” (Homeland Security Act, 2002. p. 7). Impacts on Society As previously stated, terrorism seeks to disrupt a way of life. An act of terrorism can have deep and /far-reaching impacts on almost every facet of modern life. Aside from the destruction of property and loss of life, terrorism can effectively shut down critical infrastructure, cripple an

3 economy, cause individuals to withdraw from society, or a combination of all of these. Using the events of 9/11as an example, the United States basically shut down. The stock market experienced an all time low, rebuilding efforts would take untold amounts of time, the death toll was almost unthinkable, and citizens were afraid to leave their homes. International Terror Groups International terror groups thrive in many parts of the world. Most notably is al Qaeda, the group that ultimately claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks against the United states. Al Qaeda has a large membership base as well as an established leadership hierarchy that will potentially keep the group operating for the foreseeable future. As stated in the Rand Report (Chalk, et.al. 2005), al Qaeda has the potential to carry out attacks that are much more destructive and deadly than even the 9/11 attacks. While the 9/11 attacks sought to destroy the symbols of American commerce and military, the World Trade Center and Pentagon respectively, future attacks could concentrate or more civilian based “soft targets”. Soft targets are those targets that are not well defended. Examples are sporting events, theme parks, malls, etc. Conversely, hard targets, or targets that are well defended, such as warships and military bases could also be considered prime targets for future attacks. Domestic Terrorism As problematic as international terrorism is, domestic terrorism and homegrown extremism can be just as troublesome. The first point that makes this an issue is the simple fact that those terror actors are already on American soil, with most of them having been here their entire lives. These individuals know the “lay of the land” and know the details and general history of a typical day in America. These individuals can, therefore, plan and execute an attack more easily and often without suspicion. The motivations behind potential attacks by these

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