...Securitization Theory Author Institution Course title Instructor Date Critically discuss the securitization theory – using the case study of War on terror in Afghanistan (2001-2012) Introduction Security study was in the past regarded as a sub-discipline of international relations underpinned in Anglo-American thinking. Until early 1990s, security studies were considered as a strategic studies focusing on a strong military focus. This traditional view of security involved the protection of the state and a scientific agenda to secure the state from definable threats and maintain the status quo. This is a positivist approach which was based on rationalism and realism. The Copenhagen School presented an alternative view of security studies by responding to the traditional approach of forming a clear sense of ‘what is security’. This approach is defined in three mechanisms: development of sectors approach to security, developing a regional focus on security and critically engendering a social constructivist theory of security through securitization studies. This theory will be the main focus of this discussion. To achieve a critical discussion of what securitization really entails, this paper will use the case study of USA’s war on terrorism in Afghanistan. The approach used by the US government to fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq can be considered as a securitization approach which has led to a resulted in security problems in the two countries rather...
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...smaller condensed affiliate in the Philippines. Al Qaeda is responsible for attacks in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. In today’s world of the Global War on Terrorism and seemingly un-ending technological surveillance means, al Qaeda, by definition as a terrorist organization must be a secret one or face immediate destruction at the hands of any number of governments. The following sections will discuss the structure, strengths, and weaknesses of al Qaeda as it has changed from September 2001 to today. Structure Pre 9/11: Al Qaeda was very typically structured as a hierarchical organization circa 2001. It had a small leadership cell with different organizational cells below it like security and recruiting. Some descriptions include as many as 4 levels of organization (Tucker, 2008). While the lines of al Qaeda’s hierarchy were much less clear in actuality than they are on any paper depiction of the network, it was, for all intents and purposes, a hierarchical, top-down organization. The central leadership cell was headed by Osama bin Laden, a charismatic millionaire who began his career with fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. The leaders had control over when and where attacks took place, and al Qaeda affiliation was clear, membership was...
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...“This Time is Different: Comparing Al-Qaeda’s Unique Place in the History of Terrorism with the Freedom Fighters of the Irish Republican Army” Al Qaeda and the Irish Republican Army are two of the most complex and famous terrorist organizations in modern history. While both groups share some principles with one another, and undoubtedly have committed and continue to commit horrible acts, the world’s perception of each is undoubtedly different from the other. There is an apparent contradiction in Karl Heinzen’s famous quote: “If to kill is always a crime, then it is forbidden equally to all; if it is not a crime, then it is permitted equally to all.”[1] This difference in public perception is a result of several key tenets of each organization’s strategy and structure. The IRA fights to protect and support the liberties of the Irish people, while Al Qaeda relies upon the religious doctrine of a radical Islamic minority to carry out jihad against Western infidels. Al Qaeda, while claiming to represent the entire Muslim world, has never had a real home or a consistent base to draw upon; inversely, a large proportion of the Irish people are steadfast in their support for the cause. Al Qaeda’s indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians has resulted in a falling out with a large percentage of its former supporters. Finally, the IRA had a distinct, tangible, and realistic goal of expelling the British from Ireland, while Al Qaeda seeks to establish a new caliphate based...
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...link the long gone events to the contemporary world affairs (Lance, 2004). In an intriguing and formidable manner the author, an award winning investigative reporter, unveils details; links acts and reveals a form of behavior that in them paved the way for the tragic September 11th by showing the reader prior intelligence mishaps. Narrated from the point of view of news-making individuals; the world’s most formidable terrorist and two counter terrorists, the book sheds light into the 12 year long covert terrorist confrontation and provides information that was previously unknown to many Americans. Lance brings into the spotlight a shattering and thrilling investigation of the FBI’s misinformed, under sighted and futile search for Osama bin Laden in New York City. The book recounts the long battle against terror since the 1980s, the previous fruitless terrorist attempts on the World Trade Centre in the 1990s, the terrorist events transpiring in between and the final successful attempt on the fateful September 11th 2001. Lance illustrates how the FBI, since the 1980s failed to put an end to...
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...mass media is used to communicate and interact with people from various walks of life, it can often result in a conflict of opinions. The media, specifically in India, represents a convergence of paradoxes: tradition and modernity; anarchy and order; diversity and unity; conflict and cooperation; news and views; feudalism and democracy; the free market and monopoly. Mass media enjoys a very prominent role in our lives. Therefore, there are various effects of mass media on society at large. The wide reach offered by mass media is phenomenal. It can target both local and global audience. Over the years, mass media has played an important role in making people understand the meaning of democracy. We also come to know about the strengths and weaknesses of the economy of our country, the various problems faced by the nation, achievements of the nation in different sectors, through the prompt and precise reporting of different forms of media. In a country like ours, where there are many castes, religions and languages spoken, media has even more tough responsibility of conveying the true news to the citizens. Media plays a very important role in shaping the personality of people. It has been observed that citizens become more sensible and capable to shoulder their responsibility towards the nation and society because of the media. Media has done much good to society by exposing various scams, scandals, frauds, embezzlements and many other cases of corruption, leading to initiation of inquiries...
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...Terrorism and Homeland Security: The Impacts on Preventative Measures Abstract This paper explores four different topics on homeland security and anti-terrorism policies. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security or (HDS). What policies had to be implemented and what did the creation of a new agency affected or benefit. The impact that international terrorism has caused the United States of America and how this policies and changes help build a stronger defense against them. The implementation of local enforcement agencies and the community in the fight to deter terrorist attacks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency or (FEMA) and how organizational bureaucracy hindered cooperation and communication among local and federal agencies. This paper will address what measures have been and can be taken in the future to improve inter-agency cooperation and communication. Table of Content Terrorism and Homeland Security: The Impacts on Preventative Measures Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………2 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Terrorism and the creation of the DHS………................................................................................4 USA PATRIOT ACT……………………………………………………………………………...5 Appropriate roles of agencies and community………………………………………………….5-6 Preventative plans…………………………………………………………………………………6 Community Emergency Response………………………………………………………………...6 FEMA……………………………………………………………………………………………..7 National Response Plan…………………………………………………………………………...
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...since the beginning of time. Religion has various effects on people through different ways. It is very important to remember that religion is a critical part in the day to day events in a human life. There are two events that have happened in the world and one would be 9/11 because the attacks consisted of synchronized suicide attacks within the United States that was commenced by Islamic fundamentalists. There were four commercial airlines that were tied to Al-Quida. Two airlines crashed into the World Trade Center in New York causing several buildings to collapse and fall. While the third airliner crashed were civilians. In the mix of this happening there were one person that intended to cause extreme affects among people and it was Osama Ben Laden. His main purpose for causing this was he wanted to end the repression of the Islamic world. The second event was the Crusade. The Crusades original purpose...
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...RPW 110 Spring 2011 Response essay The misinterpretation of Jihad, as a form of violence. Words: 2000 Our society today faces the greatest challenge in the form of terrorism threatening countless lives and shattering those very ideals that sustain humanity. The misinterpretation of jihad is the primary cause behind many terrorist activities in the recent times. The misinterpretation of this word was first started by Ali ibn Tahir al-Sulami, He was a Damascene jurist and a pious Muslim who was the first to preach jihad against the crusaders in the aftermath of the First Crusade. He was one of the first to misconstrue jihad and preach the misinterpretation of jihad .He wrote the book Kitab Al- Jihad which means “book of the holy war”. In this book he proposes for the first time Jihad as a means of warfare against non-believers. “If he did not undertake the sending of enough troops to fight, those who are absent (must) go out, and consider as an obligation that which God (who is praised) said.” The above excerpts explicitly prove the aggressive nature of his ideology and the eventual misinterpretation of Jihad. The above statement suggests to Muslims if god didn’t send enough men to war against non-Muslims then it is the obligation of every Muslim to fight this war against non-believers. This concept was shouted through speakers in mosques and had a lot of audience hence the impact it had on Muslims was much...
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...HLS110-1302B-01 Phase 1 Individual Project Sean C. Hall Colorado Technical University Professor Dr. Robert Uda May 26, 2013 Abstract Terrorism can be defined as the use of force or even violence that is in terms unlawful against anybody or the property of said persons in order to instill fear, intimidate, or even to coerce ones government, and the civilian population in order to meet their objective. Terrorism takes place all over the world and not just in one specific place. Terrorist’s will sometimes operate in a capacity of one individual but mostly they are a part of not just one but many organizations. Any acts of terrorism will not only kill individuals, it will also bring down economies, as well as destroying livelihoods of all individuals affected. There are two different types of terrorist’s organizations; you have your domestic organization for example the “Aryan Nations (AN) and your international organization for example “al-Qaeda”. The domestic terrorist organization known as the “Aryan Nations” is a neo-Nazi white nationalist group which became founded around the 1970’s. This group has been deemed the United States first truly nationwide terrorist network (START, 2010). The origins of the “Aryan Nations” can be found in the teachings from Wesley Swift who is considered to be a figure of significant in the years of the Christian Identity Movement. This group is a non-membership organization which is worldwide whose sole purpose is to preserve...
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...Terrorism and Homeland Defense Fundamentals Weekly Assignment 3.2 Part One: 1. Describe the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947. For two years after the end of WWII, the world was in constant flux. New countries and boundaries were being drawn and one of the most contested and controversial was the creation of an Israeli/ Palestinian state. The Learning Network (2011) states the following: On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for Palestine to be partitioned between Arabs and Jews, allowing for the formation of the Jewish state of Israel. Since 1917, Palestine had been under the control of Britain, which supported the creation of a Jewish state in the holy land. Sympathy for the Jewish cause grew during the genocide of European Jews during the Holocaust. In 1946, the Palestine issue was brought before the newly created United Nations, which drafted a partition plan. The plan, which organized Palestine into three Jewish sections, four Arab sections and the internationally-administered city of Jerusalem, had strong support in Western nations as well as the Soviet Union. It was opposed by Arab nations. US Central Intelligence Agency (para. 1-3) 2. Why do you think that Palestinian terrorists concentrate on soft targets? The concentration on soft targets is a result of the need to draw attention of a global audience that is increasingly challenging to traumatize, the growing sophistication of the terrorists...
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...Chantal Badie Islamic Extremists English 135-Advanced Composition Devry University Dr. Ralph Monday April 7, 2011 Islamic Extremists Nearly everyone has heard about Islam and the Arab world. In addition, many countries have already faced issues with the Muslim believers. Islam has caused problems, terrorist attacks, anti-democracy all over the world. They were also very successful in sending a message of who they truly are. People who are literally obedient to the Islamic faith are called Islamic Extremists. People, who are of the Islamic faith however desire to survive in peace without tribulations are not considered obedient or dutiful to the Islamic faith, these people are called moderate Muslims. Therefore, the Islamic religious extremists are the major group in Islam who follow the Qur’an word for word and create extreme violence that moderate Muslims do not. Islamic extremism started in Egypt in the late 1920s. During the inter-war years, the country was occupied by the British military. The Nationalist Wafd movement, led by Saad Zaghloul, opposed the presence of the British, as would anyone whose country is being occupied by a foreign military power. (A brief history of Islamic extremism) In 1928, Hassan al-Banna established the term “The Muslim Brotherhood” which was the first Islamist movement. The British government supported the nascent movement in an attempt to counterbalance the Nationalists. In modern Egyptian politics, the Muslim Brotherhood is the largest...
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...Paper One Content Revision 36. Effective conflict reduction or resolution through diplomacy/intervention Prevention diplomacy in Sudan What: preventive diplomacy was a major focus of international efforts -- led for the United Nations by its peacekeeping mission -- to ensure the successful holding of the Independence referendum for Southern Sudan in January 2011. How: The Security Council was actively engaged in this international effort through its statements and visits to the country. The Secretary-General appointed a high-level panel that also encouraged actions and agreements to permit the smooth holding of the referendum. Evaluation: In January 2011, three million people across Sudan and abroad went to the poll in a largely peaceful atmosphere, voting overwhelmingly for secession. While the situation in the region remains fragile with key challenges ahead, the absence of major violence around the referendum itself and the widespread acceptance of its outcome are considered a success for preventive diplomacy. Central America What: Armed conflicts How: The United Nations was deeply involved in the search for peace in Central America, whose armed conflicts were brought to end in the 1990s. UN observers monitored the 1990 elections in Nicaragua. UN envoys helped forge landmark peace agreements in El Salvador and Guatemala, and in both countries UN field missions managed by the Department of Political Affairs verified the implementation of the accords...
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...1. “I was persuaded to stop writing that book. I started it four more times during the next twenty years. On each occasion, my decision to begin again was influenced by current world events: the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, the first Gulf War, Somalia, the rise of Osama bin Laden. However, threats or bribes always convinced me to stop. In 2003, the president of a major publishing house that is owned by a powerful international corporation read a draft of what had now become Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. He described it as "a riveting story that needs to be told." Then he smiled sadly, shook his head, and told me that since the executives at world head-quarters might object, he could not afford to risk.” The statement above was very appealing to me, I think it is because my family is constantly talking about how twisted our government truly is. The fact that there was something to hide so they persuaded him to stop writing it makes me realize how intimidating they must be. And then how he talk about all the wars, invasions, and other twisted things he was discussing made some one scared to publish the book even though they believe he needed to be said. 2. “This book is the confession of a man who, back when I was an EHM, was part of a relatively small group. People who play similar roles are more abundant now. They have more Euphemistic titles, and they walk the corridors of Monsanto, General Electric, Nike, General Motors, Wal-Mart, and nearly every other major...
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...Jack Dedert Ms. Schraub English 2B(4) 03 May 2011 9/11 Terrorist Attack “Smoke clears, and a wail: Where did it go? Oh, Lord, where did it go?” says N.R. Kleinfield (qtd. in Raines 30). The date of September 11th, 2001, will go down in American history forever. This terrorist attack shocked not only the United States, but every other nation in the world. On this day there was nearly 2,900 deaths, it will go down as the largest and most effective terrorist attack ever to have occurred. After the attack of 9/11 the United States changed for the better, it brought change in our government and the faith we have in our country. The day September 11th, 2001 will be a day people will not forget for the rest of their lives. On this morning planes were hijacked from Newark, Boston, and Washington. The first event of the terrorist attack was at 8:46 A.M. in Manhattan, New York. At this time a hijacked plane flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center (Greenberg). The top of the north tower was filled with smoke and flames. The people near the World Trade Center were completely surprised and had their attention caught right when the first plane hit. “Hundreds of thousands of people witnessed the attacks firsthand, and millions watched the tragedy unfold live on television.” (qtd. in “September 11 attacks.”). No one knew at first what had happened. Suddenly, seventeen minutes later, a second plane struck the south tower of the World Trade Center (Greenberg). People began...
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...the World Trade Center in New York City. A third plane then hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, DC, and the fourth and final plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Now referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive destruction, over 3000 merciless deaths in New York City and Washington, and triggered the driving force behind major US initiatives to combat terrorism. Also, may view this horrific event as a defining moment in the presidency of George W. Bush. The first strike was on the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Flight 11, a Boeing 747 carrying 76,000 pounds of jet fuel and 92 passengers, was overtaken by five Arabic passengers, that was later discovered to have worked directly with al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden to both plan and give life to this attack. At 7:40 am the flight departed from Boston as normal, the flight maintained its course for the first thirteen minutes. Following this, the crew was not acknowledging communications with the FAA. Several attempts were made to communicate with the crew but no reply was received, with the exception of the sound of static and was thought to be a scream. Connection was finally made at 8:18am to Cary, North Carolina to the American Airlines office stating that the plane was being hijacked. Initially, the call was grossly mishandled; transferred to a colleague who began recording the conversation, and taken to a supervisor who then passed the call to the security office in Texas. The caller was senior...
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