International Efforts Against Terrorism - Essay Example

George Friedman, a military analyst, describes terrorism as “an attempt to defeat an enemy by striking directly against its general population and thereby creating a sense of terror” (Duncan et al 310). The 9 September terrorist attacks in the United States made the government and counter-terrorist organizations realize the urgent and efficient need for counter-terrorist tactics and methodologies for the protection of their public, leadership, and infrastructure. Governments of countries all across the world are emerging with modern and effective strategies. However, certain hindrances are faced during the process of terrorist risk assessment and evaluation. The paper highlights such problems.

Terrorists have used a variety of tactics over a period of time to bring about fear in the minds of the general public or any particular group of people. Hence, it would be safe to say that terrorists aim to cause a psychological impact significantly. Common tactics employed by terrorists are bombings, biological and chemical attacks, environmental attacks such as hazardous waste disposal, and other tactics such as hijacking, kidnapping, sabotage, and arson (Duncan et al 313). International counterterrorism efforts include not only state-to-state cooperation but also multilateral coordination such as through Interpol. However, it has been observed that Interpol, an international police agency, effectiveness has been restricted due to particular reasons. It is poorly funded and the quantity of staff is also not enough limiting its effectiveness. Moreover, Interpol is not allowed to involve in political issues (Duncan et al 315). The separation of Interpol from politics makes counterterrorism a difficult procedure as most of the terrorist attacks are related to political issues and circumstances.

The European Union also developed a similarly acting agency called Europol. Although Europol works effectively in controlling drugs and human trafficking, counterterrorism efforts are still lagging behind. Europol requires political, technical, and financial enhancement and development to tackle terrorist organizations or activities (Duncan et al 315). One of the major problems faced by the Department of Homeland Security United States is the assessment of the terrorist target locations. Although certain areas of the United States are considered high-risk areas, the DHS is unsure of what specific areas the terrorists will attack next (Bullock et al 153).

The efforts against terrorism are majorly hindered because of financial, technical, or political setbacks. The United States of America has emerged as one of the most vigilant and active states working against terrorism. It is also one of those states which are at high risk for terrorist attacks. The United States of America has several security and counter-terrorist agencies and organizations working in aspects of terrorist risk assessment, evaluation, and management. However, factors such as difficulty in predicting the target location of terrorist attacks, low-funded agencies, or lack of proper staff and technical support act as shortcomings in the effectiveness of the counter-terrorism efforts.