Terrorism and Nations Security Concerns - Assignment Example

Terrorism and Nation’s Security ConcernsOpening - Terrorism remains a major challenged to both national and global security due to its multifaceted nature. Over the years, the world has experienced the proliferation of many terrorists groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades terrorists, which has sparked heated debates across global political, social, and economic forums.Various terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and al-Qaeda use extremist ideologies to further their absolutist goals.

The Middle East and South-east Asia are the most vulnerable terrorist zones in the world.Summary - According to Jerrold M. Post, religious terrorism has taken center stage in the 21stcentury with extremist terrorist organizations such as Aum Shinrikyo and al-Qaeda making headlines. Religious terrorism is an extremist ideology where the terror groups hide under the guise of religious factions, especially Islam, to instill fear in innocent civilians through violence. Such terrorists spread their propaganda based on radical religious ideologies.

Hezbollah has been running an anti-Israel sentiment for quite a long time and the terrorist organization has thrived because of strong support from the Iranian government. The terrorist organization has extensively used the media to run its campaign. 1As an Islamic resistant movement, the Hamas has terrorized the Middle East, particularly Palestine, under the leadership of Sheik Ahman Yassin.Although many negotiations have taken place between Hamas and the Palestinian government, the terrorist organization has stuck to its ideology has rarely has it renounced its absolutist ambitions that it undertakes through suicide bombings.

2In a bid to unearth the inner workings of terrorist organizations, Bruce Hoffman assessed the Middle East terrorism and made a number of astonishing findings. By the year 2005, various terrorist groups, with al-Qaeda taking the lead, had struck in 25 countries, including Israel, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. The number of suicide terrorist attacks stood at 350 by the same years. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has seized most of Sri Lankan provinces while al-Qaeda continued to terrorize the Middle East and beyond.

Terrorism has evolved over the years to the use of suicide bombers, who have been heavily radicalized into believing that through self-sacrifice they receive greater heavenly rewards and in the process, liberate their victims. Suicide terrorism has a number of distinctive characteristics namely media coverage, radicalization, inexpensive, and lethality/destruction.3Closing–The topic of terrorism is a key aspect of every nation’s security concerns. Owing to the mushrooming of various terrorist organizations that spread their ideology across the globe, it is important for the world to come together in order to find possible measures in combating the menace.

The implication of continued terrorist threats is decreased rate of development in affected countries because no country can develop without security. Besides, security breaches in any part of the world will have far-reaching implications, especially on neighboring countries.ReferencesHoffman, Bruce. Inside Terrorism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006.Post, Jerrold M. The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to Al Qaeda. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.