Public Administration as One of the Important Aspects of a Government - Term Paper Example

?Running Head: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Public Administration and Terrorism Introduction Public administration is one of the important aspects of a country’s government. If the public administration is carried out in a successful manner, there would be a considerable reduction in the number of problems. This paper describes the importance of public administration by analyzing terrorism in U.S. It highlights the relationship between the public administration department and the country’s security. Terrorism has taken its toll in most of the countries. U.S has been one of the countries which have been under the terroristic activities. The country has suffered in almost all the aspects as the governmental policies are not effective in dealing with terrorism. Public administration is an essential part of a government and the governmental policies and ideologies form the major part of a country’s security. Public administration includes problem identification, policy determination, analysis and proposing a solution to resolve the issue. A government generally aims at resolving the problems related to public in an efficient manner. Public administration is considered to be the important part of a country’s government and the government has the responsibility to implement procedures that are favorable for the public. This ensures that public administration is connected to almost all types of organizations and it has touched the lives of many. Terrorism, when compared to the other issues has become a life threatening problem that has led to several related issues. Public administration in any form aims at serving the public in an efficient manner. (Petroni, 2005). Public safety has becomes a matter of concern these days. The reason is the increase in the number of illegal activities that pose greater risks to the people residing in a country. The country must incorporate certain strategies to improve this situation and must propose policies to make sure that people are safe. Since security is the primary concern, the involvement of the government is the important part of a country’s security. Each stage of a country’s security is taken care by the government. The public administration department of U.S’s government has appointed certain voluntary organizations to safe guard the people. These organizations follow the legislations imposed by the government and must impart the importance of it. Though the government in U.S has been proactive in dealing with the terrorist activities, the lack of co-ordination and other factors lead to a problematic situation. Public administration must be carried out in an effective way, so that the government can be sure of eradicating the problem of terrorism. The political parties play a major role in the public administration department. (Chandler, 2000). Each of these parties place their own suggestions and options to deal with the recurring problems. Due to this reason, the government is pushed to a situation where they cannot decide about the solution for a particular problem. These problems contribute to the existing issues and thus make it tough for the government to deal with these issues. History of Terrorism in U.S Terrorism has been a great problem in U.S since the time of Second World War. Second World War created an impact on the lives of people residing in U.S. Even though terrorism is not new to U.S, the effect of wars and the aftermath created a wave of fear among the residents of U.S. People migrated to some other parts of the country and this made the remaining people to have a tough time. The government and the political parties were not able to resolve the problems that resulted due to the increasing issues of terrorism. The government felt that the reason behind the terrorist activities was the American democracy. Democracy resulted in domestic terrorism as the people did not trust the concept of democracy. Instead they formed groups to agitate and protest against the governmental policies. When compared to the other countries, U.S is more prone to terrorism and the history also proves this. The government analyzed the reasons for continuous terrorist threats and attacks in U.S. It was found that terrorism had its roots during the colonial period and this created a rage in the American government. (Forest, 2007). Colonialism contributed to the problems that prevailed during the period of Second World War. The liberation groups often staged a protest against the government which in turn led to the formation of terrorist groups. The Native Americans went through a tough time since the government agencies and allied companies acted against the government. The history of terrorism in America dates back to the period of Civil War. The White Supremacy led to racism and this in turn created a vast difference between the whites and the people from other cultural backgrounds. The military forces were used to maintain peace among the people in the country. But these actions failed miserably as the equality was a concept that was far beyond the reach of the government of America. During the 1870’s, America went through a series of problems related to racism and inequality among the residents. The situation did not change even during the 1900’s as the residents started to move out of America due to the prevailing problems. The problem of terrorism came into light after the attack in the year 1988. This made the people and the government to realize the problem behind terrorist attacks. The government appointed investigation agencies to find out the reason behind such threats and attacks. The intelligence bureau and the investigation services of the government were also aware of the fact that America was massively used by the terrorists. America, as a country was preferred by most of the people, underwent a period of problems during the 1900’s. In spite of America’s flourishing business and educational institutions, people had a second thought of continuing their life in the country. Though the country’s national security was not the target; the terrorists aimed at creating havoc in one of the busiest cities of U.S. (Levy, 2007). The government also realized that U.S had become the target for the terrorist groups around the world. The terrorist groups carried out determined and well planned attacks in every part of the country. The government strived hard to put an end to these rivals, but most of the policies turned out to be a failure. The actual reason and motive behind these attacks remained to be an unsolved mystery. The terrorist groups continued to threaten the country by means of recorded tapes that were sent to the government. The government continued to pass legislations and laws against terrorism, but this did not reduce the threats and attacks. In a country like U.S, where the numbers of migrants are more than the native residents, it was difficult for the government to tackle these problems. The government made temporary arrangements and principles that could reduce the numbers of migrants per year. This did not minimize the intervention and growth of terrorist groups. The government implemented policies to control the expansion of such terrorist groups. Before this could happen, the terrorist groups had spread their wings to other countries as well. The counter terrorism policies did not work in a positive way. Instead it added to the problems that existed during that time. During the 1960’s and 1970’s the situation was entirely different. The airplane services widened and this increased the numbers of migrants. People preferred America to other countries and this increased the population of the country. This led to the hijack of planes and the terrorist groups preferred this sort of an attack as people will not have any sort of communication with the outsiders. Hijack was mostly done in the domestic flights and this was the result of liberation movements and colonialism. The situation worsened after the terrorist attack and hijack of international and domestic flights. These attacks indicated the vulnerability of international terrorism and it was passed shockwaves throughout the world. The late 1990’s was the most vulnerable period as most of the terrorist attacks targeted on the foreign embassies. (Rees, 2006). The terrorist groups have acquired their weapons and other materials and they targeted the lives of civilians. As the number of terrorist incidents increased, the country implemented anti terrorism policies to improve the situation. From then the country was still more careful in dealing with terrorism and its related activities. The country’s foreign affairs ministry imposed certain restrictions on the intervention of people from other countries. This improved the situation since the numbers of migrants and visitors were reduced to a certain extent. As the laws imposed during the 1980’s were proved to be a failure, the government had to take an extreme step of posing a limit on the number of visas that are issued per year. Governmental Policies The government of U.S proposed several policies and regulation that could minimize the terroristic activities. These policies were effective in dealing with some of the features of terrorism, but some of these policies turned out to be a failure. (Perl, 2003). The reasons for these failures were not analyzed as the government kept on implementing new legislations. Among these policies, some of them had the ability to reduce the impact of terrorism. The failures of the policies were determined by the way in which they protect the public and help the government in reducing the intervention of terrorists. The country had to face several political issues as the ruling parties changed during the implementation of these policies. The existing regulations served as an intermediary between the previous government and the existing government. The political parties insisted on the change of policies as it was ineffective in protecting the public. Security of the public was one of the major problems as most of the policies failed to tackle it. People had to suffer in each of these stages and this paved the way for imposing new policies. The government decided to implement policies that would benefit the people and the country as a whole. Washington was the major target of the terrorists and the governmental policies were not much effective in dealing with terrorism. Due to the prevailing problems and increase in the number of terrorist attacks, the government imposed certain unique policies to minimize the possibility of terrorist attacks. From then, there was no looking back as each policy was reformed by analyzing the problems in the country. Even the minor aspects of the terrorism were focused upon and the policies and laws were determined after including all these factors. As even a small mistake would cost another terrorist attack, the government was more cautious in implementing these policies. (Pillar, 2001). The intelligence bureau analyzed the recent events in the government and the response to these legislations. This helped the government to arrive at a conclusion regarding the determination of legislations. Among the other anti terrorism acts and laws, the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act that was passed in the year 1989 proved to be much effective. (Pillar, 2001). This act ensured that the biological weapons were banned and they were not permitted in America. This increased the level of terrorism to a certain extent. Another anti terrorism act was imposed in the year 1996 and this helped the government to have a control over the terrorist groups and their activities. Though these legislations were effective, terrorism was not eradicated. Instead it continued to grow in the U.S. The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 pushed the government to arrive at a decision that would protect the people as well as the country. An order was passed by George. W. Bush which targeted the people who helped the terrorist groups either financially or physically and this was named as Executive Order. This was followed by the Terrorism Act of 2001 and this aimed at reducing the activities related to terrorism and strengthening the governmental policies. (Caraley, 2002). The Terrorism Act 2001 was proposed with the aim of eradicating terrorism and making the country a problem free nation. The 9/11 attack in U.S created a wave of fear among the political parties and the government and this led to a situation where the government had to implement strategies that would reduce the terrorist intervention. The SAFETY Act of 2002 was imposed to support the anti-terrorism policies and to implement them in a better manner. (Perl, 2003). The next anti-terrorism act was implemented in the year 2005 and this Anti Terrorism Act imposed a limit on the immigration and minimized the number of visa applications in a year. This act was followed by the Military Commissions Act which came was implemented in the year 2006. This increased the level of military control and helped the government to restrict the number of illegal intruders into the country. These anti-terrorism acts paved the way to better management of the government and helped the government to manage the country in a better way. Though several laws and legislations were passed, terrorism was not completely abolished. The problem was prevalent throughout U.S and this led to several administrative issues. Administrative Issues Administration plays a major role in implementing and maintaining the government. This also includes the implementation of policies proposed by the government. Due to the administrative problems, the positive effects of the laws ad legislations were not completely felt. The problems that prevailed during the late 1990’s were left unattended and this led to a situation where the country struggled hard to improve the country’s status in terms of terrorism. Other countries like U.K, Europe, Iraq and Iran were also affected by the terrorist attacks. The major problems included the ineffective implementation of the laws against terrorism. Though several legislations were passed, the government did not maintain them at a proper pace. The administrative procedures were not carried out in a proper manner and this contributed to the existing problems. The governmental policies were altered to suit the changing needs of the country. (Petroni, 2005). The criminal procedures were also modified, but this did not discourage the spread of terrorism. The police and military powers were also expanded but the prevalence of terrorism was not abolished. The governmental policies were not implemented in a proper manner and due to this reason the positive aspects were not felt. One of the most prominent and sever terrorist attacks was the one that destroyed the World Trade Center in the year 2001. The legal issues and the administrative problems led to a situation where the country lost its control over the terrorist groups. In the history of America, the World Trade Center attack in the year 2001 claimed 6000 lives and injured many. (Levy, 2007). This created a wave of fear among the other countries in the world. The lack of administration and improper management contributed to the problems and the country went through a tough time to recover. This clearly proved that public administration is interconnected with the governmental activities and the participation of the voluntary organizations. The government cannot maintain a peaceful country without the help of the fellow citizens. To accomplish this task, the government seeks the help of voluntary organizations that help them to maintain a problem free nation. These voluntary organizations lend a helping hand in safeguarding the public from antisocial elements. In a country like U.S, where the terroristic intervention is more, the participation of the general public is also mandatory. The administration department is responsible for delivering the policies and promises made by the government. If the administration department does not perform the intended functions, this will lead to other problems in the nation. The problems in the local governmental bodies contribute to the functional participation of these organizations. The services rendered by the government must be implemented in a full-fledged manner. Misinterpretation of even a single feature of the government’s policies might result in a political disorder. This in turn might create a problem in the public administration department. In certain cases, the officials in the public administration have been transferred to other parts of the country. The major administrative issue is the improper implementation of the existing policies and this pushes the government to a situation where the enforced laws have to be modified. Though the legislations are effective, their use and effectiveness are determined by the how it is used in a daily basis. Reasons for Failure The U.S government and its allied organizations depend and work on the existing policies that have been imposed by the government. Public administration is a part of government and every activity must be carried out in such a way that it fetches more benefits to the public as well as the government that imposes them. The legislations and acts against terrorism did not fare well, as the policies were not effective in dealing with the current issues that were also a part of the government. Some of these legislations intensified terrorism as it indirectly dealt with racism. (Heymann, 2001). When compared to the past, the people who migrated from countries like Iraq, Iran and other countries are more and this led to the increase in the numbers of people from other culture. The native residents also felt the difference between and this was felt in every aspect like education and employment. This continued only for a period of time, as years passed, the situation went through a complete change. The 2001 attack was a result of the ineffective management and implementation of ineffective principles and policies. Though the government policies aimed at resolving the problems, most of them turned out to be a failure After the hiatus attack in U.S, the government and its associated intelligence agencies did not conduct an analysis to find out the problems. Some of the researcher and activists felt that 9/11 attack was also an indication for the attack that took place in the year 2005. Even the military forces failed to perform their tasks and this contributed to the problems. (Caraley, 2002). The legislations against terrorism were ineffective in improving the existing situation as most of them aimed at resolving the problems created by the terrorist groups. The government did not include any clause to manage the terrorist threats and attacks. The governmental policies remained ineffective due to this reason and it took several years to recuperate from these problems. Any organization or government aims at improving its situation by implementing certain strategies or modifying the management policies. The management policies of the government must be altered to suit the changing environment of the country. Environment is the overall functioning of a country in terms of politics, education and employment. These aspects are interrelated and any problem in one sector leads to a problem in the other sector. Hence the government must make sure that the policies do not affect the departments that rely on the government. Apart from these issues, the implementation of other new policies also affects the legislations that are passed to pacify terrorism. It specified certain rights and liberties of every individual which turned out to be a disaster. The law had certain flaws which added to the problems caused by the terrorist groups. Instead of providing the people with utmost freedom and liberty, this act gave them an opportunity to justify that terrorism depends on one’s own wish. The next drawback was the internal factors of the Anti-terrorism Act of 1996. This legislation provided the officials with more power. The officials had the rights to detain them and conduct an enquiry session. Those who were identified as terrorist suspects were discriminated and the officials cross checked and verified their nationality certificates and immigration documents. This discrimination spoiled the self identity and reputation of every individual. People revolted against this act, but the government did not show any signs of modifying the legislation. Due to this factor, people started acting against the governmental rules and regulations. This in turn spoiled the whole idea of inculcating the seriousness of terrorism. (Celmer, 1987). But the government continued to justify their acts pertaining to each of these legislations. This sort of a reaction made the people to have a different decision and conclusion altogether. These were the major drawbacks that resulted in the failure of the policies and legislations imposed by the government. Recent Policies The recent changes in the government have led to the changes in the policies and legislations. The government has made certain remarkable changes in the policies related to anti-terrorism. The previous legislations included certain factors which worsened the situation. These factors have been removed and unique strategies have been included to improve the existing situation and to protect the country by all means. The Global Terrorism Report 2002 revealed the facts behind terrorist attacks and it also explained the terrorist activities. The situations that led to the terrorist activities were also described and this helped the people and government to have a better understanding of the problems related to terrorism. (Perl, 2003). The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center was well analyzed and the anti social elements involved in this attack were also analyzed. The economic status of the country has improved when compared to the past and America is considered as the super power of the world. In spite of a strong financial status and background, America suffered to recover from the terrorist attacks. But the recent changes in the public administration and the governmental policies have helped America to tackle these problems. The policies against terrorism have gone through a complete change and this has eradicated the control over the normal people’s freedom. Solution International terrorism is one of the greatest problems in countries like U.S and U.K. Since the method and the problems keep changing day after day, the country must be ready to face any sort of challenge. The security of the country is the important aspect and the government must modify its security system in order to have a problem free atmosphere. This cannot be achieved overnight as the problems are perennial. The terrorists aim at mass destruction and this is one of the reasons why they prefer places that are more crowded. To tackle all these problems, the U.S government must make use of strategic planning and incorporate them in their policies against terrorism. The existing policies though seem to be effective, lacks certain features that enable the country to fight against the terrorist groups. The international society to abolish terrorism is considered to be one of the best ways of tackling terrorism. A scientific approach is necessary and the country must be able to stop these terrorist attacks. An organization or a department must be set up to handle these problems. The main aim must be to stop further terrorist attacks and the government must find out a way to reduce the number of people who turn out to be terrorists. (Hanman, 2009). Then the protection mechanisms must be strong enough to protect the people against any sort of terrorist attack. The government must also be aware of the fact that terrorist attacks cannot be reversed overnight. The country must be prepared to face any sort of situation and must be able to cope up with the aftermath of such incidents. This will reduce the threat of terrorism and the country will be less vulnerable to these terrorist attacks. The country must set up an initiative to forecast any scientific and technical threat to the country. Scientific and technical problems are on the higher side when compared to the other issues. Terrorist groups aim at attacking the technical power of the country by threatening the cyberspace of the country. The law enforcement must be still wider to have a control over more number of people. This in turn will reduce the possibility of terrorist attacks. The government must include voluntary organizations in helping them to tackle with these attacks and threats. The country must be well equipped to handle these situations. Another solution would be to use the developments in science and technology to minimize the terrorist threats and attacks. This would help the government to have an idea about the terrorist activities and the devices and weapons they generally use to cause destruction. This will enable the government to regain the democratic society. Due to the terrorist attacks and threats, people have lost the faith on democracy. To revive this situation, the government must incorporate policies to bring back the lost democratic policies so that people will have the freedom. Since America has been supplying weapons to countries like Israel, the aversion towards America have increased. The people who fought against Israel were the Muslims who had vengeance on America. This turned out to be the greatest problem to America. The country must resolve this issue by implementing regulations that put an end to the weapon supply among these countries. Recommendation The primary solution would be to set up a department that analyzes the reasons behind these terrorist attacks. This would help them to predict the threats and attacks that might occur in the future. The reason why I suggest this solution is, the result would be effective as it can stop the terrorist attacks in the future. Also the country will come to know about the real facts that led to the terrorist attacks. This system will also help the government to have a control over the citizens. This in turn will reduce the number of people who turn out to be terrorists. When compared to the other solution, this will ensure that people are always monitored so that they do not fall prey to such terrorist groups. Conclusion Public administration is a part of the country’s government. The task of public administration does not end with mere maintenance of regulations. Instead it involves proper implementation of strategies, protecting the people and maintaining a proper security of the country. In every aspect, a government must be capable enough to handle the threats and attacks and must make sure that these departments work in an efficient manner. The reasons for terrorist attacks, history of terrorism in U.S and its negative effects have been explained. The reasons behind such attacks and the governmental policies have been described. The lack of co-ordination and the lack of national security are considered as the major reasons for such terrorist attacks and the country must work forward to reduce these problems. Reference Petroni, G. (2005). New Technologies in Public Administration. Netherlands: IOS Press. Chandler, J. (2000). Comparative Public Administration. Oxon: Routledge. Forest, J. (2007). Countering Terrorism and Insurgency in the 21st Century. U.S.A: Praeger International. Levy, J. (2007). Terrorism Issues and Development. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Rees, W. (2006). Transatlantic Counter-Terrorism Cooperation: The New Imperative. U.K: Routledge. Perl, R. (2003). Terrorism, the Future, and the U.S. Foreign Policy. Retrieved from: http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/IB95112.pdf Pillar, P. (2001). Terrorism and U.S Foreign Policy. Virginia: The Brookings Institution. Celmer, M. (1987). Terrorism, U.S Strategy, and Reagan Policies. U.S.A: Greenwood Press Inc. Heymann, P. (2001). Terrorism and America: A Commonsense Strategy for Democratic Society. U.S.A: MIT Press. Caraley, D. (2002). September 11, Terrorist Attacks, and U.S Foreign Policy. New York: The Academy of Political Science. Read More

 

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