Insecurity is a unique challenge that affects the experiences of many citizens and exposes them to unpredictable dangers. Global terrorism compels governments across the globe to implement various response mechanisms to protect their people and critical infrastructure systems. The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) liaises with different agencies to gather intelligence, predict possible threats, and respond to them efficiently. This discussion examines the nature of these issues and the way counterterrorism teams work to achieve their aims.
Definitions
The predicaments recorded in different parts of the world due to terrorism have resulted in superior mechanisms aimed at addressing them. Counterterrorism has emerged as the best strategy for countries that want to remain prepared for possible attacks. Savun and Tirone (2017) define the initiative as any form of military, civilian, and political action intended to thwart or prevent the occurrence of terrorism. Different stakeholders will rely on evidence-based tactics and initiatives that engage intelligence communities, businesses, and even citizens. On the other hand, intelligence is a term used to define the procedures involved in acquiring timely information and applying it for military and political purposes (Foley, 2016). The involvement of different partners and professionals will ensure that positive results are recorded.
Counterterrorism is closely linked to intelligence since they both work synergistically to prevent crime and terrorism. Those who coordinate to avert any form of attack will have to rely on intelligence processes to learn more about people’s movements, information sharing, expectations, and missions (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2011). The stakeholders will gather any form of data or message that could guide them to make informed decisions and be in a position to act before the occurrence of a certain attack. For example, the DHS will liaise with different agencies involved in intelligence, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Joint Commission Assessment Team (JCT), to acquire high-quality information and utilize it to improve the level of public safety (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2018). This practice ensures that positive results are recorded to overcome the challenges of insecurity and terrorism.
Relationship with Military Operations
Within the military, intelligence is a discipline intended to collect desirable and timely information and analyze it. This form of knowledge will offer a sense of direction and guidance to ensure that the intended commanders achieve their aims. This process would entail the involvement of government and civilian systems and capabilities to support the process and deliver high-quality information that can sustain military and political activities (Homeland Security Intelligence Council, 2016). These activities are similar to the nature of counterterrorism as a powerful strategy that is supported by effective intelligence gathering. From this analysis, it is evident that all military units and anti-terror groups can collaborate, share information, and focus on similar challenges affecting the people, both globally and locally.
Background Information and Analysis
The United States remains one of the countries that continue to be affected the most by the problem of terrorism. The changing global landscape has presented divergent developments that complicate the war against this malpractice (Foley, 2016). For instance, different terrorists have mastered the power of emerging technologies and modern equipment to pursue their missions and claim innocent lives. The dynamics, allies, and partnerships emanating from the wave of terrorism has even complicated the situation much further. The increasing use of social media platforms and the power of the Internet are some of the formidable forces changing the war against this vice and the existing threats.
In this country, the National Strategy for Counterterrorism is the primary model that dictates how different agencies and organizations collaborate to protect the lives of more Americans, the existing critical infrastructure systems, and national interests (CSIS, n.d.). Through coordination, the involved partners focus on the best ways to eliminate every possible threat of terrorism, secure all points of entry into the country, reduce the possible impacts of any successful attack, and liaise with foreign partners to overcome acts that could affect the interests and resources of the United States.
Before any act of terrorism could be recorded in this country, the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) is a leading agency whose role is “to integrate and lead the national counterterrorism effort by fusing foreign and domestic counterterrorism, providing terrorism analysis, and sharing information with all partners” (The National Counterterrorism Center, n.d.). Professionals from the law enforcement, homeland security, and local agencies are involved to monitor, engage in intelligence gathering, and present timely information and ideas that could protect the United States against any possible terrorist attack. Such a model ensures that positive results are realized in the fight against this form of crime.
The terrorist episode selected for this analysis is the plotted series of attacks by Iranian groups in Europe in 2018. With this kind of information, the United States Department of State identified the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as one of the dangerous Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This pronouncement received the backing of President Trump’s Executive Order number 13886 that empowered the Departments of Treasury and State to be more involved in the ongoing war against terror in different parts of the globe (U.S. Department of State, 2019). In response to such threats, the American government considered the importance of launching the Countering Transnational Terrorism Forum (CTTF) in the year 2019 with the aim of protecting its international interests (U.S. Department of State, 2019). According to different leaders, the success of such attacks could affect the global economy and even claim the lives of more people, including American citizens (U.S. Department of State, 2019). The consideration of the CTTF emerged as an evidence-based approach to deal with such a threat.
The next step was for the CTTF to compose a powerful team comprised of professionals from the law enforcement, financial field, and prosecutors. Such individuals were sourced from around 25 countries across the globe in an effort to disrupt the government o Iran’s involvement in terrorism. The third process was for the government to engage high-level diplomatic engagement aimed at addressing the issue of Hezbollah (U.S. Department of State, 2019). The government disrupted the operations of different financiers, money launderers, and even facilitators. More countries were willing to be part of the response by identifying the identified group as a terrorist agency that was worth fighting.
In 2019, the involved stakeholders were engaged in a number of actions that were aimed at weakening the level o support from other terrorist groups. For example, the government was keen to rehabilitate, prosecute, and even repatriate ISIS fighters and discourage them from going back to the battlefield (U.S. Department of State, 2019). It succeeded in bringing back over 20 American fighters from Iraq and Syria. The other countries involved in this effort considered similar strategies to weaken the groups and make it hard for them to launch new attacks successfully.
Within the next six months, the government of the United States established stronger partnerships with likeminded countries to maximize their capabilities in disrupting, identifying, and dismantling possible terrorist activities and networks. The major agencies in the country, such as FBI, DHS, Departments of Treasury and State, DHS Advisory Groups, and the Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit (CCEU), were keen to liaise with other organizations in Europe and across the globe to consider the level of threats and share intelligence in a timely manner (U.S. Department of State, 2019). Other areas considered to deliver positive results included collaboration in border and aviation security, crisis response abilities, repatriating potential terrorist fighters, and tackling Iran-backed military groups directly (The National Counterterrorism Center, n.d.). The agencies also collaborated to apply legal mechanisms to arrest, prosecute, and even punish terrorists who were identified after completion of the response strategy (Hu et al., 2019). A multiagency approach is, therefore, a practical response to any possible terrorist attack to protect the lives of the greatest number innocent lives.
Conclusion
The above discussion has identified terrorism as a unique predicament affecting the global community. The United States has been on the frontline to form different departments and units that work synergistically to gather intelligence, share information, and collaborate with foreign institutions and governments to take counterterrorism to the next level. Although the presented process revolves around an international terrorist episode, it is evident that the procedures would be more or less the same when the government is responding to a local threat. The ultimate aims should be to reduce the possible impacts of terrorism, disrupt the operations of such organizations, and make them weaker and incapable of pursuing their intentions.
References
CSIS. (n.d.). Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Program. 2020, Web.
Foley, F. (2016). Why inter-agency operations break down: US counterterrorism in comparative perspective. European Journal of International Security, 1(2), 150-175. Web.
Homeland Security Intelligence Council. (2016). Protecting the Homeland: Intelligence Integration 15 Years after 9/11. INSA.
Hu, X., Lai, F., Chen, G., Zou, R., & Feng, Q. (2019). Quantitative research on global terrorist attacks and terrorist attack classification. Sustainability, 11(5), 1487-16-1502. Web.
The National Counterterrorism Center. (n.d.). Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team. Web.
Savun, B., & Tirone, D. C. (2017). Foreign aid as a counterterrorism tool: More liberty, less terror? Journal of Conflict Resolution, 1(1), 1-29. Web.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2011). Implementing 9/11 commission recommendations. Web.
U.S. Department of State. (2019). Country reports on terrorism 2019. Bureau of Counterterrorism.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2018). Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit. Web.