THE WAR ON TERROR - Essay Example

America is currently talking about war on terror after witnessing September 9, 2001. The crashing of the planes in the twin towers proved to be an eye opener for America. The images of people getting killed in the attack are vividly sketched on American minds. This was the day America would never forget and forgive. America realized the gravity of terrorism and the situation for the first time what most nations face on daily basis worldwide. It was also not a welcome fact that post 9/11 we discovered that the terrorist outfits which attacked us were actually trained by us.

This terrorism and war on terror is a direct outcome of America meddling into the business and affairs of other nations. Would it have been possible to avoid this kind of terrorism attacking us? When these attacks happen it is easy to put the onus on a few government or social departments. However when terror attacks of this scale happen then it is obvious that they are an outcome of years of meticulous planning. By the same logic blaming Federal Bureau of Investigation or Immigration and Naturalization Service was an easy way out of pinpointing the responsibility.

However as stated earlier attack on America is an outcome of years of American intervention in the affairs of other nations and even failing to beef the security well within time. Posting guards at airports post the attacks was a reaction to the event. The more interesting question is what could have been done proactively to avoid the attacks. This clearly indicates that we did not look into the system weaknesses at our end and rectify them well within time. It also means that someone whose idea could have been useful was rejected on the grounds of ulterior political aims and perceived to be confusing.

For ex: Homeland security chief Tom Ridge introduced colour codes for levels of security risk. The colours changed from green to red as the level of security changed from low to high. This could have helped to upgrade the security well within time when identified on time. Another more serious outcome of the attack was the change in viewpoint towards other communities either residing or moving in and out of the country. The viewpoints and prejudices stay for long in the American social system.

While we were fighting the Vietnam War the wrath was turned against communists. This prejudiced approach carried so far that even after years have passed by since the war years after thee still watch people through magnifying glass. I have a co-worker who irrespective of being an officer from American navy still is subjected to interrogation and inspection. His family also has to go through the same every time. Most people are surprised when they come to know about the treatment he is met with.

On page 793WBA an Arab-American women says “I was afraid to go out in public alone because I wear the hijab. My husband became my escort; he drove me to work and home. He did everything I needed to get done because he feared for my safety. This goes a long way to explain that Americans do not do away with the prejudice and discrimination they developed due to certain instances happened in the history. They have not understood and neither would want to understand that just because one group, one community or person representing one ethnic group has committed something anti-social, they do not have to hold all of the group or community accountable for the same.