Abstract
The US is among the nations that have suffered some of the worst terrorist attacks worldwide and it is also a hub of international criminal activities due to its wealth of resources and powerful economic position. Although the ultimate aim of homeland security officials is to prevent the occurrence of these crimes and protect American citizens from their implications, terrorism and transnational crimes have proved difficult to eradicate because of individuals’ active involvement in their facilitation. Trans-national criminals and terror groups take advantage of loopholes within US borders and its weak leadership structures to satisfy their interests. As a result, corrupt officials benefit at the expense of innocent citizens and the US economy. Therefore, the proposed solution to dealing with these issues is finding organizations and individuals associated with international criminal and terrorist networks and holding them accountable for their actions. However, the government should take advantage of the general public because they suffer the most from these atrocities.
Introduction
Countering terrorism and advancing homeland security have been at the top of the US government’s national security strategy for several decades. However, America is a nation that is increasingly exposed to internal and external threats from militia groups and powerful sects with conflicting interests. Despite several challenges such as porous borders and advanced transnational criminal systems that make it difficult to identify and counter security threats, the government and law enforcement have adopted several solutions including technological tools to limit crises and protect the lives of Americans. Nevertheless, investigating, assessing, and evaluating the nature of security threats within and outside US borders and their root causes can enable officers and officials to develop effective mitigation strategies and more reliable measures to limit adversities.
Types of National Security Threats
All nations face different forms of threats which can be internal due to social aggression, civil warfare, and regional conflicts or external as a result of global economic trends and infiltration by terror groups. Therefore, national security programs refer to the government’s initiatives to protect citizens from internal threats while global security strategies involve a coalition of international governments toward minimizing inter-border threats and ensuring peace and stability (McEntire, 2018). National security threats are broadly categorized into disease and national disasters, cybercrime, proliferation, terrorism, and hostile government. These factors are considered detrimental because of their adverse implications on a nation’s power and well-being (Willis et al., 2018). Hence, the government’s responsibility is to set up frameworks that identify looming threats and provide resources to inhibit their occurrence and reduce the number of casualties in unprecedented situations. Nevertheless, assuring national security requires the input of several other players including law enforcement, religious leaders, educators, and the general public.
Terrorism as a National Security Threat
The United States has witnessed some of the worst atrocities on innocent citizens due to terrorist attacks. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, terrorism is the illegal use of violence or force against individuals or their property to coerce, intimidate, and further social and political objectives (McEntire, 2018). Therefore, terrorism can take various facets depending on the individuals responsible for the unlawful acts, their origins, and their agenda. Although the US occasionally experiences internal terrorism activities involving mass shootings, homicides, and violent criminal activities, international terrorism threats by groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda pose critical concerns (Ruggiero, 2019). The government has less control over these groups due to insufficient legal authority and limited resources to root them out of their training camps.
Terrorism is a phenomenon that has evolved exponentially over the past centuries. Terrorist activities date back to the early 18th century but its proprietors adopted military tactics like kidnapping and assassinations to eliminate their targets. In the 20th century and the modern era, terrorist groups have adopted advanced tactics such as the use of mass explosives and chemical weapons (McEntire, 2018). As a result, they threaten the lives of thousands of innocent individuals who are caught unaware most of the time, thus increasing the number of casualties. Modern terrorism techniques also compromise economic and infrastructural developments due to their massive destruction capabilities (Willis et al., 2018). Additionally, more efficient communication between groups and sponsors and their adoption of technological solutions to advance their interests creates challenges since they are difficult to track down and apprehend.
Although the September 11th, 2001 attacks shaped US policies against terrorism and helped the nation to gunner support for stringent anti-terrorism measures, the government faces limitations in deploying its forces to act against groups overseas. For example, the International Humanitarian Law states that military responses to acts of violence on a nation’s citizens or resources by parties in other nations should adhere to stipulated legal criteria (Willis et al., 2018). Some of these requirements include a destruction threshold that warrants an armed attack. Nevertheless, in most situations, terror groups do not go past this level, thus disqualifying retaliation. Regardless, several lives are lost in terrorist activities irrespective of their intensity as their implications are far-fetched.
Trans-National Organized Crime as a Threat to Homeland Security
Trans-national organized crime (TOC) is another emerging threat to national security due to its devastating implications on the nation’s economic stability, democratic institutions, public health systems, and individual safety. TOC refers to various types of crimes perpetrated across borders and often involves illegal ventures to make profits. TOC involves powerful players who do not acknowledge national regulations and rules that govern borders (Hignett, 2021). The most common illegal activities in TOC include human trafficking, weapons trafficking, cybercrime, theft of intellectual property, and drug trafficking. On most occasions, people involved in transnational crimes take advantage of officials in powerful positions using bribery, coercion, or violence to achieve their goals (Ruggiero, 2019). Another critical concern in transnational illegal activities is the involvement of top officials in government offices. As a result, it is difficult to eradicate vices due to these individuals’ influence.
Transnational organized crimes are a threat to national security because they weaken governance systems and undermine democracy. For example, an internationally established organization with a wealth of resources and significant influence on a nation’s economy can threaten positive development by leveraging its powerful position against the country’s regulatory standards and government policies (Ruggiero, 2019). As a result, they may proceed with destructive activities such as money laundering, environmental degradation, and labor crimes without any reparations as the government is forced to turn a blind eye. In addition, TOC robs individuals of their human rights by exposing them to an unsupportive living environment, severe health conditions, and less control over natural resources (Hignett, 2021). Moreover, its interference with political institutions is associated with increased corruption and negligence in governmental institutions since it promotes unethical practices. Thus, dealing with transnational organize is critical for a just society and positive developments.
A reliable solution to abolishing TOC in the US and shielding the nation against its implications is tracking down its facilitators. The proponents of transnational crimes are not ordinary citizens, but rich, affiliated, educated, and well-known individuals in society. The masterminds of TOC deal with legitimate players in the industry, including politicians, attorneys, accountants, real estate brokers, and wealthy property owners who allow them to carry out illegal activities on a larger scale (Hignett, 2021). Unethical corporations and banking institutions also play a role in money laundering, concealing smuggling operations, and offering legitimate customers to illegal businesses. Subsequently, international powers take advantage of people with unique technical skills who create illegal offshore accounts and shell corporations to facilitate illicit schemes (Ruggiero, 2019). Hence, acknowledging the unique attributes of TOC can help the government and law enforcement to set up more effective surveillance systems.
Comprehensive Solutions to Dealing with Terrorism and TOC
Over the years, the government has invested millions in homeland security advancement initiatives, including equipping officers with advanced technological solutions to aid surveillance and prompt reaction in case of threats. However, the high prevalence of terrorism and TOC activities suggests that more should be done to abolish these vices. A reliable recommendation that the government can adopt to limit people in powerful positions from engaging in these activities is severe reparations in case proven guilty (McEntire, 2018). Although a jail sentence indicates a certain level of justice, the government should take more actions like confiscating their property and all their money, including their assets and businesses. In turn, the fear of losing everything can prevent people from engaging in illegal activities that harm others and the nation.
Ordinary citizens are most affected by terrorism and TOC activities. Therefore, they should have an opportunity to voice out their concerns and demand solutions using their democratic rights. Civilians in the US are more powerful than political figures and wealthy organizations because they are the core of the country (Hignett, 2021). Therefore, providing them with channels to report illegal activities and fight for their rights without the fear of apprehension can help deal with several national security issues. In the long run, more people will be dedicated to the fight against TOC and terrorism, thus helping to root out other societal vices like corruption and negligence.
Conclusion
Although the safety and comfort of US citizens is a government priority, national security still suffers from significant threats due to a high prevalence of terrorist activities and transnational organized crimes. However, the analysis above shows that facilitators and players within the US pose the greatest limitation to countering these adversities because they make criminal activities less noticeable and more difficult to counter. Terrorists and perpetrators of transnational crimes take advantage of corrupt government officials, unethical corporations, and banking systems to finance their activities and gather resources. Therefore, the ultimate solution to dealing with TOC and terrorism is tracking down these individuals and punishing them for their crimes. Terrorism and transnational crimes are a threat to homeland security, the lives of innocent civilians, and economic developments due to their destructive implications. Thus, the government should involve the public in the war against these vices and ensure more strict reparations to discourage involvement.
References
McEntire, D. A. (2018). Introduction to homeland security: Understanding terrorism prevention and emergency management. John Wiley & Sons.
Hignett, K. (2021). Transnational organized crime and the global village. In The Routledge Handbook of Transnational Organized Crime (pp. 305-317). Routledge.
Ruggiero, V. (2019). Organized crime and terrorist networks. In Organized Crime and Terrorist Networks (pp. 8-25). Routledge.
Willis, H. H., Tighe, M., Lauland, A., Ecola, L., Shelton, S. R., Smith, M. L.,… & Gerstein, D. M. (2018). Homeland security national risk characterization: Risk assessment methodology. RAND Corporation.